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General torch lighter question

SamuraiJack

SamuraiJack

New Member
So you fill your torch lighter, and WHOA that flame is too big.

You dial it down. Perfect.

After a while it quits on ya, won't light. So you open it up a bit and you're back in bizness.

Uh oh! It dies on you again! Open it up a bit again and your fine.

Repeat until empty.



Am I the only one with this problem? And I mean every torch lighter I've had.
 
I have Blazers that seem to work pretty consistently, so I don't fight this.

I do recall if you purge your lighters before filling, then allow them to sit for a couple of minutes before using them, this issue is lots better. Also, use good butane. Makes a huge difference. Ronson butane is the devil.....

Good luck - B.B.S.
 
BlindedByScience said:
I have Blazers that seem to work pretty consistently, so I don't fight this.

I do recall if you purge your lighters before filling, then allow them to sit for a couple of minutes before using them, this issue is lots better. Also, use good butane. Makes a huge difference. Ronson butane is the devil.....

Good luck - B.B.S.
Click to expand...

Tom's post sums it up very well.

If you try to use the lighter immediately after filling it, the chance of clogging up your jets increases.
If you are using low quality butane you are fugged!

You can also try blowing out the jets with compressed air.
In extreme cases soak the jets in Isopropyl alcohol.
Make sure the lighter is completely dry before igniting it.
I would wait at least 6-12 hours before trying the lighter.
Give it another blast of compressed air and give it a whirl.

If this doesn't work and your lighter is less than $10 toss and buy another!
:p

-Rob
 
Wanted to add...
Tried soaking a old Colibri in Isopropyl today.
Make sure you only get the jets.
The Iso ate the seal and it's not holding butane...
Use alcohol as a last case scenario!

-Rob
 
SamuraiJack said:
So you fill your torch lighter, and WHOA that flame is too big.

You dial it down. Perfect.

After a while it quits on ya, won't light. So you open it up a bit and you're back in bizness.

Uh oh! It dies on you again! Open it up a bit again and your fine.

Repeat until empty.



Am I the only one with this problem? And I mean every torch lighter I've had.
Click to expand...

It's a tough 'general' question, what do you have for a lighter and butane?
 
After a few refills with my Lotus, I noticed its not as bad as some others. I have to step it up maybe 3 times while going through the whole tank.
 
My lighters are both Dupont, 1 Extend and 1 Gatsby. The extend is a torch and flame length is constant until the very end of the tank. The Gatsby is a soft flame and I have to open up the valve a bit every so often as the tank empties. I don't know about SOP for other lighters but I want to say the cheaper torches I use to use acted the same way SamuraiJack mentions.

I wouldn't worry about it as long as it gets the job done and doesn't leak.
 
When you fill your lighter, is the butane compressed within the lighter? This may lead us to believe that the first initial compression of the gas makes it come out faster than when it is almost empty and the lighter has lost it's pressure?
 
woot, I am not sure how that works. I am sure the filling process adds some pressure to the tank, I always press down as long as I can, but how that affects the long term pressure I don't know. It seems to be that pressure is lost as you go through the tank.
 
Here is my theory on it:

At normal atmospheric conditions, butane is a gas. We store it under pressure in our lighters, and it exists as a liquid.

When we want to use our lighter, we are venting off some of the gas from the lighter and burning it up. Some of the butane in the lighter must then evaporate filling back up what we took out, until the pressure is great enough to keep the rest of the butane liquid.

As we use up more and more of the butane it takes more time and more gas butane to make up the same pressure in the space that keeps getting bigger. We keep taking it out at the same rate, but it takes longer to make it back up. So we have to increase the output of the lighter to keep up to where we want it.

A similar thing can be seen in lighters that are cold. The butane is more stable at the colder temperatures and will not evaporate and make up the space as fast..or sometimes not at all.

Then when you fill your lighter up, there is a small space again and you get more output from your lighter so you have to turn it down to get the same size flame.
 
I bought an ST Dupont extenz mini jet and i must say this lighter works flawlessly.You will pay more but they work excellent.My only bitch is you have to refill almost daily. they do make a bigger one but i cant comment on how good those are but they should be as good as the mini without the constant refills. for what it's worth,Bill
 
bunn163A said:
I bought an ST Dupont extenz mini jet and i must say this lighter works flawlessly.You will pay more but they work excellent.My only bitch is you have to refill almost daily. they do make a bigger one but i cant comment on how good those are but they should be as good as the mini without the constant refills. for what it's worth,Bill
Click to expand...

I have the full size, the tank is plenty big and it lights reliably every time. The only time it wont light on the first attempt is if its really low or I need to bleed the tank.

IMHO the extra cost is made up for in the quality and reliability.
 
thevalkrye said:
Here is my theory on it:

At normal atmospheric conditions, butane is a gas. We store it under pressure in our lighters, and it exists as a liquid.

When we want to use our lighter, we are venting off some of the gas from the lighter and burning it up. Some of the butane in the lighter must then evaporate filling back up what we took out, until the pressure is great enough to keep the rest of the butane liquid.

As we use up more and more of the butane it takes more time and more gas butane to make up the same pressure in the space that keeps getting bigger. We keep taking it out at the same rate, but it takes longer to make it back up. So we have to increase the output of the lighter to keep up to where we want it.

A similar thing can be seen in lighters that are cold. The butane is more stable at the colder temperatures and will not evaporate and make up the space as fast..or sometimes not at all.

Then when you fill your lighter up, there is a small space again and you get more output from your lighter so you have to turn it down to get the same size flame.
Click to expand...

I'll subscribe to that theory.
 
Bic. Never have to adjust it, lights the first time almost every time, and if you loose it who cares it only cost $1.00. I chose to keep it simple. I don't see why you need a torch to light a dried out leaf any way IMO.
 
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