View Full Version : Do you always purge?
LAN CERO
03-13-2015, 05:43 PM
I ask, because I didn't this last time. My JetLite wouldn't light, the view window showed nothing, and I just went ahead and injected it. About 5secs at a crack, for 3-4x until the window was full. My el-cheapo back-up has no window, but I went ahead and filled it likewise. How many "lights" am I actually really giving up by not purging it several times until it will hiss out no more fuel? It no longer seems worth it to me.
Herf N Turf
03-13-2015, 07:25 PM
I only purge my lighters prior to each fill. You have to be careful, though. You only want to purge air that finds its way inside. You want to leave the "gas" behind. Try shortening the length of fill bursts to only about a second or two.
I only purge my lighters prior to each fill. You have to be careful, though. You only want to purge air that finds its way inside. You want to leave the "gas" behind. Try shortening the length of fill bursts to only about a second or two.
As usual, I agree with Don. I will check it for a second or two. If all I am getting is gas, stop. If there is air, you will hear a hiss, with no cold.
HabanoMan
03-13-2015, 07:49 PM
I never purge my Ronson. The thing is a tank and takes/has taken so much abuse that it almost seems sacrilegious to baby it.(For those wondering, yes it is still the same Ronson I have had for years)
I do purge my others though. As Don said, try using shorter bursts of gas.
piperdown
03-13-2015, 10:11 PM
I never purge my Ronson. The thing is a tank and takes/has taken so much abuse that it almost seems sacrilegious to baby it.(For those wondering, yes it is still the same Ronson I have had for years)
I do purge my others though. As Don said, try using shorter bursts of gas.
Humph, my older Ronson no purge, some of the newer ones seem to need it.
Normally I just throw it in the freezer for 10 mins, fill and count to 10 and it's good to go.
Tobias Lutz
03-13-2015, 11:05 PM
Normally I just throw it in the freezer for 10 mins, fill and count to 10 and it's good to go.
This is what I started doing a little while back. Works like a charm.
Jaybird
03-13-2015, 11:51 PM
I am a EMPTY completely about every 5th fill. To the point that NOTHING comes out. Then when I do fill, its a 1 time shot till full. I'll be honest I am the 1 guy in my smoking group that seems to never have lighter issues.
Cheers
Jay
Browns7213
03-14-2015, 07:39 AM
Humph, my older Ronson no purge, some of the newer ones seem to need it.
Normally I just throw it in the freezer for 10 mins, fill and count to 10 and it's good to go.
I've had the same experience with my Ronsons, but have never tried the freezing thing.
Emperor Zurg
03-14-2015, 07:52 AM
I also am a Freezer. I've examined the theories behind the 'need to purge' and determined purging to be akin to superstition. A cold lighter will take a full charge and light for a long time before needing a fill. In fact, it may fill so completely that it will shoot a pin stream of liquid fuel at first. Don't expect it to work right until it warms back up.
Horseshoe
03-14-2015, 08:01 AM
If I let my lighter go dry, I always purge. If I am going somewhere, I will sometimes top off my lighters with a quick re-fuel, I won't purge. But I try to run it low to purge after I re-fuel mid tank. No issues so far with either of my normal lighters. I have had no issues since I switched to XiKar fuel.
Ropey
03-14-2015, 08:01 AM
I only purge when my lighters start behaving sh*ttily. I usually fill before the things are empty anyway, especially if I won't be around my can of butane for awhile.
LAN CERO
03-14-2015, 09:18 AM
So, the freezer temps get the remaining fuel and air to 'condense' a bit, allowing more room-temp butane to inject?
Emperor Zurg
03-14-2015, 12:30 PM
So, the freezer temps get the remaining fuel and air to 'condense' a bit, allowing more room-temp butane to inject?
There's no air in there. There is butane in there; liquid butane on the bottom and butane vapor above it. Lowering the temperature reduces the vapor pressure of the butane. The result is that the butane CAN, which is at room temperature, is at a higher internal pressure than that of the lighter. That means that fuel will flow from the can into the lighter - which is what you want. The fuel entering the lighter will be chilled by coming into contact with the cold fuel tank so the lighter will remain at lower pressure even as it is being filled.
The worst case scenario is probably what all you people have been doing. That would be taking the lighter out of your warm pocket and attempting to fill it with a room temp can of butane. In that case, even if the lighter is basically empty, the instant a little butane enters the tank, it immediately flashes off on the warm surface of the tank and suddenly the lighter is at equal or higher pressure than the can. So fuel transfer stops with a drop or two of butane in the tank. Then you wonder why you can only get a light or two out of it before it's empty. It MUST be because it's full of AIR because I forgot to purge it! No, it's simply empty because you never got any fuel in it in the first place.
projectsunfire
03-14-2015, 01:53 PM
I used to purge because everyone told me I had to. But I got lazy a few times and filled up without purging...and now I never do. Havn't in years in any of my lighters and they all work perfectly fine.
I had a drunken adventure last weekend that ended up with me in the ocean around 3am and I had my favorite Bugatti in my pocket. It wouldn't light so I just took it apart and let it air for a few days. Works like new again. I don't baby my lighters. If they stop working I buy a new one
There's no air in there. There is butane in there; liquid butane on the bottom and butane vapor above it. Lowering the temperature reduces the vapor pressure of the butane. The result is that the butane CAN, which is at room temperature is at a higher internal pressure than that of the lighter. That means that fuel will flow from the can into the lighter - which is what you want. The fuel entering the lighter will be chilled by coming into contact with the cold fuel tank so the lighter will remain at lower pressure even as it is being filled.
The worst case scenario is probably what all you people have been doing. That would be taking the lighter out of your warm pocket and attempting to fill it with a room temp can of butane. In that case, even if the lighter is basically empty, the instant a little butane enters the tank, it immediately flashes off on the warm surface of the tank and suddenly the lighter is at equal or higher pressure than the can. So fuel transfer stops with a drop or two of butane in the tank. Then you wonder why you can only get a light or two out of it before it's empty. It MUST be because it's full of AIR because I forgot to purge it! No, it's simply empty because you never got any fuel in it in the first place.
This is spot on. My tailgating grill uses the 1 lb propane cylinders. There is a method of refilling them from a large propane tank through a hose by first putting the one pounder in the freezer. Because of the temperature difference, it makes the propane flow into the smaller tank and end up under pressure.
Same concept here.
LAN CERO
03-14-2015, 10:39 PM
All Hail Emperor Zurg! :triumphant:
That ought to be a sticky here. :stogie:
Branzig
03-14-2015, 11:57 PM
I've been know to purge my Zippos at least once a week or so...
:D
04EDGE40
03-15-2015, 10:27 AM
I purge to keep my girlish figure. And I only purge as much as I eat.
jhedrick83
03-15-2015, 11:13 AM
All Hail Emperor Zurg! :triumphant:
That ought to be a sticky here. :stogie:
You don't get to be Ruler Of The Galaxy without being able to drop some science! ;)
LAN CERO
03-15-2015, 03:13 PM
Followed the freezer method this a/m for my main lighter. It seems as the lighter is much more intensely pressurized now, as the flame is twice the length, and the sound is louder, w/o having touched the flame adjustment. NICE!
fiddlegrin
03-16-2015, 12:42 AM
..............The fuel entering the lighter will be chilled by coming into contact with the cold fuel tank so the lighter will remain at lower pressure even as it is being filled. ............
Right on_! Great post.
I sometimes purge but usally do not. I have 40+ butane lighters (some as old as 2005) and all are up and running properly (knock on wood).
I've become a bootleg lighter repair guy (on my own lighters) and have seen most reasons why butane lighters stop working. The #1 issue for a butane lighter not working (IMO) is butane fuel quality. I use Vector fuel and my lighters work better on Vector than any other fuel I've tried (compared directly to Xikar fuel, several lighters performed noticeably better on Vector...higher flames on Vector v. Xikar).
Other issues I've noticed (that can be fixed) are
1) the adjustment ring restrictor is sometimes set too low so even when turned to the highest setting, the flame is still too low or won't light and
2) the sparking flame rod that sits in the chamber over the butane can be slightly out of place which leads to misfires or a lighter that won't light.
I've done the freezer thing too. I've definitely noticed a difference and I believe the explanation behind it but I don't do it all the time as I'm afraid the short freeze may damage components of some of my lighters.