Butane Problems?

[canadianbiggame]

Hey guys I'm hoping someone out there in pipesmagazine land can give me a little help. I'm stumpped I bought a new lighter and for some reason I cant get it to fill with fluid. Am I doing something wrong? I flip the lighter upside down and put the butane on the valve and push down but nothing goes into the lighter.
I hope someone can help this is very frustrating.

 

[eaglerico]

Try venting the air from the lighter before filling it. New butane lighters can have air in them from manufacturing and unless purged will prevent fluid from going in. To purge just take something small and poke the refill hole, like you are letting air out if a tire. If it smells and is not cold what is coming out is air. Once it starts getting cold you are letting out fluid. Hope this helps. Let us know.

 

[allan]

Canadian
To add to what Eagle said, try also to hold the valve open at the same time to help air escape. You may have to fill, empty a few times.
It may take several times to accomplish the bleed out.
Good luck

 

[rcstan]

What they said ..... and also do not "top off" the lighter.
If it's a Dunhill lighter it needs the little adaptor for the nozzle tip to fill properly.

 

[tbradsim1]

Canadian, you don"t have a problem, put your lighter in the fridge, you are lowering the vapor pressure, fill your wash basin with hot water enough to be about 1/3 of the outside level of your butane can,you are raising the vapor pressure,leave for 4or 5 minutes, Fill lighter,pressing on fill valve and counting to 8,wait a couple minutes and do it again, as Justin Wilson would say I Garronte Butane will be in your lighter,another tip, watch what you depress that valve with you don"t want to scar that valve,maybe use something like wood.

 

[flakyjakey]

@peterpiper, couldn't agree more! I will now stick to Dunhill gas for my Dunhill lighter!!

 

[flakyjakey]

@roth, thanks - important info - mine is a valued (and valuable!) lighter

 

[rcstan]

@roth, I think it might have been ARS Lighter Repair, the folks that service Dunhill lighters in Hendersonville, NC.

 

[flyguy]

I second rcstan's advice to not top off your lighter. Only refill when your lighter has completely run out of butane and then bleed your lighter to make sure it is completely empty. I use the poker on my tamper to bleed my lighter. Then close your valve for refilling. Bradley's advice is excellent for refilling. I recommend you wait 15 minutes after refilling before you use the lighter.

 

[canadianbiggame]

Try venting the air from the lighter before filling it. New butane lighters can have air in them from manufacturing and unless purged will prevent fluid from going in. To purge just take something small and poke the refill hole, like you are letting air out if a tire. If it smells and is not cold what is coming out is air. Once it starts getting cold you are letting out fluid. Hope this helps. Let us know.

I did this and I think it was the problem, I didn't realize that gas could be in the lighter right out of the manufacturer and either myself of my wife threw out the packaging with the instructions in it.

Canadian, you don"t have a problem, put your lighter in the fridge, you are lowering the vapor pressure, fill your wash basin with hot water enough to be about 1/3 of the outside level of your butane can,you are raising the vapor pressure,leave for 4or 5 minutes, Fill lighter,pressing on fill valve and counting to 8,wait a couple minutes and do it again, as Justin Wilson would say I Garronte Butane will be in your lighter,another tip, watch what you depress that valve with you don"t want to scar that valve,maybe use something like wood.

Brilliant what a great idea of creating maximum pressure difference.
Thanks for everyone I was hoping I didn't buy a defective lighter. You gentlemen have saved the day yet again. I enjoyed a nice smoke by the fire tonight with my wife and daughter.
Only have a few nice days left before its in the minus temps up here in the north.

 

[eaglerico]

Good to hear we could help canadian. Thanks for letting us know.