Anybody uses with success plasma lighters with a pipe?. I am curious as they are windproof and in theory could be useful outside, but the flame is pretty small and unsure how hot they are, so unsure if they can be of any use. Yes, I know Zippo is the best way for outdoor but I am wondering if these could be useful.
Plasma Lighters
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They shoot a plasma flame across two posts as I recall. Don't see how they would be any good except for cancer sticks.
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Thank goodness somebody finally asked this question, I thought I was going to have to be the uncultured philistine! :rofl:
I've only seen one in person. They're kind of neat, but the arc is very small--nothing like the kind of breadth and depth needed for a good top char. But I'm very curious to see if anyone here is using one successfully.
I've only seen one in person. They're kind of neat, but the arc is very small--nothing like the kind of breadth and depth needed for a good top char. But I'm very curious to see if anyone here is using one successfully.
Not seen yet a plasma lighter in real life but it looks likely the flame is too small to be used to light a pipe. Maybe could be used to light a wick with which then to light a pipe.
I am trying to find a convenient way to light a pipe outside as buthane lighters are unreliable outside and I don't like the smell of a zippo lighter.
I am trying to find a convenient way to light a pipe outside as buthane lighters are unreliable outside and I don't like the smell of a zippo lighter.
A review on amazon mentioned something I hadn't thought of--You can light the tobacco at the top of the bowl well enough, but when you need a re-light part way down, you're SOL as the arc can't be drawn that far from the posts. A good point!
Got 2 for the price of 1, useless for a pipe, good paper fire starter, not pipe.
[tbradsim1, are they good at least for a wick?
Yes they would.]
Because in this case they might be useful to light a wick with which to light a pipe. Problem is that outside buthane lighters for the most don't work and I don't like the smell of Zippo.
Yes they would.]
Because in this case they might be useful to light a wick with which to light a pipe. Problem is that outside buthane lighters for the most don't work and I don't like the smell of Zippo.
I have a Tesla Coil. The size of the flame is not the standard for judging whether it is enough to ignite a cigarette. It can ignite bigger things if you want. The most important thing is that this kind of plasma lighter is more environmentally friendly than ordinary gasoline lighters, and it is windproof, which makes me very satisfied.
There are no gasoline lighters sold in the US. Fuels are butane or kerosene, both of which are significantly different from gasoline (petrol). Moreover, it takes energy to produce electricity to power/heat a coil, so the "environmentally friendly" statement is specious.
I got one that was certainly thin enough to insert into the bowl for a re-light, but the switch turned out to be too close to the business end for one to do that. it was supposedly good for 300 lights on a single charge, which can be done through a USB cable. It didn't take very long to charge its tiny battery that first time.
These are flameless units, thus the windproofing (I'd hate to see the wind velocity it took to blow it out!). The heat comes from one or more electric arcs across the business end (Remember carbon-arc lamps?). It's quite hot, but at least the heat is not being projected from the end like with a torch lighter.
I figure that if one can find a unit with at least a narrow 3/4" long snout, and the ON button is far back, it might be usable for a piper. Only problem I can foresee if that works, is one might have to remove the ashes before relighting, if the non-projecting arcs can't penetrate the protective layer of tamped ash above the remaining tobacco.
These are flameless units, thus the windproofing (I'd hate to see the wind velocity it took to blow it out!). The heat comes from one or more electric arcs across the business end (Remember carbon-arc lamps?). It's quite hot, but at least the heat is not being projected from the end like with a torch lighter.
I figure that if one can find a unit with at least a narrow 3/4" long snout, and the ON button is far back, it might be usable for a piper. Only problem I can foresee if that works, is one might have to remove the ashes before relighting, if the non-projecting arcs can't penetrate the protective layer of tamped ash above the remaining tobacco.
In terms of wind and water resistance, plasma lighter does a better job than ordinary lighters. But its flame is too small is an undeniable disadvantage, and the double arc lighter can compensate for this to a certain extent. Nevertheless, it still lost the flames of ordinary lighters. From an environmental perspective, I would still choose this kind of rechargeable plasma lighter.
I wouldn't think it's that environmentally low impact; fossil fuels are still largely used to generate the electricity to charge it. Butane and other gasses or fluids are often the by product of refining for gasoline, and may be lower over all impact. But it could be marginally better, but not so much so that I'll stop using my refillables.
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