Jet lighters are fascinating, especially if you are an enthusiast. Collecting different sorts of jet lighters does give a great vibe. However, all of this sort of dampens when your brand new lighters stop working. They won’t light, or the flame flutters, either way, you have to throw them away and buy a new one.
But thankfully, you need not throw away your lighters anymore, for we have come up with a set-by-set guide regarding how to fix a jet lighter.
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How to fix a jet lighter: Easy Steps
Step 1: Spotting the issues
“It’s out of gas” that’s the very first thought that passes the mind when the lighter stops working. So go ahead and refill it. However, listen carefully to the sound it makes.
The lighter may leak for thirty seconds, but that’s all right. If it stops in a while, you are good to go. Push the button down to see if gas is coming out. Check for a definite click from the spark.
It often helps to turn down the gas a bit. Usually, the gas cannot ignite the lighter because it’s too fast for the small arc to heat.
If no gas is coming out of the nozzle even after a refill, the connection may be broken. Often the flexible gas line falls off the reservoir end, but thankfully there is a fix for this.
Step 2: Checking for dirt and debris
If you have not used the lighter for long, some parts might get rusted or gather dirt in places. Thus naturally, it won’t light. However, if there is only dirt inside the lighter, you can clean it off with a Q-Tip or a pipe cleaner.
Step 3: Fuel tank check
All lighters have a tiny fuel tank. Thus they lose fuel and pressure very soon. So refilling is an option you need to look into.
Step 4: Refilling
Refilling a jet lighter is a messy affair, and spilling a bit of butane during the process is the least of your worries. You have to eliminate the chances of air pockets getting in your lighter’s fuel tank, for starters. Indeed this process can be tricky, but with a little caution, you can achieve it.
- Don’t shake the butane can before you start filling the lighter. Once you shake the can, the air inside it gets stirred, and there’s a greater chance that this air might get inside the lighter.
- Hold the lighter upside down so that the fuel intake valve is facing you.
- Press the butane can on the intake valve straight up (not at an angle). With two to three presses, have the tank refilled to full capacity. A bit of fuel will leak, but that’s nothing to worry about.
Step 5: Try bleeding the lighter
If air somehow finds its way into the fuel tank, the flame may start to flicker, or it may even stay light. You need to bleed the air out of the lighter at this stage. The process is relatively straightforward:
- Hold the lighter’s button down till it’s empty. Listen carefully to the sound of the hissing air to make sure nothing is left inside the lighter.
- Use high-quality fuel to fill your lighter following the steps mentioned above.
- Once done, check for the hissing sound again. If you still hear that, it means there’s still air left inside, so repeat the process.
Step 6 Check the flame height
An easy solution to your jet lighter not working can be fixing the flame height. Most jet lighters these days come with a flame adjustment mechanism. It’s often a wheel or switch-like thing located on the lighter’s body. If it’s turned down too low, your lighter won’t get sufficient fuel to produce the flame.
Quickly check for the problem by:
- Locating the adjustment wheel of the lighter
- Spin the wheel either to the right or left to adjust the flame and try igniting the lighter again. To make things easy many lighters have a “+” or “-” sign these days. Move the wheel towards the “+” and see if the flame height changes
How to Fix A Jet Lighter: Additional Tips
- Invest in premium quality lighter: You don’t want to kill your favorite jet lighter with the cheap yellow liquid in a bottle from your local drugstore. A lot depends on the butane quality, so don’t use anything less than triple-filtered butane or something that reads “99.9%” pure. Pure butane burns better, lasts longer, and does not clog your lighter’s nozzle. The knell smell that you get from your jet lighter is often due to the clogged nozzle.
- Maintain flame distance: As the name suggests, jet lighters produce a jet-like flame, i.e., intense, powerful flame. So you need not bring your cigarette or cigar very close to the flame. Even from a distance, such lighters can work perfectly. It is advisable to keep a safe distance while lighting. Otherwise, small bits of ash from the cigar or cigarette might clog the lighter.
- Regular cleaning: If you clean your lighter regularly, you need not invest much time in the process. Blowing out ash particles from the nozzle removing dirt and foreign particles from it can go a long way to keep your lighter clean. You can also you a can of compressed air to thoroughly clean your lighter. Use the same to hit the top of the jet with two or three air blasts from the can. This should blow away the unnecessary particles.
- Regular use: Storing away your favorite jet lighter for a long time (or for special occasions) isn’t going to work. Lighters are meant to be used, and storing them away only shortens their lifespan by damaging the machinery inside.
With these tips handy, fixing your jet lighter should not be a problem. However, if you buy cheap quality lighters and fuel, it may not be worth your time. So invest in a premium quality lighter that comes with a warranty. Additionally, pick out pure butane to fuel your unit. Light your cigar with panache!