Lighters at altitude

C

csbrewfisher

Maturing Primate
I live in Colorado at 6300 ft. I'm really having a difficult time finding a peizo torch lighter that works for me, and I think it's the altitude. If anyone could shed light on this, please do.

I've even been at a local B&M when they had Colibris on sale, and we went through four out of the display case that wouldn't stay lit. They just shrug their shoulders and say "Well, dayum!"

What seems to happen is that the valves close off before releasing the plunger. Adjusting the flames do not help, other to ensure that NO fuel is delivered to the jets.
 
As an experiment, try to light a BIC or other disposable lighter that uses a flint. As I just posted in a related thread, I am coming to the conclusion that the problem is the piezo ignition system, not the butane valve. A flint might work better at altitude than a piezo system.
 
I had problems with this while I was on vacation a few weeks ago. I took my lighters from home (sea level) out to NM, AZ, UT, and CO and it seemed that the lighters wouldn't work well at elevations over 5k feet or so. When I came down out of the mountains, the lighters all worked fine again.

I cannot comment on the piezo vs flint ignition, but I did not think that was the problem at the time. My guess was that the torch lighters needed a considerable amount of oxygen to be able to burn the butane quickly enough to maintain a torch, and at those altitudes, they seemed to not be getting enough air. But, if that is the case, I would be very interested to see if it was an ignition problem. My solution was to use a BIC at the grand canyon. Not very elegant, but it's still butane and it seemed to work out ok. Good luck!
 
It would be interesting to try a soft flame lighter that uses piezo ignition to see if it is just the torches that have the problem. I totally forgot the fact that the BICs were soft flame when I made my posts.
 
5000 feet is iffy. My BM quit selling Colibri because of the problem.( Albq is at 5000 ft) They now sell Xikar. I bought a Knockoff (pos. Tiger) and its good to about 7k. The only thing that lights for me on Vail or Wolf Creek (both 10k) is my Zippo.
 
I live at just under 5,000 feet and my all of my lighters work. But, when I go backpacking, I generally go high and they don't. A few years ago, I was a 10,500' at my favorite alpine lake and was ready to watch stars and have a cigar. Rats. My lighter wouldn't work. So, I retrieved my "JetBoil" cooking system, removed the "cup" and hit the ignighter. Presto. No problem lighting a cigar. Big problem with my eyebrows and mustache! The JetBoil has a one inch, ceramic burner and, even at the lowest level, really puts out the heat!

http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Technology/

WyoBob
 
taltos said:
As an experiment, try to light a BIC or other disposable lighter that uses a flint. As I just posted in a related thread, I am coming to the conclusion that the problem is the piezo ignition system, not the butane valve. A flint might work better at altitude than a piezo system.
Click to expand...
I tried lighting a torch using the flame from a Bic. The torch lit at the very lowest jet adjustment. If I gave it any gas at all...out. Leads me to believe it just might be a mix issue.
 
mistabman said:
My guess was that the torch lighters needed a considerable amount of oxygen to be able to burn the butane quickly enough to maintain a torch, and at those altitudes, they seemed to not be getting enough air.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the exact same thing. If you consider the valve opening a small venturi, they are preset (fixed) for a certain oxygen mix, probably at sea level or close. The more I think about it, the more this makes sense.
 
I live in Monument at 7,500 ft, and I have always had good luck with $3 Ronsons, but my favorite is a Blazer PB-207 that works great.

Interestingly enough, the first Blazer I got wouldn't light at all, so Mark at Cigarmony (n2advnture) sent me a replacement and it worked great. The one I sent back worked great at sea level according to Mark.
 
glking said:
I live in Monument at 7,500 ft, and I have always had good luck with $3 Ronsons, but my favorite is a Blazer PB-207 that works great.

Interestingly enough, the first Blazer I got wouldn't light at all, so Mark at Cigarmony (n2advnture) sent me a replacement and it worked great. The one I sent back worked great at sea level according to Mark.
Click to expand...

Monument huh? Let's get together for a smoke neighbor... :cb
 
glking said:
I live in Monument at 7,500 ft, and I have always had good luck with $3 Ronsons, but my favorite is a Blazer PB-207 that works great.

Interestingly enough, the first Blazer I got wouldn't light at all, so Mark at Cigarmony (n2advnture) sent me a replacement and it worked great. The one I sent back worked great at sea level according to Mark.
Click to expand...

Did you know that WallyWorld doesn't carry the Ronsons any more? I Ordered a couple from www.ronsonstore.com last week.
 
glking said:
I live in Monument at 7,500 ft, and I have always had good luck with $3 Ronsons, but my favorite is a Blazer PB-207 that works great.

Interestingly enough, the first Blazer I got wouldn't light at all, so Mark at Cigarmony (n2advnture) sent me a replacement and it worked great. The one I sent back worked great at sea level according to Mark.
Click to expand...

I regularly have the Ronson's up at 10 - 11K and have no problems. I've never had a Colibri work up there...I'd never buy another one!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top