How Many Lights Does a Typical Butane Lighter Provide? | Lifestyle

How Many Lights Does a Typical Butane Lighter Provide?

by DaveSabot

Many individuals who prefer to purchase reusable products have moved from fluid-filled lighters to a butane lighter. These devices are cleaner-burning, impart no taste to tobacco and come in designs that are as windproof as their fluid-filled cousins. They also provide a very long service life and can be purchased in designs with ornamented and commemorative cases. While their reliability is not an issue, many individuals wonder how many lights they can get out of a tank of fuel.

Butane torches use pressurized gas which is held in the reservoir portion of the device. Though the lighter may have a large size, that doesn't necessarily mean that it has a large reservoir of fuel attached. In fact, some larger lighters have rather small reservoirs relative to the size of the device on the whole. The larger tanks are oftentimes found on the more expensive models, principally those with more than one flame, that consume more fuel simply because they produce a hotter and more energetic flame.

This also brings up the fact that some lighters with very small reservoirs can offer a great many lights. This is because many of these models feature the smallest and lowest-temperature flames. The fuel usage on these lighters is controlled-as it is on many other lighters-by turning the flame adjustment valve which simply increases or decreases the amount of fuel being delivered to the flame. Lower flames, obviously, mean less fuel consumption.

With larger lighters, the reservoir is oftentimes very much enlarged to accommodate more powerful flames and multiple jets. This has the effect of balancing out the number of lights that one can expect from a full tank of fuel with what one would expect from a less-powerful lighter. In either case, butane is a long-lasting fuel and even a lighter which is heavily-used should only have to be refueled a couple of times each month. Relative to the weight, butane lighters provide many more lights than liquid-filled lighters.

One can sometimes increase the number of lights by using better-quality fuel. This also has the effect of keeping the lighter in better working order which translates to more efficiency. One can also lower their fuel useage by not holding their fuel release depressed for long lights but by, instead, using several shorter lights when possible. Turning down the fuel valve is always the best way to limit the total amount of fuel consumed.

DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice.

Dave Sabot is the owner of specialty butane lighters store. With expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including Pipe lighters, Dave also authors a highly rated blog featuring cigar smoking tips.