Question on Piezo-electric Pros and Cons

What do you mean?

In piezo-electrics all it takes is linear motion. You press down. It is apparently quite durable, as I've taken apart used disposibles and the piezo-electric components still work. You can modify them to ignite potato cannons, for instance. But then apparently they crap out very shortly.

With the flint and striker, you have to turn the striker wheel with your thumb. I think it's a little more abrasive on your thumb. The flint will wear away and eventually need replacing. But prehaps the setup is more versatile if you run out of fuel and are just trying to start a fire with just sparks.
 
With Bic lighters, there is a problem if the flint gets wet.
Zippos leak.

So what can and does go wrong with with these expensive piezo-electrics lighters?

Why are they better?
When do they not work?

One can only capitalize on advantages when you know (and can then avoid) the disadvantages.
 
FYI. In medicine there is the piezo/electric effect. An 18th century Italian doctor found that when the large bones of the body have stress applied to both ends, that an electric charge is produced in the center. He found that if he then applied a small electric charge to the ends of a broken bone that it
healed faster. This method is sometimes used today.
 
I have tried some of these more expensive lighters (colbrie). They seem to last about 1 to 3 months then crap out. It seems to be more of a fuel problem since there is still s good spark coming from the ignition. So piezo is great. I love the zippo but they leak in the pocket and run out of fluid at the worst possible time. I now by bulk bics so I have a bunch in my truck, house, work, and BOB. They aren't fancy, but they always work unless they are wet(grab another).
 
smknman said:
I have tried some of these more expensive lighters (colbrie). They seem to last about 1 to 3 months then crap out. It seems to be more of a fuel problem since there is still s good spark coming from the ignition. So piezo is great.
Click to expand...

Crap out how? Need refueling or dead forever?
What kind of fuel do you use, the cheap butane or the premium stuff?
If they crap out, why are they great?:confused:

In the end: Why bother? What is the biggest advantage other than gadget factor?
 
I think the advantage is that the gas regulator is different from the disposables. The disposables releases the fuel gas at lower velocity and volume so the flame looks like a candle flame. You can adjust the valve so it shoots higher, but still just a candle flame. The fancier ones sound like a small rocket and is closer to a propane torch flame. I guess the flame releases more heat per second and would be less likely to be blown out. But I'd think the gagdet factor is the most important (unless you are a smoker going up a moutain peek)
 
Clint Simpson said:
Crap out how? Need refueling or dead forever?
What kind of fuel do you use, the cheap butane or the premium stuff?
If they crap out, why are they great?:confused:

In the end: Why bother? What is the biggest advantage other than gadget factor?
Click to expand...

sorry I should have been clearer. the ignition system is what is called piezo electric. it is dependable. the fuel system is the problem in these lighters. both jets and turbos have given me trouble. I used premium butane, colbie. I believe it to be a problem with the catalyst, however I can not say I am an expert outside of use. The problem may lie in my habits, I smoke cigarettes and use lighters to light fires. This heavy use may not be how these lighters were intended to be used. Cigars perhaps? For my purposes these things are just gadgets.
 
Gadget factor is fun and all but right now I am asking about effectiveness and reliablity.

The purpose for such a lighter would be for survival kit/camping trip.

I have the metal match and wood matches but am looking at lighters. I remember someone said piezo-electrics lighters would not be a good choice but I cannot find out why. It would by very bad to find out when I need it the most.

Remember, when you need a fire the most, that is when it is hardest to make.
 
Clint Simpson said:
Remember, when you need a fire the most, that is when it is hardest to make.
Click to expand...
That's the truth, I have spent some cold nights. The best bet imo is multiple bic idea, put some in a zip lock baggie inside a ziplock baggie. If it's too cold for it to work put it in a pocket for a while. The only advantage to the turbo or jet type is the ability to work at higher altitudes.
 
I've had so many piezo lighters crap out on me...
sometimes it's the sparking element, but most of the time it's the fuel. Butane has always been very hard to tame and control.

I generally keep and use Zippos. When I venture off paved roads, I always have a multi-fuel stove with me and some white gas. You can run a zippo off gasoline, white gas, alcohol and many other solvents.
 
I have a bunch of lighters and being a cigar smoker I use one every day, I like the butane torch type, in my experience maybe about 3 out of 5 come out good, high altitude used to be a problem with piezo-electrics but not much any more. I have a couple of very cheap (about $1 US) piezo-electrics that are refillable but look like disposable and they work just fine, my current users are a Colibri (about $25 US at an airport duty free shop in South America) and an inexpensive Chinese torch type (about $5 US at flea market), I use cheap local butane in my cheap lighters and Newport brand (from the UK) in my good ones, I have found Newport butane to be as good but cost less than others (at least here in Mexico).

Luis
 
BIC lighters are the backup for my Zippo lighter, and vice versa.

I've had a couple of Colibri refillable butane lighters:

Colibri24.jpg


One lasted for about a year, but they have both since croaked. No, I didn't send the lighters back for repair or replacement. I could have, but, that could just end in a never-ending circle, where the lighter works for awhile, then I have to send it back for repairs, ad nauseum, and I would end up not having a regular lighter to use.

They were cool to look at and to use, with a hissing blue flame, but, I think that there was more flash and dash to them than reliability.

I'd rather just have a BIC that isn't finicky about which butane it uses because it already has all of its butane inside. Once a BIC is out of butane (because the flint hardly ever runs out before the butane...), or broken, just grab another [Scavenge the flint before throwing the BIC away, because it can be used in the Zippo...]. If you drop a BIC from four feet it'll probably continue working, but, a fancy lighter like a Colibri may not survive the fall.

Until a lighter company puts out a refillable butane lighter with piezo-electric ignition that has a lifetime warranty, like the Zippo warranty, I'll just stick to Zippos and throwaway BICs.

GeoThorn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top