How to refill a butane lighter, and what to do when it won't light

Bleed it first

Bleeding means letting the trapped air and leftover fuel out of the tank before you refill it. Some people call it purging or burping the lighter. We say bleed.

Every fill carries a little propellant and air into the tank along with the butane. It builds up and takes room the fuel needs, so the lighter won't fill all the way and the flame can start to sputter. Bleeding clears it out.

The steps below follow Xikar's written instructions, with a few checks from other guides where the maker says nothing. To bleed a lighter:

1. Make sure the flame is out, and keep away from any flame, lit cigar or other heat.
2. Hold the lighter straight up and down, pointed away from your face.
3. Press the fill valve on the bottom with a small screwdriver or a bleeder tool. You'll hear a hiss as the gas comes out.
4. Hold it until the hissing stops, then press a few more times until no pressure is left.

No bleeder tool? A small screwdriver or any thin, stiff point will press the valve.

How often to bleed is where the advice splits. The maker's written steps, and other written how-tos, say to bleed every time you refill. A video the same maker posted in 2011 says once a month. We'd bleed before every refill. It takes a few seconds, and it rules out air before you start.

How to refill it

The steps are the same for a torch or a soft-flame butane lighter.

1. Bleed it, as above.
2. Turn the flame adjuster all the way to its lowest setting, the (-) mark.
3. Turn the lighter upside down, so the fill valve faces up.
4. Turn the butane can upside down too, and set its tip straight down onto the valve.
5. Press down firmly for a few seconds. The lighter will get cold in your hand. That's normal, since the butane comes out of the can cold.
6. Let go, check whether it's full (next section), and go again if it isn't.

The can holds propellant as well as butane, and the propellant rides on top. Turning the can over puts the butane at the nozzle. The maker's instructions say not to shake the can, because shaking sends more propellant into the lighter. One widely read how-to says the opposite, to shake it five or six times first. Go with the maker and leave the can still.

Advice on how long to press varies too: about 5 seconds in the maker's instructions, 5 to 10 seconds in one retail guide, and 3-second bursts in another how-to. We'd press for a few seconds, check, and go again.

If the lighter won't take fuel, check three things:

• Air still in the tank. Bleed it again.
• A loose fit. The can's tip should fit snugly over the valve. The can may come with an adapter, so try it if the tip doesn't fit.
• A tilted can or lighter. If you hear a hiss or see butane escaping before the tank is full, straighten both up.

How to tell when it's full

If your lighter has a fuel window, watch it as you fill.

Without a window, watch the can. When the tank is full, butane spits back out around the tip instead of going in. Stop there, and don't keep forcing fuel into a full lighter.

Wait before you light it

Right after a fill, the lighter is cold, and there may be butane on the outside of it. Give it a few minutes so the extra butane evaporates and the fuel inside warms to room temperature. Light it cold and the flame can come out uneven.

How long is another split. The maker's instructions say 3 to 4 minutes, and other guides say anywhere from 3 to 10. Wait at least the maker's 3 to 4 minutes, and longer if the lighter still feels cold. Wipe off any butane on the outside before you light it.

Then turn the flame adjuster back up from (-) to the height you want, and test it a couple of times, held away from you. Once the flame is steady, toast and light the cigar.

Which butane to use

Use a highly refined butane. The maker's instructions recommend premium butane, because lower-quality butane has been known to clog lighters.

Keep the can and the lighter out of extreme heat, extreme cold and direct sun. The maker warns that it can cause performance problems or damage.

Can you use lighter fluid in a torch lighter? No. Lighter fluid is the liquid fuel for wick lighters, like the classic Zippo insert. A butane torch fills with butane, through the valve on the bottom.

If you're packing for a flight, check whether you can fly with butane before the can goes in your bag.

Why won't my torch light?

Start at the top. The first few are the quick ones.

• It sputters, or the flame comes in spurts. The tank could be empty or full of air. Bleed it and refill it.
• It won't light right after a refill. It may still be cold, or the flame adjuster may still be at (-) from the fill. Wait a few more minutes, then turn the flame up.
• It hasn't been used in a long time. The maker's advice is to empty the fuel by bleeding it, refill it, and set the flame again.
• It clicks and sparks, and you can hear fuel, but there's no flame. The spark may not be reaching the fuel. Xikar's troubleshooting page has a video on adjusting the direction of the spark wire for exactly this.
• Dust or lint in the ignition valve. The maker notes that dust or lint can clog the ignition valve and make the lighter malfunction. Its fix is to blow a burst of air into the valve.
• The flame is weak, comes out soft instead of as a jet, or lights only some of the time. The burner may be clogged with debris. The maker's method: wipe the residue off the burner with a soft cloth and a little alcohol, and let it dry for 2 to 3 minutes. Never light it before it's dry, and keep the alcohol off the fuel window. Then blow out the burner with low-pressure air, such as an electronic duster, in 1- to 2-second bursts, two or three times.
• The flame stays lit after you let go of the button. The flame is set too high. Turn the adjuster toward (-).
• It's a soft-flame lighter with a flint wheel, and there's no spark. You likely need to replace the flint. Use the flint the maker specifies.
• It doesn't seem to hold butane. It may be trapped air: bleed it and refill it, the same way as in the bleed steps above.
• It keeps hissing after you fill it. A short hiss while you fill is normal. One that won't stop means butane is leaking. Stop using the lighter, don't light it, keep it away from any flame, and send it back.

When to send it back

If you've worked down the list and it still won't light, or it won't stop hissing, stop there. Don't take the lighter apart to fix it. Send it back to the maker under its warranty.

Xikar's limited lifetime warranty covers manufacturing defects, not wear and tear from normal use, and taking the lighter apart to repair it yourself voids the coverage. Butane and flints count as consumables and aren't covered. The maker asks you to try its how-to steps before you send a lighter in, and it may repair it or replace it, sometimes with a refurbished one. The terms are on its warranty page. A number of other lighter brands offer a lifetime warranty too. Check your maker's terms before you ship it anywhere.

If the lighter is done for good, our guide to cigar lighters covers torch versus soft flame and what to look for in the next one.