Date:         Sun, 20 Jan 2008 09:15:55 -0800
Reply-To:     Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Pesky lighters
Comments: To: Mike <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <0e3701c85b83$cbe190a0$0a00a8c0@OWNERMIKE>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Okay, scratch all butane lighters. Liquid ("lighter fluid") lighters,
don't come in snooted varieties: the flame just goes up from a wick, can't
shove it into a lantern or down to the stove burners very well.

I read somewhere that piezo sparkers can't make fat hot arcs at high
elevations because the nice insulating air is thinned so the arc occurs at
lower voltages.

If I didn't want a snoot, then a flint sparker'd liquid fuel lighter would
  be peachy. But snooting is needed

It's looking like matches, then!

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
KG6RCR



On 1/20/2008 8:44 AM Mike wrote:

> Butane's vapor-point is the problem, not the ignitor......
> Any butane-powered device will have this same issue.
>
> Mike B.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Elliott" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 11:26 AM
> Subject: Pesky lighters
>
>
>> Okay, this barely qualifies as having any Vanagon content whatsoever but
>> here goes anyway: Mrs Squirrel and I use BBQ/fireplace lighters like the
>> Scripto Aim N Flame* when camping because the long snoots are useful for
>> lighting the stove and essential for poking into and lighting mantle-type
>> oil lanterns. For most of the year they work just fine, but this winter
>> I've been spending the occasional night up at 7,000 feet, where the piezo
>> ignitors commonly used on those lighters start not working so good, and
>> where the below-freezing temps reduce the pressure of the butane or
>> whatever fuel is in them. In short, they click and they click and no flame
>> comes out.
>>
>> I could use wooden kitchen matches, but they are a bit messy and smell
>> kinda stinky (he said, fastidiously).
>>
>> So I'm curious to know if any of you folk who live in the high places and
>> cold weathers have anything which works real good and is pokeable (for
>> them lanterns)?
>>
>> ================
>> * I find the statement on Scripto's website
>> (http://www.scriptousa.com/lighters.html) that "Whether appearing on a TV
>> show or at your local campfire or barbecue, Aim N Flame is instantly
>> recognizable" to be vaguely troubling. They crave attention? It never
>> occurred to me that the Aim N Flame might want to be recognized. How much
>> more about the secret inner emotional world of the Aim N Flame do I not
>> know about? What if we have to start worrying about the feelings of all
>> our lighters?
>>
>> --
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>> KG6RCR