My Lighter Hisses, But Wont Light

Everything Is Antique on My Lighter Hisses, But Wont Light. Lighters are a requirement for smokers; unless you choose to use matches, of course. However, lighters are far more convenient than matches and also more economical. That said, butane lighters and even jet lighters can have problems with operation. One of the most common problems associated with any type of lighter is a failure to ignite, accompanied by a hissing sound.

When the igniter of the lighter is pressed down, no flame appears. The lighter does, however, emit a hissing sound, as of fuel escaping. What could be going on? Whats wrong with your lighter? Actually, this situation can be remedied quite easily, though youll need to troubleshoot your lighter a bit first.

Before doing anything else, make sure that your lighter is not blocked with lint, dirt or debris. Even a small obstruction can keep your lighter from working properly. While checking this, keep your fingers well away from the igniter, in order to avoid potential harm. If you locate debris, remove it carefully and then attempt to ignite your lighter. If it still fails to light, youll need to dig a bit further.

Quite often, the cause of your lighters failure to ignite is not the flint, debris or a lack of fuel. Often, the problem is that you simply have the flame set too high. What is actually happening is that the force of the escaping fuel is too great for the spark to catch; effectively snuffing out your lighter before it even ignites. To determine if this is the case with your lighter, check the flame adjuster; it will be located on the back of butane models and on the bottom of jet models.

To adjust the flame height, youll need a very small flathead screwdriver. Turn the flame adjuster towards the minus symbol. Be careful not to turn it too far, though. Make a small adjustment toward the minimum end of the range and then attempt to light the lighter once more. If you still hear the hissing sound, but the lighter does not ignite, then you need to continue adjusting the flame height. You should do this in increments, in order to ensure that you are able to achieve the highest flame height for your needs, while still being able to light the lighter.

Brian is a consultant for an online specialty butane lighter store and has expert knowledge of cigar accessories, including refillable butane lighters.