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Lighter Filling Issue

urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
in General Discussion
Okay, so I just bought a Xikar Ellipse lighter, and some Nibo butane to fill it with. The problem is, I can't seem to get the can to fill the lighter. I hold both upside down, as instructed, and press firmly, as instructed.

What I get as a result is a little geyser of butane spewing out from around the refill recess, all over my lighter, hands, etc. What I don't get is any butane in the lighter. It looks to me like the opening on the tip of the can is too big to engage the refill valve on the lighter. It just slips over it without pressing it down. So when I press, it opens the valve on the can, but since the lighter valve is still closed, the butane just blasts into the recess and back out all over place.

What am I doing wrong, guys? I've never had a problem filling a lighter before.

Comments

  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    Update: I found the nibs in the cap of the butane can, but none of them seems to really fit, either. They all have either to big an outside diameter to fit in the recess, or too small a hole to do any good.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    Now we're getting somewhere. I had to take the 2nd smallest nib and carve the outside diameter down a bit, then mash the can HARD into the recess. After some initial spritzing, it finally engaged the valve on the lighter and filled it.

    Christ, this shouldn't be this hard.

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    urbino:


    Christ, this shouldn't be this hard.

    no it shouldnt. im not sure about the Nibo brand lighter butane... but i have found that different cans have different valves and they dont all fit the same lighter. I use different butane for my cigar lighter than i use in my food quality blow torch. ... only because the valve is different. I know that Xikar uses a valve that is compatable with Colibri brand tripple refined butane. its been a good combo for me for over 3 years.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    I've used Colibri in the past, and didn't have great luck with it, so I thought I'd try the Nibo, which is also triple-refined.

    I don't get the different valves for different brands. It's madness. This stuff should have been long standardized by now.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    urbino:


    I don't get the different valves for different brands. It's madness. This stuff should have been long standardized by now.
    "should" being the operative word.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • naughtnaught Posts: 56
    urbino:
    I've used Colibri in the past, and didn't have great luck with it, so I thought I'd try the Nibo, which is also triple-refined.

    I don't get the different valves for different brands. It's madness. This stuff should have been long standardized by now.
    A bit late to this thread but, what was the issue with the Colibri? I was about to bite the bullet on some of that but... my head is just swimming with all the options. I have a blue rhino lighter that needs fillin. I'd assumed any triple refined butane would be pretty similar but, now I'm not so sure.
  • cabinetmakercabinetmaker Posts: 2,560 ✭✭
    Take a golf tee, or something similar and use it to completely empty the lighter by depressing the pin in the fill hole. You have too much pressure in the fuel tank and the lighter fluid cannot get in. I've had the same problem with my tycoon duece and followed that advice and it filled completely in a couple seconds.
  • cholmes8310cholmes8310 Posts: 1,585
    urbino:
    Now we're getting somewhere. I had to take the 2nd smallest nib and carve the outside diameter down a bit, then mash the can HARD into the recess. After some initial spritzing, it finally engaged the valve on the lighter and filled it.

    Christ, this shouldn't be this hard.

    You probably did this, but just make sure you depress the filler valve on the lighter to release any air in the tank. And, I use Vector 5x refined butane on my Xikar Plunge, and it fits perfectly, no nib needed. It may work better for you, assuming Xikar uses the same size filler valve on all it's lighters.
  • nsezellnsezell Posts: 294
    I really don't get why we have to use these special butane's. I've been using the standard red cap boring butane that you find at most B&M's for 15 years and I've never had a problem except one lighter that crapped out and it wasn't from the butane cause I never got a chance to refill it...it was a colibri firebird and it bit the dust on day 1...
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    thats fair. you were more lucky than most. I lost 2 lighters to crap butane.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • zoom6zoomzoom6zoom Posts: 1,214 ✭
    cholmes8310:
    I use Vector 5x refined butane on my Xikar Plunge, and it fits perfectly,
    The Colibri works fine on the Plunge also. I like that lighter because of the fuel window.
  • jihiggsjihiggs Posts: 469 ✭✭
    I have a lighter that will not take ANY butane until I open the valve as far as it will go.
  • naughtnaught Posts: 56
    As if my new addiction wasn't costing me enough already, I bit the bulllet on a couple cans of Vector quintuple just to be safe :o
  • bbc020bbc020 Posts: 1,422 ✭
    naught:
    As if my new addiction wasn't costing me enough already, I bit the bulllet on a couple cans of Vector quintuple just to be safe :o
    Good stuff
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