For us, lighters are consumables. We buy only the cheapest models, spend them and then throw them away. Have you ever thought that you can constantly buy not the devices themselves, but the fuel for them? This saves an extra 100-200 or more rubles. This article talks about how and what to refill plastic, gasoline and turbo lighters.
What can you refill Zippo with?
We are talking only about original lighters. If you fill a fake with liquid from Zippo, it will not burn longer or wear out less. Before refueling the zippo, you should choose a fuel option. Zippo Premium Lighter – suitable for petrol models. For butane bottles, it is worth buying a bottle with the word Butan in the name.
Such refilling liquids guarantee the absence of an unpleasant odor, uninterrupted operation of the lighter and an even flame. If the original model runs out of flammable liquid, and it is not possible to purchase original fuel in the nearest stores, you can temporarily use third-party fuel. Before filling your zippo lighter with gasoline, you should choose a premium quality liquid.
The use of cheap gasoline leads to contamination of the cotton filler with resins and combustion products. By choosing this option, you may not count on warranty service.
What will you need for work?
To refill lighters, you first need a gas can. You may also need an adapter and a thin pointed object (pen core, toothpick, small screwdriver, straightened paper clip, etc.).
Gas cartridges come in different sizes, and the gas in them has different compositions. Some cheaper types quickly run out both in the can itself and in the lighter.
Also included with the can sometimes are adapters, with which you can refill not only lighters, but also other devices - heaters, lamps, lamps, etc.
You can make the adapter yourself from the needle of a disposable syringe, cutting off the metal part and trimming the skirt.
To refill the lighter with gas you need a gas cartridge.
The gas canister should be selected depending on ease of use. You can also consider the number of included adapters. They may be included in the kit or sold without them. In the latter case, you will need to purchase them separately or make them from scrap materials. The internal filling is most often butane, purified from impurities, which burns well, but does not contain non-combustible particles that contaminate the valves, prevent the passage of gas in the lighter, and thus spoil it.
Consequences of using regular gasoline
It is not recommended to use regular gasoline as fuel for a lighter, as you may encounter unpleasant consequences:
- clogging of felt with resins and combustion products;
- an unpleasant odor that will not disappear even when the lid is closed;
- flame with black, smoky smoke;
- rapid wick burnout.
If you use high quality fuel, these problems can be avoided even when using gasoline not supplied by Zippo. If you do not follow the manufacturer's recommendations, you will subsequently have to replace the flint, wick, wheel and other elements located in the case. That is why before you fill your zippo with gasoline, you should make sure that it is suitable for this.
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Alternative fuel brands
If you don’t have highly purified liquid for refilling, and you don’t want to fill in just anything, the question arises: what is the best way to replace the original gasoline for lighters? There is an affordable alternative: fortunately, the market offers options for refilling liquids that do not harm the accessory and are safe for humans if precautions are taken.
Royal
Dutch-made universal fuel is suitable for any lighters and is available in 125 ml canisters. There are no foreign odors, the flame is even and without soot, the lighter does not become clogged with impurities. There are also disadvantages: any gasoline evaporates on its own, even the original one. Royal evaporates much faster and with regular use a full refill will last for a week.
Newport
“Super pure,” according to the manufacturers, the liquid of the British brand is used not only for refilling lighters. It is used for cleaning watch mechanisms, refilling soldering irons and degreasing metal.
Clipper
The Spanish-made alternative can be compared to Royal - the fuel is suitable for any type of lighter, it “reacts” quickly at sub-zero temperatures, and refills last for 6-7 days. There is no pronounced smell. The volume of one fuel cylinder is 133 ml.
How often should I refill?
It is impossible to say the exact number of days the lighter will work after one refill, as it depends on the frequency of use. But even if the lighter is used only as a collector's item and is used very rarely, the fuel will still evaporate over time.
To increase the life of your lighter, you can follow a few simple rules:
- Close the lighter lid tightly. The more the owner of such a product “plays” with it, the faster the fuel evaporates.
- Do not keep the lighter near heat sources or leave it in the sun. High temperatures cause flammable liquids to evaporate more quickly.
- Monitor the duration of the flame burning. If the lighter is used constantly, the fuel lasts for 7-10 days.
If you fill your lighter with original fuel, it will last much longer than when using cheap gasoline or other liquids.
For auto
Today, looking for an alternative to gasoline for a car is very important, since this type of fuel regularly increases in price. To save money, many motorists are looking for alternative energy sources.
This is probably the best alternative to gasoline, since gas is half the price. The use of such fuel allows you to reduce financial expenses by approximately 40%. However, it must be borne in mind that gas has some disadvantages.
- The engine operating life is reduced by approximately 10%.
- The luggage compartment will be significantly reduced in size, since a gas cylinder will be permanently placed in it. But this is not a critical flaw.
Diesel fuel
Not the best option for saving money, since it only reduces fuel consumption by just a couple of liters.
You can save money just by using the difference in consumption. But you need to take into account that the diesel engine has some disadvantages.
- It is characterized by lower dynamics compared to gasoline.
- In winter, starting a diesel car is problematic because its fuel tends to freeze in the cold.
Electricity
Not the most popular, but quite economical option. However, it must be taken into account that cars with an electric motor are extremely expensive to maintain. In addition, gas stations designed for electric cars are very rare in our country.
It is possible to find an option to replace gasoline, but not for all cases. For example, for lighters or catalytic heating pads it is better to use original purified fuel. Otherwise, you can render the device unusable and harm your health.
How to refill Zippo - detailed instructions
To understand how to refill a zippo lighter, you only need to do it for the first time. The process is simple - to fill with flammable liquid you need to perform several steps:
- Remove the contents of the lighter body and prepare a container suitable for more accurately filling the body of the product. To do this, you need to remove the metal part of the lighter, firmly holding the silicon wheel.
- Raise the angle of the valve from below. There is an inscription “Lift to fuel”, which translates as – lift to refuel. All actions must be done carefully so as not to damage small parts.
- Fill the cotton wool with gasoline. It is important not to overfill the lighter so that it works as intended by the manufacturer. If pouring gasoline is inconvenient, you should pour it into a smaller container.
- After assembly, it is important to leave the lighter for a few minutes without turning on the flame. This is necessary so that the cotton wool is saturated with fuel.
When wondering how to refill a zippo lighter, it’s worth considering a few more recommendations. If gasoline gets on your hands, you should immediately wash it off your skin, as it causes irritation.
After refueling, you need to carefully inspect the lighter - if gasoline spills on the body, if a spark appears, the entire product may ignite in your hands. Do not turn on the flame until your hands are washed from any fuel residues that came into contact with your skin during the process. It is best to do this with gloves.
Features of Zippo refill
When filling the lighter with fuel, use only products provided by Zippo (liquid, wicks and flint). After refueling, it is important to thoroughly wipe the body so that no gasoline remains on it. Before checking the functionality of the product, you should prepare wet wipes and water. You also need to make sure that the fuel container is at a safe distance.
Filling the lighter with fuel can damage it, so you need to carefully monitor the filling of the chamber. After refueling, it is not recommended to keep the product burning for a long time, as this may lead to destruction of the product. After 10 minutes of continuous burning, the flame spreads to the body and some parts become unusable.
If, even when refilled with a high-quality composition, the lighter does not work well or the liquid evaporates quickly, you should pay attention to the assembly of the model; perhaps it is not an original item. To understand whether a zippo lighter is real and how to distinguish a fake, just look carefully at the case.
In the inscription you can see that instead of a dot above the letter “i”, the original models have an image of a flame. Also, all inscriptions are stamped. This means that if the letters are engraved, the lighter is not original. It is also worth paying attention to the price - it cannot be lower than a certain amount. The cheapest models can be bought for about 1300-1500 rubles.
After the lighter is filled, you should shake it so that the fuel is evenly distributed throughout the cotton wool.
Correctly refilling a lighter is not only a way to avoid unpleasant consequences, but also an opportunity to increase its service life. One wrong move and it can catch fire right in your hands, start smelling like gasoline, or stop working altogether. But if you follow all the recommendations, it’s easy to learn how to do it correctly after the first independent filling with fuel.
Security measures
Before you start refilling the lighter, you need to make sure that this activity is safe. You must first make sure that there are no sources of open flame or other ignition possibilities. Under no circumstances should the can be left with heating devices or people who smoke.
When refilling a lighter with gas, you must follow safety precautions.
The room should also be large enough (that is, not a car interior or a toilet) and well ventilated. When refueling, you need to be careful so that gas vapors that do end up in the environment do not affect the respiratory and visual organs.
In order to ensure that the lighter is fully refilled, some advise pre-cooling it in the freezer for several minutes (no more than 10). However, this may result in a reboot. This can only be done if the lighter is equipped with a fuel level control window.
To constantly care for your lighter and keep it in good condition, you need to periodically blow it out. For this purpose, compressed oxygen canisters are available. With its help, valves are completely purged from debris in hard-to-reach places.
Refilling a lighter with gas yourself is a simple task that requires a little time and patience. If you have lighters that are especially dear to your heart, this option will come in handy. However, if someone does not want to do this or does not succeed, then you can always contact a refueling specialist. True, the cost of such a service will be much more expensive than buying one can, which, by the way, is enough for any use.
