How to Refill a Butane Torch Lighter (and Which Butane to Use)

By GENXbutane
GENX All-in-1 tool on dark stone between tropical leaves, poster reading All In One: Blower + Lighter + Power Bank

A refillable torch lighter is only as good as its last fill. Most of the problems people blame on the lighter, such as sputtering, a weak flame or no flame at all, come from how it was refilled or what went into it. The routine below works for most butane torch lighters. Your lighter's manual comes first, though: wherever it says something different, follow the manual.

What you need

  • A can of butane made for refilling lighters
  • The adapter tip that fits your lighter's fill valve (many cans come with a set)
  • A paper towel
  • Your lighter's manual
  • A spot outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, away from flames, sparks, pilot lights and anyone smoking

Which butane to use

Use butane sold specifically for refilling lighters. Look for cans labeled refined or purified. Impurities in low-grade gas can leave residue that gradually clogs a torch's small jet, and a torch jet is far less forgiving than the soft flame of a disposable lighter.

Don't use anything else. Camp stove canisters, propane and liquid lighter fluid are different fuels with different valves and pressures, and they don't belong in a butane lighter.

Check that the can's nozzle seats firmly in your lighter's fill valve, either directly or through one of the adapter tips. A loose fit sprays fuel into the air instead of into the lighter. Butane refill cans are sold at most outdoor stores, so it's easy to keep a spare in the garage, away from heat.

Step by step

  1. Lock the lighter. Switch it to locked, or off, so it can't fire while you handle it.
  2. Turn the flame dial down, if there is one. Many torches have an adjuster, and setting it to the low or minus side before filling is a common instruction. Check your manual.
  3. Bleed it only if the manual says so. Some makers recommend purging leftover gas and trapped air before a refill, usually by pressing the fill valve with a small tool, pointed away from you, until the hissing stops. Others don't. Do it outdoors and well away from any flame.
  4. Shake the can a few times.
  5. Turn the lighter upside down so the fill valve points up.
  6. Turn the can upside down and press its nozzle straight down into the valve, firmly.
  7. Fill in short presses, a few seconds each, two or three times. When liquid butane spits back out around the nozzle, the lighter is full.
  8. Wipe off any spilled fuel from the lighter and your hands.
  9. Wait before lighting. Give it several minutes so spilled fuel evaporates and the gas inside warms back up to the air around it. The lighter feels cold right after filling, and a cold lighter gives a weak or uneven flame.
  10. Test it pointed away from you. Unlock it, aim it away from your face and anything flammable, and light it. Adjust the flame if your lighter has a dial.

If something's not right

  • No flame after filling: wait longer; the fuel may still be too cold. If it still won't light, the lighter may be overfilled or holding trapped air. Follow the manual's bleeding instructions, then refill.
  • Sputtering, or a yellow, floppy flame: usually trapped air, cold fuel or impurities. Let it warm up, bleed and refill if the manual allows it, and switch to a cleaner butane.
  • Weak flame on a cold morning: butane vaporizes poorly near freezing. Keep the lighter in an inside pocket and it will behave much better. See keeping butane and batteries working in the cold.
  • Hissing when it's not in use, or a fuel smell: stop, don't light it, take it outdoors away from flames, and contact the maker.
  • The can won't seat: try another adapter tip. Never force a nozzle that doesn't fit.

Storage and safety

  • Keep the lighter locked when stowed, and keep lighters and fuel out of reach of children.
  • Store butane cans and lighters out of direct sun, and never leave them in a hot car.
  • Never refill near a campfire, grill, stove or lantern, even one that looks out.
  • Never point a lit torch at people, pets or its own case.
  • Check local fire restrictions and burn bans before lighting anything outdoors.

Wondering whether a refillable torch is worth the bother? Refillable torch lighters vs. disposable lighters compares the two in wind and in everyday use.

Refilling the GENX torch

The refillable butane torch lighter in the GENX All-in-1 CampCare Tool ships empty, for safe shipping. Before your first cookout or trip, fill it with a standard butane refill cartridge, following the GENX quick-start manual for the details, and let it settle before lighting. Its lock/unlock switch keeps the torch from firing while it is stowed in the hard case with the rest of the kit.

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