Last Updated on March 17, 2023 by admin_hunter
If you are looking for a lighter to light your campfire or candles, Bic Multi-Purpose Lighters are an essential tool. They are high-performing, long-lasting and feature a durable metal wand to keep hands away from fire. The question is though, are Bic lighters refillable?
Every BIC Lighter undergoes more than 50 strict quality inspections* to ensure safety for your family and the environment. They also feature a child-resistant mechanism and are 100% quality inspected.
How to Refill a Bic Lighter
If you are a prepper, you know how important fire is in survival situations. It not only provides heat, but also light and security. For this reason, it’s essential that you have a good quality lighter on hand.
Bic lighters are a common option for many people. They’re inexpensive and work as well as (or better than) a butane lighter.
However, Bic doesn’t make its lighters refillable by default, and that can be a pain. That’s why some preppers have found ways to make their disposable lighters refillable.
Fortunately, it’s not hard to fill up a Bic lighter, as long as you follow the right steps and have the proper tools. Before you begin, be sure to gather everything you need including butane canisters, a fuel refill valve, a push pin, and pliers.
First, remove the metal hood from the lighter. This is the part that covers most of the top assembly parts, including the output valve and the spark wheel. You can use a screwdriver to do this, but be careful not to damage the hinges.
Next, locate the regulator wheel, which is located at the front of the assembly along with the output valve. To refill the lighter, turn the regulator wheel counter-clockwise around eight to ten times. This expands the opening of the output valve and makes it easier to refill the lighter.
Once you’ve done this, insert the flint spring and a new flint into their slots. This should be done last, so it sits on top of the spring and not on the flint itself.
Refilling a Bic lighter with butane is very easy. It’s best to do it from the bottom instead of the top, as this will help you avoid harming the internal parts of the lighter and ensure that it runs smoothly.
After you’ve refilled the lighter, put it back together. Be careful not to break the plastic parts, and be sure to replace the metal hood.
Refilling a bic lighter is not difficult, but it does require some attention to detail and a little bit of patience. If you follow the steps correctly, you should be able to fill up your lighter with butane and have it working like new again.
The Push Pin Method
Bic lighters are surprisingly complex little devices, so before I dive into some tips for refilling them, let’s look quickly at the anatomy of a standard bic lighter.
The bottom of a bic lighter features a small hole, which is sealed off by a ball bearing. This ball is a safety feature that prevents the fuel from leaking out of the lighter.
In order to refill a bic lighter, you’ll need to open this hole with a push pin and fill it with butane. The process is fairly easy, but you do have to watch out for any leaks as you work.
When you’re done, it’s a good idea to check the level of gas in the lighter. Spitting or flaring can indicate that the lighter is nearing its empty mark, so you’ll need to refill it.
One of the easiest ways to do this is with the push pin method. This is especially true for older, larger bic lighters, which have a hard time fitting the refill valve on newer versions.
You can use this method with just about any old bic lighter, but it may take some practice to get it right. You’ll want to make sure that the lighter is empty before you begin refilling it, as if it’s not, there will be butane spray everywhere when you put the ball bearing back in place.
If the lighter isn’t completely empty, you’ll also have to be careful not to push the ball bearing too far in on the lighter’s bottom. This is because if the ball bearing gets pushed in too far, it can create a squirt of butane that might not be safe to breathe.
The best way to avoid this is to spin the spark wheel a few times before you start refilling it. This will ensure that the lighter is empty before you try to refuel it, and it’ll also help to ensure that there’s no butane in the spark wheel or in the body of the lighter itself.
Once you’ve refilled the lighter, you’ll need to close the hole using a push pin. You can use a standard-type push pin, or you can use one with a contoured plastic end. If the end of the push pin has a sharp edge, you’ll need to file it down with clippers or a metal file. This will prevent the end of the push pin from catching on something and pulling it out of the lighter.
The Refill Valve Method
Bic lighters are made of a technical resin called Delrin that’s incredibly resistant to ruptures, impacts and high temperatures. They also have a few smart features that make them safer than most lighters, including child lock and a spark wheel.
The spark wheel is a carbon steel wheel with ridges that rub against the flint to produce a spark. This is a critical part of the lighter’s ignition system, and it’s important to ensure it’s not broken by the refill process.
There are two main components to the spark wheel: the flint and the spring that holds it in place. The flint is responsible for providing the spark to ignite the fuel in the lighter’s reservoir, and the spring pushes it up so it can be constantly in contact with the spark wheel.
Another important component of the spark wheel is the cheeks, which are tiny structures that keep the flint in place and allow it to be moved by turning the spark wheel. If the cheeks are cracked, the flint won’t be able to move and will stop producing a spark.
In addition to the flint and the spring, there are several other parts to the spark wheel. These include a child lock, which is a curved metal spring plate that’s situated on top of the spark wheel to make it difficult for children to turn the wheel and light the lighter.
To refill a Bic lighter, you’ll need the following supplies: a normal sized flat head screwdriver, a plastic divider and a refill valve. You’ll also need a butane canister to fill it with.
1. First, you’ll need to remove the divider from the Bic lighter. If it’s still inside the fuel chamber, you won’t be able to insert the refill valve. You’ll need to insert a drill bit or another tool and chip away at the divider until you have a hole big enough for your refill valve. Shake out the debris after you’re done and then insert your refill valve into the hole.
2. Next, you’ll need to put a dab of silicone on the threads of your refill valve. This will help create an airtight seal so that your lighter can’t leak butane when you’re not using it.
The Drilling Method
There are a few ways to refill your bic lighter. The first is a simple push pin method. This will allow you to refuel your favorite lighter in no time flat. The other way is a bit more advanced and requires some elbow grease. In order to get to the bottom of the lighter you will need to remove a small screw that holds the case together at the opposite end from the stem.
Before you delve into the mechanics of refilling your Bic a little research goes a long way. Here are a few things to keep in mind while you’re at it: A wood or brad point drill bit the diameter of the butane nozzle (see video) should be your mascot of choice. It’s not a bad idea to also have a couple of smaller, standard twist bits on hand. Lastly, make sure you have the right kind of glue.