BernzOmatic TS4000 trigger start torch

[notbob]

I got one. It stopped igniting. I can no longer hear the pezioelectric spark thingy clicking. I just read the wiki page and they have this to say:

"Lighters with piezo-electric ignition typically do not work or have great difficulty at high altitude, if the striking mechanism is improperly aligned. They are unsuitable for mountaineering or other high altitude applications. The higher the altitude, the less likely a lighter with piezo-electric ignition is to work. Above 8000 feet lighters with piezo-electric ignition are no longer reliable."

Swell! I happen to live at about 7800 ft in the CO Rockies. OTOH, it worked OK when I first moved here, about 3 yrs ago and even worked 3 wks ago, though it was becoming iffy. Now, zip, zero, nada. Are these things adjustable/repairable or should I forget it and keep my welding striker handy? The BernzOmatic website appears to be working about as well as my trigger start torch.

nb

[willshak]

notbob wrote the following:

Buy a flint igniter like we had to use years ago.

[Pete C.]

If it aint' clicking, the problem isn't altitude. The clicking is the impact mechanism hammering the piezo rock. Sounds like you need repair or replacement. I love my TS4000 and use it regularly, but I'm at around

600'

[notbob]

I think it's adjustment, too. We have 2-3 Bic BBQ igniters to light our propane kitchen range. They work fine. It's been my experience that most piezoelectric igniters eventually fail. I think it's merely cheap design/execution. I bought an auto ignition module for our range, but it's electronic.

nb

[hrhofmann]

Pete C is right on!!!

[John Gilmer]

Maybe so; maybe no.

Usually/often the "clink" occurs when the charge created by gradually bending the crystal discharges (via the spark gap.)

If the gap is shorted, in many/most designs there just will not be a "click."

At higher altitudes a spark will cross a gap at a much lower voltage. But a low voltage spark just doesn't have the energy of a higher voltage spark and may not ignite the fuel.

In any case, where you operate at extremes of moisture, air pressure, and temperature, I believe you are better off with a flint type lighter/igniter.