Why dont butane "torch" lighters work at high altitudes?

Question

I have 2 rather fancy refillable butane lighters (one is a cigar type torch lighter and the other an "outdoorsy" windproof lighter) neither of which will work when I get above 10,000ft (3050 m). Both work rather reliably at about 7000ft (2134 m) and even better at sea level. I use high quality butane, but neither lighter seems to work at 10K, even if I adjust the amount of fuel the lighter gets. I'm curious of the science that makes it work at low altitude, but not at high altitude.

Answer 1

Because you kept the cheap Bic lighter in your pocket, so it was warm. You kept the expensive lighters in your backpack, so they got cold and didn't have enough pressure anymore.

Answer 2

The obvious first approximation is that since the relative amount of O2 available at 10,000 ft is sufficiently low that the butane gas-oxygen gas ratio is not one that is flammable.

It turns out that for some flammable gases to burn, the ratio of the fuel to O2 must be within a certain range.  

Take a look at this article.  It may be more info than you need but it goes into detail about this flammability range.

Answer 3

because the air is thinner at higher alttitudes and the flame does not have enough oxygen to feed off of

Answer 4

At that height, the atmospheric temperature will be below the boiling point of Butane..

(-0.5°C or 31°F).

At 10,000feet, the Standard Atmospheric temperature is -4°C (24.8°F).

At this temperature, the liquid Butane in the lighter will not produce sufficient vapour to give the necessary vapour pressure to escape from the lighter...No gas, no flame.

Thumbs downer, Vapour pressure goes along with boiling point. Place a Butane Lighter in the fridge for a while. Then, take it out and try to light it.....

Also, as a smoker, at home, I smoke in the Garage. In winter (in Calgary at 3,600 feet above sea level where it gets rather cold), if I happen to leave the lighter in the garage overnight, it won't ignite until I've warmed it up.

Answer 5

there is less O2 present to burn