See subject. I have an idea that it shakes up a better air/fuel mixture.
I submit the following, no doubt wrong, simply so you can see where I’m coming from:
The fuel gives off vapor at some rate, which mixes with the free air. When the chamber is relatively full, the pressure, which effects the mixture density, helps keep the cloud at sufficient density.
When only a thin layer of fuel is left, the vapors still come out (correct verb missing here). So even when I kick the fuel and it’s vapor in the ass to shake it up, there is still too little pressure because of the freed-up chamber area.
Which means my suggested answer, going by this logic, is bullshit. :smack:
I also had a brief image of imparting kinetic energy to the molecules, making them easier to ignite…
I’ll suggest that imparting any energy (motion) to a liquid will make it more likely to vaporize. Knocking it may do that, particularly since the pressure in the chamber is much lower as the amount of fuel has been depleted.
One possiblility is that you are just more careful the second time you try to light it. You don’t shake the lighter causing air flow that disperses the low level of fuel now being emitted, and you spin the sparker deliberately getting a good ignition.
Or it’s just because you can fix anything at least once by hitting it.
Never knew about the split chamber. But the necessity for a minimum combustion chamber mixture – isn’t there a sciency word for that? – must be a factor.
And TriPolar, on greater care in lighting, is surely correct.
Finally, we used to say “percussive maintenance.” It actually worked once or twice with a PC, helping seat a card in the motherboard.
A good gag in Young Frankenstein is when Eyegore gives the spinning-lights impressive electric thing a slap to make it wind down quicker.
there aren’t 2 chambers. There is one chamber with a divider down the middle for support. From a gas standpoint, it’s one container. When you shake it you’re agitating the liquid and increasing the pressure. think soda can.
Yeah, but that’s a result of the soda being carbonated, right? I think it’s more a function of simply handling handling the lighter by raising the temperature what with butane having such a low boiling point.
Both agitation and warming are factors in converting any remaining liquid fuel to become gaseous. Opening the valve reduces the pressure in the lighter which also results in liquid fuel changing to gaseous form. But by the time this makes a difference there is insufficient liguid fuel left to maintain pressure for reliable lighting when the valve is opened. You don’t have to warm or shake the lighter, just light it carefully to take advantage of the minimal fuel flow you have left.
BTW, a little off topic but the warming angle reminded me of something. Be careful of those cheap lighters you see in multi packs. The colored ones that you can see through. They will explode in your car if left exposed to the sun. Found this out one day after work. Couldn’t figure out why there was tiny shards of plastic everywhere. Luckily it didn’t ignite. Keep them all out of the sun.