# why the partition in disposable lighters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327 "2009-01-08T03:07:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dustinsquarepants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/74df32/32.png) [@dustinsquarepants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustinsquarepants)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/1 "2009-01-08T03:07:04Z")
I was playing with one the other day, causing the fluid to flow from one side to the other, which is divided by a piece of plastic that goes nearly to the top of the fluid tank. what is the purpose of this? my first guess is that it simply allows them to put less fuel in it, but that seemed silly upon further thought. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/2 "2009-01-08T03:10:16Z")
Probably to add rigidity and structural support. Multiple smaller cells are stronger than one large cell, and less likely to crack when crushed. ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/3 "2009-01-08T03:11:08Z")
I always thought that it was to make the lighter usable when the fluid runs low. The amount of pressure forcing fluid up to the output valve is a function of fluid depth, so having the divider allows for lower fluid amounts to be at a higher height (and thus pressure) than they would without the divider. Of course, you do lose out on the volume the divider occupies… ---
**Author:** ![vintageloveletter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@vintageloveletter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vintageloveletter)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/4 "2009-01-08T05:16:21Z")
I’m gonna vote for structural integrity. ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/5 "2009-01-08T05:55:48Z")
I’m gonna vote for higher pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Apricot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Apricot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apricot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/6 "2009-01-08T06:00:03Z")
So you can get the last bit up into the lighter. You run all the fluid to the side with the tube in it and can use it a lot longer. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/7 "2009-01-08T06:11:55Z")
I’m gonna vote for Great Taste. ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/8 "2009-01-08T06:13:24Z")
Less filling? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/9 "2009-01-08T06:21:53Z")
lsmft ---
**Author:** ![puppygod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@puppygod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puppygod)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/10 "2009-01-08T10:56:35Z")
Uh, guys? Disposable lighters ([like this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:100_Yen_lighter.JPG)) run on liquefied GAS. Butane, to be specific. While it’s liquid under pressure (to have more gas in small lighter), what actually burns is gas. That “empty” area above liquid is still filled with butane - in gaseous form. You don’t have to had liquid even touching feeding tube. Try it someday - mostly empty lighter work whether “fluid” is down, up, or sideways. Heck, it works even if you let all fluid flow into second compartment and hold it upside-down. “Pressure” and “less fluid” explanations also don’t hold water - you could always make lighter smaller, or with thicker walls. Q.E.D. is right - it’s for structural rigidity. And some lighters, mostly of unusual shape (round or ellipsoid) don’t have that divider. ---
**Author:** ![dustinsquarepants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/74df32/32.png) [@dustinsquarepants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustinsquarepants)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/11 "2009-01-08T22:52:18Z")
thanks for the help, one less thing to ponder about keeping me awake 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/12 "2009-01-11T22:48:29Z")
> [@Apricot](#): > > So you can get the last bit up into the lighter. You run all the fluid to the side with the tube in it and can use it a lot longer. Yes, but that is not how lighters work. It is not the liquid that passes through the lighter, but the gaseous form. Lighters will light when the wick is not immersed. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/13 "2009-01-11T23:13:19Z")
Side bar lighter trivia. I had a cheap lighter “pop” from sitting on a hot dashboard. I say “pop” versus “explode” because it didn’t ignite. I couldn’t figure out why my interior was covered in tiny pieces of plastic until I found the igniter. It was the cheap kind of lighter made of brittle plastic versus the more pliable type of plastic that would not shatter if struck. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/14 "2009-01-11T23:33:03Z")
> [@puppygod](#): > > Uh, guys? Disposable lighters ([like this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:100_Yen_lighter.JPG)) run on liquefied GAS. Butane, to be specific. While it’s liquid under pressure (to have more gas in small lighter), what actually burns is gas. That “empty” area above liquid is still filled with butane - in gaseous form. You don’t have to had liquid even touching feeding tube. Try it someday - mostly empty lighter work whether “fluid” is down, up, or sideways. Heck, it works even if you let all fluid flow into second compartment and hold it upside-down. > > “Pressure” and “less fluid” explanations also don’t hold water - you could always make lighter smaller, or with thicker walls. > > Q.E.D. is right - it’s for structural rigidity. And some lighters, mostly of unusual shape (round or ellipsoid) don’t have that divider. Then why does the tube go to the bottom and for that matter why is there a tube at all 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/15 "2009-01-11T23:42:45Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Then why does the tube go to the bottom and for that matter why is there a tube at all 😕 It’s not a tube, it’s a kind of diffuser. It’s a porous material that’s designed to let the gas out, but not liquid fuel (which would be exciting, but dangerous). ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-partition-in-disposable-lighters/480327/16 "2009-01-12T04:56:16Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > Yes, but that is not how lighters work. It is not the liquid that passes through the lighter, but the gaseous form. Lighters will light when the wick is not immersed. Sorry QED, on re-reading the thread, I see you beat me to the correct answer. Protip- If there is a small amount of fluid left, and the lighter won’t light, warm it in your hand for a minute. This will gasify the remaining liquid so the pressure will give you another chance at it. Don’t smoke. Tobacco anyway.