Just got my GVG yesturday, went to use it, and the damn torch lighter wouldnt work. go figure! so i used a bic, which is a sin or so "they" say. So i went to the head shop and they informed me i need to use better quality fluid, because the cheap stuff may contain sediments.

So they fixxed my torch, and i bought good fluid.

I did managed to get off even with the bic.

There was a youtube video that actually showed some one smoking, but it was taken down.... and i checked the smoking threads up and down. My question is when lighting the GVG are you not supposed to touch the ceramic filter with the torch? I just don't want to ruin it. The instructions said not to touch it, yet on a thread i read some one ask if the filter should be glowing when hitting. Whats up?

Thanks.

The flame should not touch the filter, yet the heating element will glow as a result of the high temperature it is exposed to (even from a distance). This is precisely why there is no need to touch the heating element with the flame.

Thank you very much SB. Im going to go for a test flight w in the next couple of hours...

I love when other people have the same questions as me! Everyone get's blessed with answers

just ordered my first GVG a few days ago

Yes and so that others can make use of the thread, better correctly name the thread title, and then in the future it can be easily found. I renamed the thread, hope you dont mind

I bet I've used a bic lighter and touched the element with it at least 100 times. lol With no adverse results. I understand a torch is optimal. Today my GVG works as well as it did once upon a time when I purchased it.

According to the literature that came with my GVG, when using an ordinary lighter, the flame should be kept far enough away from the ceramic diffuser to prevent carbon/soot buildup. It’s not the heat that will cause any problems, but over time the carbon will clog the diffuser.

The diffuser is a dark grey color, and carbon is, of course, black. So if you notice any black spots on the diffuser, then you’re starting to get some carbon buildup.

In another thread someone described how the glass surrounding the diffuser of their GVG started cracking. It was probably defective, but it did raise concerns about applying a butane torch flame directly to the glass. (The consensus was – don’t do it.)