I've had a GVG and Arc for about 3 weeks and have had a few successful launches in that time. But now the Arc lights sporadically and sometimes doesn't light at all. When it does light it usually sputters. I have not used it a significant amount of times to empty the butane, or so I believe. It seems small so maybe it doesn't hold a large amount. Although, I would assume it wouldn't light at all once the butane is low.

If anyone has had the same problems please share. Or, if you believe my lighter has simply run out of butane could you enlighten me on the process of refilling and what type of butane will be effective.

False starts are frustrating...

Add more butane.

Read this thread and read it all.

Next time try to use search button first before you start asking. There may be already answers to your questions.

If you still don't know what to do come back

The link I gave is ok as well but this is the one I wanted you to read Jbark has got some problems there so read at least that it starts on page 4.

Yea I read those...Turning up the flame intensity has seemed to work for now. Will update if I still have problems.

Also make sure you have some good quality gas.

I assume that the lighters are shipped filled with the cheapest butane available. When mine arrived and I discovered that it was full, I emptied it of butane (through the valve) and refilled it with high quality Vector Quintuple Refined Butane.
One thing I've noticed is that the arc seems to work most reliably when the flame is turned up more than half way. When these things are cranked, you could weld I beams and build a skyscraper, so it's good to have them turned down a little. When I turned mine down too much, I got a lot of misfires.

Usually when they sell you a torch lighter, it tends to be only partially filled. You really can't tell much about the fuel capacity based on just getting it from the store. Sputtering makes it sound like you're low. It doesn't sound broken (yet).

I think I posted in the thread that was linked, but I had tons of problems with my Arc being inconsistent when I first bought it. It became so bad, that I was on the verge of throwing the damn thing at the wall.

Since I was contemplating destroying it anyway, I decided to experiment a little to see if anything would work. I ended up turning the flame level past the highest level until I heard a little "snap" or "pop".

It's worked like a charm ever since .

I'm sure doing this would void any warranty, and I don't know if it will work for you, so please don't come back and blame me if it doesn't work.

Good luck. Peace and Happy Journeys

The same thing happened with my Arc – when I got it, the maximum flame setting was unusually low, so I forced the adjustment screw, heard a “snap”, and was afterward able to adjust the flame to a more reasonable size.

My Arc actually broke recently, but I had a good run with it. It outlived any other torch lighter by at least 5 fold One day I was using it, all of a sudden I heard a click, and it just won't work now. Makes a very soft hissing sound and a hairline spark. Tried contacting the manufacturer, and they nor their troubleshooting nor those threads you linked did me any good. I currently have some other torch that I'm currently content with, but we'll see

Step by step solution:

Step 1: Place arc turbo flame in right hand.
Step 2: With left hand proceed to lift trash can lid while still using right hand to firmly hold on to arc turbo flame.
Step 3: In a downward thrusting/throwing motion with right hand, proceed to throw arc turbo flame into trash can with large frustrated grunting/angry sound produced by mouth and vocal cords.
Step 4: Drive/ride/walk to nearest available store and proceed to buy any BIC lighter.
Step 5: Go home and blast off succesfully with BIC lighter.
Step 6: proceed to forget you ever waisted money on a useless arc turbo flame.
Step 7: proceed to live happily ever after... The end..

C_S

yeah coastal_shaman I noticed you said you don't even use the GVG's filter cap to blast off with freebase...just using a bic to light the GVG like a bowl seems like a strange utilization of resources. If it works for you it works for you but I'd rather utilize the GVG's filter technology instead of vaporizing with sheer bic maneuvering skills...

If I get my torch lighter too close to the GVG bowl, it sputters and goes out.

Seems like getting it to close to the bowl interrupts the available air it needs to stay lit, and will sputter, and go out if not moved a bit further away.........if I get it closer than an inch or two above the bowl, it goes out......

IMO

Yeah, I'm just bustin' your chops.. The 7step guide is really more of a joke. A few people have told me that my method is a bit of a "waiste" of the gvg I have. I suppose I could have bought a regular pirex pipe and some choreboy however I bought it mainly for its unique shape and design. Filter or no filter (it's actually a heating element insert) the design allows the operator to view the progress of the hit. I find I do not get the required airflow with the element inserted. It's not too much steel whoal, the element is not clogged, I just can not get the dose fast enough like I can without the element. I've had the exact same problem as you had with your torch lighter when I tried the last 3 torch lighters I've owned. They all start out working great and after they run out of fuel they never work good again. They don't start when you need them too and they always go out right when you don't want them to. It does not matter if it's actually an Arc or not, they all have the same guts and I just couldn't be bothered to be hassled with the imperfections of another over complicated torch lighter. I still use the element when I vape Changa, just not freebase.

C_S

Blazer PB-207 Seems to always work...always that is right up until I am unable to remember exactly how to use it and am actually wondering what it is that I'm holding in my hand. Readily available and relatively inexpensive. I do notice it sputter once in a while, but again I think it's most likely my technique more than it. It seems that it might be awkward at first because the flame isn't angled, but it really isn't too difficult to manipulate and point the flame down. Good luck to you.

I love the arc lighters and use one just about every day for clearing bowls. For regular pipe smoking, Bics are fine, but if you want better control of the flame and the ability to really heat things up, the arc can't be beat. I have an authentic one and chinese knock-offs and they generally work the same, but it seems the authentic one has been a little more reliable. They work best when full, and not as well when it gets down to half a tank or less. Also, when not so full, it doesn't light very well when tilted too far down, it needs liquid butane to burn, the fumes won't keep a flame. The window to check the fuel level is very convenient. And another thing, all of them have needed some adjustment of the flame to get it right, they seem to work better with a larger flame. But once you have it dialed in it works great.

Check out the following Turboflame refill instruction:

http://www.turboflame.co.uk/maintenance.php

also a demo how to refill butane lighters:

http://www.youtube.com/w...0g4M&feature=related

good luck

Bunnings sell 5x refined butane refills:

http://www.bunnings.com....hter-gas-refill_p3170873

Well my Turboflame arc just arrive from Fishpond... and to be honest, I think it's second hand (I paid $94 for this.. when really I should of read all these posts on what most people are paying for them). I think this, because the packaging was opened, the black container it sits in is cracked, and the little instruction book that comes with it is a little faded and scratched.

I purchased some Venttii butane refill (Contains: Butane mixture with near zero stable non-volatile impurities), but when I press down to refill, nothing goes into the arc. There's definitely both butane and aerosol coming out of the can when I press it manually, but seems as if the arc is blocked and butane wont go in...

I'm gonna buy a different brand of butane and see if it makes a difference