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Jet Boil lighter at high altitude

Longshotjames

Longshotjames

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2015
Messages
541
Location
Texas hill country
I have noticed on 2 different Jet Boils that the built in ignition doesn't work above 10K feet. Has anyone else experienced this?

I always keep spare lighters in my pack and now I keep one in the green cup on the bottom so it's handy.

Anyone else?
James
 
Longshotjames said:
I have noticed on 2 different Jet Boils that the built in ignition doesn't work above 10K feet. Has anyone else experienced this?

I always keep spare lighters in my pack and now I keep one in the green cup on the bottom so it's handy.

Anyone else?
James
Click to expand...
I have never taken mine that high, but like you, I always carry a lighter/fire starter in my survival kit. I also have a back-up back packing stove (Optimus Crux Lite) that stays in my truck.
 
Last edited:
Longshotjames said:
I have noticed on 2 different Jet Boils that the built in ignition doesn't work above 10K feet. Has anyone else experienced this?

I always keep spare lighters in my pack and now I keep one in the green cup on the bottom so it's handy.

Anyone else?
James
Click to expand...
I have had mine to 11,500 several times for over a week each time without a problem. I did have to replace the igniter in it, but not sure it was due to altitude. Before replacing the igniter, I tried sanding the copper electrode to clean the oxidation off of it, but it still only worked intermittently. Any time I hike at those altitudes I cary redundant, mission critical components. I always bring a small butane lighter and a small magnesium block with a flint strip on it. Jet Boil used to sell ignitor replacements for their original stoves, but I don't see them on their website currently.
 
Last edited:
VenatusDominus said:
I have had mine to 11,500 several times for over a week each time without a problem. I did have to replace the igniter in it, but not sure it was due to altitude. Before replacing the igniter, I tried sanding the copper electrode to clean the oxidation off of it, but it still only worked intermittently. Any time I hike at those altitudes I cary redundant mission critical components. I always bring a small butane lighter and a small magnesium block with a flint strip on it. Jet Boil used to sell ignitor replacements for their original stoves, but I don't see them on their website currently.
Click to expand...
They both immediately work when back to 9,000 and below. 1 of them was brand new and mine was only a year old this time. I wonder if cleaning the electrode would work?
 
When I get calllouts to work on flares that won't ignite. Most of the time the ignitor rod distance from the grounding area just needs to be adjusted. These igniters are huge and the rod distance is adjustable. Sometimes moving the rod forward or back 1/16" or less makes the difference in it working or not. Just saying if you're having issues try adjusting the ignitor wire distance like someone mentioned above. For whatever reason some are sensitive with the distance from the grounding area and as they wear down need to adjusted closer. My freinds I hunt with all have jet boils so I've never bought one. But they have lit fine at 11k ft for us without issue
 
Just got back from a mule deer hunt noticed my buddy was using a lighter to get his jet boil going every time. He said the ignitor didn't work anymore. I bent the ignitor wire down just off the metal still wouldn't spark. Then I bent it back out with about a 3/8" gap and it worked every time after time.
 
On my recent trip with four others where we camped at 10,300 we noticed that one Mrs pocket rocket I beleive with an ignitor did not light up. And he needed a lighter. My jet boil flash worked every time. I beleive one of the other guys jetboil did not like the altitude as well and resorted to using one of ours. Bottom line a lighter weighs nothing bring two just in case.
 
Longshotjames said:
I have noticed on 2 different Jet Boils that the built in ignition doesn't work above 10K feet. Has anyone else experienced this?

I always keep spare lighters in my pack and now I keep one in the green cup on the bottom so it's handy.

Anyone else?
James
Click to expand...
Just play with the gap of the ignitor. It's a known problem with them.

I've been well above 12k and I've only run into the usual problems of trying to work them in too cold of weather.
 
Couldn't get a butane stove to light at 0 F. At that temp your butane ligher is pretty much toast, unless you hold the sparker thingy right in your stove's burner. Isobutane and isobutane/propane mixes will go far colder than that. MSR makes the best cartridges for those temps and they are compatible with other stove brands. Their stove has a wide stable base connected to the cartridge with a hose, much more stable than a tippy stove on top of cartridge model, and accomodates larger pots. Mine also has the option to switch to white gas etc. with a cannister and pump, good for essentially any temp.
MSR Universal Stove
Apparently Len gets a cut if you follow my link.
 
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