Tiki torches are popular outdoor lights. They appear in diverse styles and sizes, but they share some traits.
- They’re made from metal pipes filled with fuel.
- They have a handle on top that allows you to carry them around easily.
- More importantly, they burn at very high temperatures thanks to the flammable liquid inside them.
A tiki torch might explode for various reasons.
Tiki torches are made of metal. Usually, they are filled with butane and have a wick inside to provide a flame for your enjoyment. However, sometimes these devices can explode if they are not used properly.
- Tiki torches may explode if the temperature is too high or if you spill water on them when they’re lit.
- If a tiki torch has been left outside in cold temperatures for an extended period and brought back inside, its reservoir may have condensation that could cause it to burst into flames when lit.
- Suppose you spill water on a flaming tiki torch while it’s still hot from being ignited by gas or other fuels. In that case, this can cause the device itself, as well as everything around it, such as tables or chairs, to catch fire due to sparks flying off during combustion processes occurring within each object’s fuel compartment at high-speed rates due to rapid oxidation reactions occurring within natural materials found in large quantities.
One of the more common reasons is a gas-filled torch that is not upright.
One of the more common reasons is a gas-filled torch that is not upright.
- When these are left lying down, they can leak gas and cause an explosion. Remember this when setting up tiki torches.
- They may explode if dropped or struck during shipping, so be careful.
- Also, don’t use a torch left outside overnight, as this may cause it to overheat and ignite spontaneously due to residual heat from the sun’s rays reflecting off of its surface, even though it might appear cool.
- And finally, never leave lit tiki torches unattended, even if you think everything looks fine after taking them inside at nightfall and leaving them out on the patio overnight before transporting them again in the morning. Some residual fuel could still be left, which could ignite once exposed to too much heat from natural sunlight or artificial lighting like candles being held next door by another guest at your party.
The fuel canister progressively heats up and escapes the flame.
When you have finished using your tiki torch and have extinguished it, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions for lighting and extinguishing your tiki torches. This is because the liquid fuel in the canister will slowly heat up and escape from the torch. Once this flammable gas comes into contact with light, a fire can start.
Therefore, if you want to avoid any potential accidents, it’s best to follow these steps as carefully as possible:
- Light your torch in an open area with no wind or breeze, so there is little chance of accidental ignition.
- Hold your hand around where the flame will rise from; keep away from children or pets at all times!
- Keep moving until all flames are out—this might take several minutes, depending on how long you use them for each session.
This flammable gas will then come into contact with the pilot light.
This flammable gas will then come into contact with the pilot light.
A pilot light is a tiny flame that ignites butane gas to produce the larger flame you see on a tiki torch. The pilot light is generally installed at or near the bottom of a tiki torch and is about half an inch tall. Since butane gas sinks rather than rises in the air, it won’t evaporate into the atmosphere and become a mist like other fuels. As soon as butane comes in contact with that tiny flame known as your “pilot,” it’ll ignite and explode violently enough to shatter glass bottles around your yard!
Generally, it’s best to follow the manufacturer’s lighting instructions and extinguish your tiki torches. This will ensure you can enjoy your torches safely while keeping them from falling out of favor with homeowners’ associations or other local authorities.
If you aren’t sure how to properly light or extinguish your tiki torch, ask someone who does know how. If no one is around with relevant knowledge, it might be time to take a refresher lesson on how to handle outdoor fire equipment safely, as well as a trip to the hardware shop for any additional equipment you might need.
Gasoline is flammable around an open flame, like a pilot light.
Gasoline is highly flammable. It is also highly explosive when mixed with air, as it would be in a torch. This can be dangerous because a pilot light is an open flame, and it’s possible that the gasoline can ignite while you’re carrying the torch around your home or yard.
The fumes from gasoline are also highly toxic. Breathing them in for an extended period can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
Keep fuel-filled tiki torches upright to prevent explosions.
Keeping your tiki torches from going off unexpectedly can be done in a few different ways:
- Keep your tiki torch upright at all times when it contains fuel. This will prevent any liquid fuel from escaping through the bottom of the torch and coming into contact with a pilot light or flame.
- Also, ensure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions for lighting and extinguishing your tiki torches. You don’t want to leave it on too long because this can cause excessive heat buildup, potentially leading to an explosion.
Tiki torches are popular outdoor and patio lights.
Tiki torches are a perennial favorite for outdoor and patio lighting. These portable, safe, and environmentally friendly options offer a variety of colors, sizes, and styles to choose from. In addition, they are convenient for any event because of how simple they are to set up and clean up after.
If you’re considering using tiki torches for your backyard gathering, here are some things to keep in mind when shopping around:
- Know what kind of fuel it uses before you go out and buy one. You must anticipate your fuel needs, so you don’t come home to a dead car.
- Check the manufacturer’s website or your local merchant to find the exact size, color, and design of the tiki torch you’re searching for. Most companies offer a variety of options when it comes to choosing the right torch for your needs.
Wrapping kindling around a central pipe allows air to travel up the torch.
The kindling is wrapped around a central pipe, allowing air to flow through the torch. The pipe is the central part of the tiki torch, making it possible for it to ignite. When you light your tiki torch, two things happen:
- Kindling starts burning at its base;
- Hot gases rise through the pipe and mix with oxygen from outside air as they travel up into space above your head.
If you put too much kindling inside your tiki torch or have bad ventilation around it, like using cardboard instead of metal, this process will become unstable and cause an explosion!
Butane is a flammable gas that evaporates before igniting.
This means that butane can be ignited by a spark or flame, causing an explosion. However, when butane is exposed to air, it evaporates and disappears before it can cause an explosion. So why does this happen?
Since butane has a lower boiling point than water and most other liquids, if you spill some on your hand and try to light it on fire with a matchstick or lighter—which have higher boiling points than butane—the liquid evaporates before the matchstick can ignite it.
Butane evaporates in a radiator-like flame spreader, creating warmth.
When butane is passed through a radiator-like flame spreader, it evaporates and creates gentle warmth. This is because the butane is heavier than oxygen, so it falls on top of itself and rests there like a fog. However, it’s also important to note that these flammable liquids become extremely liquid when vaporized into the air.
This quality and the fact that natural gas torches are typically used in the great outdoors make them highly combustible when used for cooking purposes.
For example, if you were trying to light your grill with a regular matchstick instead of using one from an outdoor grill starter kit, there would likely be some explosion because you’re introducing flames directly into the fuel source.
Tiki torches are flammable like gas grills because they create an enclosed space for the fire to grow.
In the same way, that gas grills are susceptible to fires, tiki torches are susceptible to fires in the same way that gas grills are; they create an enclosed environment in which fire burns and expands. In addition, the regulator on a torch controls the amount of fuel being released into the flame, so if it is not working properly or is damaged in some way, then there will be too much fuel available. Finally, although your tiki torch isn’t necessarily exploding like a bomb, its flame could ignite nearby combustible materials like grass or trees.
A place for the fire to expand into.
There needs to be a place for the fire to expand into, and if there’s no airflow and no gas is coming out of the regulator valve at the end of the pipe, then that’s when you have problems. The regulator valve at the torch’s end controls the oxygen flow. If no airflow and no gas are coming out of this valve, then that’s when you have problems.
When there is too much air flowing through a tiki torch, it will spread very quickly and can ignite nearby combustible materials like dry grass or wood. On the other hand, if there’s not enough air flowing through to sustain combustion, then you will notice that your fire will be tiny in size and may even go out altogether if it isn’t lit properly.
Don’t leave a tiki torch unattended.
If you have tiki torches, keep them away from anything flammable and ensure they are safely lit before leaving them. If you have children, ensure they don’t play with or ignite torches.
Finally, do not use tiki torches near dry grass or other flammable materials or in windy conditions.
Butane is heavier than oxygen.
Butane is heavier than oxygen, so once it turns into vapor, if there’s not enough wind to blow it away, it falls on top of itself and rests there like a fog. If you were to light a butane torch in this situation—when the butane has settled on the ground and isn’t moving—it would go off with a huge explosion.
Several circumstances can cause tiki torch explosions.
Several circumstances can cause tiki torch explosions:
- The pilot light, responsible for the ignition of butane gas, must be lit for your tiki torch to work. If you don’t have enough airflow through the pilot light, it won’t stay lit and will eventually go out. If this happens, there’s no way that you can ignite your fuel canister without lighting it yourself.
- Some people use windproof lighters or matches instead of manually lighting their torches outdoors. The problem with this strategy is that the wind may extinguish your flame before it even starts!
- Butane is heavier than oxygen and doesn’t stay above ground long enough to successfully ignite kindling like paper or wood chips on its own. It needs help from a heat source like another source of fire nearby for them to work properly.
Conclusion
To avoid mishaps, always use the tiki torch lighters and extinguishers as directed by the manufacturer. Keep them away from moisture and corrosion to extend their useful life.