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In this article, I will talk through exactly how to refill Bic lighters with two of the simplest methods, depending on your materials.

Bic lighters are not meant to be refillable, according to the manufacturer. Yet, I wouldn’t say I like the thought of having to buy a new lighter each time my lighter runs out of fuel. 

It’s financially inefficient. It increases the amount of plastic waste. And it contradicts my morals of self-sufficiency. 

There’s no reason to spend money on a new one because you can refill the one you already have.

Let’s dive right in.

Are BIC Lighters Refillable?

BIC lighters are refillable, but you will need to carefully follow some steps and have a few basic things on hand like a thumbtack, rubberband, pliers, a drill, drill bits, and a fuel refill valve. 

Once you have gathered all these essential items, you’re ready to refill your BIC lighter.

Why You Should Do This

If you use lighters excessively and need to replace them, you should consider purchasing a refillable lighter. 

Many are inexpensive and perform as well as (if not better than) a Bic lighter. In terms of butane lighters, I personally like the UST Floating Lighter (Amazon Link). 

Knowing how to refill a disposable lighter, on the other hand, is a useful survival ability and just good to know.

And of course, a word of warning, you are playing with fire here, so please refill the butane lighter at your own risk.

1. The Pin

What You Need

• A Pin or Thumbtack
• A Rubber Band or Rubber Grommet
• Pliers and Filer(Recommended; Not Required)

How to Refill the Bic Lighter

This method is more straightforward but can get messy. The video above will show this process.

Step 1:

Insert your pin into the small hole at the base of the Bic lighter. This is necessary if you want to properly refill it with butane gas, as a ball seals off this opening and prevents any lighter fluid from coming out or going in. 

To get past this obstacle, simply insert your pin and push it in until you can feel the ball inside trembling. This lets you know that the seal has been broken, allowing any lighter fluid to pass through this opening again.

Step 2:

You’ll want to check if there is still any butane left in the lighter before refilling with new gas – while many refillable lighters may give off a slight odor of butane, it’s always wise to take the precaution anyway. 

To do this, simply unscrew and remove the screw from the lighter base itself – some fluid may come out while doing so that must be discarded before refilling with new gas later on. 

After draining any remaining fuel, attempt a test light by pressing down on its lever: if no flame appears or it is weak at best, then you know your Bic Lighter needs more liquid in order for it to work properly again. 

Step 3:

Butane would spill everywhere if you simply pressed the butane canister valve into the hole you created. As a result, you’ll need to add something to the valve to provide a proper seal. 

In a pinch, a large rubber band would suffice. Cut a tiny hole in the rubber band with your pin and insert the valve into it. Or, if you have a good-fitting rubber grommet, that can work too.

Step 4: 

Fill the lighter with butane while keeping it upside down. A classic-size Bic lighter takes about 30 seconds to fill. Although, if this is your first time, I recommend you put less, as you will see in step 5.

Step 5: 

Butane can be quite pressurized, so as soon as any gas flow gets cut off, it’ll want all of its fluid out like a tempted faucet that just got shut! To prevent this, place your thumb on the Bic lighter’s hole when removing the butane canister so that nothing gets released.

Step 6:

The last phase before completing this process is to close it up! Taking away any finger and inserting a push pin should certainly do it. Pliers and a file can be used to make the pin more flush with the lighter’s surface so that it fits perfectly while still sealing any gaps. 

If none of these tools are available near you, then an appropriately sized flathead pushpin should work fine, too. 

However, some extra force might need to go into making sure everything is secure during this insertion procedure. And with that, all left to do now is give your lighter a try and enjoy its rejuvenation!

2. The Refill Valve

What You Need

• Drill
• Drill bits
• Fuel refill valve

Steps to Refill Bic Lighter

There is another video above that perfectly demonstrates my steps on a method to refill a Bic lighter.

Place a refill valve at the bottom of the lighter using this process. This encourages you to reload the Bic lighter several times.

When you reload, there are no irritating push pins, no pressing your thumb over the hole, and no liquid fuel spurting anywhere.

To do this, you’ll need a small gas refill valve. Replacement valves for airsoft weapons (Amazon Link) or this one work well. It’s also possible to use the refill valve from a defective refillable lighter in your Bic lighter.

Step 1:

In the bottom of your Bic lighter, you will locate a small hole. This is where you need to push with something like a pin or drill bit before it lands within the interior area of the lighter. 

When poking into this opening, be careful not to make puncture any further than needed as doing so could cause an unwanted fuel leak once filled and could also put the lighter into a state of disrepair. 

Step 2: 

After gaining access to this hole, you will need to widen it so your refill valve can fit correctly inside. When deciding what size drill bit is needed, ensure that whatever diameter tool used should not exceed more than slightly wider than the width measurement taken from previous steps when noting down measurements before drilling begins. 

This way, too much fuel won’t escape the chamber once filled, as an airtight seal is necessary for this purpose. 

Step 3:

Now that your hole has been made larger to accommodate for a boost, make sure you flip over and shake up the lighter so any debris leftover from drilling comes out of its interior area before continuing with the next step.

Step 4:

At the base of your Bic lighter’s fuel chamber, there is a rubber divider typically kept in place to keep it isolated and separated from other chambers for extra safety. 

In order to make way for your refill valve to be put into place properly, this small barrier will need some manipulation so that it doesn’t get lodged at all when inserted. 

Using a drill bit or something similar, you could make small openings into the divider to allow room for your valve and still be strong enough to keep it from collapsing when applying pressure of fuel is added in the fifth step of this process. 

Step 5: 

When inserting your refill valve, slight agitation around its circumference may be needed with a razor so as not to damage any wiring present in the interior area of your Bic lighter. 

After successful insertion, it is advised to rub an off-white silicone sealant around its strings for extra adhesion during use and apply pressure while it dries slowly so that no air can escape when you add fuel later. 

Step 6:

This step should be done carefully with caution as any mishandling could cause significant damage or, worse, loss of life if there is ever an explosion when in use. 

Due to this, wear protective gear before beginning so that no harm comes your way, and grab a bottle with fuel as you slowly pour it into the lighter until its chambers are covered entirely. 

Leave some wiggle room, note other objects being placed nearby while doing this process for optimal security measures, and voila! You now have successfully filled up a Bic lighter all on your own!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions for how to refill a BIC lighter:

Can you put butane back in the canister?

Yes, it is possible to refill a BIC lighter with butane. All you need to do is purchase a can of good quality butane fuel and an empty BIC-style disposable lighter with the stem valve used to fill it. 

Carefully follow all safety precautions when refilling a lighter with butane, as it can be dangerous and potentially cause an explosion or fire if not handled correctly!

Are you supposed to shake butane before filling?

Yes, it is a good idea to shake the canister of butane before filling a lighter. This will mix up any sediment that has settled at the bottom of the container and ensure that you get a consistent fuel flow into your lighter. 

Additionally, make sure to use an adequately sized nozzle for the size and shape of your BIC-style disposable lighter in order to ensure you don’t overfill it with butane!

Why is my butane lighter not working after refill?

If your butane lighter is not working after being refilled with fuel, there are a few potential causes. 

The first thing to check is whether you filled the lighter completely and securely without overflowing it, as this can affect its ability to ignite properly. 

You should also ensure your butane container had enough pressure before refilling your lighter and confirm that there was no faulty connection when you filled it with fuel.

Does butane float or sink in air?

Butane is both lighter and less dense than air, meaning that it will float in the atmosphere. This can make detecting a butane leak more difficult because it won’t sink to the floor like other fuel vapors. 

Instead, its presence will remain suspended near or at ceiling level until something causes agitation of the room’s lower levels—like from airflow resulting from opening a door.

Last Word

Follow this article at your own risk, since there are always drawbacks of doing something like this at home, but if you follow these directions, you should be able to learn how to refill a Bic lighter with a fair amount of safety.

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