Cool Thermacell Hack for Unlimited Refills

[@rmagdos]

I refill mine too. It's a good idea to mark the refilled cartridges so in the future you know that you have already removed the check valve. This keeps you from taking an already modified cartridge apart without needing to.

[@dlmsarge8329]

That's a good tip!

[@huntingupland]

No need as the proper fill is up to the shoulder of the cell.

[@rmagdos]

I mak them so I know what ones I modified for refilling, not to know how much to fill them. Then I know the ones that have already have their check valve removed, and don't need to be taken apart to refill. .

[@jeffburch5903]

The 1st one I tried I boogered up the brass. Too much ham-handed pressure. 2nd, I removed o-ring and got the pliers down on the base below o-ring groove. Success! The squeeze on the little vise-grips is key. Steady hard pull with a little rotation back & forth. Check valve came out as shown 👍. ❤

[@rubygirl833]

Thanks so much! You just saved me loads of money. I can’t believe they don’t make them refillable and sustainable

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

thank you. Definitely worth it. I used mine all summer without paying for a single butane cartridge !

[@SilentKnight43]

It's so they can gouge you over and over to buy their proprietary refills. Corporate greed.

[@garyo4456]

I like the refill hack…buying pesticides from China….maybe less so! (Not that we can trust the USA on chemical safety.)

[@anitanickens6461]

Best tutorial on this ever!!! I just did it with ease and I'm glad I won't have to pay $19.99 for refills!! Oh and Amazon has the pads for cheap!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Awesome you got it working good!!

[@sendingyoulovefrom6231]

@alwaysflying6540 did you end up finding it?

[@stillwater62]

A drop or two of super glue on the fitting before installing would lock it in, and seal against gas escaping. I would also wrap something around the fitting before pulling it our to protect against damaging the surface, and the sealing rubber " O " ring.

[@Qtown444]

Yeah don't do that

[@moojuice369]

Adding a sealant like glue will prevent refilling….🙄🙄😳😳

[@vihreelinja4743]

@@moojuice369 Definitely not. you put it around the knob and not in to it like a girl would.. i glued mine and its working better than new.

[@RandoWisLuL]

@@vihreelinja4743 yea idk why people are saying not to do it

[@mikethespike7579]

I use the back-pack version of this appliance that uses camping gas cartridges which spares me messing around with these small plastic Thermacell cartridges. I also don't use the Thermacell tabs because of their outrageous price. I've found that the liquid in the small bottles that some manufacturers of anti mosquito appliances use works just as well. It's easy enough to just soak the original used tabs in this liquid to regenerate them. They offer just as much protection as the original tabs. Cut up pieces of beer mats soaked in the liquid also work.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Hey great idea!

[@saraszakony4181]

Could you please tell me what liquid you use/which types you recommend and where I can buy it?

[@glenngregorio5968]

I don't even mind the price for the repellent pads. What kills me is the butane-side of the equation. One canister should last 3 pads, 9 hrs. Invariably, to maximize pads, I tend to waste butane. Most times I simply get distracted and leave camp for longer than 3 hrs. I always wind up with more pads than canisters. This solves my issue if I can have a handful of refilled/refillable canisters. Thanks for the tips!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Your welcome!

[@JC-mn8kb]

Still relevant. Screw Thermacell for going out of their way for making these cartridges not refillable.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thank you!

[@goatrockhunters7866]

Awesome. I live in the southern US and use my therma cell for hunting, fishing, and even sitting on back porch sometimes. I’ve spent loads of money on those cartridges. This will help save a lot of money. Thanks!!!!

[@fisherking369]

I live in Southeast Georgia where mosquitoes r real bad especially in the woods so these Thermacells r great & a must 2 have especially during 1st few months of hunting season.

[@nmartin5551]

I just tossed one of these in the trash earlier this week. I’ll have to dig through some kitchen waste, but I’m going to try it!

[@SilentKnight43]

Excellent DIY tutorial. I've always hated splashing out good money for these things. Gonna give your method a shot.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thanks!

[@scotsmanofnewengland7713]

I have a ThermaCELL that I bought 5 + years ago and I am amazed how good it works. I do a lot of wilderness camping up in Northern New England and sure glad I have this with me for it keeps the mosquitoes at bay.

[@alexh1701]

I do that too, but just be careful because thermacell fumes can cause problems with pets and also can be dangerous to bees and other such pollinators

[@Subgunman]

I buy name brand pads for my unit. In the EU you cand buy Raid pads cheap. I tried running a butane refill and wound up clogging my Thermacell heater. Use only high quality butane fuel that is double filtered. Name brans cost more but save your heater. From what I have heard is that service is free on the heaters if something goes wrong.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Makes total sense. I use high purity butane for my refills. Costs a bit more but well worth it!

[@chartrucker]

Thanks for the video. I don't use the mosquito ThermaCELL but I have an old Conair cordless curls iron that I love to use on my truck. I don't do my hair often because of the exorbitant cost of the propane refills. This is going to save me a fortune and I'll look prettier too. Thanks again for the great video and hack.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Your most welcome!

[@jeepanimal2943]

Haven't done the bottle refill yet. But, I keep the repellant pads and spray them with more repellant, and leave till dry. They work fine.

[@fishhead680]

What kind/brand repellant to you use to spray in the used pads?

[@jeepanimal2943]

@@fishhead680 Don't know if they're available everywhere, but Off Deep Woods, and Muskol. Muskol usually works better for me. Spray it on, let it dry thoroughly then they're good to go.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

I gotta try that because the economy pads are not always available on EBay or Amazon

[@MatanuskaHIGH]

These are a lifesaver in Alaska. Never have had to use deet since finding out about thermacell. They really work. At first I thought it was a gimmick but after my buddy showed me while fishing at the Deshka river one morning as mosquitoes were coming out and I grabbed for the bens and he said hold on check this out and within 5 minutes the boat was mosquito free and I ran and bought one that day. Now I own three and use them everytime we go camping. I wondered how to refill them. So much cheaper.

[@kishascape]

It is a gimmick. That’s why you have to do this hack. Way better brands out there that are less idiotic.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

@@kishascape - Right, and you couldn't name one.

[@ItAintMeBabe99]

@@kishascape Kisha, what do you mean by”idiotic”? Please advise as to which other brands !

[@mondavou9408]

@@kishascape Bot

[@huntingupland]

Did this last night. Works great but found that the fill nozzle should be filed at a bit of an angle so it does not get blocked by the brass valve when inserted.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thank you!

[@MyMy-tv7fd]

you could also just destroy the inner valve in situ by drilling down with any bit of the right size, also, a little Loctite will ensure no leaks if worried on fitting brass valve back. Also better to handle insecticide pads with gloves not bare skin.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Loctite is a good idea

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

It's not an insecticide, it's a repellent.

[@Bjotten]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH What's the difference? It contains Prallethrin and at least according to Wikipedia: "Prallethrin is a pyrethroid insecticide. Prallethrin 1.6% w/w liquid vaporizer is a repellent insecticide which is generally used for the control of mosquitoes in the household."

[@BeefNEggs057]

You’re literally filling the air with permethrin and you’re worried about getting it on your hands? If it’s poisonous to humans then making a defuser out of permethrin isn’t a good idea. It isn’t poison to humans. Only insects. Sure is better for you than deet. That’s for dang sure. That stuff is human poison.

[@countryside_hobbies]

Nice, need to try this... Some kind of environmental law should be put in place to make those refillable from factory. Wondering how much plastic waste worldwide is made because this kind of things.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Exactly. It’s all about the big corporations trying to screw the consumer and say to hell with the environment. Basically boils down to $$$

[@vendettagrazie5653]

Using thermacel and wondering about enviroment? Search how your thermacel affects nature

[@countryside_hobbies]

@@vendettagrazie5653 May be harmful for bees and pets nearby, but should be otherwise relatively safe. More studies might be needed…

[@blakew5672]

@Ban this youtube Yeah, you’re right. If there’s one thing we need to change it’s immediately stopping the use of thermacells. Not the million+ other things we could do that would have a larger effect….

[@SchafferSaurus]

@Professional shit poster Methinks you got offended by the fact you were called out for the use of insecticides, and decided to turn it around on somebody who quite literally claimed that they were ashamed to have done something negative in the past and is currently trying to teach others about how the things that they are doing can affect the environment negatively.

[@brorjordas1979]

Just stumbled upon his in my feed or something.. But luckily my last gas cartridge was still lying in the trash bin of my storage room. Started to do the mod right after watching the video. Worked all good. I actually did try refilling the cartridge before throwing it away. Thanks for the tip! The manufacturer has apparently put in there a seemingly unnecessary part for the whole useage of the cartridge..just to prevent user refill.. But now. More people might start now doing this mod. And the manufqcturer might start losing income from refill packages. What a bummer...😉😂😂😂

[@nickdlr4973]

The manufacturer will catch on real quick if they get enough lost cartridge sales. Will be redesigned (maybe the seal could be made to ruin the case/seat if forced out) but then someone will try to hack that. Cat n mouse game! But ye in the meantime this a good hack.

[@SunnyWu]

I think they did catch on. The refills on Amazon for the ones that doesn't include the butane canisters cost just $1-$2 less than the one with the butane.

[@cats7008]

Its not completely unnecessary. Its a safety valve designed to prevent leaks from happening

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thanks mate! Appreciate your input.

[@Johonavich49]

@@cats7008that’s what I was thinking. Why did thermacell add this small piece? Makes sense!

[@MattJones1829]

Great info, thank you! Re: how much juice to put in the empty cartridges, I'd make an effort to try and remember to mark the fluid level on the cartridges when they're new...mark the fluid level with a permanent marker. Just a thought!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

They can be filled up to about 1 cm below the upper line.

[@chucksmith5002]

This is good to know I don`t how many of the Empty Cylinders I have thrown away going to try this on my next Empty one and that will be hunting season just around the corner .

[@Ojb_1959]

This thing saved my life during Teal season here in south Louisiana with the mosquitoes, gnats and no see ums. Thanks for the upload, great hack.🤙🏼

[@maxwellwoodhouse2908]

What’s a no see Um ?

[@Ojb_1959]

@@maxwellwoodhouse2908 It’s also known as a biting midge or sand flea. Tiny but they pack a punch.

[@jdedad]

I worked for plastics manufacturing for years as a Engineer I would recommend a little heat I’m sure hairdryer on low for a minute would make everything go a lot smoother not to mention when you work plastic cold you may get some stretching

[@MrChancebandit]

You are an engineer? I'm a welder . I know enough not too listen too your advice .

[@nicodabastard]

@@MrChancebandit hahaha

[@Ironmanpizza78]

@@MrChancebandit my brother is a welder and a union boss man when he needs advice he is not afraid to ask for it . So he makes a call ... To his boss his wife.

[@wdwdHenry9022]

alternative version, save one valve from one cartridge put it inside another one. Drill a hole exactly the same size in the bottom, use a very strong glue to attach it. Not sure if it would work

[@tomreilly1232]

I have a thermacell at my place.... wilderness....it works as described. Unbelievable.

[@MVMullins]

I just refilled mine the other day and had wondered if there was a better way. Thank you for the answer to that question!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Ur welcome!

[@hyksos2]

Some might wonder what was that other way of refilling lol

[@AerialLensVideo]

Thanks! I think the Thermacell folks might be on to this. I tried and did everything your very help video suggests BUT the gas just will not go in. Used two different brands of butane on several different Thermocell empty canisters and tried the "universal" as well as adaptor tips. So far, it is a definite NO-GO...so, thinking they modified mtheir design, but I will keep trying.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Sometimes it’s worth trimming the adapter to make sure it sits flat when filling the gas in. That prevents any leakage. I did that and it worked fine. Initially I had trouble filling it.

[@AerialLensVideo]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer Got it -- Thanks! That did the trick.

[@sarahwong3778]

Thank you for this video. I couldn’t get it to work until I read the comments and trimmed the adapter. But I can only get it to fill 2/3 even using a new can of gas.

[@AerialLensVideo]

@@sarahwong3778 I found that one of the tips molded into Zippo brand refill cap works. There are I think 6 different tip sizes molded into the plastic cap on the can. They are not very durable, so be careful. Oh, and the 2/3 full problem MAY be because of backpressure in the small container; just take a narrow wire and releive a little pressure occassionally.

[@WillisZzz]

Came for the hack, stayed for the radio voice

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Haha thx!

[@aaronfisher504]

I’ve never used a thermacell. I’m sure they work great! If money is an issue, there are always the tried and true mosquito coils. They burn like incense, work like a charm, and are dirt cheap by comparison.

[@motorgearhead]

Funny, I don’t even own a therma-cell but found the video interesting & insightful if I ever end up getting a unit.

[@jagheterbanan]

Great hack, it’s ridiculous how expensive the refill kits are!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thanks man. Pretty easy hack to do. I have been using this hack for the last 3 - 4 years no issues!

[@lynbigmore1597]

great hack and well presented. Thanks

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thank you!! Appreciate you!!

[@Campos2011]

Thanks for the video, great tips and demonstration 👍🏽 Definitely saves a lot of money. I have the MR450 and it’s worked well. I was thinking of taking a ThermaCell from US to Mexico on plane, but butane isn’t allowed onboard. I think I can get away with taking the empty canister and then refilling in Mexico.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thank you !

[@KillerBearsaw]

I have the camper one, but needed an adapter to attach it to a regular camper propane tank. I like the thermacell, but hated the proprietary nature of the refills. Gonna consider getting one of the smaller ones for hikes after seeing this. Now if there was just a way to recharge the pads...

[@BlackheartCharlie]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have saved me so much money!!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Your welcome. Happy I can help!

[@greatdanne]

Worked fine. Just hoping it wont leak but it seems ok. Thanks for the tutorial.

[@SledPemberton]

When you have the brass valve out you can check to see if your butane can will open up the valve

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Yes can easily be checked if it is out

[@cats7008]

i actually work in a factory where we make these for thermacell. that valve is actually a safety to prevent it from leaking and removing it will cause more risk of leaking or fires

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Took the valve out. Ran my unit upside down with no issue.

[@cats7008]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer it will probs work at first, but chances are leaking becomes more over time

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

@@cats7008 There is a potential for leaking yes that’s true. Especially if you end up nicking the brass fitting that goes into the plastic canister. I have one that I’ve been using now for almost 2 years and it’s the original one and it’s never leaked. I had it sitting in a kitchen cabinet with a filled up gas cartridge and it stayed full from Sept to July (no change in the level of butane). That’s just my observation. I’m not endorsing it as being completely safe. In my humble opinion it’s no more dangerous then one of those plastic butane lighters especially after they have been sitting on the dash in a hot car

[@Bowfella]

This is a huge money saver. Those butane canisters are almost as expensive as a full sized refill cannister... Plus they don't last that long. I've had some run out before the pad was fully used! Plus the pads are cheap.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Yeah man, happy this video is helpful!

[@Bowfella]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer Definitely! Just picked up a butane refill canister!

[@gingebrien2408]

Great hack. Does it leak?

[@Bubblemech]

Great idea, might think about removing the o-ring on the valve before pulling it out just so it isn’t nicked before you reinstall. Great tutorial though.

[@Shad0wBoxxer]

I honestly used a pair of side cutters and had zero problems! Ty

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Good to know!

[@Shad0wBoxxer]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer ok so I refuelled it and i think after a couple more refills it will be able to take more liquid but even at a basically empty level but my god. It lasted longer than the original cartridge

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

@@Shad0wBoxxer noticed that too seems to go longer for some reason!

[@agw5425]

How about putting some superglue or similar (medium to slow cure) on that valve to be certain the pressure won´t push it out (before filling it) now that you broke the original seal? It doesn't seem safe to mess with pressure vessels like that.

[@TerminalM193]

It's perfectly safe as long as you re-install the multiflange fitting to where all the flanges are no longer visible like in the video. Those flanges are purposely oversized to the actual fitting making it impossible for leakage. The opposing pressure will actually work in tandem with the flanges causing an even better pressure seal. Plumbers use these type of valves all the time on all sorts of high and low pressure systems that deal with pressures MUCH greater than what's in the thermocell containers.

[@MountainLust]

On the fence with mine; it keeps the bugs away but draws in more flatlanders. Might have to return it.

[@jalleman61]

Great hack but what prevents the liquid from coming out during use in the appiance

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

I’ve tried running them upside down with no liquid butane coming out -- I’m guessing that there’s a safety built into the thermacell to prevent this

[@melanieabarra5670]

I just put 2 of those squares and does the work well too.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

The smaller squares do work well. Just need 2 instead of 1 larger one

[@casolie]

thank you.. did it last night.. worked very well.. 👍👍👍

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

I’m happy the mod worked!

[@manbearpig8971]

Thanks, this is awesome and a great idea before hunting season

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thank you!

[@cducote6257]

One thing you didn't mention is that you can also refill the pads. I typically can refill the pads 5 -6 times before I throw them out!

[@FirstLast-sj6pp]

Refill them with what? I had no idea it was something you could buy.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Can refill with home made thermal mix of CaO and Fine aluminum powder

[@didimeier906]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer Any more info on this?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Yes basically I tried calcium oxide 2 parts by weight and fine aluminum powder (0000 mesh) 1 part. Mix well. Add excess water. It gets very hot within minutes and will easily heat a large food container.

[@calvinholser2535]

How do you refill the pads

[@christiang7095]

Great idea! I just bought two Thermacell :)

[@southernexposure123]

Mine works good. When it's out of repellent I spray it with a can of skeeter repellent. It starts back working again.

[@gregeberhardt1711]

How long do the cheapo pads last for? Awesome vid, thanks.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

About 3 hours a piece!

[@Vilhyto]

Brilliant. I'll do this immediately. And order the pads of course.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Awesome! Here is a link to the pads: Thermacell Mosquito Repellent Refills; Compatible with Any Fuel-Powered Thermacell Repeller; Highly Effective, Long Lasting, No Spray, No Scent, No Mess; 15 Foot Zone of Mosquito Protection a.co/d/7MmRqoM

[@BlackthornBetty]

Thank you. Great idea!

[@gjjb6662]

Possible to get a high quality zoom pic of just the tip used for filling? I've paizrd, zoomed, etc but it's too blurry for fine detail in the vid. Thanks!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Yes sorry it took a while to get back to you I believe the adaptors came with the neon brand butane. I will try and upload a pic next to a coin when I get back in town.

[@gjjb6662]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer That would be great... I finally ended up figuring out a way, but a zoomed photo will help folks a lot. Because a lot of "push" pressure is needed to open the valve to fill, the tip with the small indent (notch cut out), was getting crushed so it had no flow path. I used a sharp boxing knife to cut a slightly deeper notch and it worked (albeit not perfectly). Metal tips would be perfect or a harder plastic. Anyhow filled three tubes I had sitting empty knowing full well this master ripoff would eventually be thwarted! 😆. Thank you!!!!

[@zumezoom9593]

Thermacell.... I've been living under a rock... How long have you been using this and how well does it work?

[@phile.7544]

I have not reviewed all of the comments so apologies if this has already been said : my suggestion would be to use gloves while handling the insecticide.

[@nla3654]

I pulled the top piece out, just as you showed. I then pulled out the inside piece. It was not rubber, it was metal. I turn reinstalled the outer piece. It will not any fuel. Not from any brand refill. I made sure I was using an insert that fit. What am I doing wrong?

[@desert-walker]

Thanks I will definitely do that since I always have butane lying around

[@johndoe9443]

So drilling the hole in the bottom and finding a refillable lighter breaking the bottom out of that sealing with jb weld is no longer a thing? I'm still using mine with check valve installed. I'll try this for sure. Just looked up if there were any innovations. Little upset that I have to find me an adapter kit. But I'll try what I got. Thanks!

[@gjjb6662]

Your instructions were clear. I did the two removals and reinsertion of the fitting in less than a minute. BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME, NONE OF THE 5 FITTINGS THAT COME WITH THE BUTANE CANS WILL FILL THE THING ???!!! Anybody got a 2nd level tip? I'm fairly technical and have tools any trade or specialist would be proud of. But I'm baffled here.

[@TerminalM193]

You need to make a small incision on the tip of the adapter that best matches the valve.

[@wrylife57]

So that inner valve isn't needed? Isn't it a safety check valve to keep the gas from escaping?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

It seems to be safe. I’ve taken the valve out and not having any issues with it.

[@charitywilliams9943]

Do you have the link of where you can purchase the refill pads from Asia?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Still looking for you. So far can’t find those asian pads

[@KempermanimKempervan]

Yes, it would be nice if it worked like you can see in the video. Did it exactly as you can see. Filling fails. I only get about 4mm of gas in the cartridge.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

When you get the plastic adaptor make sure that the end of it is completely flat and sits flush against the valve in the cartridge. If it does not the butane will escape around the edges and not fill. I had this problem and trimmed the adaptor with a sharp utility knife. Don’t cut too much off though. Then it should work like a charm😁

[@northsider8995]

Awesome hack!! Thank you so much 👍👍

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

I am happy it’s working so well!

[@christopherhawthorne5395]

Dang I got the check valve out no problem. But the other piece back in and cannot get it to accept and butane

[@ah55761]

EXCELLENT eezy peezy beat-em-out-of-a-buck video. Thanks a MILLION! SodaStream does the same BS with their deposit recharge cartridges ripoff. I used to take my ex-wife's SodaStream cartridges to a commercial gases shop - dry ice and tank filling etc - and fill those pups for a LOT less than what SodaStream burns people for. Again, THANKS for this!!!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Most welcome!!

[@DudesIn101]

I'ma new sub to your chann because well,I found the content useful....thanks for sharing...other than that,it's just like retail stores to make it so why buy,buy ,buy,but yeah they need to make money,but that's greed,and alot of waste such as plastic,boxes and such,leave it up to someone,they will always find a way to save and I'm glad you did, because these burners do work,I made my own candle from a citrenella plant,and it's great for mosquitoes..they do stay away....thanks for the vid...

[@PhatChin]

It's been 2 years since this video and I've been keen on buying a Thermacell unit after a multi-day hike in Canadian provincial park (mosquitoes SWARM in the month of June). *Is this hack still feasible/applicable?*

[@pierrekitts7089]

All good my stumbling block is finding the right plastic red adapter. Would anyone have a link to any that can be purchased?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Mine came with the neon butane refiller cans - will definitely check around though

[@rogerholmen2383]

Bra tips ! Men 1 av 5 funkade. Vad gjorde jag för fel tror du ?

[@fredriklong885]

This is great, i love tampering with pressurized flamable gas containers!

[@Rikslarm]

😁

[@Utubegofukurself]

Nice instructional video on how to potentially start your thermocell on fire and anything around it!!!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

You just need common sense when you do this. When your drip on the insecticide, you don’t want to put them on to the thermacell heater when they’re soaking wet with petroleum.

[@CJ-nf5jd]

Very informative, Thank you

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

You’re welcome! Thank you.

[@cabela7869]

We're do you buy the blue pads with the chemical.

[@ASBO_LUTELY]

Mole Grips are a bit stronger than plyers.

[@TheHasenbeck]

Is there no need to seal the nozzle ? is there a reason that you do not fill the cartridge 90-100%?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Should not be filled 100% because the liquid butane will expand in the heat and would burst the cartridge

[@victorhood3453]

The rubber part is called a baffle !

[@shader26]

You do want to be careful with the o-ring though, right? Also was thinking, for a portable unit that one you have works fine, but for home use, all that is really required is a heat source heating a plate (at the right distance) and the insecticide blue pads on the plate. So if you used a point and click type thermometer to get a reading on the actual unit, with a little experimentation with the distance could use tea candles, or sterno can, any type of candle that doesn’t get shorter while burning and match the temp on the plate. Then you wouldn’t even have to get propane, and if you are married I guarantee your wife has tones of tea candles so…

[@shader26]

By the way, thanks for this video!

[@Ironmanpizza78]

Put it on a light bulb .

[@widkin]

Make a hole in the bottom side of a beer/soda can and put in a small tea candle, then put the pad on top, beside the hole. It runs a bit hotter than the thermacell unit but definitely works, in my opinion even better because you get more effect/faster release of the repellent. You might need the smaller pads though, since the space is limited. I use Mosquitos Mat brand that are half the size of the thermacell and similar to the ones he showed here. These can even be wedged in under the little flap for opening the can, if you rotate it 180 degrees, to avoid the pad blowing away if it is windy. Or, you can buy specific electric units for plugging into the wall outlet that does the same thing :)

[@JMPen]

You’r a genius, thank you!!!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Thank you!!

[@mrdave22]

do you have a link for the malaysia refill pads? not much comes up on amazon canada. good vid, thumbs up

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

I’ll check out the name of the pads and search when I get home this evening so I can find the link. They were cheap if I remember correctly.

[@mrdave22]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer thank you, i appreciate it

[@saltyshellback]

Great idea! Thanks for the info!

[@outordinary218]

They must be gluing some of these in real good now, recently got a thermacell and tried this, thing wouldn't come out with the screw

[@luiscruz1631]

Thank you sir I'm a big thermacel user and greatly thank you

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

You are most welcome!

[@danyoung6461]

Excellent. Very educational and helpful. This guy would be an excellent teacher.

[@Jochen-ml6on]

Where can I get those pads inexpensive? By the way real great hack Greetings from Germany

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Greetings. The USA source is shown in the description. For the more economical mats, need to put 4 in the thermacell for it to fit well. These mats come from Malaysia. The only problem is shipping time to USA is long. It may be quicker to Europe however: www.ebay.com/itm/174790854604

[@Jochen-ml6on]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer Thank you very much You made my life just a big way cheaper

[@francoisbelangerboisclair]

You could probably fill it with the SOTO fill adaptor and use a gas mix like isobutane/butane made for camp stove. The adaptor is made so you could refill lighter. It would take your plastic adaptor too. It's pretty small and not really expensive.

[@way2kul4any1]

Have you actually tried it, or just assuming it would work?

[@judd_s5643]

There is absolutely no reason to use a different gas mix. Use the gas the engineers of the device designed it for.

[@-Dwight-Schrute]

Am I the only one seeing the face on the pad at 7:49?

[@tonydigregorio3806]

do those pads use the same chemical insecticide as the thermacell pads?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Yes it is the same material. The only difference is that pad size is smaller so you have to put 2 or more pads together on the Thermacel heater. The ones I got are scented unlike the original thermacel pads.

[@rustknuckleirongut8107]

You better hope so. If those are soaked in some random Chinese insecticide you might end up killing your pets along with the mosquitoes or give your future children some interesting birth defects.

[@Joe-sn6ir]

don't trust anything chinese

[@SunnyWu]

@@rustknuckleirongut8107 Back in China, we used to use those pads (and it is still used these days) for what we call "electronic mosquito incense" (directly translated). It's an indoor plug in wall adapter with a similar heater as the Thermacell. It's safe enough and this kind of pads is commonly available everywhere and people use it inside their homes. Although I suspect the concentration might lower than the Thermacell ones as Thermacell makes theirs for outdoor use.

[@Gaumik-c2l]

I always use a rag on my plyers to avoid damaging the rubber O ring when removing the valve!

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Great idea

[@t.c.494]

Awesome! Thanks a million!

[@silkeherwald9717]

I can't get any of the adapter thingies to work... Sanded it back but no luck. I'm using Samba lighter Gas... The gas just leaks out without going into the small thermacell bottle... What are you using to get it to work...?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

It’s reallly dependent on the adaptor- neon

[@silkeherwald9717]

thank you, so which brand would you recommend that comes with a useful adapter..? or is it possible to buy an adapter @@BrianDhvTinkerer

[@nla3654]

He recommended Neon. I tried it, but it didn’t work for me.

[@beavishawk1]

I use a piece of thin rubber, like a pool patch.. Poke a small hole in it.. Push the butane tip through it into cartridge.. These cats do this shit for likes and views

[@calvinholser2535]

Can you provide a link for the off brand insecticide pads?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

I’ll see if I can find it. I know that these links go down and then new ones come up. The best place sometimes to look is eBay though.

[@datboiya8942]

How long does it last before you need to refill / put in more of those blue blocks?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

They last about 5 h. The butane cartridge lasts about 12 h

[@datboiya8942]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer thanks for the reply. Thats actually quite decent. Might consider getting one

[@l3eaver]

Are the blue cartridges needed to repel mosquitoes or just the the butane ??? Plz explain what each item does?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

The butane cartridge heats a stainless steel plate in the unit. The heat from the plate vaporizes the synthetic allethrins in the blue pads that sit atop the heated plate. Each pad lasts 4-8 hours of continuous use.

[@l3eaver]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer ty for the break down

[@kevinklei3005]

OK as a old codger from down Under in Australia what is a Thermacell used for ???

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

It’s used as a mosquito repellant. Those critters are a major problem in the southern states like Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi etc.

[@kevinklei3005]

@@BrianDhvTinkerer Thanks for a prompt reply I can sleep more peaceful now . We have the annoying little buggers down here as well but not right now because it is mid winter. Thanks again

[@TheMrkylester101]

I can get then in my locan camping store in north queensland

[@buttfacemcghee]

Are the adapter nozzles available separately? The butane cans I’ve seen around my area don’t come with nozzles.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Looks like it depends on which kind of butane you buy. Some of them have all the different sizes supplied with the can of butane. It’s better to get one with a variety of different nozzle sizes. Once you have the correct nozzle you can pretty much use it over and over again. Once you have the correct nozzle it doesn’t matter if replacement butane cans come with the nozzle or not since you only ever need one nozzle

[@bradbaston7186]

I got that inner one way valve out but my cannister doesn't seem to refill, only when I take the brass valve out. Comes with universal nozzles

[@courtneyforsyth6906]

You had the butane canister right there. Why not show us the technique for filling as well?

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Haven’t figured out how to refill the butane filling canister quite yet. Need a good source of liquid butane and it’s hard to find large containers of this.

[@nla3654]

He meant why not show refilling the Thermacell fuel cartridge. I’ve tried it, but after going through all that, it won’t refill.

[@TerminalM193]

​@@nla3654you need to take a sharp knife and cut about a 35° incision on the very tip of the adapter that best fits the thermocell device. What's happening is your adapter is bottoming out on the female end which won't allow liquid to flow. With the incision you can now bottom out and still get liquid gas to release. I'm thinking the guy doing the video has done the same without saying so OR thermocell has changed their fittings since the video. I have over 20 different butane adapters and not one of them would allow for refill unless I made the incision.

[@chadcostales4431]

Can you provide the link to the refill pads you are showing in the video? I can't find them online.

[@BrianDhvTinkerer]

Hope this helps. www.ebay.com/itm/266109373824?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=WGyPikn0T2u&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Z9ZBUuQvS8u&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY