How to fix the piezoelectronic igniter in your Bernzomatic TS4000

Using a piezoelectronic igniter from a 2.5" X-Lite electronic mini disposable lighter for $1.00 at the Dollarama Store to fix your Bernzomatic Torch.
Amazon.com - Not sure if this is electronic www.amazon.com/Lot-X-lite-Min...
You may need to call X-Lite in Markham Ont [phone] or Send a message www.cylex.ca/company/x-lite-c...
Amazon.ca has Mini X-Lite www.amazon.ca/MINI-ELECTRONIC...

[@wyattsdad8561]

If KZbin ever passes out awards for useful videos, you should win.

[@igorsmetaniuk464]

This guy truly makes McGuyver look like an Amateur!

[@wyattsdad8561]

@@igorsmetaniuk464 And I totally did this to my igniter and it totally worked

[@jonpiotrowski3506]

Great video,production wise,camera work,narration,to the point,no excessive anything...I wish ALL fix it/how to videos were like this one..EXCELLENT! Thanx!!!

[@chrisscott1547]

I believe Bernzomatic makes parts for this unavailable to force new torch sales and increase the world's trash, and they hide behind safety. Excellent job with vid!

[@brianmedeiros417]

They have lifetime warranties on these. I believe you send them in and they fix them for free.

[@johnmilner7603]

@@brianmedeiros417 I still have the manual and box from my T4000K and nowhere does it mention anything about warranty. Made in USA though.

[@rogerbritus9378]

@@johnmilner7603 I went to their website before ending here. There they say if this happens, to contact Customer Service at the email they have on that page. It could be a sign that they do provide support for these products, maybe some warranty?

[@johnmilner7603]

@@rogerbritus9378 They don’t. Go try. No one will even tell you where you can buy a piezoelectronic. Been there done that.

[@rogerbritus9378]

@@johnmilner7603 Thanks for sharing your experience in the video and comments.

[@wyattsdad8561]

This man deserves the god medal of freedom. I’m still so impressed this works. A tip of the cap to you sir.🧢

[@michaelleclaire2747]

Replaced the broken igniter on my Bernzomatic TS4000 today using this method and the igniter from an old stick lighter I had lying around. Nice to be able to fix it again in the future too if needed. Excellent and very useful video. Thanks. 🔥

[@RonLovesLordJesus]

Thank you it worked for me. All i did different was i put heat shrink tube on my old wire. Truthfully it now works better than it did when it was brand new.

[@johnmilner7603]

Very few Companies care about making a product last, never mind about fixing it. They want us to buy a new one. Not me. Every product is usually made to last for 1 yr. Glad to hear that you were able to fix it.

[@r72g]

They gave me a song and dance about safety regulations yada-yada. I have been buying used units and closeout stock on ebay, but I'm gonna fix them now. I have repaired several by cleaning and adjusting the spark wire, but I have several that won't work. I use mine in beekeeping, so I have several and they get wet and dirty.

[@choctawironfist8634]

Correct,but most of those dishonest bastards,haven't a clue what a machinist/fabricator does....The crappy stuff is what makes us tick...My squall said to me recent" You better not purchase anything new...for you will simply destroy it,modifying it to your liking" Fine woman,she is. Kindest regards,sir.

[@carymchugh1037]

I too searched for a replacement piezo. Found your video. Excellent. I was inspired to troubleshoot mine. Found the piezo working but the pladtic holding had melted a little bit. Cleaned it up and reseated it. Now it works. Thank you.

[@papsterling8376]

Thanks for this video! I just repaired my torch that hasn't worked in years. I was about to buy a new one because I needed it for a project today. I used the igniter from one of those lighter sticks that you get in a three pack at Costco. It was almost exactly the same as the original. Five minute repair saved me around 45 bucks and a trip to HD.

[@johnmilner7603]

Glad to help. Berzomatic are the ones that sb selling the igniter's, but then they wouldn't be making a profit if people didn't throw away the old and buying the new. I don't care what they do cause I found a fix.

[@annbrush2435]

Brilliant, thanks for disassembly instructions. Another common issue is a short circuit at the circular metal clip holding the end of the piezoelectric wire internal to the nozzle (flame) end. The tip gets hot, melts the insulation off the wire at the circular retainer clip and then shorts the circuit at the nozzle tip so there's no spark (no ignition). The small 90° brass elbow tube at the base of the nozzle screws off the nozzle body (its threaded) and thus you can insert a new wire (from a cheap BBQ lighter / long BIC lighter etc) through the entire channel. The Brass cap and plastic insulator at the end of the 90° brass elbow tube just pull off, the wire then just wraps under the brass cap to make contact. Its dead simple and saved me a $55 replacement. Excellent!

[@johnmilner7603]

Ann Brush Gkad it worked out for you. Stay safe.

[@bobengelhardt856]

Great idea! I was Googling for the part when I saw your video. Saved me a lot of searching & frustration. Thank you!

[@johnmilner7603]

Good to know others can fix it as well.

[@wyattsdad8561]

Also my torch hadn’t worked in years. I have a handyman biz and I’ve been using a lighter to light it whenever I had to solder pipes. This is so great. Stickin it to the man! 😀

[@johnmilner7603]

The igniter from a Master Chef BBQ lighter has a stronger spark than from the lighter and is the correct length and has a long wire that you can trim to your liking.

[@jameslinden6304]

Dude thanks for the tip! Works perfectly now. 😁

[@1fanger]

Brother, that is excellent! I had my torch head go on me this winter. I paid over $50 US over 6 years ago. Thanks. We`ll be trying this.

[@Dennis-uc2gm]

This fixed an almost 32 year old Sure Fire T-110 I bought in Oct of 87. I had to replace the Schrader valve like 10 years ago , it would give a flame in kind of a pulse and go out. I didn't have anything to loose so I figured how to pull that section apart and found a valve in there just like what you'd find in a tire stem. It was all gunked up, I replaced it and was back to normal. Ya I know the safety people would have a fit ! When the igniter quit working I figured it had some proprietary part and didn't look further. The cool thing was I had save a few of these from lighters for other projects, had one that looked almost identical. Thank you

[@rickybailey7123]

Thank you I've been looking for parts and how to fix it u just made my day I've got 2 of them just like this !!

[@joewong6662]

Thank you for taking the time to post this

[@maxp9793]

Yess! Great job with the vid. I tore apart a cheap barbecue lighter for the piezo unit and it worked perfectly. Saved me spending $50 for a new torch. Thanks bro!

[@juliogonzo2718]

I did this to a butane soldering torch. Had bbq lighter and took both apart to discover same junk inside. Works great now

[@desireemccrorey6600]

So glad I found your video! Your instructions worked and I fixed my TS8000. The hardest part was finding the right cig lighter. Most of the ones near me for sale are strike wheeled.

[@kevinhenderson4972]

What a great fix. Worked like a champ so easy !!!

[@stevejoseph1919]

thanks for that pal, a big help and saving.

[@coloradomountainman8659]

Whoa! Great idea yes. However you may wish to try this first: I had the same problem as this with the igniter failing to spark. I simply removed the torch head and igniter tube (all one piece) and removed the spring that is on the igniter side. Looked down inside and saw a bead of moisture surrounding the sparker (or whatever they call it.) I then turned the unit upside down and let the flame from a couple kitchen matches dry out the innards, being careful not to melt the rubber gasket that sits on top of the housing. Popped the spring back in, re-installed the head, and voila! , works fine. So, if you live in a humid environment or up here in the northern Colorado rocky mountains where the shop may be frequently below freezing then warmed up frequently, there is a good change you have formed a ball of condensation on the igniter. Worth a look before you go to any more trouble.

[@johnmilner7603]

First test the igniter itself, if it's dead then you need a new one.

[@kathyrutherfurd3624]

Yep, just blow out with air compressor. Fixed

[@rafaeltorre1643]

@@johnmilner7603 Yeah I wouldn’t go through all that time knowing I’d be wasting 100% of it.

[@jitterbugsampson8318]

You are a true hero 😂. I use these in the sign and wrap business a lot and it always bothered me I had to buy a new torch when it lost spark.. $1 dollar sounds a lot better!

[@mightyboss375]

My Bernzomatic TS4000 stopped making a proper spark to igniter. I tried cleaning and adjusting the igniter but it did not fix anything. I observed a small spark at the spark point and I determined the dielectric coating was shorting to itself. I took a dab of enamel paint and dabbed it on the side of the electrode where the short was sparking. I let the paint dry. When I tested for spark, the spark was much better , and the spark was directed from the tip of the eclectrode to the edge of the tube, where the spark is supposed to arc. After this my torch stared to ignite properly. Getting quality products from mass production is becoming a growing problem.

[@rafaeltorre1643]

Smart idea. This is what I do. But most people won’t know this tip unless they have been doing it awhile.

[@saraharnold7123]

many thanks. Followed your guidance and the old torch is back and running

[@johnmilner7603]

Good to hear.

[@Scott4271]

I love it! Beautiful solution. Good video too

[@Davoutay]

John, thanks for the video. I used your plan and it worked just great. I found a "scripto" lighter that used the same igniter as yours, so it's possible that any lighter NOT using the thumbwheel might work.

[@johnmilner7603]

Davoutay Glad it helped.

[@3Y3ECE]

Excellent. Thank you a 1,000 times.

[@__-ze3mc]

Thanks for the stress. I just finished the repair and it works well. Thank you so much. ^^

[@alsimo88]

You sir! Are my hero! Thanks a million! ;)

[@mariopaz639]

John it worked like a charm.

[@johnmilner7603]

Good to hear, another one saved from the trash.

[@rayc1503]

You legend Thank-you it worked for me 🤗

[@danlarge9245]

great info, thank you

[@karlbe8414]

Great how to video man! Shame on Bernzomatic for not supplying this "easy to replace and eventually wears out" part! I just purchased a TS-8000, but was just given on 5500 model that has a bad igniter. Thanks!

[@johnmilner7603]

Good stuff.

[@rafaeltorre1643]

They don’t need to. You can get them for $1 at several stores from a bbq lighter. It’s cheaper and faster.

[@rickellis6659]

Thank you very much I tried the water heater ignites but they have a protruding plastic hump on the back.

[@joshuakramar6575]

Worked perfect, took about 5mins with a thin strip of gorilla tape, spacer cut from popsicle stick and old gas station lighter that was almost out of fuel.

[@catbutt2107]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@gahbah274]

Pretty sure parts used to be offered for these too...This model has been in production for over 20 years. Jerks! Thanks for this video!

[@tmallory7964]

You the man! Worked perfectly, thanks.

[@johnmilner7603]

Your welcome, glad it worked out.

[@jeffreycarey8731]

Great fix thank you mine stopped clicking so all I had to do was install a small flat washer to use as a spacer like your stirring stick works fine saved me a bunch

[@Gerginthehat]

Great repair. Thanks for sharing.

[@johnmilner7603]

You bet, Merry Xmas.

[@Gerginthehat]

John Milner Merry Christmas.

[@henrybucki7813]

great fix you r very smart thanks

[@dansetango]

BRAVO ! very smart !

[@joshuakramar6575]

Excellent video, gonna fix my TS4000 right now. Ridiculous BernzOmatic don't sell parts for such an expensive torch head.

[@int31cm]

well done! thank you!!

[@joechughtai3155]

Sweet, I just did mine with an extra stick lighter I had around like a guy below used. Mine was a little too short and thin so it wanted to float around in the button and not fire consistently. I had some washers around and used some little ones (#6's) in the bottom of the button to set the length of the stroke and some slightly larger ones (#12's) that the pizo push would go through to capture the end so it would not float around. I was able to set it so it feels just like I remember it from the factory. It seems ridiculously wasteful to just chuck it.

[@01Astek]

but I didn't find the electronic cigarette lighter I use a BBQ Lighter and it worked even better cuz it has a little wired that I can choose cut it at the link that works any good thanks a lot appreciate it your the are a hero man

[@johnmilner7603]

When my BBQ lighter runs out of fluid I'm going to keep the igniter as well.

[@johnmilner7603]

The next BBQ lighter I get that runs out of fuel, I'll open it up and check out the piezo....thx

[@edgarrojas4319]

Yes great video i fix mine thanks

[@RogerDiotte]

Wow right on! I'm heading to the Dollar Store in Sault Ontario and buying 5 of them lol lol lol... my benrnzomatic solder iron just lost the clicker!

[@vamtheanomaly]

The reason its hard to find that is the igniter like u said said is a large variety . Most are the standard size in electric lighters, but hey...you did a great repair mod / tinker / engineering job with that and electricity doesn't care either way. As long as from the spark it maintains electrical continuity until it reaches it's designed end point ( in this case to ignite the gas ), then mission accomplished.I got one broken down in front of me as I post this and I actually accidentally disabled the thing. Trying to put a mod on this torch. I like it, but I don't need maximum ALL the time lol. I know the t s8000 has controllable flame but we all some broke bastages lately eh? Lastly you can get igniters with longer wiring for pennies on the dollar. Just go to WAL Mart and buy a bunch of 99 cent Ozark Trails kitchen / camping lighters and gut em. Free butane as well and if youre a pyromaniac like me, the fuel lines are gold when your hand torches need them. In addition you can get larger igniters on most modern ovens, grills, etc.

[@choctawironfist8634]

Mr. Milner.... very cool repair,I too refuse to go buy another piece of junk,from that outfit...or anyone really...Back here in Deep Gap...we fix everything....Aside from your great fix...the main reason for this comment,was to merely inform you,that we both share the same brother.....The Buck 110...I've had to rely on brother Buck more than once,to..ah...get me out of jam,you might say...anyway,stay sensible,and keep on repairing crap....like they did a way back when...Kindest regards,Choctaw.

[@johnmilner7603]

After bending the wire towards the metal end (not the push button end), flatten it straight and it should be 1/8" or 3 mm past the metal end. Then the insulation is stripped off 1 mm to reveal the bare wire. All the haters can go buy a new torch and keep the makers in business. Most of the haters will be Benzo employees. Suck it up.

[@DUKEJETT80]

THANKS !

[@BroBob1254]

Thanks for the info, I searched also and could not find a replacement?

[@Donnaya137]

Thanks very much.

[@johnmilner7603]

Your welcome.

[@paulbodypumper1]

Going to try this on mine thanks m8

[@oasispainting213]

Thanks I've just been using the lighter to light it bit guess it's time to blend them together

[@mlee1308]

Confused on cutting the wooden stir stick. Is it because the piezo was shorter than the original? So the wood goes down first then the piezo ? Also, the piezo wire needs to come out of the hole a little bit correct? Thanks

[@HalfAftRocketry]

Mine has stopped clicking. It was clicking sometimes but now it doesn't at all. Guess I'll take it apart and take a look.

[@drakedorosh9332]

I passed a pipe cleaner through the vent holes and out pasted the removed nozzle. Out came a small dead spider. Sparks and lights now. I guess web made it ground out.

[@vigramm]

thanks,works!!!

[@johnmilner7603]

Glad to hear. I wasn't about to buy a new unit which would be ridiculous.

[@1fanger]

Had a similar thing happen to my Mr. Heater propane 2 burner heater. Dang junk being palmed off on us these days

[@PWiebe]

Thank you for the great video. Shame on Bernzomatic for not offering parts. Does anybody know of a company that stands behind their torches? I was just on their website looking at different models and all they do is say how great and long lasting their products are. But it seems all they’re only interested in is making new sales, particularly when low cost, easily replaceable parts fail. I’d rather buy from someone else.

[@PSUQDPICHQIEIWC]

Considering the liability associated with repairing anything that handles pressurized flammable gas, you can be sure that they'll never offer parts for retail-oriented products. They're marketing heavily to people who have to be told to not point fire at their face. Also consider that we live in an era where it's taboo to expect individuals to take responsibility for their own fuckups. Expect it to only get worse.

[@tonyminna9108]

thanks for the info not sure if its worth the money to have one shipped from Canada , i did find one for 17.99 plus handing fee plus shipping crazy , not sure what to do , i found some on Rhreem sight that looks just like it but its 1 inch square ! dang !

[@n3sjh]

If you get water down the plastic cylinder that houses the igniter spring, it will spark but be very weak. Just taking it apart may fix it. Cleaned with non flamable brake cleaner.

[@johanvanderspuy3776]

can you buy spare parts anywhere?

[@01Astek]

thanks a lot. I l Will fix mine that has the same problem

[@johnmilner7603]

Glad to help.

[@ChueyMr11]

The wire on the new peizo is left unterminated in the middle of the spring? How does the spark make it to the torch head.

[@johnmilner7603]

Through the spring at 4:13.

[@danb.3397]

SWEET !

[@rafaeltorre1643]

The fastest easiest fix if you have it is I use my JB weld clear glue and within an hour or less it works perfect again. But you can always use heat shrink or any insulator similar that is glued together so there’s no holes. I repair lighters constantly.

[@maxp9793]

I don't understand why you would need jb weld? How does that repair the piezo sparker? And what holes are you referring to?

[@rafaeltorre1643]

@@maxp9793 You don’t. I just had it next to me and its better than tape that won’t hold. The insulation is there so it sparks at the end. Its like having a hole in a garden hose. Same thing. Minus pressure considerations. Where would the water go? Patch it and it works right.

[@q7winq7]

12-4-2021 - - - - You should invest in a close-up camera to show what you're looking at with the flashlight. Show the piece of wood you cut to go inside the round thing. Show the "bent wire" part in close-up. Etc... Otherwise nice video - thanks. I just bought one of these in the USA (Michigan) at Home Depot for about $36.00 US. By the way, those little propane tanks price doubled in just a few years. Was two for six bucks, not six bucks each. If you're reading this you might buy a supply of these before the price doubles again.

[@DScottDuncan]

This design must be a racket for Bernz-O-matic; they make good stuff for the most part. I paid about $35 US 10 years ago & have not really used that much. The igniter quit a couple of years ago, so I thought that was bad deal right there, since it got used once every 3 or 4 months, not every day! Thanks for the info any way, as I too was just starting to search for a replacement igniter; probably made in China & costs 10 cents!! Buy a gross & sell them on eBay!

[@johnmilner7603]

Darren Duncan I also keep the igniter out of a BBQ igniter once the fuel is used up. Master Chef brand # 085-1409-2 from Canadian Tire which is usually on sale.

[@BuddhaFuture]

thankyou

[@johnmilner7603]

BuddhaFuture your welcome

[@ReneaDooserider]

Nice❤

[@jasonlara]

This worked...but my gas is stuck on "ON." When I thread the canister on, it immediately releases the gas (I can hear the hiss.) The spark works though and lights the flame.

[@tonyminna9108]

Where do buy that 1.00 lighter ?

[@pulodogato3888]

Meu bernzomatic está vazando no buraco que ele tem, você sabe como consertar?

[@johnmilner7603]

Sorry but I can't copy and paste this message into a translator to read what it says. Please convert to English. Thx.

[@martinsmythe3414]

First pure genius. My 4000 just stopped working. So I took apart my BBQ lighter and sure enough there is a Piezo thingy. It is exactly 1.5 in. This one has 2 black wires one about 3 inches the other one about 7 in. the longer one was crimped over at the end of the tube right next to the gas spout. the other one in a slot partway up the tube. Could you explain exactly where these wires will be placed in the Benzomatic torch ? Also can you explain how the thing works? Thanks

[@johnmilner7603]

martin smythe I've never seen one with 2 wires before. See if only 1 wire can spark. Hold the button on the piezoelectric in one hand and with the other take the wire that should have a bit of insulation stripped off and hold it 1/8" away from a bare piece of steel such as a screwdriver, then press the piezoelectric button and the spark will jump from the wire to the steel screwdriver. This is how it works in the Benzo, the wire is close to the steel and sparks thus igniting the gas from the propane bottle.

[@martinsmythe3414]

@@johnmilner7603 The longer wire sparks to a screw driver. How long should I make it. and then it goes just inside the spring?

[@johnmilner7603]

martin smythe After bending the wire towards the metal end (not the push button end), flatten it straight and it should be 1/8" or 3 mm past the metal end. Then the insulation is stripped off 1 mm to reveal the bare wire.

[@martinsmythe3414]

@@johnmilner7603 Thank you Thank you thank you, The piezo that came out of the $ 1 barbecue lighter which was empty any how was exactly the right length. Works like new.

[@johnmilner7603]

martin smythe Success. I love when a plan comes together.

[@wyattsdad8561]

Dude I just fixed mine thanks to you! My igniter ended up not being bad but my button wouldn’t press down far enough so i i did what you said with a stir stick and it worked perfectly! Shoot I was about to just throw it away and buy another one. Thank you again for making your vid. In the last two days I’ve been buying that style lighter at a couple different stores because I was planning on replacing the igniter. I wonder why this happens with the button? Anyways the stick did the trick!

[@StilettoSniper]

Just an FYI for anyone that purchased a TS4000 or TS8000 after June 1, 2016: Bernzomatic covers it with a limited lifetime warranty. And if you purchased it from Home Depot and still have your receipt, I have been told Bernzomatic has a contract with them whereas they will swap it out for a new one at the store no matter when you bought it. Might be the same with some of the other big box hardware stores like Lowes and Menards, I don't know.

[@aux1z11]

I just bought one and it says right on the box lifetime warranty, I'm going to toss the box and receipt in a safe place and save it for when the time comes.

[@LiveMoreOutdoors]

cool

[@johndaly9843]

N.G Both the lighter igniters I tried were shorter and not as robust as the original.

[@johnmilner7603]

Use one from a Master Chef BBQ lighter. It's the same length as the orig igniter and has a stronger spark than from a lighter.

[@drpsht]

I fixed mine by bending the end of the spark wire a little closer to the ground (6:19)

[@viperfukgoogplus386]

Why go through this when the torch has a lifetime warranty through bernz-o-matic? Also 90% of the time, the ignition stops working because it got dropped or banned and the tip under the nozzle got knocked too far away from the sidewall to let the spark jump. Just unscrew the tip and push the ignitor tip a tad closer to the side. Also droplets of solder falling into the tip can cause ignition issues. If you see this is the case, just use another torch to heat up the solder in the tip and then tap it so the melted solder falls out.

[@weilinli3725]

could you find the lighter online? i cant find one.

[@johnmilner7603]

The brand I used is X-Lite. Made in China and imported by X-lite Canada Inc in Markham Ont. I've added links above from Amazon.

[@glenshoop4692]

thank you this was the first video that helped me thanks again

[@johnmilner7603]

I have links in the Show More tab above for buying them online if your local Dollar Store doesn't have them.

[@nancyferro7191]

They sell them at ACE hardware

[@johnmilner7603]

The igniter from a Chef BBQ lighter is the same length as the orig and has a long wire you can trim.

[@PSUQDPICHQIEIWC]

This works, but I've firmly concluded that this is just a bad design entirely. The ignitor getting weak is one thing, but the spring connection between the tube assembly and the valve body is complete garbage. Mine would spark around the bottom of the insulator about 80% of the time. Even if it weren't for the short-lived ignitor and poor insulation at that transition, the wire in the burner tube often gets out of position or gets overheated and shorted to its support. I ended up soldering a section of #22 silicone jacketed high temp wire to the ignitor, put heat shrink on it, and ran it straight up the burner tube and support. No more spring or insulator bullshit. The wire can be simply replaced if it gets toasted. Even at that, it still takes 2-3 tries and valve fiddling to make it work. It also makes the whole torch/tank assembly top heavy and awkward compared to a regular brass torch head.

[@bobcalgarycanada8582]

6:45 Thank you Very much. No Thank YOU Very much👍👍👍

[@johnmilner7603]

Bob Calgary Canada Your welcome. I hate throwing good stuff out in our disposable World. I will try and fix it before I chuck it out.

[@aux1z11]

It says on the box lifetime warranty

[@gahbah274]

$65! Jeez I bought my first one of these shipped from Amazon WITH a can of fuel for $20. The last time I got one it was $45. Ugh.

[@DK-tl1cr]

Buy another TS4000 take the igniter from that one then take it back where you bought it and say it doesn't work. If Bernzomatic gets enough of their torches back then they might wise up and offer replacement parts. Dishonest but effective.

[@nancyferro7191]

ACE Hardware sells them

[@toomanyminds1212]

@@nancyferro7191 Parts or torch?

[@MyREDTAIL]

Great Idear The Stores get credit from the Company for Products that do not work and were returned etc

[@tichij9070]

Доброго времени суток! Благодарю за полезное видео. Я с Украины. У меня китайское дерьмо...Yato YT36715. Была тоже такая проблема,менял провод,хотел заменить запальник,не нашел такой. Поляки тоже не продают ни каких запчастей. Я её перебрал полностью,эту горелку.Зажигалась не сразу,потом через время заработала отлично. Предполагаю,попала влага. У меня вопрос другого плана: как сфокусировать пламя(факел)? Буду благодарен за подсказку...,всего доброго!

[@dansmith1077]

Video stops at times very annoying :/

[@wblainegarrett]

@johnmilner7603 You. Are. The. Man.