The Lighter Company

How does the electric starter work on lighters/grills etc.?

On some types of lighters (not flint lighters) you pull the trigger and it makes a spark. How does it create the spark?

Public Comments

1. By the piezoelectric effect. certain substances when physically stressed will generate a voltage.
2. It's called the piezoelectric effect. Certain materials like crystals when you put stress on them they exchange that pressure into a static electric potential. It's kind of like rubbing your shoes on the carpet in winter and touching a metal door knob, except the crystals in those lighters is more efficient at accumulating the charge and making a bigger spark. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piezoelectric