Piezo gas lighter
 

Self inflicted breakage. They are not made for the damp UK. I thought this
new one (basic one not butane) I'd winterize before any use proper . Easy to
take apart , in fact dropped apart, after removing from the steel frame. 2
separate peizo rods in a plastic open ended cylinder. Central copper disc
between the rods leads out to the HT tip and steel frame for the return and
contact at both ends of the rods, one via the steel pressure cam. Added a
couple of activated silica gel crystals and placed hotmelt glue in each end
before reinserting the steel disc protector pads at each end. Unfortunately
I was not thinking about polarity and replaced them back to back and no
output at all. Redid and working hopefully for a few damp UK years without
need of replacing. I forgot to note where the ratchetting action comes from,
when inside. When reassembled wrongly there was no ratchetting, is it a
relaxation effect within the piezo elements, I saw no obvious toothing in
the metalwork.

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Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://home.graffiti.net/diverse:graffiti.net/