Is lighter fluid for charcoal same as for lighters?

[hubner]

There's lighter fluid to refill lighters (the "petrol" Zippo type), and there's barbecue charcoal lighter starter fluid, are the they the same stuff?

I use the the former as a cleaning solvent and also in a lighter. The latter is much cheaper.

[numbnuts]

Different fumes maybe, the lighter fuel may give off less

[T42]

I use my gas blowtorch.

[PaulF]

What are you trying to do? Use barbecue fluid as a solvent or lighter fuel to light your barbecue?

What does the contents label on the respective containers say? That might provide a valuable clue.

[hubner]

I'm wondering if charcoal starter can be used as a solvent and in a lighter in the same way as lighter fluid as it's about a third cheaper.

I'm going to get some charcoal starter anyway just to see. Possibly it might be a bit less volatile than  lighter fluid.

[rogerzilla]

Lighter fluid can be naptha/white gas.  You don't want to use that on a barbecue, as ir's basically less smelly petrol.  The vapour is heavier than air and spreads very quickly, as this (apparently only slightly singed) muppet demonstrates.

https://youtu.be/Bf8cJyDeSd0

[hubner]

I just tried the bbq starter on some masking tape, it seems to dissolve the glue. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try it in my lighters.

£3.50 for one litre from Lidl, label says:

Contains:hydrocarbons, C10-C13, n-alkanes, isoalkanes, cycloalkanes,<2% aromatics, EC no 918-481-9

Lighter fluid, 100ml for £1 (£10 per litre) from poundshop, or was, not sure about now.
Contains: Solvent naptha (petroleum) light aliph, EC no 920-750-0

[Kim]

So, C10-C13 vs C7-C9.  Not the same thing.  I'm guessing the former isn't volatile enough to work properly in a lighter.  Might work acceptably well as a cleaning solvent, thobut.

[onerousdeporte]

Isn't BBq lighter fluid wood alcohol/ethanol?

[lissotriton]

But what's the difference between an elephant and a Zippo?

[Pingu]

You can't wash your face with a Zippo?

[Mr Larrington]

A baby Zippo won’t help you wash your car?

[rogerzilla]

Isn't BBq lighter fluid wood alcohol/ethanol?

Just stinky paraffin, I think.

[Jurek]

But what's the difference between an elephant and a Zippo?

OK. I'll bite.
One is really heavy.
The other is a little lighter.

[hubner]

Isn't BBq lighter fluid wood alcohol/ethanol?

Just stinky paraffin, I think.

I think it's paraffin.

I tried it in 2 "petrol" lighters (Zippo and Imco copies), it doesn't work as it's less volatile than petrol/naptha. Meths/ethanol/alcohol doesn't work in a lighter either.

[rogerzilla]

Coleman fuel, Optimus PowerFuel, or automotive "panel wipe" are suitable substitutes.  They're all basically less smelly petrol without the additives, and with a tighter range of molecule lengths.