Dave, thank you for the inquiry regarding the Spark-lite. I am the President of Four Seasons Survival and the producer of the item in question. There is no need to worry about a Spark-lite that does not operate as they have a life time guarantee. Every defective Spark-lite received by this company will be replaced by two new Spark-lites without cost to the consumer.. We would appreciate it if you would post this response on the forum. Thank you, Oak Norton