How to Light a Cigarette With Batteries

Sometimes you just absolutely need a smoke, and of course, you don't have matches or a lighter; just like Murphy's Law, it usually happens at the most inconvenient or desperate times. Fortunately, if you have access to a battery or battery pack, you can light your cigarette without a lighter. With a few simple tools, you can easily make an impromptu cigarette lighter.

Unplug the battery. For a 9-volt battery, unplug the black snaps from the "crowns" at the top. If it is rechargeable (from a device like a cell phone), release the battery from its housing.

Bend a paperclip into an "S" shape. Use your fingernail to pull the smaller loop out of the paperclip 180 degrees.

Locate the contacts. The "crowns" at the top of a 9 volt, or the copper or gold-colored contacts on a rechargeable battery pack, are the points where the battery's electricity is transmitted.

Place the clip on the contacts--one end on each crown. For rechargeable battery packs, position the clip to touch all contacts.

Wait a minute or two. As the clip attempts to conduct electricity, it will heat up and begin to glow. Light your cigarette on the glowing clip.