Why is my candle flame moving so much?

Why is my candle flame moving so much?

The wick is drawing oil from the candle wax as fuel, and a buildup is created within the wick. If the flame gets too little or too much air or fuel, it can flicker or flare and unburned carbon particles (soot) will escape from the flame before they can fully combust.

How high should a flame be on a candle?

approximately ½” to 2”
The flame should be approximately ½” to 2” in height, with smaller candles being closer to ½” and larger candles going to as high as 2”. The flame should not be producing excess smoke, soot, or mushrooming. The flame should also not flicker or dance around, but should be a still, steady flame.

What is candle tunneling?

Candle tunneling occurs when only the center of the wax right around the wick melts and burns down. If candle tunneling occurs over time, you’ll end up with a ring of hard wax around the outside of the candle. It also makes it harder and harder to light the wick as the candle continues to burn down.

How do you manipulate a candle?

Procedure

1. With the help of an adult, light a match.
2. Next touch the candle’s wick with the flame of the match.
3. Watch the candle burn for a couple of seconds.
4. Blow out the candle and watch what happens.
5. Light the candle again then light another match.
6. Blow out the burning candle.

How do you test a wick?

how to conduct a basic burn test

1. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch.
2. Place the candles on a clean, flat, heat resistant surface 3 – 6 inches apart.
3. Light the candles and record the time.
4. After 2 hours record the details of the melt pool and wick appearance.

How do you fix an uneven candle?

You can fix a tunneled candle by wrapping a piece of aluminum foil around the edges and simply letting it burn. Make sure the foil hangs over the built-up wax areas, but leave an opening in the center so the wick can still burn properly. After a couple of hours, the wax should melt and even out the surface.

How do you control a candle fire?

Use common sense: Make sure the area around your candle is free of clutter. Also watch for sporadic airflow around the candle which can cause the flame to shift direction. And always make sure the candle is at least 12 inches away from other household items that can burn.

Does a candle get lighter as it burns?

When you burn a candle, you end up with less wax after burning than you started with. This is because the wax oxidizes, or burns, in the flame to yield water and carbon dioxide, which dissipate in the air around the candle in a reaction that also yields light and heat.

How do you know if your wick is too big?

A wick that is too large for a container will have a very large flame, flickers a lot, and gives off a large amount of smoke and soot. The wick may also mushroom, when this occurs the burning wick will actually start to look like a mushroom, this mushrooming is caused by a build up of excess carbon.

Why are my candles getting sinkholes?

Sinkholes occur naturally from the process of the wax setting up. As wax is heated to melt it into liquid form, the wax expands literally taking up more space as it changes form from solid to liquid. This is the reasoning as to why sink holes can appear in your candles.