# Flickering Flame Normal?



## Beemom (Feb 8, 2011)

Beesource is a fantastic place to learn. I think I've gone back and read all the post from previous years. I don't recall reading about flickering flames, though. Currently, I'm trying to perfect my votives. All the charts say 3/0 square braid wick. But why? A one inch taper with a smaller diameter uses a 1/0 wick. If wick size is based on diameter, should a 2 inch votive use a #2 or #3 size wick? The problem I'm having is that I've used a 3/0 wick for my votive. It burns well inside a glass flowerpot votive holder about half way down. No carbon build-up, and an nice still 1.5 inch flame-until it burns down to about the middle of the votive holder. Then, the flame starts to dance around and carbon builds. The books I'm reading say this is due to restricted airflow. However, the top of the votive holder is completely open, unblocked, and there are no drafts. Tonight I made several experimental votives with 4/0, 2/0, 1/0, and#1 wicks. I'll burn them in glass flowerpot votive holders tomorrow and compare my results. Is the dancing flame normal in votive holders? I'm trying to achieve the peaceful, still flame of my tapers. Right now it's 1 am, and I waiting for a second experimetnal votive (this one place on a pillar plate) to burn out to the rim to avoid tunneling. Zheesh, what we do for the love of candles.


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Wait a few days to burn your test candles. They burn differently if you don't age them.
I make both my votives (molded) and molded tapers with 2/0 wick and this is also suggested by Mann Lake. Works well. 
Votives don't keep their shape which is why it is suggested to burn them in a snug glass container. I don't burn votives to the rim as I found it works out the next time due to heat inside the container. 

Do you first make them in a mold and then put them in a glass container to burn? Or, pour directly into the "flower pot" votive container?

Next time you burn a beeswax container, look for the glowing ball around the flame. Darker surroundings help spot this. It's sooooo cool. Paraffin doesn't get this. Another thing I love about burning beeswax candles is they are so bright and have a warm colored light. The wax body seems to glow.

Wax cleanliness matters. Wick size matters. A wick should not be too thin, too thick, too long or too short. And still, you can have drafts, etc. that effect burning that candle. A candle should not flicker and it should not be pointed at the top. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch or get it out of the draft. In a glass container, air currents are different.....

My experience has been that candles burned in glass containers don't burn as well. I also tend to get the mushroom caps even though I tried different wick sizes. I believe this has to do with air supply/oxygen. From what I read, a candle gets it's air from below the wick and the heated air rises. Containers can interfere with that unfortunately.

Candle pillars with the correct wick will burn outward in diameter (wax pool) 1 inch per hour. Too small a wick and it will never make it to the rim.


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## Beemom (Feb 8, 2011)

Thanks Bee Bliss! Yes, I love gazing at the warm glow of burning beeswax candles. Beautiful! So many factors to consider when creating a well buring candle. The first candles I made from my Brushy Mountain candle kit seemed to burn really well. Maybe it was beginner's luck, or maybe I didn't know enough to really judge how well-or not, the candles were burning. I did my experiment, and I think the 2/0 worked well-though there was still a bit of flickering. I think my wax is clean: it went through a water bath 2x and was double filtered with 600-400 micron filters and a grease filter. I seemed to have filtered out some of the lovely fragrnace as well. I'll make another experimental batch (molded votive) and wait a couple of days for them to cure. Good advice!


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Bee Bliss said:


> Next time you burn a beeswax container, look for the glowing ball around the flame.


I meant to say beeswax CANDLE.  :lpf:


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