Why does a flame jump/flicker so much?

There's no air, no draft and it's a container candle. Why does my flame jump around so much? I set a little votive candle next to it and lit and flame was perfectly still while my container candle flame was playing jumprope! Can someone unravel this mystery for me. My flame on all my testers seem to jump around alot. Using Ecosoya Pure CB and ECO wicks. Any insight you all may have would be great.

Thanks! Munch

I think it has been covered here before but I don't remember the exact post to give a link. Sometimes it is simply the type of container or how far down the flame has burned. Many times I start off with a perfectly smooth steady flame but once it reaches the mid portion of the container it starts to jump around. It's the air flow into the container. Some wicks seem to jump or flicker more than others. For me that happened a lot with CD wicks. LX wicks gave a steady flame but I didn't get a scent throw that I was pleased with in my wax/wick/FO combo. Sometimes, wicking down a size can help.

the flame is searching for oxygen... fire must have an ignition source, fuel (the wick) and oxygen. Take any one of them away and the fire dies.

ETA: with a container candle, there isn't a steady supply of oxygen as there is with a votive. The deeper into the container the candle burns, the more likely to have a dancing flame...

This could be from many causes...

• moisture in wick and/or wax

• wick clogging and the flame starving for fuel

• flame starving for O2

• FOs

• cold temps

You didn't mention when during the burn this occurs... If it is from the get-go, I would look toward moisture or clogging. Remember that during the wintertime, things are colder and tend to develop condensation on their surfaces when warmed. If it happens as the candle burns down, I would think more about O2 or clogging. You also didn't mention what kind/size container. Tall deep containers have more difficulties with burning true than do ones that are as wide as they are high. A container with straight sides will have less problems than one that has "shoulders" or a fat middle and slimmer opening. HTH

and in my house - drafts. split-levels are notoriously drafty...

IMHO, the fire from the wick creates its own drafts based on the container; depth, height and width. I have been testing double-wicked palm containers & am finding there is nothing I can do to prevent it. The fire creates its own energy. It has nothing to do with moisture, temp., wick clogging or FO. Any other suggestions? Carole

This could be from many causes...

• moisture in wick and/or wax

• wick clogging and the flame starving for fuel

• flame starving for O2

• FOs

• cold temps

You didn't mention when during the burn this occurs... If it is from the get-go, I would look toward moisture or clogging. Remember that during the wintertime, things are colder and tend to develop condensation on their surfaces when warmed. If it happens as the candle burns down, I would think more about O2 or clogging. You also didn't mention what kind/size container. Tall deep containers have more difficulties with burning true than do ones that are as wide as they are high. A container with straight sides will have less problems than one that has "shoulders" or a fat middle and slimmer opening. HTH

YES!!! Finally a font and size I can read. Way to go Stella~~~:yay::yay:

IMHO, the fire from the wick creates its own drafts based on the container; depth, height and width. I have been testing double-wicked palm containers & am finding there is nothing I can do to prevent it. The fire creates its own energy. It has nothing to do with moisture, temp., wick clogging or FO. Any other suggestions? Carole

I kind of agree with the fire creating its own draft thing somewhat. You know what ear candling is? The circular shape of the "ear candle" creates sort of a vortex/vacuum thingy and sucks the stuff out of your ears while it's burning. Maybe it's the same thing? Like in some containers the heat creates energy, like Carole said. I dunno. lol. I used to be a firefighter, and I've seen fire do some crazy stuff when there is no oxygen or a sudden burst of oxygen. But I still don't understand it. It's just pretty to look at

YES!!! Finally a font and size I can read. Way to go Stella~~~

I changed it in the editor to 3 - I can't even see what I am writing otherwise... Where's my seeing eye dog?

Flames will create convection (heat) currents...this is what may be causing the dancing flames.