Moisture in 4625??

[LilFirecracker]

I've already used the first half of a slab of 4625 with no issues. I busted up the 2nd half to refill my Presto pot, and once in a while I hear a little sizzle-type sound - kinda like when you first throw frozen french fries in hot oil. I looked and there's a few little bubbles that come up to the surface when I hear the noise. It acts just like if I would've flicked water off of my fingertips into the hot wax. 

 

Anyone ever see this? Would it be the obvious "moisture in my wax" theory? If it is, it doesn't seem to be like much. I'm making melts, not candles - so I don't see it causing a problem. Just curious as to what everyone thinks it might be in case I run into it again, but on a bigger scale. 

 

[TallTayl]

59 minutes ago, LilFirecracker said:

I've already used the first half of a slab of 4625 with no issues. I busted up the 2nd half to refill my Presto pot, and once in a while I hear a little sizzle-type sound - kinda like when you first throw frozen french fries in hot oil. I looked and there's a few little bubbles that come up to the surface when I hear the noise. It acts just like if I would've flicked water off of my fingertips into the hot wax. 

 

Anyone ever see this? Would it be the obvious "moisture in my wax" theory? If it is, it doesn't seem to be like much. I'm making melts, not candles - so I don't see it causing a problem. Just curious as to what everyone thinks it might be in case I run into it again, but on a bigger scale. 

 

I've seen moisture in paraffin and soy (and other veg) waxes. In veg waxes moisture can be introduced during hydrogenation.  Or condensation.  I heard of one retailer that stores cases in a freezer. Those moisture droplets inside the bag form as it thaws.

 

In paraffin it should at least stay to the bottom of the pour pot.  Often you can see the little droplets at the bottom of the pot. Sometimes you can heat and hold long enough to get them to evaporate. In soy wax (made of hydrogenated vegetable oils) moisture has more of a tendency to stay homogenous in the mix, so it s harder to eradicate. Heat and hold, or heat / cool / heat can help.  Wet flakes in a new case can sometimes be evaporated off by leaving the case open for a while in  a cool, dry room. Mix around to allow air to circulate through the whole case. What a pain either way.

[LilFirecracker]

If that's what it was, it wasn't a whole lot thank goodness. But yeah, there were a few bubbles on the bottom that once in a while would sizzle and rise to the surface. I turned up the Presto close to 210 and that's when they started coming to the surface. That's when I realized more than likely it was water. Not enough to hurt anything because I'm making melts. Not sure if it would've been enough to mess with a candle though...

[TallTayl]

12 minutes ago, LilFirecracker said:

If that's what it was, it wasn't a whole lot thank goodness. But yeah, there were a few bubbles on the bottom that once in a while would sizzle and rise to the surface. I turned up the Presto close to 210 and that's when they started coming to the surface. That's when I realized more than likely it was water. Not enough to hurt anything because I'm making melts. Not sure if it would've been enough to mess with a candle though...

there was a fad for a while of Ice Candles. People would fill a pillar mold with ice, pour in the hot wax and cool.  The ice would, of course, melt, leaving behind voids like swiss cheese. Never heard anything about how they burned, but never heard of a fire incident, so hopefully a little water in a paraffin wax would not be too dangerous.