Is this tunneling normal? From an online candle store.

[Mark1987]

I've been lurking here to learn and I bought some candles from well reviewed companies for testing purposes. I don't want to put any names out there, but I am extremely disappointed with this candle that I bought from one company and I just want to know if anyone here thinks this is normal? They claim their 9oz candles have a 70 hour burn time, and they use a Coconut Soy wax. Take a look at the attachment and see the tunneling that's happening. On the first burn, I burned it for 4.5 hours, and it still did not not reach a full melt pool. I think it may have needed another 30 minutes to 1 hour. It had a strong cold throw but practically a non-existent hot throw unless you put your face directly over the candle. On that second "layer" I burned it for 3.5 hours. On the third and 4th for 2 hours each. Total burn time approximately 12 hours.

 

They don't make any recommendations on how long to burn the candle, but is it normal for 5 hours of burning to be needed for a full melt pool? Is something like this acceptable to customers? Their instructions say to put the candle in an oven for a few minutes to eliminate the tunneling.

 

Their claim of 70 hours seems to be unbelievable but it's hard to know with this tunneling. That is about 1 inch deep at its lowest in this picture.

[TallTayl]

I would keep burning that candle before I pass judgment on the burn. The real test is the last half. I see too many candles wicked without consideration for the critical last half 😢. No early melt pool or HT is worth a shattered jar or candle fire. 

 

no comment on the HT as I don’t know the candle. It is very possible to have a banging candle that never even comes close to a FMP until the last burn. 
 

I’m one of those that does not wick for a full early full melt pool. I like my  candles to weep fresh scented wax from the sides into a smaller melt pool and smell fresh from the beginning to the end.
 

A candle that is wicked for a fast early first-burn melt pool often becomes a fire hazard during a power burn or during the last third.