Wicks and scent throw??

[pocha]

I am test-burning 2 identical candles (same wax, same container, same scent, poured at the same time) except for the wick...both have been burning with a very similar diameter melt pool, yet...one seems to have better (hot) scent throw. It was always my understanding that wick has nothing to do with scent throw...its all about the melt pool. Is this correct? I guess its possible that the scent didn't mix completely in the wax and one candle "got more". Any ideas?

[topofmurrayhill]

What you've noticed isn't unusual. The wick is necessary because it generates heat, but consider that it also incinerates most of the FO in the candle before it can contribute to scent throw. The variables are a little more complex than they might seem at first glance.

[Sharon in PA]

Hi Pocha,

I came to find in my testing and frustration, that wicks have (IMO) EVERYTHING to do w/ scent throw! (AND great, quality FO, of course)

I was very disappointed in my candles hot throw until I realized (w/ lots of reading here on this board) that the HOTTER burning wicks, affect throw very much. I was using zinc wicks in my 50/50 blend, and I wasn't getting squat-ta for throw...until I started using CD wicks, a hotter-burning wick. Now, I am sure that lots of folks use and love zincs. I have read here that on the whole, zincs don't perform as well in natural waxes, as they tend to be more viscous and require more heat to release scent- zincs are the coolest burning wicks. I probably slaughtered that explaination, but I hope you at least partially get what I mean! HTH!

[pocha]

Hmmmm...this all sounds interesting but now FRUSTRATING!! I am currently burning an HTP 105 in one candle and a CD14 in another and the HTP has smaller melt pool but SEEMS to have better throw. The CD has a perfect melt pool and burn (the HTP seems a little less "strong" of a burn) but seems to have the inferior throw. This sucks!

[enchantedflorest]

I'm no wick expert (or candle expert at that) but are teh HTP and CD wicks of = size (are they comparable)... I was always told the CD and HTPs are the same wick only made in different countries. You'd think then they'd be the same huh. :undecided

[topofmurrayhill]

HTP and CD use the same design but they aren't the same wick. The sizes are different and the manufacturing is different. Their performance features are certainly similar but they won't work exactly the same even when the sizes are the same based on yield (as is the case with the 2 pocha is trying).

[chrisinpa]

I recall seeing a htp-cd comparison chart a while back.

I believe the htp 105 is equal to a cd 16, the htp 104 is equal to a cd 14.

Hopefully someone will comment that has tested both types of wicks.

What type of container are you using?

OK...after googling for a while I found the chart.

HTP31 = CD4

HTP41 = CD5

HTP52 = CD6

HTP62 = CD7

HTP73 = CD8

HTP83 = CD10

HTP93 = CD12

HTP104 = CD14

HTP105 = CD16

HTP126 = CD18

HTP1212 = CD20

HTP1313 = CD22

Here is the link

http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1098326903;start=3#3

[pocha]

That chart is interesting...for some reason my cd 14 is burning "better"/hotter than the htp 105...I was thinking it would be the opposite (like the chart indicates). I guess that's why you always have to TEST, test, test...

[topofmurrayhill]

I've seen that chart but take it with a grain of salt. For one thing I don't believe there are direct size equivalents. The two lines aren't meant to be identical.

Bear in mind I haven't done major testing of this, but my rule of thumb is to compare on the basis of yield, which is the amount that fits on a roll. I figure if the wick type is similar enough, then the physical thickness of the wick should give an indication.

Going by that they sort out this way:

794 - HTP-31

672 - HTP-41

625 - CD 2

555 - CD 3

510 - CD 4

509 - HTP-52

477 - HTP-62

450 - CD 5

435 - CD 6

431 - HTP-72

410 - CD 7

381 - HTP-73

375 - CD 8

340 - CD 10

331 - HTP-83

315 - HTP-93

315 - CD 12

304 - HTP-104

295 - HTP-105

295 - CD 14

290 - CD 16

285 - CD 18

270 - CD 20

249 - HTP-126

201 - HTP-1212

200 - CD 22

182 - HTP-1312