Tealight/Electric Melter dilemma

[Holly]

I have just started making clamshells and running some tests. When I ran a test with Lemongrass and Star Anise in my one tealight melter it got up to 215. This seems too high to me. I then ran a test with the same scent in my electric melter which indicates it has 24 watts. The temperture stayed at a good temp -- not too hot and not too cool -- can't remember the exact temp at the moment. I believe though that the tealight one gave a better throw. Although, I burned the electric one in the kitchen since it was easier to plug in to an outlet. When I burn in the kitchen the scent usually does not travel as far from there as in my dining room or livingroom.

I would have no control over what kind of burner a customer uses so I went out and bought a different tealight burner to see if maybe the shape and size of the tealight burner would make a difference in the temperature. The new one is taller -- top melter surface is further away from the tealight than my Home and Garden Party one. This time I wanted to test Orange Clove before I ran another test on the Lemongrass. I found that it (OC) stayed too cool in the new tall one -- did not go much above 145 (between 145 & 150) and did not completely melt -- still a little thick in one small section. The scent throw was poor. I then put another Orange Clove (2 pieces) in my shorter one and the temp did not go above 195 -- unlike the Lemongrass. The scent throw with the OC was much better than in the taller one. So, it seems like the Lemongrass clamshell burns a lot hotter (same amount of FO and wax, and same wax CB-3 Pillar). I am going to run a test in the taller one with the Lemongrass, but I bet it too will burn too cool.

The new tealight burner is a Jackel brand. It is really pretty, and I like the fact that it did not get the wax too hot but now I have the opposite problem. I do not feel uncomfortable with a temp of 195 in the shorter kind but there may be some scents that could go higher. I need to run more tests to see if it will be a common occurance with many FO's to go over 200 in the shorter type of tealight melters.

Has anyone had a problem with the tall tealight melters not getting the wax hot enough? Darn, this is aggravating. :undecided I don't want to encourage customers to get the shorter ones if they get the wax too hot and then again I don't want to encourage the taller ones if they don't get it hot enough and give off a lousy throw. And, some people may want to burn tealight ones rather than electric for varioius reasons. I am making some other clamshells today with the CB-10 paraffin/soy blend to see if it will be different. Sorry this is so long. Any input? Thanks!

[Vicky_CO]

It also kind of sounds like you tart itself has too high of a melt point because at 145 it should have totally melted. Try softing up your wax I add a about 20% low melt point container wax to my pillar wax for tarts.

[Holly]

It also kind of sounds like you tart itself has too high of a melt point because at 145 it should have totally melted. Try softing up your wax I add a about 20% low melt point container wax to my pillar wax for tarts.

Thanks Vicky for your response. I checked the MP and it is 140. It was not bad. It had just a little bit of very soft wax on one edge. I was debating on whether I wanted to blend in a softer wax from the beginning. It always seems like when I try to blend one wax with another in containers it messes up the scent throw -- decreases it for me for some reason. I wanted to see how the throw was with it straight and go from there. I will give it a try. I just made four clamshells today with the CB-10 which is the para/soy blend. This one has a MP of 135. I will see how the scent throw is with this wax and if it melts better in that taller burner.

I am hoping that another scent will give me a better throw with the lower temperature than the Orange Clove did. The hot throw with the Lemongrass in the smaller one was blow you out the door strong. Actually, a little too strong.

Well, I have lots of testing to do. Thanks again Vicky. I will try a mixture of both the Pillar CB-3 and container blend and see how it goes up against the CB-10.

~Holly