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What do you do about temp changes effecting your scent throw


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I'm testing new wax for my metro jars and I think the temp in my house is effecting the hot throw. Usually my house is between 70-73* but off and on during the last few weeks it's been 65* in the morning and only going up to 68*. We use a woodstove for heat and it is struggling to keep the upstairs living area above 70*.

I am testing CBL129 in an 8 oz metro jar using 1oz of FO and burning a 44-24-18z wick. I started with 1.5oz of FO but the wick mushroomed big time and a very weak flame so I dropped it to 1oz. This corrected the huge mushroom and the weak flame but the scent throw dropped from blowing you out of the kitchen to a hint of scent. This didn't make sense to me because I have a pillar sitting in my kitchen with this FO in 4045 and the cold throw is very good. The throw when lit is great so I know 1 oz is a good amount.

This got me thinking that there were days when we had higher temps outside and the house was around 71* or so when the first tester was going and the scent was knocking you out of the kitchen. The counters and glass container are much colder to the touch then usual so trying to figure this out if the counter and glass are colder the wick will have to fight harder to melt the wax to create the right temp of melt pool to throw the scent. The pillar isn't effected as much because it isn't enclosed in glass and absorbing the cold like the jar candle.

Am I overthinking this? Has anyone else come across this too? If so, then what do you do to rectify this since there are people out there that keep their house in the 60's? Going back to lurking and hiding because wick testing has finally pushed me over the edge!

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Hmm, so maybe in *normal* people's houses, my candles are even stronger?? lol... I pour at 70 degrees, but then after several hours, the temp gets lowered back to it's normal 67. I'm still getting good throw though, although now that you mention it, it IS a little better in the sunny rooms that are slightly warmer. My fingers are cold this morning... anyone else hold the candle container for heat? lol....

btw- heat bill came in at $250 for the last month.... sigh....

-Kristi

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I just test burned two candles and they did terribly! Our house is cooler right now, so I am going to retest these scents when it warms up. On the Harvest scent, it finally did catch up and burn nicely but the Cinnamon Sticks has alot of wax on the sides and never did catch up.

Sorry I am no help....I was wondering the same thing, tho.

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I've never had temperature change affect my scent throws. I pour in my basement which is cold right now and, of course, warmer in the summer and my candles have a consistently great throw no matter what time of the year I pour.

You are also talking 2 very different kinds of wax between the CBL129 and the 4045. One may very well have a great throw with 1 oz./lb. of FO, but the other may need the full 1.5 oz./lb. to get the same great throw. It's like comparing apples and oranges to compare the throws like that. You may just need to try a different wick with the container wax at 1 oz. of FO to get a better throw. Or, it also could possibly be the FO just doesn't work well with the wax. There are so many variables, it's really hard to point at just one cause. Unfortunately, testing is the only way you're gonna know.

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This has been talked about before and I do believe the room temp. a jar candle is burned in does have an effect on the hot throw.

BTW - I don't use that wax and it could also be that wax needs more FO and/or a larger wick. It seems like in your test, though, the only varable was the room temp so maybe it is just the room temp. Test again and see if you get the same results.

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I've found the room temp. to have a real effect on my soy candles.

If it's a really cold day I don't bother test in my bathroom as it's unheated for most of the day & the cold usually causes the candles to tunnel.

Similarly if I have candles waiting to be labeled in my kitchen they have a better ct on a warmer day than on a cold one.

Sally.

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this is my opinion...but I do not think that the temp in your house has anything to do with the hot throw of a candle you are burning. I say this because....in a winter ice storm we were with out power for days...and burnt my candles at night for light. and my house was smelling lovely. no difference from when it was 70 degrees in here..the coldest it got in the house was 55 and the candles still kicked butt.

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this is my opinion...but I do not think that the temp in your house has anything to do with the hot throw of a candle you are burning. I say this because....in a winter ice storm we were with out power for days...and burnt my candles at night for light. and my house was smelling lovely. no difference from when it was 70 degrees in here..the coldest it got in the house was 55 and the candles still kicked butt.

I absolutely agree! The temp of a room shouldn't make a differance! If that were the case, the candles that I test burn downstairs wouldn't smell nearly as strong because It's cooler downstairs. I too use wood burners to heat my cabin and it can be freezing in my house and my candles and clamshells kick butt reguardless if it's 60, 40 or 90 degrees in my home!

Fire

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I understand that you feel that the scent does does not change due to the temperature of the room they are burned in, but do you find that they do not burn as well.....wax clinging to the sides until they are quite low rather than a nice even melt pool all the way down....when the room is cooler?

My experience was that the wax clung to the sides about 2/3 of the way, then it caught up at the end. Usually, they burn right down the sides evenly. I thought it possibly could be the coolness, but if not, maybe I need to wick up.

I think we are going to try the same FO again, using two different wicks, and burn in the same house. Right now, my partner is doing test burns in her house and they are acting beautiful.......at my house, where it is cooler, I am having trouble with hangup. Unfortunately, to confuse it more, we are testing different FO's, so I can't determine exactly what the problem is.

TIA!

Jane

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This is the problem that I have. When the room was colder the jar was having hang up half way through the jar burn. At this point it should be melting the sides and isn't. When the house was warmer the melt pool went to each side and cleaned the jar and the scent was much stronger. Actually, I am happy this happened because the 44-24z may be borderline and temp sensitive for my application and wicking up should correct it.

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