Does Room Temp Affect Candle Performance?

[summerbug]

Hello - I have been rackin' my brain over this! I've moved my "operation" to the basement where it is about 60 to 64 degrees. I have a melter and all my supplies stored there. I used to pour upstairs where we keep it closer to 65 or 67 degrees.

I am having a problem with one of my oils (it's a heavy one - Amish Harvest); the wick won't stay lit and drowns out. It seems a couple other thicker fragrances aren't burning as they used to as well - just slow, not drowning out yet. I've been brainstorming...is it the wicks, the fragrance, the dye, did I pour at the right temp, is the room temp too cold....

For all you Pros out there.....here is my question:

Does the room temperature being this low (60 to 64) pose an issue with the candle performance? I'm wondering if they are setting up too fast - maybe the soy wax molecules are closing up before the fragrance can fully be absorbed?

Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

[ah-soy]

Sorry, can't answer your question about room temp stuff, but can tell you that I can't wick Amish Harvest for the life of me! I've hit it with every wick I've got...cds, zinc, LX, eco's, htps etc and every single one of them drowns out!

[summerbug]

Sorry, can't answer your question about room temp stuff, but can tell you that I can't wick Amish Harvest for the life of me! I've hit it with every wick I've got...cds, zinc, LX, eco's, htps etc and every single one of them drowns out!

I've gotten lucky in the past, I haven't had any problems using cotton core 60's. Well, at least until now!

[ah-soy]

Is it a new bottle of FO or did other candles with the same batch work? Maybe we both got a fluke bottle!

[Stella1952]

Does room temperature affect candle performance?

Of course it does.

[summerbug]

Is it a new bottle of FO or did other candles with the same batch work? Maybe we both got a fluke bottle!

I thought it might just be this one bottle. But I've tested several 32oz bottles - one from an order in Sept 08 and one from an order last week.

Same issues out of both batches.

[VerticallyEnhanced]

What kind of wax are you using? Could it be a new batch that is burning differently?

[candlelady]

Room temp. when pouring yes, but not when burning a candle..IMO....I have lots of customers that put their candles in their freezer and swear they burn longer (of course I'm speaking of candle temp and not room temp)....I have had great luck with Amish Harvest from Peaks. I pour in a 8 oz. JJ, 8 oz. sq. mason jar and 16 oz. sq. mason jar with a CD14 (I use IGI 6006) and they burn very well.

Sounds like with your wax/FO combo, you may need to wick up or burn your candle in a warmer room. I know at least my customers don't keep their homes at 65 degrees....we're warm blooded folks here in SE Texa and can't take the cooler temps in our houses....IMO

When I poured J50 or IGI 4636 I used a 51z and in 16 oz. apothecary jars 2 - 60z wicks.

Just thought I'd throw some misc. info at ya.

HTH

[summerbug]

What kind of wax are you using? Could it be a new batch that is burning differently?

Checked on that - it is the same wax of course, but is from different batches - vendor said they haven't done anything different to the wax...still could be just an odd batch I guess tho!

[summerbug]

Room temp. when pouring yes, but not when burning a candle..IMO....I have lots of customers that put their candles in their freezer and swear they burn longer (of course I'm speaking of candle temp and not room temp)....I have had great luck with Amish Harvest from Peaks. I pour in a 8 oz. JJ, 8 oz. sq. mason jar and 16 oz. sq. mason jar with a CD14 (I use IGI 6006) and they burn very well.

Sounds like with your wax/FO combo, you may need to wick up or burn your candle in a warmer room. I know at least my customers don't keep their homes at 65 degrees....we're warm blooded folks here in SE Texa and can't take the cooler temps in our houses....IMO

When I poured J50 or IGI 4636 I used a 51z and in 16 oz. apothecary jars 2 - 60z wicks.

Just thought I'd throw some misc. info at ya.

HTH

Room temp is when I'm pouring and thought it might be making the candles set up too quickly - not allowing the wax and fo to combine correctly. I am testing back upstairs where it's a little warmer and hope it works! This is the first time I've had any problems with the fo, wick, wax combination - the only change is that I was pouring in a cooler room. I didn't think it would matter - if this is the issue, I have learned my lesson - 60 candles later!*faint*

[Stella1952]

Wax type, wick type/size, heating/pouring temp, room temp, specific FO/supplier, etc. - all can affect burn rate and hot throw. I skimmed the other posts but did not see where you identified these. If you suspect that the FO isn't combining well, the temp you are adding the FO and pouring temp may be issues. When a candle is tested at a certain room temp, then later is burned at a much different temperature, this can certainly affect how the candle performs, both in terms of hot throw and in terms of hangup or burning too hot. If you can fill in some of the details, we might be able to suggest more specific remedies to your problem.

[summerbug]

Wax type, wick type/size, heating/pouring temp, room temp, specific FO/supplier, etc. - all can affect burn rate and hot throw. I skimmed the other posts but did not see where you identified these. If you suspect that the FO isn't combining well, the temp you are adding the FO and pouring temp may be issues. When a candle is tested at a certain room temp, then later is burned at a much different temperature, this can certainly affect how the candle performs, both in terms of hot throw and in terms of hangup or burning too hot. If you can fill in some of the details, we might be able to suggest more specific remedies to your problem.

I'm sorry Stella - I should have been more clear. I am using the same of everything that I have always used for several years, same wicks, wax, dyes, FO. The only change has been moving everything downstairs.

I poured back upstairs yesterday, so in a few days I'll test the candles and hopefully they will work and it's just the temp issue!

[Dana]

Are you talking about room temp while burning? Because I know that will affect the burn. 10 degrees difference in air temp will make the candle burn differently. Try burning the candle in a warmer spot....if that is what you are talking about.