Melt pool depth advice pls!

[geekrunner]

Here is a pic of six candles I've been wick testing.

Top left: 8 oz jj, HTP105, MC Christmas Eve

Top middle: 11 oz tureen, 2 x LX20, SS Pine

Top right: 16 oz apoth, 2 x HTP104, SS Pine

Bottom left: 10 oz apoth, 2 x HTP104, Gemlite Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee

Bottom middle: 10 oz apoth, 2 x LX16, Gemlite Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee

Bottom right: 16 oz apoth, 2 x LX16, MC Christmas Eve

I know I need to wick up on the bottom middle, but the others have gotten that 1/2" MP after about 2.5 hours. Please give your opinions on the wicking, if it seems right or needs to be wicked down. It seems right to me. TIA!

[Wake Me Up]

I'll take a stab at it. I think the HTP 104's are too big for those jars. I'd probably try 83's . If the LX 16's work in the 16 oz jar and it's the same diameter, I'd burn the 10 oz again to see if it did better on the second burn, or try the LX 20's like you have in the jar behind it (is it the same diameter??). With the deeper jars, even though they are the same diameter, less heat is able to escape so a smaller wick isn't a bad idea & you'd have to use a bigger wick in a more shallow jar.

The taper on the jelly jars drives me nuts. I think that HTP 105 will be fine and work even better as it gets down in the jar.

Christa

[geekrunner]

I suppose it would be helpful to include that I'm using MC soy with 3% BW. Also the bottom right jar is on its fourth burn, and all others are on their third burn. Thanks Christa!

[Marilyn]

From my reading of messages, I had been thinking 1/2" meltpool was the border of being too hot. That was the basis of my wick testing. What does everyone else think?? Am I testing too conservatively?

[Holly]

Hi Geekrunner,

The ones that look the best to me are: top middle and bottom far right. I am very familiar with the tureens -- I use them too. It is a little hard to tell in a picture how good or not so good the flames look. The one on the far left at the bottom definitely look too big (flames too big) and melt pool too deep. I have had flames that big before too when testing. The one at the far right at the top also has too deep of a meltpool -- to me. The middle one at the bottom is not bad but it is not lit so it is hard to tell how the flames were. It looks like there is hang up but not sure if it would continue. If the flames looked good then it may have caught up. If the flames were wimpy you would probably want to wick up. The top one at the far left has hang up, but that can be the case with single wicking with a lot of soys. It is hard to tell how good the flame is.

I don't use the LX's or HTP's. I have used them but not enough to suggest sizing. If you double wick (I do too) you will always end up with at least a half inch deep meltpool, but I don't like to achieve it too fast and not beyond it unless of course it is a long marathon burn -- most likely you will get beyond 1/2 with double wicking. I can't remember which soy you use. Some soy will produce deeper melt pools quicker than others.

How long did the middle top one burn and the one at the far right on the bottom? If it was 3 - 4 hours then they look pretty good. Good testing!

OOPS. HAD TO EDIT: I had accidentally said that the bottom far left looks good. I meant bottom far RIGHT. The flames on the left are too big.

[Holly]

Boy, I sure got my lefts and rights mixed up. I must be tired. santa roll I had to edit my response above again.

[Holly]

P.S. You might be able to wick down on the one that looks pretty good at the far right at the bottom. It is hard to tell how the flames really look, but maybe one size down will slow the melt pool down a bit. But, if it already burned close to a 3-4 hour burn it looks pretty good for a double wicker. I have aways found double wicking to produce a deeper meltpool faster than single wicking and this is one reason why I don't have as many choices of wax to use -- most burn too fast for double wicking. I like to double wick for scent throw. santa wink

[Marilyn]

A little side thought thrown in here--I found MC soy wax to burn more slowly than others. I wonder if anyone else has noticed that?

[geekrunner]

Thanks everyone for the comments! Holly, the bottom middle was pretty weak, hangup after three burns and pitiful flame. The top middle was getting that way too but it did have a full 1/4" mp and only a slight hangup on the two sides.

I'm changing the wicking on most. I'm leaving the jj the same, it looks like it will eventually catch up closer to the bottom. The top middle will get bumped up to 2 x LX21, top right gets dropped to HTP93, bottom left will decrease to HTP93 also, middle bottom goes up to LX18, and bottom right will drop to LX14.

I will burn tomorrow morning and post results then. Thanks again!

[Holly]

Thanks everyone for the comments! Holly, the bottom middle was pretty weak, hangup after three burns and pitiful flame. The top middle was getting that way too but it did have a full 1/4" mp and only a slight hangup on the two sides.

I'm changing the wicking on most. I'm leaving the jj the same, it looks like it will eventually catch up closer to the bottom. The top middle will get bumped up to 2 x LX21, top right gets dropped to HTP93, bottom left will decrease to HTP93 also, middle bottom goes up to LX18, and bottom right will drop to LX14.

I will burn tomorrow morning and post results then. Thanks again!

You are welcome. Yes, for the bottom middle that would be weak for three burns and a pitiful flame to boot. The top middle's melt pool (depth wise) looks good to me, but then again it is hard to tell exactly how the flames are from the picture. I have a tureen testing right now that the flames are too big but when I put one size down it gets the weaker flames later in the burn. Then I have another taller square (rounded edged jar) with the one wick size down and the flames are borderline weak.

I just now read your other post where you mention you use the MC soy. How do you like the scent throw so far? Marilyn mentioned that it is pretty slow burning compare to some other soys. That is a good thing.

It looks like you have all the jars on the right testing track. I bet that one on the right bottom after you wick down one like you said will be great. That melt pool looked good -- just a little deep for the time but no hang up or residue. Keep us posted!

~Holly

[geekrunner]

I got up early, and lit the candles, so the four hour test would finish at 7:30AM. I took the picture at 3 hours into the burn. After observing them at four hours, my conclusions are:

Top left: Just right, it is finally catching up. (HTP105)

Top middle: 1/4" MP, some hangup on one side. (LX21) May try LX22 next.

Top right: 7/16" MP, nice flame! (HTP93)

Bottom left: 1/2" MP, good flame, wicks fell over just before I snapped pics, since it is the 10 oz jar I may try to wick down to HTP83 (HTP93).

Bottom middle: Still pathetic flame and hangup all the way around. Since this is same jar/FO as bottom left, will go with drop to HTP83. (LX18)

Bottom right: 7/16" MP, great flame, perfect! (LX14)

I like what I have so far, but let me know what you think. I really value your opinions, thanks again!