Eco Wicks

[sunshine06970]

Hello All,

Trying to get some info together and would really like your input. I am using EcoSoya PB & CB Adv. I have CD & Eco Wicks. I have had nothing but problems with the Eco wicks. Every test burn I do with the Eco wicks, I seam to run into the same problems. My wick is always drowning out and end up with a real tiny flame. My test burns are always done with plain wax. No color, no scent, no additives. I may be doing this the hard way, but I pick a container and pour 5 or 6 with a different size wick in each one. For example:

A Libbey 9.5 oz cube. Wicks, Eco- 8, 10, 12, & 14, CD-10, & 14. Wicks trimed to 1/4 in.

No matter which Eco wick I use, they all are drowning out. I've tried trimming the wicks up to 1/2 in. and that doesn't help. The CD wicks tend to burn alot better. I called the company I got the wicks from and they can't explain it. They said they don't know what to tell me. My understanding is that the Eco wick and the CD wick are suppose to be the same wick. the wick coating is different. The Eco wick is an all natural wick.

I live in Southaven, MS and I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not.

I would love any input or feedback you can give me. I'm just dunbfounded.

[deb426]

This may seem odd, but I would try an Eco 4 and an Eco 6 before giving up. If a wick is too big, sometimes it will drown.

[topofmurrayhill]

I may not be understanding the question. You tested a number of wicks and the CD wicks are working. So why don't you just use them? Finding what works is the whole point of testing.

CD and ECO are not the same wick. They are made by two different companies and are different designs, although they are slightly similar. Neither is more natural than the other.

[sunshine06970]

When i'm testing I use the size wick suggested and the next 2 smaller and the next 2 larger wicks. I do the test burn and then based on what happens as far as burning and melt pool. I then retest using the wicks that did the best and the next sizes smaller and larger trying to find the correct burn and melt pool.

An example would be I have a 2 1/2 in round container. Test burning I have tried the Eco 4,6,8,10,12 & 14 I also tried the CD- 5,8,10, & 14 using the exact same container. The Eco 10 works but the flame still tries to burn out. The CD 14 works great, the 10 works but barely so I probably need to get a CD12 and try it just to be sure.

I am having better success with the CD wicks. I only have 4 sizes of the CD wicks and every size in the ECO wicks. the only success I have had is that I can use an ECO-10 in a 3 x 3 1/2 pillar made with EcoSoya PB. It burns great and the flame and melt pool are really nice.

[Meridith]

Where did you buy your ECO wicks from? It could be the wicks. I have purchased ECO wicks from one place and over the years I've noticed their wicks are not consistent to the point that I've experienced times that no matter what wick size I used, they did not burn right yet other wicks would in the same jar, same FO, ect. This leads me to believe it was not my wax but the wick. I now purchase my ECO wicks from Candle Science and find these wicks to look different than the other wicks I use to purchase and they burn more consistently. Since switching, I've never had another problem with my ECOs.

[radellaf]

I can't find a compelling reason _to_ use an ECO rather than my usual LX or CSN (Candle Science) wicks, but it does sound like you might have a bad batch. ECOs aren't so different that they should be failing that badly, all in the same way, over that wide a range of sizes. A LX might fail consistently with a low flame in soy, but ECOs should be compatible. Oddly, I have had luck with LX in the PB, but they fry in CBA.

[sunshine06970]

I got my Eco wicks from Lone Star Candle Supplies. I'm thinking about just getting all my wicks from C&S.

The last couple of days I test burned another 2x3 1/2 pillar made with EcoSoya PB, no FO or dye. I tried the eco-4 and it was to small, then I tried the eco-6 and it was to small. I then tried the eco-8 and it burned perfectly. The flame was great and so was the melt pool. It burned for alittle over 28 hours. I then test burned the same size pillar. fo-lovespell, dye 3 drops red. wick eco-4. I lit the candle and within an hour it was running out over the edges. I can't explain it. I am so sick of these wicks. There is no consistancy.

[topofmurrayhill]

2 inch wide pillars can be tricky to wick. I haven't tried it with PB, but the usual strategy is to make sure the wick is large enough to consume the melting wax before it can spill over the edge. If you have a problem, the wick is usually too small.

With some waxes, a 2 inch pillar may never work well. If the wax melts too easily, the necessary wick will be too large. Certain wicks may also tend to melt out too wide and ECO may be one of those. I seem to recall CandleScience was recommended LX for this wax.

You might be able to make it easier on yourself by trying 3 inch wide pillars.

[radellaf]

It seems odd, considering that LX fries in 464. Literally, it sort of disintegrates wherever it becomes black. But, PB doesn't act like other soy I guess. I had a decent if not perfect burn with LX-18 in EcoSoya PB with a 2" candle.

CSNs actually seem to work well in anything, but I guess because of how the wicks are described I use them only in soy and palm and LX in paraffin.

I did sometimes use an Eco in 464, but in the small hex jars I was doing, I burned a pair side by side and differences were negligible between eco 4 and csn 9. But, I keep a range of Eco around just to have available for tests. Same with HTP, FWIW.

[topofmurrayhill]

LX sometimes has a high burn rate relative to the width of the melt pool. That might be handy with a narrow pillar.

I haven't tried CSNs in waxes other than palm. Maybe they work well, but my instincts go against it. I avoid wicks with stronger chemical treatments for paraffin and soy, because they tend not to curl and trim properly.

[radellaf]

Curl, yes, that can be a problem either way. I've had Eco wicks make an upside down "U" all the way back into the wax.

And LX? 16 curls, 18 usually, 20 and up? I generally have to trim.

[sueb50]

I just ordered some Eco wicks for tealights from Cajun Candle Supply. I use ezsoy and wanted some wicks similar to the cd wicks that I usually use. Am I going to like them?I am needing them for a wedding that I am making tealights for.

[mzpickles]

I use the ECO tealight wicks from Lonestar, I love them. (Maybe it's a little strong to say I "love" a wick though, I guess I like them a lot!)

[sueb50]

Thanks MzPickles! I was really sweating it out since I won't really have time to test and reorder if I don't like them. I am starting to make alot more tealights and I wanted to find something that was good. I can't wait to get them......