jeanie353 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 (edited) I have a client who power burns her candles regardless of all the warnings and instructions. She mentioned on one of her recent container jars, a wick fell over while burning. I didn't realize how much much of a hazard I was now dealing with until I saw the jar (when she returned it to me).This wick fell over and continued to burn while being very close or up against the side of the glass. I honestly do not know why the glass didn't break.Has anyone had this happen or can anyone offer ideas of what may have caused this.She power burns every single candle and this is the first it happened.I am thinking maybe a new batch of wicks not primed with HMP wax?The wicking is Eco, the wax is CBL130, the jar is apoth. 16oz. I believe Libbey but if not it was not a cheapie jar.The wick size is the same I have always used for this scent with this wax & this jar.So now I stopped everything until I figure out what happened so I don't have another powerburner end up with a fire. Edited June 9, 2011 by jeanie353 made title bold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnvyCandles Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Are your wicks adhered to the glass? Did it completely fall over with the wick completely horizontal, or did it just end up drooping over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misty Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Did you use two wicks, or one. CBL130 is a pretty hard wax. I have used cd wicks in it, and have not seen this happen. But then again, I don't power burn that often. If the melt pool was deep enough, I guess it could lean over. She must have burned it all day and half the night. I don't have any experience with eco wicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackbenimble Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 This recently happened to me. The exact same thing. I use double ECO's too. I am now testing CD's to replace my ECO's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanie353 Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 I used one wick. When I melted it down I found the wick tab had stayed in place. The candle had been burned about 1/2 way down when it happened. The wick was laying over with most of it on top of the cold wax with a little under.The black on the jar was thick and very black. It had the shape of what it would look like if a flame was held up against it for some time. All she told me is the wick fell over. When I saw it is when it became clear it not only fell over but kept right on burning.I am wondering if the supplier used a melt point wax to prime the wicks of something less than 160 degrees and when the power burning went on the primer wax was low enough to cause the wick to droop. I had purchased wicks during this time frame from two different suppliers depending on how soon I needed them or if I was ordering something else at the time then just added them to the order so the supplier is narrowed down to one of two. Checking their websites neither of them disclose the MP of the wax used for priming. In fact, one of them has wicks removed from the product list totally and I just ordered 100 of two sizes from about a week or so ago. Both are suppliers many of us on this board use. Now, I'm not accusing either supplier for low melt point priming but I am wondering.I dug out some stearic acid and am going to dip one of my Ecos in that to see how it burns. I had thought to add either Vybar or Stearic to some 130 degree paraffin I have here but I'm thinking that may not get the melt point high enough. I've never experienced this before either but scared me enough that seeing it happened once, it could happen again ending up in a tragedy so I have to figure it out before I sell anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricofAZ Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 My first thought is that the wick might be too hot and is creating too large of a MP. On a power burn, if the MP gets too big I wick down. My second thought is the HMP priming. Did you prime yourself or buy it pre-primed? I'm going to start a new thread on this because I've been using HMP microchrystaline wax to prime and I'm very happy with the results, especially over pre-primed wicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanie353 Posted June 10, 2011 Author Share Posted June 10, 2011 EricofAZ.....I buy my wicks pre-primed. I think you had a really good idea to start a new thread on this just in case the wick priming is the culprit here. I will admit I did not look at the supplier's disclosure of what was used as a prime prior to this happening. I thought I was being so very cautious in every aspect but missed this one...way missed this one.I like your idea of dipping in Micro. I had thought about the MP getting too deep/hot on a power burn but through all the testing I am as low on the wick/fragrance combo I can get without them never reaching full MP by a 4th burn and sacrificing throw.RRD is first choice recommended for this wax but I wasn't happy with them, Eco is next, then HTP, paper and Sq Braid. HTPs and LXs don't give me the throw Ecos do with my wax/fragrance combo.I have a feeling it might be the priming. I did melt down a little Stearic acid last night and dipped one wick in that and am doing a power burn today which puts the prime at 20 degree MP over the wax...not what I would do in the future but for the test, it might suffice for an answer. I have another going without the Stearic dip for a side by side power burn. My candles don't go out of here without an inch per jar/inch of MP test and a power burn test on every scent/wax/wick combo on every batch and while I never experienced this in a power burn, it sure did happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misty Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 One other thought is, had she trimmed the wick before she lit it? If not, she could have had a torch going from the beginning. It wouldn't take too long to get a deep melt pool going that would cause the wick to lean. Especially if she was power burning too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedar_lea Posted June 11, 2011 Share Posted June 11, 2011 I've had this happen when the wick has gotten stuck in the wax. These were all store bought candles so I'm not sure of any of the specifics on it. Basically the wick was long because I never trimmed the things and when the wax around it would get soft the wick would lean over. Sometimes it would just stick in the wax and go out and sometimes it would keep burning on it's side. I believe I had it happen in a yankie jar candle and nothing broke, just made funky burn mess. eventually the wick broke off of itself and went out. I obviously didn't think about glass + fire = bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeanie353 Posted June 11, 2011 Author Share Posted June 11, 2011 (edited) Reading back my posts on this, I neglected to put in that from the length of the wick laying in the jar when I got it back, she does NOT trim her wicks. I provide every new customer with a new large toe nail clipper (I know sounds tacky) to trim their wicks because I know some tend not to. I'd love to give each customer a wick cutter but I don't make enough profit yet to do that.I was checking out wicks at various suppliers yesterday and see at CandleWic I can built my own Eco wicks with a high prime MP wax. I think that is what I am going to do. They offer prime at 3 different MP choices on that all the way up to 210 degrees (I think).I'm hoping that doesn't change how the candles burn since it took me way over a year to get to the point of getting through the testing. Edited June 11, 2011 by jeanie353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconut Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I always have this problem with my cotton wicks from Peaks, when the bags get flattened out and the wick gets bent at the base in the bags. I have to cut off the tab and retab them where they are not bent. It is not an option for me to buy spooled wick and tab my own wicks since I would have to buy 4 lbs. of wick. However, I know you can buy small spools of eco wick and tab your own wicks with high-melt wax. You could try this before spending a lot of money on a custom order of wicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I always have this problem with my cotton wicks from Peaks, when the bags get flattened out and the wick gets bent at the base in the bags. I have to cut off the tab and retab them where they are not bent. It is not an option for me to buy spooled wick and tab my own wicks since I would have to buy 4 lbs. of wick. However, I know you can buy small spools of eco wick and tab your own wicks with high-melt wax. You could try this before spending a lot of money on a custom order of wicks.Are you sure you really need to retab them? I ask because my zinc wicks were flattened out & bent at the base & I just straightened them out the best I could & used them, then when I poured in the hot melted wax I straightened them & pulled them upwards until the jar almost lifted, but not quite, & they worked perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconut Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Are you sure you really need to retab them? I ask because my zinc wicks were flattened out & bent at the base & I just straightened them out the best I could & used them, then when I poured in the hot melted wax I straightened them & pulled them upwards until the jar almost lifted, but not quite, & they worked perfect.Yes, I tried just straightening them out and even redipped with high melt point wax, but it didn't help. I don't have this problem with my other wicks like htp or lx, just the Peak's cottons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Yes, I tried just straightening them out and even redipped with high melt point wax, but it didn't help. I don't have this problem with my other wicks like htp or lx, just the Peak's cottons.I was just reading on Peak's wick page that they prime all their wicks with the highest temp wax with the 212 degree melt point, which is 2 degrees higher than the highest used by Wicks Unlimited. Peaks is a good source of wicks that won't flop in a hot 180 degree melt pool. Too bad the cottons are a problem, I sure wouldn't want to retab wicks. Have you tried complaining about that? Maybe they'll send you some that aren't bent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 This is why I love buying my wicks at CS. They pack them very neatly in a bundle rather than helter skelter like some suppliers. Haven't had a bent wick since I started buying wicks from them.BTW-- I use their CSN wicks so I know they are already pretreated with a high MP wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 (edited) This is why I love buying my wicks at CS. They pack them very neatly in a bundle rather than helter skelter like some suppliers. Haven't had a bent wick since I started buying wicks from them.BTW-- I use their CSN wicks so I know they are already pretreated with a high MP wax.Candybee, I wish CS had zincs. I love their strong FOs & would like to get FOs, wax, wicks, & jars all at one stop. I'm going to switch to 4627, & I can try HTP wicks from CS, but so many seem to prefer the zincs in that wax & I understand the sizes with zincs. I need to check CS & see how high their wick assemblies are, & what melt point they use to prime the wicks. I'm debating about whether 6 mm high wick assemblies are safe enough, or if I should use the 10 mm high wicks from Lone Star. I guess it really depends on how big & hot my wick is for the container. Endless decisions. lol Edited June 16, 2011 by HorsescentS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconut Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I was just reading on Peak's wick page that they prime all their wicks with the highest temp wax with the 212 degree melt point, which is 2 degrees higher than the highest used by Wicks Unlimited. Peaks is a good source of wicks that won't flop in a hot 180 degree melt pool. Too bad the cottons are a problem, I sure wouldn't want to retab wicks. Have you tried complaining about that? Maybe they'll send you some that aren't bent.I contacted Peak's about this, and the best they could suggest was to buy 1000 wicks which comes in a box and not a bag, and so in theory would not be mashed over. That is not practical for me at this time. For now I'm retabbing but long term, I'll look for a wick to replace Peak's cottons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I contacted Peak's about this, and the best they could suggest was to buy 1000 wicks which comes in a box and not a bag, and so in theory would not be mashed over. That is not practical for me at this time. For now I'm retabbing but long term, I'll look for a wick to replace Peak's cottons.That's just crummy! No customer should have to retab their wicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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