Accidental HP?

[marilynmac]

Is it possible to HP accidently?

I made some CP GM soap. It got to about 140 F at trace, I added GM and then it took off. In about 15 minutes from light trace it started gelling, changed texture, got thick, took in air, and had to be spooned into the mold. I put it outside in a blizzard and it was complete gel in seconds, and then sunk like a cake. It was mounded up when I put it in the mold. After 3-4 hours I brought it in and it was not zappy and ready to cut. It was still warm inside.

It sounds like the stages of HP but I've never done HP, and it was awful fast. It looks like HP, do you think?

 

[lpstephy85]

I have never heard of "accidental HP" but I have only been soaping for a couple of years. Sounds to me like acceleration. Did you use any FO or EO? Also, milk will cause soap to overheat so that would explain it still giving off heat after a few hours even being outside in a blizzard. Most soapers recommend putting a soap with a milk in the freezer while in the mold to ensure it doesn't overheat.

ETA: The mounding up to me sounds classical of a overheating soap as it was on the verge of a volcano: http://www.lovinsoap.com/troubleshooting/

 

[Obsidian]

I was thinking volcano too, good job on stopping it by quickly cooling it.

 

[marilynmac]

Thanks, my first volcano! Not EO's, I used some citrus EOs I've used plenty of times before, and the trouble started when the GM went in (before the EO). I put it outside because it was colder out there than in the freezer, at least with the windchill. It was very windy. It saved it. It's soap now.

I've been having terrible luck with GM, except for my first attempt when I used my beginner's luck charm. Last time it made something that looked like creme brulee. So this time I planned ahead to get it to the freezer, but it happened so fast.

 

[lpstephy85]

How are you doing the GM? Powdered or liquid? If liquid are toy freezing it before adding the lye to it? Also, how hot are you soaping?

 

[AMyers]

I had a GM soap heat up like crazy when I added it at trace too! I did half water, half GM. Dissolved lye in water, brought to trace, added GM, and things went haywire! Within 20 minutes it was well over half gelling, and at 40 minutes it was at full gel! I've done several batches where I freeze GM and sub it 100% for the water, and never had that problem. Must be something about adding at that point in the process. I'll tell you, I'm going to put the time in to do it the frozen way from now on!

 

[seven]

I had a GM soap heat up like crazy when I added it at trace too! I did half water, half GM. Dissolved lye in water, brought to trace, added GM, and things went haywire! Within 20 minutes it was well over half gelling, and at 40 minutes it was at full gel! I've done several batches where I freeze GM and sub it 100% for the water, and never had that problem. Must be something about adding at that point in the process. I'll tell you, I'm going to put the time in to do it the frozen way from now on!

when i do half water half GM, i put the GM to the oils before lye. never had a problem so far with this method.

 

[marilynmac]

i did just what AMyers did. I'll have to change this up.