All things equal except fragrance, but candles will not burn. Whut?

[AhZo]

I am scratching my head on this one.
Have been making small, votive size, glass candle container soy candles with EO and FO (depending on fragrance) and colour. Nothing special, we just use a lot of candles because we like them, and this seems to be a bit more cost effective but more fun.
So, soy wax ("Freedom" wax), small containers (made for candles), we are using the correct wicks, FO or EO depending on what scent we want, and coloured with colour chips (made for soy candles).

One flavour/colour of candle just does not want to burn.
It is strange. Everything else has been a no-brainer (good, because zombies would starve at our home), so i have no idea where to troubleshoot.

The differences:
These use an FO from Voyageur, which I think is the only candle I have been making with any fragrance or products from them.
Colour is a magenta colour chip from Village Craft & Candle.
Wax, wicks, containers, method are exact same as every other batch with amazing results.
Can be the fragrance or the colour...? Colour chips are made for candles, but is it the fragrance maybe? Or did I forget something you think (asking for the moar experienced insight)?

Really scratching my head on that one.
Wheee!

 

[jcandleattic]

I am scratching my head on this one.
Have been making small, votive size, glass candle container soy candles with EO and FO (depending on fragrance) and colour. Nothing special, we just use a lot of candles because we like them, and this seems to be a bit more cost effective but more fun.
So, soy wax ("Freedom" wax), small containers (made for candles), we are using the correct wicks, FO or EO depending on what scent we want, and coloured with colour chips (made for soy candles).

One flavour/colour of candle just does not want to burn.
It is strange. Everything else has been a no-brainer (good, because zombies would starve at our home), so i have no idea where to troubleshoot.

The differences:
These use an FO from Voyageur, which I think is the only candle I have been making with any fragrance or products from them.
Colour is a magenta colour chip from Village Craft & Candle.
Wax, wicks, containers, method are exact same as every other batch with amazing results.
Can be the fragrance or the colour...? Colour chips are made for candles, but is it the fragrance maybe? Or did I forget something you think (asking for the moar experienced insight)?

Really scratching my head on that one.
Wheee!

Could be the fragrance if it is more of a perfume, and has alcohol in it. However, Voyageur is a reputable company and caters to candle makers, so that is probably not it.
Did you over saturate the magenta color? Too much color, depending on the type - chips especially - can cause the wick to clog and not burn correctly or in some cases not at all.
I would try a few test candles eliminating one thing at a time - first the color. If it burns right then there's your answer, if not, leave the color in and eliminate the FO, next if still not burning right, change your wick, ... etc., until you have your answer as to what the problem could be.

Testing candles is the most time consuming but also the most important part of candle making.
HTH

 

[AhZo]

Thank you for the suggestions.
Weird bit is that the colour is the same colour brand/type that I use with other successful batches. Truly the only differences are the actual colour and the actual FO.
I am wondering if maybe the colour chips are 'old'.


We shall see.
Thank you again for your troubleshotting suggestions

 

[jcandleattic]

I am wondering if maybe the colour chips are 'old'.

That shouldn't matter. I've used chips that are upwords of 10+ years old and they work fine. I'm thinking maybe the wick got clogged somehow...

 

[AhZo]

That shouldn't matter. I've used chips that are upwords of 10+ years old and they work fine. I'm thinking maybe the wick got clogged somehow...

I thought it was a fluke with one or two, but it was a batch of 10 candles and all of them were like that - night and day difference from everyotherbatchofcandles I have made over the last several months (I think I am on my fourth 5lb bag of soy wax). The commonality is the fragrance and tha colour - not even process, because I have a log book and note what temp I add fragrance, colour, anything out of the 'norm' if at all, etc. (brain problems, so log book necessary)
I might try that colour with an FO that I know that burns properly, but I am still hesitant as it is tough to dig out the wax and have to ask the husband to do it (my hands do not work well enough to do it myself).

Thank you for that additional info.
Good to know those chips will last plenty of years - although I have already run out of some colours because we love candles!

 

[srez]

I'm not familiar with your soy wax, but I use 464 as well as a 464/4627 blend, and CD/CDN and HTP work best for me.

I also use 6006 with the same quick series depending on FO. For some fragrances I had where the flame would get smaller/tiny, ECO wicks helped with the burn HT.

Some say Premier works well in soy, but I could not get a decent HT. However, in 6006 with one fragrance I had, the Premier worked the best with HT as well as the burn.

Also, depending on the FO and % you're using, that could also contribute to the clogging. Sometimes less is better.

 

[AhZo]

I'm not familiar with your soy wax, but I use 464 as well as a 464/4627 blend, and CD/CDN and HTP work best for me.

I also use 6006 with the same quick series depending on FO. For some fragrances I had where the flame would get smaller/tiny, ECO wicks helped with the burn HT.

Some say Premier works well in soy, but I could not get a decent HT. However, in 6006 with one fragrance I had, the Premier worked the best with HT as well as the burn.

Also, depending on the FO and % you're using, that could also contribute to the clogging. Sometimes less is better.

Thank you for the note!
It would make sense that different FO's would prefer a different % - and FO really give off plenty of scent.
Sooooo much information!