Hi, This is Jeff from Keystone Candle Company. This is another video in our series called "See for Yourself". Today's video is about jar candle cappers. Do jar candle cappers really work?
Here is our control candle, we are in an air still room. As you can see the flame is pretty much motionless. Here we have a relatively new jar where the wick is at the top of the container. And here is a jar that has burned around about half way. The wick in this one is at normal length. This one is burned down even more and the wick is trimmed a little more to have a smaller flame.
Watch what happens whenever we disturb the air around the control flame. I don't know if you can notice it but it causes what is called "incomplete combustion". This action creates carbon being released into the air generally called "soot". Candle soot is composed primarily of elemental carbon particles and is similar to the soot given off by toasters and cooking oils in your home. These everyday household sources of soot are not considered a health concern but are typically undesirable.
Incomplete combustion can also be caused by too much fuel coming to the flame. In a candle this can be controlled by trimming the wick. Just as in oil lamps, kerosene heaters, the oil furnace in your house, etc, it is important to regulate the amount of fuel being introduced to the flame to keep it working efficiently.
The other important factor is to maintain proper regulated air flow. Observe the movement of the flames in the containers that are at lower levels. The flames are dancing from side to side. This is caused by unregulated air flow. The warm air around the flame rises out of the jar. Replacement air enters back through the top of the jar. This unregulated air causes the flame to dance from side to side.
Lets introduce a regulator, called a capper, and see what happens.
An effective capper normally has a larger hole in the middle to allow the warm fragrant air out and the smaller holes along the side to allow the replacement air back into the jar. Notice how the flames stop dancing like the new jar candle and the control candle.
See this one is dancing again. Put this back on... stops. Sits still. Sits still. Take it back off and see the flame start dancing again.
Cappers for jars come in a variety of shapes and designs, some are metal, some are ceramic.
One word of caution, whenever you use a metal capper or any capper these can become quite warm when used on a jar candle over a period of time. Use care when removing.
Question, do jar candle cappers really work? You decide.
