Burn behaviour
Flame jumps, flickers, or pops
Jumping flames usually point to moisture or impurities in the wick or fragrance, or a draft. Wooden wicks crackle naturally; cotton wicks should burn steady.
Written by Maya Holloway
Likely causes
- Draft.
- Water contamination in the wax (rare) or in the FO.
- Fragrance load over wax maximum.
- Wick debris from a poor trim.
How to diagnose
- Test in a sealed room with no airflow.
- Inspect wick for fibres or carbon ball.
What to change next batch
- 01
Remove drafts and re-trim wick.
- 02
Store fragrance oils sealed and dry.
- 03
Reduce fragrance load to within wax maximum.
Related symptoms
- Visible soot or black smoke
Black trail off the flame, deposits on the vessel.
- Wick mushrooms and carbons up
Carbon ball on the wick tip, sometimes glowing red.