Use 9 hour candles in thick glass holders with bricks on metal to sit it on. Two pots inside each other gets up to about 170. Haven't used my electric heat in years . cost about one dollar a day for each pot.Never a problem.
Hi, could you explain exactly how you set that up, cause I don't think I'm getting it, I can't see it in my mind what you're actually doing. Thanks 💚 ✝️
@@jude7321 - I'm not completely sure either, but I think he's saying to put down a metal base; put 2 bricks on that; (they probably have to be far enough apart to make room for a candle to go in between them). Put 9 hour candles (that are inside thick glass holders) on top of the metal base. Then take two pots, like the one shown in the video. However, they will need to be two different sizes. Put the smaller of the two pots over the candle and rest it on the bricks. Then put a larger pot over that.
@joseph keeney this was two years ago, but if you see this would love to have a picture of it. So glad I ran across this video! Too many people offering the dangerous solution as a “pretty” design element
Made two of these , one caught fire and the other worked perfect .. It runs on 7 candles.. The one that caught fire was slightly different in the space where air goes in and out. if your candles fail due to overheating , there are two options to fix this problem . A : less candles then the heat goes down . B : regulate the airflow - make the space between the candles and the pots bigger so the heat can escape or make some tiny holes for ventilation. Have a fire extinguisher or a fire-blanket in house when using these kind of heaters . Have fun , use your brain and be safe !!
I lived on my sailboat for several years and used just one fairly large, fat candle and put it in the deep stainless steel galley sink. Even during storms when the boat was rocking & rolling, the worst thing that happened was the candle turned over and went out. Kept the condensation down really well.
Yes! They do go out when they topple over, maybe if I saw a lit one topple over over a million times, I might see one or 2 not go out, but I'm 60 ...used candles throughout my life, accidently toppled a 100, maybe less maybe more but never ever had one stay lit, whatever type of candle. I wouldn't go out & leave lit candles going, there's always a chance of unknown combined possibilities, but these are for inside use where your very near them. "Some Caution Needed" ...as with any naked flame, but they're no-way "dangerous" if built-up properly / sensibly ....but it aint brain surgery!
I have used one of the bigger tealights and I must admit I was shocked at the heat it generated in a short space of time. I would never leave any unattended. Thanks for the tip.
A kerosene RR style lantern ($8) produce the same overall heat, aren't cobbled together, have the fuel store protected from the flame and can be moved, extinguished and handled without spilling or burning yourself... And will burn for hours. Cheap tea candles are paraffin... Solid kerosene that liquifies into a pool directly under the flame.
Just like the little tea light candle holders that melt wax on top at Walmart for a few bucks they get really hot to I was surprised how it don't burn the wooden table. I'm glad this warning got posted when it did so people can be careful.
I have had more than one tea light/night light [the bigger 8 hour version] catch alight even when being used in a candle holder. Usually when the wax is mainly burned and there is only maybe 0.25/0.5cm depth of wax in the base of the aluminium container. Suddenly you have a huge flame flaring out of the top of the glass container and the only way to stop it is to cover the whole thing with a blanket or damp tea towel. It has happened more than one and I reckon that somehow it has become so hot that the whole lot just flares and catches fire. If you aren't there - popped to the loo or to make a cuppa - it could prove very nasty. As a result I always put my tealights in a glass holder inside another, larger, metal container and ensure that there is nothing around them that might catch if they happen to burn out like this. But there are no warnings on any of the different packaging and they come from all different countries of origin.
@@STho205 Kerosene lanterns are not recommended for indoor use, as they produce carbon monoxide. It seems no matter the heat source, there will always be some sort of downside to it.
Thank you soooo much. Very concise and to the point. This is the third video I've come across about these types of heaters. The second one also warned about putting the tealights close together, but your's really gets the point across! People in my area are STILL without heating/lighting, after last week's storm (Scotland - 6th or 7th day now), in freezing temperatures. I am disabled with chronic illneesses/pain, and I feel the cold VERY badly, so have been looking at anything that could possibly help, if we get another blackout. I think your video is enough to put me off! Lol I'm 57 years old, and have used candles for decades, but 2 years ago, the candles I had put out 45 mins before bed, mysteriously reignited, and set fire to my very first, beautiful flat screen tv!! I think I went to bed about 1am, and at 5-6am the smoke alarms went off.....which I almost dismissed, because I wear earplugs, and although they woke me up, they didn't sound at all like smoke alarms, until, I took my earplugs out!! The smoke had almost filled the house, and was coming into my bedroom, upstairs.....the TV was well and truely alight, and the beautiful TV unit that I had bought to stand my new TV on, was scorched too. It was a hell of a shock! Have been researching small paraffin heaters, but they too, can be lethal apparently, as they need proper ventilation ie. Open window. So.....still scratching my head!
Okay, first only use two tea candles, and second, put the tea candles into glass candle holders that are deep enough so that if wax does spill out, it can be contained.
You'd have to use the right kind of glass as regular glass breaks at high temps. If I were to use it, I'd use a metal holder - but that's a big "if" since I don't plan on ever using them like this. Far too dangerous.
Who on earth told you to block the tops of the pots with the bolt? no wonder the heat isn't escaping sufficiently and melting the candles below - the design is dangerously flawed! you need to let the hot air to rise out the top, drawing cooler air by convection lower down and thus stopping the whole thing from overheating!!!
+videobuoy buoy Several videos and tutorials advise bolting multiple pots together by their drainholes. The whole point of these things is to stop the heat from rising to the ceiling where it doesn't benefit anyone. I haven't seen any that advise running a bolt through the base. THAT'S where the flaw is.
+Funkyboodah WRONG! videobuoy is correct....the point is to create convection and air flow. This design is flawed exactly because there is no where for the heat to flow out causing it to heat up the base even more. Dont comment if you dont know what you are talking about. Take a physics class. Super Hot = Danger. There must always be air flow. Had he put some holes in the top pot to let heat out efficiently he would have avoided the fire. You don't block off the top of a chimney because you want it super hot.
Thank you friend. Most people dont know that once a fire starts you have less than 2 minutes to either extinguish it or escape before flashover happens. Then the heat, smoke and flame is inescapable! Especially in a smaller space!!!! Very good advice!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Thank you for the fire warning! My furnace broke during the storm so I made pot over pot heater and it almost burned down my house... I took as much precautions as I could think of before trying it. But it wasn't enough... I don't know what caused it to flame up (most likely candles being too close to one another) but all of the sudden I smelled gas and was running around the house trying to find what it was. Luckily my wife found that it was coming from the pot heater just in time. When I saw it i could see that flame was bigger than it should have been. We panicked and tried to blow it out but the flame got bigger when we did that... Luckily the flame was small enough for me to grab the bottom of the small table it was on and brought it over to kitchen sink. I put that thing on the sink and tried to turn on the water but for some reason the flame shot up briefly then the fire was out... We got shook up and kept thinking we got so lucky with everything. If we went out to shovel the snow or I was in the bathroom or if I didn't smell gas or if my wife didn't find the source of smell... It would have been devastating...
That is horrific and you are lucky to be alive You have raised a very important point and that is water should not be used to extinguish these flash flares as it is paraffin
Do not extinguish oil fires with water, use fire blankets, CO2 or ABC powder extinguisher, and do not blow directly to the flaming liquid/oils or you will splatter ignited oil all over, also watch some educational vídeos on the subject, good general info ones don't last any longer than 3 minutes...
Thankyou for giving us your experience because you never know. That happened to me once with a fireplace just like it happened to you and boy it was scary.
The wax (paraffin) or any type of grease used on candles will evaporate and stick on the pots. You're turning the pots into a flammable object (big candles), just waiting for the right temp to burn. 2 options: 1. Clean them regularly, removing the wax/grease (it's not easy); 2. Put a layer of any not flammable material that can be easily replaced very often. The material should also have the same properties as the pots in terms of absorbing the heat rather then reflect it.
Absolutely, totally, and without a shred of exaggeration, you are correct, sir. I begin my mornings with tea meditation and when schedule allows, I use a cast iron pot atop a cast iron warmer. Three tea candles will fit side by side in the warmer. I know this because foolishly I put three in it once. Carelessly I spilled a bit of water into the warmer and apparently splashed the paraffin into one of the flames. What I got was probably about 30 seconds of furnace flame about a meter high and nearly caught my house on fire. As I type this I have a package of them beside me and just looked. Several warnings but nothing about the particular topic. Fortunately this video has many views.
Yup. Be careful jamming several tealights together and don't expect water to 'extinguish' the problem. I overfilled a bowl with soup I was heating through and it started bubbling over. It was on a small ceramic chafing thing for keeping teapots hot. I was using 3 tealights. The candle area where the soup was dripping onto ignited and I freaked. I had used up my baking soda that I use for cleaning that I keep handy so thought that a good glass of water would quell it. WRONG. I got a 2 ft high and wide explosion and am shocked I did not burn the place down. My heart was beating for a full hour after that. There is a scientific name for the effect that I looked up afterwards because I couldn't understand why that happened. Scared me straight, that's for sure.
one should never leave a candle unattended full stop. The bolt design has an inherent flaw as you have pointed out the wax can run out and down it. If you do run a candle heater place the tea light into tea light holder first, Ceramic or glass and then into a tray that has no holes. In case of fire have an extingusher or at least some sand and water ready (not an electric fire). Good Vid mate there are many designs and lash ups of this so needs a heads up.
I appreciate the video. Some of the comments are uncalled for. The real question is, what was the design flaw? I have a lot of questions. Even if you are awake and watching, you don’t want a heater that explodes. Would a different kind of candle be safer? One comment suggested placing the candles on a bed of baking soda. Another said, place the candles in small jars or cans. Perhaps the addition of bolts and nuts and additional pots result in too much heat. There are a lot of variables to consider, but I think the idea is good.
If you live with a gas water heater or gas heat... You do it all the time.... A big flame ring too. These things are chatted up to heat a room or or camper while sleeping... You and I both know it. Home-made heaters are deadly dangerous
I agree with you totally on the tea lights. I run a couple of these using oil burning candles with no problem at all. Just into the 4th winter with them. They are a quick and economical way to provide some extra heat especially as my flat has an old storage heater which gets cold in the evening just when you need it most.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I've made one of these and use a 3 wick candle in a jar. i have put a large stone tile made of slate on a table i use the small coffee cans to hold up the large flower pots that are bolted together with carriage bolts, nuts and washers. that allows enough air flow and haven't had this issue though i extinguish it when sleeping. the only thing i do not like about it is the suet it leaves on the ceiling and walls over time. I also made one using a chiminea with cans up the inside using all thread to get it long enough. It's not as efficient yet but working on a new idea using a oil lamp for a larger single flame. this is so if in the winter and the heat source runs out it would work in an emergency. i filled the bottom of the chiminea with lava rock and used a pan of water to set my candle in as a safety precaution if the glass was to break. i also tried the floating oil candles in a bowl of water with oil floating on top. the wicks burn out to fast so didn't find that a very efficient way of heating even in an emergency. I thought this would be a safe way since when the oil runs out the water extinguishes the fire automatically. Also thought of using something like the citronella candles using the little oil cans used in the citronella touches. they would and could use lamp oil. anyways thanks for the warning some people haven't thought about that danger.
It would never be fine because firstly it was hanging on a stable surface as the boat was on a boat yard and secondly the danger is highly flammable paraffin vapour.
Hi. First, as soon as you light the first candle the wax is melting, and in fact, the wax must actually evaporate before it can burn. If you look closely around the wick you will see that wax melted by the flame soaks into the wick. As it climbs the wick it replaces the wax that has just burned. As it approaches the flame it evaporates and is drawn across the space between the wick and the flame, into the flame and is burned. Other than that, a few things to try. Use the same setup (it's a good one) with larger pots. Have the whole setup further down the rod (the heat traveling up the rod will disperse into the air helping to heat the air and maybe not heat the assembly quite so much) which is probably better for not burning you're boat down. Also, using just two tea lights is probably well enough. I do understand what happened. Your setup somehow got hot enough to evaporate the wax and bring the wax gas to its flash point. Thanks for showing this. I'm glad you're OK and that your boat is still good. Be safe.
Thank you! I was looking into this as an option to warm our tent, for me and my son, 1st time campers. I thought it was completely safe, you illustrated very well that it's not. I'm happy to have come across this video.
Did anyone thank you for sharing your experience to help othersfrom making the same mistake? Well if not......THANKS SO VERY MUCH! I made oneof these about a year ago but haven't used it yet. So glad I found this video....WOW!!!!
great video. i tried this with i think just 1 or 2 candles and they did just that, liquified and ignited. luckily i had done it on a pan filled with sand as a safety and was able to dump the flaming parrafin into the sand to smother it.
thanks so much for the warning! I just watched the video showing how to build one. I was skeptical as to its effectiveness, but now am on the side of caution!
Thank you for posting this! It is easy to assume something as innocuous as tea light candles would be perfectly safe when in fact there is the danger you site.
Thank you for the information. I WAS going to make some for my daughter and since I have had no experience with tea candles, I would never have known of the dangers.
Years ago we used to go camping. Put one normal candle in the drain hole of a plant pot. Lit it and put identical plant pot on top. Used this for years and years and not one single problem ever. All I can think is that having multiple flames is the issue. One flame, 2 clay pots worked without any problem and the heat was amazing.
@@girlsdrinkfeck The clay pot heats up and then radiates that heat. So it's amplifying the flame. A candle without that pot would not generate the same level of heat.
Love that you mention the dangers as so many others are saying how people can use a “candle” made from vegetable shortening, lard, etc, while not explaining the dangers. Good job!!!!
Yes you are quite right. People recommend every single type of candle from beeswax to soya wax obviously also having never used it before themselves either...whilst completely ignoring the highly flammable vapour produced. On top of that ..I get people accusing me of working for an energy company with an agenda to stop free power.
Thank you. I was thinking of making some of these. Our fuel bill has more than doubled from the end of next month. We are going to have to go without heating when ever we can. I'm glad I saw your video. Its back to jumpers and wooly hats for us until the fuel costs go down again or our income improves.
Originally the candle heaters were 3 bricks, a aluminum foil shield and the flower pot set on the bricks. You could remove the flower pot and put a kettle on for cooking. It was for power outage emergencies not decoration.
@@KennethPerkins I don't know exactly, but I do know that ordinary bricks can't take a lot of heat. In a fireplace, any type of brick, needs to be specialist fire bricks.
Thanks so much for the warning. Now that Britain is facing an energy crisis and there may be power cuts in the winter- a lot of people online are sharing vids promoting these tealight and flower pot heaters. I did a search today to check whether the product is genuine and then noticed your vid on the subject and have alerted others on social media about the dangers.
good man... thanks for taking the trouble..... I used something similar on a very small boat where I quickly found it to be unsuitable after fitting a carbon monoxide detector. 4 tea candles would activate the detector in just under an hour. One must have good ventilation..
This is really good advice thank you so much. I was just starting to get into using these and I love when some one takes the time to post something like this. I'll bet money you have saved some one's life, maybe even my own, so thank you.
Great video! You did save lives by posting the PSA! I am still going to use these but the important info on the bolts and holes is crucial! I was going to set my candles on a floor tiles/ceramic, set the pot on top of flower pot legs of bricks for some clearance. No chain or bolts. I will be checking the maximum size opening I can leave for most of the heat to move toward the top of the pot, not just blow out the side openings. Almost 7 years from the date of this video, Texas USA had a terrible ice storm that kill many. These type of heaters would have been crucial in savings lives. They could not get heating fuel and the electricity was out. I ALWAYS keep candles on hand and I live in sunny Kalifornia USA. 400 tea lights and forty-eight 7 hour candles. They will be used for heat, not light. I will also use a very small USB fan or corded fan to blow across the top of the pot (or whatever cover I decide on) to help disperse the heat. Mine would be for emergencies only.
What is crucial is not so much the bolts but in fact that you are super heating a series of candles that produce an inflammable vapour. It renders the device deadly...do not use
The whole idea is to concentrate the heat in a smaller area. It can not make more heat than the candles create. If you want to spread the heat around just leave the silly pots off! Safer anyway.
@@richardelliott9511 You want to radiate the heat from the surface of the pots or other material. If not, the heat goes straight up and you will not feel much warmth/heat.
We tested this all ways possible on west coast Canada in winter around Tofino where humidity was 100 percent, boreal forest style . These things work but are EXTREMELY dangerous if tipped over!! We leant that on a rocking boat real quick while it was hanging from ceiling . Best trick to stop condensation is to let your tent become same temp outside by opening tent fly .
Thank you! It makes perfect sense now you have explained it. I do a lot of homemade essential oil. beeswax and microcrystalline wax projects and I'm acutely aware of the dangers. I even bought a portable electric hob because heating them on an open flame can result in the heavy vapours outpouring and igniting on a gas hob. I can see why these heaters are so effective, but I can now see why they are so dangerous thanks to your explanation. Essentially, the candles are heating the heater, and the heater is cooking the candles at the same time. That feedback loop is fine with one candle, but with multiple candles I can see why its quickly going to get into the territory of spontaneous combustion.
A ceramic dish can handle higher temperatures; even higher than borosilicate glass, but I wouldn't know what to do about paraffin vapors. And thank you, sir, for sharing your experience with those of us who would have used these heaters without knowing the risks. Your timely warning may save lives.
Also would be wise to double-check 'extinguished' candles. Older granddaughter had a midnight bath with candles lit, blew them out... Got lucky because it only left a foot long burn mark on the wall by the next morning, about 1/4 inch deep and didn't take the house down! Worst story of 'candlelight baths' I heard was about a plastic shower curtain catching and falling on a lady; she died 2 weeks later from the burns. Reminders that extra caution with candles and flame is not a bad thing!
That's because the smoke is mostly wax, you can actually relight the smoking candle if you put the match or lighter in the smoke trail where it's still thick but not touching the wick, and the flame will travel down the smoke and relight the candle, kind of a fun party trick if you're not dumb about it. She probably had a chunk of material in the wick that acted as an ember and was still burning even though there was no visible flame, a sudden breeze from the opening bathroom door could hit it just right...
@@NorfolkBroadsForum I’ve seen so many videos about how to build these simple heaters and wondered about the safety, regarding carbon monoxide or anything else, so thank you for posting this as it’s the only one I’ve seen with a warning. We are told to expect power outages this winter so I purchased the candles and pots and am smart enough to be careful with open flames but nobody is saying anything about the carbon monoxide issue.
@@lydiahelmick8092 carbon monoxide with candles will be a low worry. As long as you have fresh air coming in as fast as you are burning oxygen. Similar to running say a little buddy propane heater in a air tight 8x8 shed it would probably take a few hrs to set off a monoxide detector. But a simple vent or cracked window will allow fresh air in. With a few candles in a home I wouldn’t worry much about carbon monoxide. But crack a window here there. As for these terra heaters wax is flammable the heat is to contained it can flash but if you vent out the pots to be safer then it won’t be containing the heat making it not much more of a heat source then simply burning a candle or two.
Thank you so much for alerting us of the danger in using these terra cotta pots. Any alternatives? We have a pretty big house and fear gas prices this coming winter. Thank you.
At the very least you need to provide ventilation in the upper pot; the movement of air drawn out that hole keeps the inner pot from overheating as well. Drilling terracotta is fairly easy. It will lessen the danger considerably. Plugging the hole does make the outer pot get a lot hotter but as you have found out (and inexplicably not changed or addressed), it makes it much more dangerous.
I use one safely in an outbuilding but I put in no more than 3 candles, well apart. I make vegetable oil candles. I keep the heater on the floor in a large clay saucer. I'm very pleased with it.
Timely , tried and tested advice . Excellent detail and I sincerely hope your piece gets noticed as the DIY tips on making this type of heater are endless. Thanks again as I was also unaware about the candle spacing . It seems advisable to let the heater you have made undergo several test runs prior to use in a boat , tent , or enclosed space . I assume you also should use a carbon monoxide alarm . With the cost of energy spiralling many will be trying this idea.
It is important to share this information as like you say people are looking for solutions now and are quite understandably absorbed by the appeal of these novelty heaters. ua-cam.com/video/LIxqHdYxhrc/v-deo.html
Great point stating " Test " We do not know what the off gassing will be from the Terra cota pots and the heat from the Candles as well in enclosed areas. Remember that people. You Could be killing one self while trying to stay heated with these devices?
Thank you. I just learned about these heating devices and have been curious about the risks of using them before making some. I appreciate you helping others to avoid the same misfortune with them.
Oh my God. Thank God you are ok. You can't dump water on a wax flash fire either. I did that when I was a kid and it went up like gas. Thank you very much for the video. God bless you and yours.
Did that too....18 years old and i'd done fire saftey training so really should have known better....never put water on a candle fire... and it's alot easier for melted wax to ignite than people realise...thank God my fire was contained in a big metal bucket and i had a metal tray to put on top and was able to suffocate it but the flames shot up and hit the ceiling so fast i'm surprised i managed to keep it together enough to put the tray on it and not panic and run out the door because that's what gut tells you in that situation...get away.
Wish I'd seen this video sooner. Couple months back we had ours catch fire and set the living room on fire. I'd gone to lay down/get off my feet for a few and I left my husband who suffers from moderate dementia watching TV... next thing I hear him hollering at the dogs to be quiet. I sat up in bed and saw a 3 foot flame, I managed to put the fire out by suffocating it with a blanket, while he had gone to the kitchen to fill a pitcher with water... by the time he would have gotten back with that water we'd all be goners! I learnt my lesson... there's no time for quick naps. Using the pots in my garden now!!!
Thanks so very much for taking the time to do this video. There appears to be a few videos around showing how to make one of these candle heating devices which looks fairly simple to make -- but -- youve terrificly explained the fact the conditions create a very dangerous situation! You wouldnt want children or even unaware adults setting up variations of this burner light heating thingy. Thanks for the valuable lesson on this hope you get many many many views on it :)
Thank you for your intention to help someone else who may not know better. Shame on those who would arrogantly criticise you for that. They behave like the trolls they are.
Thank you for this video..Many will be constructing these heaters this year because of what happened in Texas last year with the power going out, folks froze to death. Much like installing a woodstove, these terra-cotta pot heaters need protocols for their construction and usage.
So glad this video popped up. I was going to make one of these heaters but will give it a miss. Many thanks and given that a great many people will no doubt be making these plant-pot heaters I'm surprised the fire brigade haven't launched some sort of health and safety campaign warning people of the potential dangers.
in the rude attitude towards what was probably auto correct ERROR in past apps that correct words after hitting send, it is an individual choice you make when you choose to be rude, mean, or bully someone. As specially when you failed to stop and think how the situation may have come to pass without any fault or error to the person or persons to whom which yoy are picking on.
You have to have at least 1 window open for ventilation with those though. There just doesn't seem to be anything really, that is both safe AND you don't have to open windows!
Really accurate warning. Maybe use the other method: A muffin/yorkshire/cupcake baking tin tray (the deeper one, about €15) and put only one candle in each cup. Then cover with small terracotta pots, leaving lots of room for air. The pots without holes may be better so no need for an empty candle cover. A good comment here was if on a boat to leave them in a sink.
I don't use little candles. I use oil based candles. They are small enough and works longer then little candles. Plus i feel they are safer. Just what i use
It's really just this design of candle heater. Most heaters don't have the bolt travelling through the base the candles are sitting on. That means the wax wouldn't make contact with the bolt and therefore risk is reduced. Of course whenever we are dealing with large amounts of heat and naked flames there's a risk but most candle heaters couldn't be described as extremely dangerous.
+Kris Curtis .....Hi Kris, please read the US Gov recalls on Tea Lights! Also, have you seen how you can blow out a tea light and then light the smoke on fire with a match/flame? In other words, the vapors are flammable, so using them in a set-up made to increase the heat is asking for trouble!
+PleaseCiteYourSources not sure what you're making tea lights out of in the US but if this was the case in Europe they wouldn't be legal. I use tea lights a lot and have never experienced such vapor situations. But I will say again, if you believe it is dangerous, don't do it.
Kris Curtis ...Regarding the EU, I saw this recently (video by an EU fire department). Dangers of Tea Lights & Candles.wmv West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service WSFRS (youtube channel) They can start fires under at least 3 circumstances, but they only explain 1.
In all the videos I have ever seen posted on UA-cam of the diy candle heaters, I don't recall ever seeing a single one going on about the things being the cause of a fire or even suggesting they are a bomb waiting to be ignited. If you try hard enough, anything can be dangerous, but to suggest these are a tremendous fire hazard is pretty lame, especially if your the only one who has had this problem in the past. I have made dozens of various designs of this project and never had any difficulties with any of them like what you mention. I frequently use as many as 4-5 Dollar Tree candles in glass with them and not problems ever noted. I don't care for the tea-candles, as they do melt badly and leak over the sides. A small coating or bed of sand would likely cut down on what you experienced with any fire problem from the melted wax. I have even used the large gutter spikes to fit down into predrilled holes at the top to increase the area where heat can be transmitted in these pots. I just gave away a heater today that has essentially the very same design as your's. The candles sit in a grooved area of the base plate, so the wax, even if melted and running over, is not likely to travel onto the metal rod and cause the issue you described.I just done see that you really have enough statistics of others who had the same issue as you describe in order to claim this is a very dangerous item. Any heater with an open candle flame should never be left unattended to begin with. I've accidentally let a kerosene heater run out of fuel and had the resulting smoke ending up in my lungs, on my walls and in my nose. I was blowing black snot for a week after that experience, but even so I feel much safer with the candle heater than a kerosene stove when it comes to being a real danger.Over embellishing the risk is a Chicken Little concept.
+a1930ford it seems like maybe you sniffed too much kerosone or other products? Regardless, you know just enough to be dangerous. Keep tinkering and no doubt you'll finally have enough experience to report on your own disaster in the near future.
There's a few keywords you use but the most relevant being ( Never leave unattended) ... I'm 66 at the weekend and as a kid in UK they used kerosine heaters.. some serious disaster's with those things... And I'm avoiding the clothes put too close to dry.. clothes in that time had no fire proofing, they would self combust... And often enough with the kids still wearing them... Night dresses.. P.Js and such....coal being the worst...but that said... Very good information... Excellent stuff ... Thanks... Thom in Scotland.
I made a version of these. My daughter put too many tea lights in it and started a fire. My advise: don’t put too many tea lights in it and I widened the gap from base to top. Also, my pots came with a couple holes on the bottom already so that’s why I widened the gap. Airflow IS important!
Come winter I am going to try one in my living room where I stay all the time. Sure will save on propane if it is that good. and since it wont be hung maybe there wont be to much danger in the flash fire. I know you are trying to save lives and so many of these people think they are so much smarter than you. I just saw a vid of one set on top of a cupcake pan and set on table where there is nothing in the way of it. Thank you for trying to help .
The candles will produce more water vapor and unlike a ventilated propane heater, it will be trapped in the room. Per calorie of heat, candles will cost more than the propane. The simple answer is to ventilate the room as it cools down overnight and let the water vapor out. Condensation is probably the most misunderstood subject on the planet.
HELLO, thank you very much for the warning, I was going to use this design for my shed that suffers very much from condensation.Well I think I shall sooner suffer with damp than a fire ball, thank you again very much for the video. regards Colin UK.
Thank you for this video. I was about to go to purchase all of those supplies today based on all the other videos I’ve seen. I’m very glad that you made it out of that situation and that you and your boat we’re fine. Thanks again for telling this story
Simple is best. If we don’t have heat this winter, I have clay pots and the saucers that match and plenty of tea lights and only plan to use one tea light per pot and rest the whole thing on a baking sheet of sand which I intend to set on top of bricks. My worry is if I need to be concerned with carbon monoxide. Anyone know?
@@lydiahelmick8092 Buy a cheap carbon monoxide detector. A couple of the videos recommend this, they also recommend only using one tea light per pot as well, probably for this reason. Unfortunately there are more and more recommending you you 3/4/5 tea lights under pots and they don't warn you to take precautions.
Thankyou for this video! Great advice! You don't have to make them with the nuts and bolts and metal parts. Maybe the ones other videos show you how to make, don't all use the metal element or hang them. They stand them up blocks and also have a tray underneath. Not leaving them unattended is a great tip. Thanks
I'm so glad you made this video! I have a tiny house and considered the flower pot heater, although living in Florida I don't need it often. Even the hint of danger takes it off my list. Thank you so much! Fair sailing to you, cheers!
Thank you for the warning about this! I certainly wouldn't leave it unattended, and I don't like the idea of using the small quick burning tea-lights!? I would rather use a bigger candle?
Thank you so much...this is a life savior advise ...Do you have any experience to make heaters with home made oil candles ? In my country and mostly at villages, people use to make candles with the oil left from frying foods and 3 more simple things ...
Sad when people only say negative things when you are kind enough to share your experience. I'm sure your video has probably save a few lives. Thanks for being humble and kind enough to warn others.
I use my double hanger in the workshop this winter. I only use 1 tealight per heater and they work incredibly well. Don't ever leave one unattended because he's right: these things will flash into flame if the parrafin gets hot enough. In restaurants our deep fryers have two separate switches - one for the cook to turn it on and adjust the temp. The second is hooked to the thermostat and when the fryer oil reaches a certain temp the fryer shuts down and can't restart till the oil cools, hopefully avoiding a flash-flare fire. This is the same principal. Be careful.
Thanks for the warning...i was thinking of using this as emergency heat in the event of a power out...i will try to find a better alternative thanks to your warning...God bless you
Thank you for this valuable information. I wanted to place one inside of my 20 x 20 foot green house .....I was thinking on the floor ...normal candles ..the vapor won't ignite like paraffin ones.
Use 9 hour candles in thick glass holders with bricks on metal to sit it on. Two pots inside each other gets up to about 170. Haven't used my electric heat in years . cost about one dollar a day for each pot.Never a problem.
Hi, could you explain exactly how you set that up, cause I don't think I'm getting it, I can't see it in my mind what you're actually doing. Thanks 💚 ✝️
@@jude7321 - I'm not completely sure either, but I think he's saying to put down a metal base; put 2 bricks on that; (they probably have to be far enough apart to make room for a candle to go in between them). Put 9 hour candles (that are inside thick glass holders) on top of the metal base. Then take two pots, like the one shown in the video. However, they will need to be two different sizes. Put the smaller of the two pots over the candle and rest it on the bricks. Then put a larger pot over that.
Exactly ...they have to have air so they don’t explode
@@FriendOfChrist thank you 🙏🏻
@joseph keeney this was two years ago, but if you see this would love to have a picture of it. So glad I ran across this video! Too many people offering the dangerous solution as a “pretty” design element
Made two of these , one caught fire and the other worked perfect ..
It runs on 7 candles..
The one that caught fire was slightly different in the space where air goes in and out.
if your candles fail due to overheating , there are two options to fix this problem .
A : less candles then the heat goes down .
B : regulate the airflow - make the space between the candles and the pots bigger so the heat can escape or make some tiny holes for ventilation.
Have a fire extinguisher or a fire-blanket in house when using these kind of heaters .
Have fun , use your brain and be safe !!
I lived on my sailboat for several years and used just one fairly large, fat candle and put it in the deep stainless steel galley sink. Even during storms when the boat was rocking & rolling, the worst thing that happened was the candle turned over and went out. Kept the condensation down really well.
So what you're saying is it was extremely effective at it? 🤣
Such a simple powerful solution Be mindful.
you probably used a proper wax candle, as apposed to a commercial destructive candle light.
thats a very good idea...
Yes! They do go out when they topple over, maybe if I saw a lit one topple over over a million times, I might see one or 2 not go out, but I'm 60 ...used candles throughout my life, accidently toppled a 100, maybe less maybe more but never ever had one stay lit, whatever type of candle. I wouldn't go out & leave lit candles going, there's always a chance of unknown combined possibilities, but these are for inside use where your very near them. "Some Caution Needed" ...as with any naked flame, but they're no-way "dangerous" if built-up properly / sensibly ....but it aint brain surgery!
I have used one of the bigger tealights and I must admit I was shocked at the heat it generated in a short space of time. I would never leave any unattended. Thanks for the tip.
A kerosene RR style lantern ($8) produce the same overall heat, aren't cobbled together, have the fuel store protected from the flame and can be moved, extinguished and handled without spilling or burning yourself... And will burn for hours.
Cheap tea candles are paraffin... Solid kerosene that liquifies into a pool directly under the flame.
Just like the little tea light candle holders that melt wax on top at Walmart for a few bucks they get really hot to I was surprised how it don't burn the wooden table. I'm glad this warning got posted when it did so people can be careful.
I have had more than one tea light/night light [the bigger 8 hour version] catch alight even when being used in a candle holder. Usually when the wax is mainly burned and there is only maybe 0.25/0.5cm depth of wax in the base of the aluminium container. Suddenly you have a huge flame flaring out of the top of the glass container and the only way to stop it is to cover the whole thing with a blanket or damp tea towel. It has happened more than one and I reckon that somehow it has become so hot that the whole lot just flares and catches fire. If you aren't there - popped to the loo or to make a cuppa - it could prove very nasty. As a result I always put my tealights in a glass holder inside another, larger, metal container and ensure that there is nothing around them that might catch if they happen to burn out like this. But there are no warnings on any of the different packaging and they come from all different countries of origin.
@@STho205 Kerosene lanterns are not recommended for indoor use, as they produce carbon monoxide. It seems no matter the heat source, there will always be some sort of downside to it.
Thank you soooo much.
Very concise and to the point.
This is the third video I've come across about these types of heaters. The second one also warned about putting the tealights close together, but your's really gets the point across!
People in my area are STILL without heating/lighting, after last week's storm (Scotland - 6th or 7th day now), in freezing temperatures. I am disabled with chronic illneesses/pain, and I feel the cold VERY badly, so have been looking at anything that could possibly help, if we get another blackout. I think your video is enough to put me off! Lol
I'm 57 years old, and have used candles for decades, but 2 years ago, the candles I had put out 45 mins before bed, mysteriously reignited, and set fire to my very first, beautiful flat screen tv!! I think I went to bed about 1am, and at 5-6am the smoke alarms went off.....which I almost dismissed, because I wear earplugs, and although they woke me up, they didn't sound at all like smoke alarms, until, I took my earplugs out!! The smoke had almost filled the house, and was coming into my bedroom, upstairs.....the TV was well and truely alight, and the beautiful TV unit that I had bought to stand my new TV on, was scorched too. It was a hell of a shock!
Have been researching small paraffin heaters, but they too, can be lethal apparently, as they need proper ventilation ie. Open window.
So.....still scratching my head!
fire=always a danger.
never go to sleep with any flames going. Even candles.
Okay, first only use two tea candles, and second, put the tea candles into glass candle holders that are deep enough so that if wax does spill out, it can be contained.
You'd have to use the right kind of glass as regular glass breaks at high temps. If I were to use it, I'd use a metal holder - but that's a big "if" since I don't plan on ever using them like this. Far too dangerous.
@@4TIMESAYEAR borosilicate glass
Oh look, a guy who has all the answers.
Where’s you video demonstrating this?
containing the parafin by a type of glass is a good idea, but it still has the potential to catch fire.
The glass might break because of the high heat temperature
Who on earth told you to block the tops of the pots with the bolt? no wonder the heat isn't escaping sufficiently and melting the candles below - the design is dangerously flawed! you need to let the hot air to rise out the top, drawing cooler air by convection lower down and thus stopping the whole thing from overheating!!!
+videobuoy buoy uhh that's the whole point of the clay pot candle heater... to block the tops so that it gets super hot
+videobuoy buoy Several videos and tutorials advise bolting multiple pots together by their drainholes. The whole point of these things is to stop the heat from rising to the ceiling where it doesn't benefit anyone. I haven't seen any that advise running a bolt through the base. THAT'S where the flaw is.
+Funkyboodah WRONG! videobuoy is correct....the point is to create convection and air flow. This design is flawed exactly because there is no where for the heat to flow out causing it to heat up the base even more. Dont comment if you dont know what you are talking about. Take a physics class. Super Hot = Danger. There must always be air flow. Had he put some holes in the top pot to let heat out efficiently he would have avoided the fire. You don't block off the top of a chimney because you want it super hot.
videobuoy buoy
sailing high didn't do anything wrong there's a lot of other videos on UA-cam showing exactly how to make it exactly this way
The clue is in the title "warning risk of death"
Thank you friend. Most people dont know that once a fire starts you have less than 2 minutes to either extinguish it or escape before flashover happens. Then the heat, smoke and flame is inescapable! Especially in a smaller space!!!! Very good advice!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Thank you for the fire warning! My furnace broke during the storm so I made pot over pot heater and it almost burned down my house... I took as much precautions as I could think of before trying it. But it wasn't enough... I don't know what caused it to flame up (most likely candles being too close to one another) but all of the sudden I smelled gas and was running around the house trying to find what it was. Luckily my wife found that it was coming from the pot heater just in time. When I saw it i could see that flame was bigger than it should have been. We panicked and tried to blow it out but the flame got bigger when we did that... Luckily the flame was small enough for me to grab the bottom of the small table it was on and brought it over to kitchen sink. I put that thing on the sink and tried to turn on the water but for some reason the flame shot up briefly then the fire was out... We got shook up and kept thinking we got so lucky with everything. If we went out to shovel the snow or I was in the bathroom or if I didn't smell gas or if my wife didn't find the source of smell... It would have been devastating...
That is horrific and you are lucky to be alive
You have raised a very important point and that is water should not be used to extinguish these flash flares as it is paraffin
Do not extinguish oil fires with water, use fire blankets, CO2 or ABC powder extinguisher, and do not blow directly to the flaming liquid/oils or you will splatter ignited oil all over, also watch some educational vídeos on the subject, good general info ones don't last any longer than 3 minutes...
Thankyou for giving us your experience because you never know. That happened to me once with a fireplace just like it happened to you and boy it was scary.
The wax (paraffin) or any type of grease used on candles will evaporate and stick on the pots. You're turning the pots into a flammable object (big candles), just waiting for the right temp to burn. 2 options:
1. Clean them regularly, removing the wax/grease (it's not easy);
2. Put a layer of any not flammable material that can be easily replaced very often. The material should also have the same properties as the pots in terms of absorbing the heat rather then reflect it.
Absolutely, totally, and without a shred of exaggeration, you are correct, sir. I begin my mornings with tea meditation and when schedule allows, I use a cast iron pot atop a cast iron warmer. Three tea candles will fit side by side in the warmer. I know this because foolishly I put three in it once. Carelessly I spilled a bit of water into the warmer and apparently splashed the paraffin into one of the flames. What I got was probably about 30 seconds of furnace flame about a meter high and nearly caught my house on fire. As I type this I have a package of them beside me and just looked. Several warnings but nothing about the particular topic. Fortunately this video has many views.
Omg i was gonna buy those same kettle warmers thanks for warning me!!
Yup. Be careful jamming several tealights together and don't expect water to 'extinguish' the problem. I overfilled a bowl with soup I was heating through and it started bubbling over. It was on a small ceramic chafing thing for keeping teapots hot. I was using 3 tealights. The candle area where the soup was dripping onto ignited and I freaked. I had used up my baking soda that I use for cleaning that I keep handy so thought that a good glass of water would quell it. WRONG. I got a 2 ft high and wide explosion and am shocked I did not burn the place down. My heart was beating for a full hour after that. There is a scientific name for the effect that I looked up afterwards because I couldn't understand why that happened. Scared me straight, that's for sure.
one should never leave a candle unattended full stop. The bolt design has an inherent flaw as you have pointed out the wax can run out and down it. If you do run a candle heater place the tea light into tea light holder first, Ceramic or glass and then into a tray that has no holes. In case of fire have an extingusher or at least some sand and water ready (not an electric fire). Good Vid mate there are many designs and lash ups of this so needs a heads up.
Whoa, sir!! I'm so glad you (and your boat) survived. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hey bud, I hope you're coping well with this Texas's winter storms and outages. Stay safe.
I appreciate the video. Some of the comments are uncalled for. The real question is, what was the design flaw? I have a lot of questions. Even if you are awake and watching, you don’t want a heater that explodes. Would a different kind of candle be safer? One comment suggested placing the candles on a bed of baking soda. Another said, place the candles in small jars or cans. Perhaps the addition of bolts and nuts and additional pots result in too much heat. There are a lot of variables to consider, but I think the idea is good.
Wow! You are lucky to be alive! I was actually thinking of creating one of these as an emergency heater. Thank you for the warning!
never let a fire unwatched . . . every kid should know this
If you live with a gas water heater or gas heat... You do it all the time.... A big flame ring too.
These things are chatted up to heat a room or or camper while sleeping... You and I both know it.
Home-made heaters are deadly dangerous
thank you for this video! You proved my suspicions correct! That they work very well, but should not for any circumstances be left unattended! 👌
Use a bigger pot and get some tomato sauce (small cans) drop candles inside of them. They will contain the hot wax and wont spill.
😊👍👍
Good idea
Use a muffin pan
How well does it heat up a room.
@@constitutionalrepublic1966 It does a decent job. I use a larger pot and more tea lights. Sets on table, not hanging from the ceiling.
I agree with you totally on the tea lights. I run a couple of these using oil burning candles with no problem at all. Just into the 4th winter with them. They are a quick and economical way to provide some extra heat especially as my flat has an old storage heater which gets cold in the evening just when you need it most.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I've made one of these and use a 3 wick candle in a jar. i have put a large stone tile made of slate on a table i use the small coffee cans to hold up the large flower pots that are bolted together with carriage bolts, nuts and washers. that allows enough air flow and haven't had this issue though i extinguish it when sleeping. the only thing i do not like about it is the suet it leaves on the ceiling and walls over time. I also made one using a chiminea with cans up the inside using all thread to get it long enough. It's not as efficient yet but working on a new idea using a oil lamp for a larger single flame. this is so if in the winter and the heat source runs out it would work in an emergency. i filled the bottom of the chiminea with lava rock and used a pan of water to set my candle in as a safety precaution if the glass was to break. i also tried the floating oil candles in a bowl of water with oil floating on top. the wicks burn out to fast so didn't find that a very efficient way of heating even in an emergency. I thought this would be a safe way since when the oil runs out the water extinguishes the fire automatically. Also thought of using something like the citronella candles using the little oil cans used in the citronella touches. they would and could use lamp oil. anyways thanks for the warning some people haven't thought about that danger.
Thank you so much for the warning. I was considering making one to heat my freezing workshop, but I will now try to find a safer alternative.
It would never be fine because firstly it was hanging on a stable surface as the boat was on a boat yard and secondly the danger is highly flammable paraffin vapour.
Hi. First, as soon as you light the first candle the wax is melting, and in fact, the wax must actually evaporate before it can burn. If you look closely around the wick you will see that wax melted by the flame soaks into the wick. As it climbs the wick it replaces the wax that has just burned. As it approaches the flame it evaporates and is drawn across the space between the wick and the flame, into the flame and is burned.
Other than that, a few things to try. Use the same setup (it's a good one) with larger pots. Have the whole setup further down the rod (the heat traveling up the rod will disperse into the air helping to heat the air and maybe not heat the assembly quite so much) which is probably better for not burning you're boat down. Also, using just two tea lights is probably well enough.
I do understand what happened. Your setup somehow got hot enough to evaporate the wax and bring the wax gas to its flash point.
Thanks for showing this. I'm glad you're OK and that your boat is still good. Be safe.
thanks for this thoughtful reply! It is annoying to see so many of the rude comments, and yours was very nice.
Thank you! I was looking into this as an option to warm our tent, for me and my son, 1st time campers. I thought it was completely safe, you illustrated very well that it's not. I'm happy to have come across this video.
Out of curiosity, what option did you use when you decided this option wasn't safe? I'm considering ways to heat a converted school bus.
iPoop A candle in a tent? People are mad! Tents are flammable
No naked flame is completely safe. This is common sense!
Flame in a tent! Are you crazy? Apart from the extremely hire fire risk, the chance of never waking up due to asphyxiation is also likely.
@@lrowlands53 A tea candle does not produce enough carbon monoxide to "asphyxiate" on, dim-bulb.
Did anyone thank you for sharing your experience to help othersfrom making the same mistake? Well if not......THANKS SO VERY MUCH! I made oneof these about a year ago but haven't used it yet. So glad I found this video....WOW!!!!
You are welcome, keep safe.
great video. i tried this with i think just 1 or 2 candles and they did just that, liquified and ignited. luckily i had done it on a pan filled with sand as a safety and was able to dump the flaming parrafin into the sand to smother it.
Excellent safety I measure I will certainly use it in my set up which will very likely be used to make my morning tea .👏🌹👏🌹👏
Wow! Just goes to show!
thanks so much for the warning! I just watched the video showing how to build one. I was skeptical as to its effectiveness, but now am on the side of caution!
Thank you for posting this! It is easy to assume something as innocuous as tea light candles would be perfectly safe when in fact there is the danger you site.
That is a good point and furthermore a lot of people resist the truth about the dangers of these devices as they are quaint.
Thank you for the information. I WAS going to make some for my daughter and since I have had no experience with tea candles, I would never have known of the dangers.
Years ago we used to go camping. Put one normal candle in the drain hole of a plant pot. Lit it and put identical plant pot on top. Used this for years and years and not one single problem ever. All I can think is that having multiple flames is the issue. One flame, 2 clay pots worked without any problem and the heat was amazing.
Wouldn't the wax melt down the drain hole?
Heat would be the same if it had no pot over it. Law of thermodynamics
@@girlsdrinkfeck The clay pot heats up and then radiates that heat. So it's amplifying the flame. A candle without that pot would not generate the same level of heat.
Love that you mention the dangers as so many others are saying how people can use a “candle” made from vegetable shortening, lard, etc, while not explaining the dangers. Good job!!!!
Yes you are quite right. People recommend every single type of candle from beeswax to soya wax obviously also having never used it before themselves either...whilst completely ignoring the highly flammable vapour produced.
On top of that ..I get people accusing me of working for an energy company with an agenda to stop free power.
A very good public service announcement - thank you for taking the time to caution and to help others!
Very helpful video. The flash point of paraffin is : 199°C (390.2°F). 1 candle is enough, 2 is dangerous 4 is crazy...
Thank you. I was thinking of making some of these. Our fuel bill has more than doubled from the end of next month. We are going to have to go without heating when ever we can. I'm glad I saw your video. Its back to jumpers and wooly hats for us until the fuel costs go down again or our income improves.
Electric blankets are brilliant. Cost pence to run and really make a difference at night.
Also emergency blankets and they are very cheap
Originally the candle heaters were 3 bricks, a aluminum foil shield and the flower pot set on the bricks. You could remove the flower pot and put a kettle on for cooking. It was for power outage emergencies not decoration.
People need to be sure to use fireplace bricks also.
😊😊😊😊😊😊 decoration
Nancy…Where were the candles placed? on the aluminum?
@@joycepollyanna8414 why fire place bricks ?
@@KennethPerkins I don't know exactly, but I do know that ordinary bricks can't take a lot of heat. In a fireplace, any type of brick, needs to be specialist fire bricks.
Thanks so much for the warning. Now that Britain is facing an energy crisis and there may be power cuts in the winter- a lot of people online are sharing vids promoting these tealight and flower pot heaters. I did a search today to check whether the product is genuine and then noticed your vid on the subject and have alerted others on social media about the dangers.
good man... thanks for taking the trouble..... I used something similar on a very small boat where I quickly found it to be unsuitable after fitting a carbon monoxide detector. 4 tea candles would activate the detector in just under an hour. One must have good ventilation..
Wow, good info. Thankyou 😊
Maybe you had galvanised metal parts on your setup that were off gassing?!
This is really good advice thank you so much. I was just starting to get into using these and I love when some one takes the time to post something like this. I'll bet money you have saved some one's life, maybe even my own, so thank you.
you are welcome
Ha! Me too -- six years later, and Sailing High Seas is saving another life across the Pond! 💗
excuse me, sir.. I don't think those heaters are made for boats..
Boat was on dry standing
🤣
it doesn't know it is on a boat or in your hose
Exactly!
Some people use them in campers & homes, so why not a boat? Obviously, they are not used when the camper or boat are moving! Lol
Great video! You did save lives by posting the PSA!
I am still going to use these but the important info on the bolts and holes is crucial! I was going to set my candles on a floor tiles/ceramic, set the pot on top of flower pot legs of bricks for some clearance. No chain or bolts. I will be checking the maximum size opening I can leave for most of the heat to move toward the top of the pot, not just blow out the side openings.
Almost 7 years from the date of this video, Texas USA had a terrible ice storm that kill many. These type of heaters would have been crucial in savings lives. They could not get heating fuel and the electricity was out. I ALWAYS keep candles on hand and I live in sunny Kalifornia USA. 400 tea lights and forty-eight 7 hour candles. They will be used for heat, not light. I will also use a very small USB fan or corded fan to blow across the top of the pot (or whatever cover I decide on) to help disperse the heat. Mine would be for emergencies only.
What is crucial is not so much the bolts but in fact that you are super heating a series of candles that produce an inflammable vapour. It renders the device deadly...do not use
The whole idea is to concentrate the heat in a smaller area. It can not make more heat than the candles create. If you want to spread the heat around just leave the silly pots off! Safer anyway.
@@richardelliott9511 You want to radiate the heat from the surface of the pots or other material. If not, the heat goes straight up and you will not feel much warmth/heat.
Thank you sir for your words of advice. I been researching building and the use of these heaters and you words may have saved me and my wife
You are welcome. Keep safe.
thank you for the warning
I wonder how effective it is at dealing with the condensation?
Extremely effective
We tested this all ways possible on west coast Canada in winter around Tofino where humidity was 100 percent, boreal forest style . These things work but are EXTREMELY dangerous if tipped over!! We leant that on a rocking boat real quick while it was hanging from ceiling . Best trick to stop condensation is to let your tent become same temp outside by opening tent fly .
You can also boil water with enough tea candles
I'm not sure but I think he said its EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AGAINST CONDENSATION
Yeah - i just do not know either 😜
Thank you! It makes perfect sense now you have explained it. I do a lot of homemade essential oil. beeswax and microcrystalline wax projects and I'm acutely aware of the dangers. I even bought a portable electric hob because heating them on an open flame can result in the heavy vapours outpouring and igniting on a gas hob.
I can see why these heaters are so effective, but I can now see why they are so dangerous thanks to your explanation. Essentially, the candles are heating the heater, and the heater is cooking the candles at the same time. That feedback loop is fine with one candle, but with multiple candles I can see why its quickly going to get into the territory of spontaneous combustion.
🙋♀️ Just was told about these Tea lights and Clay Pots.........
Very glad your UA-cam showed up on my personal UA-cam
A ceramic dish can handle higher temperatures; even higher than borosilicate glass, but I wouldn't know what to do about paraffin vapors. And thank you, sir, for sharing your experience with those of us who would have used these heaters without knowing the risks. Your timely warning may save lives.
Also would be wise to double-check 'extinguished' candles. Older granddaughter had a midnight bath with candles lit, blew them out... Got lucky because it only left a foot long burn mark on the wall by the next morning, about 1/4 inch deep and didn't take the house down! Worst story of 'candlelight baths' I heard was about a plastic shower curtain catching and falling on a lady; she died 2 weeks later from the burns. Reminders that extra caution with candles and flame is not a bad thing!
That's because the smoke is mostly wax, you can actually relight the smoking candle if you put the match or lighter in the smoke trail where it's still thick but not touching the wick, and the flame will travel down the smoke and relight the candle, kind of a fun party trick if you're not dumb about it. She probably had a chunk of material in the wick that acted as an ember and was still burning even though there was no visible flame, a sudden breeze from the opening bathroom door could hit it just right...
Please remember that the wax in candles, whether paraffin or beeswax, is Classified as a SOLID FUEL. It's why candles can burn.
Indeed plus the highly flammable paraffin vapour
@@NorfolkBroadsForum I’ve seen so many videos about how to build these simple heaters and wondered about the safety, regarding carbon monoxide or anything else, so thank you for posting this as it’s the only one I’ve seen with a warning. We are told to expect power outages this winter so I purchased the candles and pots and am smart enough to be careful with open flames but nobody is saying anything about the carbon monoxide issue.
@@lydiahelmick8092 carbon monoxide with candles will be a low worry. As long as you have fresh air coming in as fast as you are burning oxygen. Similar to running say a little buddy propane heater in a air tight 8x8 shed it would probably take a few hrs to set off a monoxide detector. But a simple vent or cracked window will allow fresh air in. With a few candles in a home I wouldn’t worry much about carbon monoxide. But crack a window here there. As for these terra heaters wax is flammable the heat is to contained it can flash but if you vent out the pots to be safer then it won’t be containing the heat making it not much more of a heat source then simply burning a candle or two.
Thank you so much for alerting us of the danger in using these terra cotta pots. Any alternatives? We have a pretty big house and fear gas prices this coming winter. Thank you.
I have heard beeswax candles are supposed to be a safe alternative.
I appreciate your warning. I was worried about just that type of thing happening, so I will explore other options for emergency heat! Thank you!
I used paraffin wax as a fuel to get a barbecue grill going about 20 years ago, that was the first and last time! The neighbors sure got a good show!
I missed the show🙂
Thank you. Thank you for taking the time to inform us of your experience with this diy heater. It was very informative!
You are welcome, keep safe.
Oh! Wow! THANK You!! I've been seeing all of the recent videos with 4 tea candles!
At the very least you need to provide ventilation in the upper pot; the movement of air drawn out that hole keeps the inner pot from overheating as well. Drilling terracotta is fairly easy. It will lessen the danger considerably. Plugging the hole does make the outer pot get a lot hotter but as you have found out (and inexplicably not changed or addressed), it makes it much more dangerous.
His whole setup is wrong it shouldn’t be dangerous at all
I use one safely in an outbuilding but I put in no more than 3 candles, well apart. I make vegetable oil candles. I keep the heater on the floor in a large clay saucer. I'm very pleased with it.
Thank you
Timely , tried and tested advice . Excellent detail and I sincerely hope your piece gets noticed as the DIY tips on making this type of heater are endless. Thanks again as I was also unaware about the candle spacing . It seems advisable to let the heater you have made undergo several test runs prior to use in a boat , tent , or enclosed space . I assume you also should use a carbon monoxide alarm . With the cost of energy spiralling many will be trying this idea.
It is important to share this information as like you say people are looking for solutions now and are quite understandably absorbed by the appeal of these novelty heaters.
ua-cam.com/video/LIxqHdYxhrc/v-deo.html
Great point stating " Test " We do not know what the off gassing will be from the Terra cota pots and the heat from the Candles as well in enclosed areas. Remember that people. You Could be killing one self while trying to stay heated with these devices?
Thank you. I just learned about these heating devices and have been curious about the risks of using them before making some. I appreciate you helping others to avoid the same misfortune with them.
They are death traps
Great video. Thanks for advice of 1 or 2 candles to reduce chances of fire. I may not burn my small camper down now, thanks! :D
Someone further up the comments only used 1-2 tea lights, and had the flash fire!!
Just sounds like an accident waiting to happen!
Oh my God. Thank God you are ok. You can't dump water on a wax flash fire either. I did that when I was a kid and it went up like gas. Thank you very much for the video. God bless you and yours.
Did that too....18 years old and i'd done fire saftey training so really should have known better....never put water on a candle fire... and it's alot easier for melted wax to ignite than people realise...thank God my fire was contained in a big metal bucket and i had a metal tray to put on top and was able to suffocate it but the flames shot up and hit the ceiling so fast i'm surprised i managed to keep it together enough to put the tray on it and not panic and run out the door because that's what gut tells you in that situation...get away.
Any time you have candles burning, you should be keeping an eye on them and take safety precautions, just as with any fire.
Good job making this video. It is crazy how many people just follow internet trends and dont investigate risks of fire or electricity.
Excellent information and great teaching style. I truly appreciate your sharing this incredibly important warning.
Wish I'd seen this video sooner. Couple months back we had ours catch fire and set the living room on fire. I'd gone to lay down/get off my feet for a few and I left my husband who suffers from moderate dementia watching TV... next thing I hear him hollering at the dogs to be quiet. I sat up in bed and saw a 3 foot flame, I managed to put the fire out by suffocating it with a blanket, while he had gone to the kitchen to fill a pitcher with water... by the time he would have gotten back with that water we'd all be goners! I learnt my lesson... there's no time for quick naps. Using the pots in my garden now!!!
Glad you are safe
Never pour water on a wax fire its like pouring water on a grease fire
Thanks so very much for taking the time to do this video. There appears to be a few videos around showing how to make one of these candle heating devices which looks fairly simple to make -- but -- youve terrificly explained the fact the conditions create a very dangerous situation! You wouldnt want children or even unaware adults setting up variations of this burner light heating thingy. Thanks for the valuable lesson on this hope you get many many many views on it :)
"..... burner light heating thingy..."?
I thought I was the only one who talked like that.
Or pets. They can be rambunctious or too curious at times.
Thank you for your intention to help someone else who may not know better. Shame on those who would arrogantly criticise you for that. They behave like the trolls they are.
Very true.
Sailing High Seas I appreciate your video and now will not do this. Thank you so much.
Thank you for this video..Many will be constructing these heaters this year because of what happened in Texas last year with the power going out, folks froze to death. Much like installing a woodstove, these terra-cotta pot heaters need protocols for their construction and usage.
So glad this video popped up. I was going to make one of these heaters but will give it a miss. Many thanks and given that a great many people will no doubt be making these plant-pot heaters I'm surprised the fire brigade haven't launched some sort of health and safety campaign warning people of the potential dangers.
Thankyou for a valuable word on safety, so glad that you caught that and lived through the experience!!
You are welcome
One should never leave any candle unintended or burning while asleep. So still can ne use if you practice safety and stay awake and in the room.
+Star Dust exactly
+Star Dust Yeah, right on. These types of heaters (or any open flame) should never be left alone.
+Star Dust I never leave any candle unintended, they are all intentional :)
in the rude attitude towards what was probably auto correct ERROR in past apps that correct words after hitting send, it is an individual choice you make when you choose to be rude, mean, or bully someone. As specially when you failed to stop and think how the situation may have come to pass without any fault or error to the person or persons to whom which yoy are picking on.
it was funny ... and I saw no intended harm. Some people have no sense of humour at all.....
Why not use a "hurricane" lamp with paraffin oil? Works fine on my boat, good heat and contained within my metal and glass, wicked lamp.
You have to have at least 1 window open for ventilation with those though.
There just doesn't seem to be anything really, that is both safe AND you don't have to open windows!
Appreciate the warning. I too have had paraffin catch fire when I was using an incense burner. I had forgotten about that. Thank you.
Thanks for the knowledge my friend.
You bet
thank you ! just took 2 tea lights out of it ! left only one !
Really accurate warning. Maybe use the other method:
A muffin/yorkshire/cupcake baking tin tray (the deeper one, about €15) and put only one candle in each cup. Then cover with small terracotta pots, leaving lots of room for air. The pots without holes may be better so no need for an empty candle cover. A good comment here was if on a boat to leave them in a sink.
I don't use little candles. I use oil based candles. They are small enough and works longer then little candles. Plus i feel they are safer. Just what i use
True little oil candles in bottles can be handled safely tea lights are just a bit dangerous in themselves.
Thanks for the warning.
You are welcome 😁
Interesting, i would never have thought about that.. thanks for sharing.
It's really just this design of candle heater. Most heaters don't have the bolt travelling through the base the candles are sitting on. That means the wax wouldn't make contact with the bolt and therefore risk is reduced. Of course whenever we are dealing with large amounts of heat and naked flames there's a risk but most candle heaters couldn't be described as extremely dangerous.
+Kris Curtis They are extremely dangerous.
+High Seas - Living On A Boat Vlog if you truly believe that then you'd be a fool to continue using it.
+Kris Curtis .....Hi Kris, please read the US Gov recalls on Tea Lights! Also, have you seen how you can blow out a tea light and then light the smoke on fire with a match/flame? In other words, the vapors are flammable, so using them in a set-up made to increase the heat is asking for trouble!
+PleaseCiteYourSources not sure what you're making tea lights out of in the US but if this was the case in Europe they wouldn't be legal. I use tea lights a lot and have never experienced such vapor situations. But I will say again, if you believe it is dangerous, don't do it.
Kris Curtis ...Regarding the EU, I saw this recently (video by an EU fire department). Dangers of Tea Lights & Candles.wmv
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service WSFRS (youtube channel) They can start fires under at least 3 circumstances, but they only explain 1.
Thank you very much for making this. You may have saved my family's life. Can't thank you enough.
+Code 9 You are welcome. Glad you're safe.
In all the videos I have ever seen posted on UA-cam of the diy candle heaters, I don't recall ever seeing a single one going on about the things being the cause of a fire or even suggesting they are a bomb waiting to be ignited. If you try hard enough, anything can be dangerous, but to suggest these are a tremendous fire hazard is pretty lame, especially if your the only one who has had this problem in the past. I have made dozens of various designs of this project and never had any difficulties with any of them like what you mention. I frequently use as many as 4-5 Dollar Tree candles in glass with them and not problems ever noted. I don't care for the tea-candles, as they do melt badly and leak over the sides. A small coating or bed of sand would likely cut down on what you experienced with any fire problem from the melted wax. I have even used the large gutter spikes to fit down into predrilled holes at the top to increase the area where heat can be transmitted in these pots. I just gave away a heater today that has essentially the very same design as your's. The candles sit in a grooved area of the base plate, so the wax, even if melted and running over, is not likely to travel onto the metal rod and cause the issue you described.I just done see that you really have enough statistics of others who had the same issue as you describe in order to claim this is a very dangerous item. Any heater with an open candle flame should never be left unattended to begin with. I've accidentally let a kerosene heater run out of fuel and had the resulting smoke ending up in my lungs, on my walls and in my nose. I was blowing black snot for a week after that experience, but even so I feel much safer with the candle heater than a kerosene stove when it comes to being a real danger.Over embellishing the risk is a Chicken Little concept.
+a1930ford it seems like maybe you sniffed too much kerosone or other products? Regardless, you know just enough to be dangerous. Keep tinkering and no doubt you'll finally have enough experience to report on your own disaster in the near future.
There's a few keywords you use but the most relevant being ( Never leave unattended) ...
I'm 66 at the weekend and as a kid in UK they used kerosine heaters.. some serious disaster's with those things... And I'm avoiding the clothes put too close to dry.. clothes in that time had no fire proofing, they would self combust... And often enough with the kids still wearing them... Night dresses.. P.Js and such....coal being the worst...but that said...
Very good information... Excellent stuff ... Thanks...
Thom in Scotland.
I made a version of these. My daughter put too many tea lights in it and started a fire. My advise: don’t put too many tea lights in it and I widened the gap from base to top. Also, my pots came with a couple holes on the bottom already so that’s why I widened the gap. Airflow IS important!
As long as you use a flammable vapourising candle then people are in danger
Is there a better type of candle to use?
Come winter I am going to try one in my living room where I stay all the time. Sure will save on propane if it is that good. and since it wont be hung maybe there wont be to much danger in the flash fire. I know you are trying to save lives and so many of these people think they are so much smarter than you. I just saw a vid of one set on top of a cupcake pan and set on table where there is nothing in the way of it. Thank you for trying to help .
The candles will produce more water vapor and unlike a ventilated propane heater, it will be trapped in the room.
Per calorie of heat, candles will cost more than the propane.
The simple answer is to ventilate the room as it cools down overnight and let the water vapor out.
Condensation is probably the most misunderstood subject on the planet.
HELLO, thank you very much for the warning, I was going to use this design for my shed that suffers very much from condensation.Well I think I shall sooner suffer with damp than a fire ball, thank you again very much for the video.
regards Colin UK.
Thanks for the good info. You have probably saved someone from a fire accident. Well done!!
Thank you for the good information. I also had the problem the wax spilling all over and coming down the bottom bolt I was lucky it didn't ignite
Thank you for the warning. Most sites recommend using no more than 3 tea lights or 1 larger candle in glass.
Thank you for this video. I was about to go to purchase all of those supplies today based on all the other videos I’ve seen. I’m very glad that you made it out of that situation and that you and your boat we’re fine. Thanks again for telling this story
Simple is best. If we don’t have heat this winter, I have clay pots and the saucers that match and plenty of tea lights and only plan to use one tea light per pot and rest the whole thing on a baking sheet of sand which I intend to set on top of bricks. My worry is if I need to be concerned with carbon monoxide. Anyone know?
@@lydiahelmick8092 Buy a cheap carbon monoxide detector. A couple of the videos recommend this, they also recommend only using one tea light per pot as well, probably for this reason. Unfortunately there are more and more recommending you you 3/4/5 tea lights under pots and they don't warn you to take precautions.
Thankyou for this video! Great advice! You don't have to make them with the nuts and bolts and metal parts. Maybe the ones other videos show you how to make, don't all use the metal element or hang them. They stand them up blocks and also have a tray underneath. Not leaving them unattended is a great tip. Thanks
It is the highly flammable paraffin vapour that you must be aware of.
I'm so glad you made this video! I have a tiny house and considered the flower pot heater, although living in Florida I don't need it often. Even the hint of danger takes it off my list. Thank you so much! Fair sailing to you, cheers!
Thanks for the update. I have tea lites ready to go with a metal can for cooking over in an emergency.
Thank you I was always afraid of the fragility of the pot. I saw these years ago. Pretty but scared to use it.
Thank you!
Thank you for the warning about this! I certainly wouldn't leave it unattended, and I don't like the idea of using the small quick burning tea-lights!? I would rather use a bigger candle?
They say one tea light will burn for a couple hours.
Thank you so much...this is a life savior advise ...Do you have any experience to make heaters with home made oil candles ? In my country and mostly at villages, people use to make candles with the oil left from frying foods and 3 more simple things ...
Thank you for this video, we had this happen to us last night. This could save lives.
Close call...glad you are okay.
You have probably just saved my house from burning down. Thank you very much indeed!
You are welcome. Stay safe.
Sad when people only say negative things when you are kind enough to share your experience. I'm sure your video has probably save a few lives. Thanks for being humble and kind enough to warn others.
That was real good of you to inform us all. Thank you!
Thank you for the warning! I'm so glad you are ok
I use my double hanger in the workshop this winter. I only use 1 tealight per heater and they work incredibly well. Don't ever leave one unattended because he's right: these things will flash into flame if the parrafin gets hot enough. In restaurants our deep fryers have two separate switches - one for the cook to turn it on and adjust the temp. The second is hooked to the thermostat and when the fryer oil reaches a certain temp the fryer shuts down and can't restart till the oil cools, hopefully avoiding a flash-flare fire. This is the same principal. Be careful.
Thanks for the warning...i was thinking of using this as emergency heat in the event of a power out...i will try to find a better alternative thanks to your warning...God bless you
Thank you for this valuable information. I wanted to place one inside of my 20 x 20 foot green house .....I was thinking on the floor ...normal candles ..the vapor won't ignite like paraffin ones.
How can you tell what your candles are made of? Most are paraffin wax so be careful.
@@NorfolkBroadsForum I use soy ....I like natural things! They actually say soy on the candles - but keep in mind ...they are not cheap!