Burnx Time: Candles | Mixed Wax | Rectangular candles
Candle Burn Time Calculator
Calculate, how long a candle with a certain size or weight can burn or how long it takes to burn down a certain length. A cylinder shape is assumed for the candle. The candle has to burn down completely without draining. For candles which burn down in the middle and leave a rim of wax behind, this calculation doesn't work. The wick has to be cut to a normal length if it doesn't burn down itself, because a longer wick burns more wax. Most candles are made of paraffin wax.
The weight is calculated from length, diameter and type of wax or can be entered directly. The length is either the candle height of the length of the part that should burn down. The diameter is that of the base of the cylindric candle. For candles with other shapes, the weight has to be entered. The calculated approximate burn time is a good estimation, how long a candle burns at most. It is an ideal value, not an exact one. In reality, the burn time mostly is shorter. Wind, additives in the wax, wick length and other factors can influence the burn time.
Commercially available candles are mostly made of one of three different types of wax:
Paraffin wax, made from mineral oil, is the cheapest of the three, a bit lighter and burns down the fastest. When the type of wax isn't labeled, it is probably made of paraffin wax.
Stearin is made from vegetable or animal fat, these days mostly from palm oil, for which rainforests are cut down. Therefore, stearin candles should be labeled RSPO for sustainable palm oil. Stearin is more stable and is sooting less than paraffin wax, it burns longer and is a bit more expensive.
Beeswax is a natural wax and the original candle wax. It has a yellow color, burns about half as quickly compared to paraffin wax and smells pleasant. If it considerably more expensive and therefore rarer used for candles.
| The calculation is done with these values: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Density | Burn velocity | |
| Paraffin wax | 0.90 g/cm³ | 7.5 g/h |
| Stearin | 0.93 g/cm³ | 6.5 g/h |
| Beeswax | 0.95 g/cm³ | 4.0 g/h |
Here you can convert length units like inches.
Here you can convert weight units like ounces.