WARNING OF FLOWER POT CANDLE HEATERS FLASHPOINTS! - (Saving Lives & Saving You Money)

[@josephkeeney4789]

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.

[@jude7321]

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 💚 ✝️

[@FriendOfChrist]

@@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.

[@biancacox8630]

Exactly ...they have to have air so they don’t explode

[@callonthenameofjesus1459]

@@FriendOfChrist thank you 🙏🏻

[@sbyogamix8579]

@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

[@22kpar1xcyberdyne9]

fire=always a danger. never go to sleep with any flames going. Even candles.

[@4xedry]

never let a fire unwatched . . . every kid should know this

[@STho205]

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

[@ohmyjesus89]

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.

[@STho205]

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.

[@ravenbloodommo]

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.

[@MayYourGodGoWithYou]

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.

[@4seeableTV]

@@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.

[@mo9620]

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 !!

[@nerblebun]

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.

[@blakeholder1017]

So what you're saying is it was extremely effective at it? 🤣

[@jslevenson101]

Such a simple powerful solution Be mindful.

[@acepilot3920]

you probably used a proper wax candle, as apposed to a commercial destructive candle light.

[@WinyanStaz1]

thats a very good idea...

[@The-Spotlight-Kid]

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!

[@longrider42]

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.

[@4TIMESAYEAR]

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.

[@DarkR0ze]

@@4TIMESAYEAR borosilicate glass

[@totallyfrozen]

Oh look, a guy who has all the answers. Where’s you video demonstrating this?

[@Nga_Babaye]

containing the parafin by a type of glass is a good idea, but it still has the potential to catch fire.

[@gaiachavez3276]

The glass might break because of the high heat temperature

[@ruzziasht349]

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!!!

[@funkyboodah]

+videobuoy buoy uhh that's the whole point of the clay pot candle heater... to block the tops so that it gets super hot

[@wendygoerl9162]

+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.

[@canudropit2]

+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.

[@sondracee8989]

videobuoy buoy sailing high didn't do anything wrong there's a lot of other videos on KZbin showing exactly how to make it exactly this way

[@ruzziasht349]

The clue is in the title "warning risk of death"

[@x4dd]

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.

[@kathar2255]

Wouldn't the wax melt down the drain hole?

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

Heat would be the same if it had no pot over it. Law of thermodynamics

[@4seeableTV]

@@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.

[@lisaharmon5619]

Please remember that the wax in candles, whether paraffin or beeswax, is Classified as a SOLID FUEL. It's why candles can burn.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

Indeed plus the highly flammable paraffin vapour

[@lydiahelmick8092]

@@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.

[@Tattooper]

@@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.

[@williammartin1001]

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.

[@firesign4297]

😊👍👍

[@dm5129]

Good idea

[@quemotiger1]

Use a muffin pan

[@constitutionalrepublic1966]

How well does it heat up a room.

[@brianferrell4566]

@@constitutionalrepublic1966 It does a decent job. I use a larger pot and more tea lights. Sets on table, not hanging from the ceiling.

[@blueeyedpomeraniandell1735]

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...

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

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

[@TheConspirateWarrior]

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...

[@hazztv6317]

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.

[@ivofortes823]

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.

[@DROPTHEGRID]

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.

[@nancyjanzen5676]

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.

[@joycepollyanna8414]

People need to be sure to use fireplace bricks also.

[@apologistasdelevangelio4945]

😊😊😊😊😊😊 decoration

[@selahdiamond4465]

Nancy…Where were the candles placed? on the aluminum?

[@KennethPerkins]

@@joycepollyanna8414 why fire place bricks ?

[@Mortthemoose]

@@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.

[@fooddude8739]

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.

[@cuddlesxyz]

Omg i was gonna buy those same kettle warmers thanks for warning me!!

[@wmluna381]

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.

[@SkyKing101010]

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.

[@beckyg9831]

thanks for this thoughtful reply! It is annoying to see so many of the rude comments, and yours was very nice.

[@pureounce.9184]

I wonder how effective it is at dealing with the condensation?

[@rufusmc3259]

Extremely effective

[@givemetruth4988]

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 .

[@givemetruth4988]

You can also boil water with enough tea candles

[@trapgod9690]

I'm not sure but I think he said its EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AGAINST CONDENSATION

[@sevencostanza1868]

Yeah - i just do not know either 😜

[@texasmoores476]

Whoa, sir!! I'm so glad you (and your boat) survived. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@mauriciohernandez6678]

Hey bud, I hope you're coping well with this Texas's winter storms and outages. Stay safe.

[@phyllisweaver8911]

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!!!!!🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@gingerblack4528]

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!

[@jojo270003]

excuse me, sir.. I don't think those heaters are made for boats..

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

Boat was on dry standing

[@firesign4297]

🤣

[@survivortechharold6575]

it doesn't know it is on a boat or in your hose

[@rollthedice54]

Exactly!

[@goldierule1350]

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

[@wildabezet860]

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.

[@cosmiccheetah6906]

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.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

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.

[@soxxy8588]

Very helpful video. The flash point of paraffin is : 199°C (390.2°F). 1 candle is enough, 2 is dangerous 4 is crazy...

[@Mortthemoose]

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!

[@nw7696]

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!

[@1985Mark-o7w]

I missed the show🙂

[@MichiganHiker]

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.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

That is a good point and furthermore a lot of people resist the truth about the dangers of these devices as they are quaint.

[@zetaprice7903]

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.

[@PRINCESSDREAMYLYN]

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.

[@garycwikla6385]

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.

[@hili467]

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.

[@sandramaher4243]

Excellent safety I measure I will certainly use it in my set up which will very likely be used to make my morning tea .👏🌹👏🌹👏

[@Mortthemoose]

Wow! Just goes to show!

[@dee4174]

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.

[@user-fb3pu3qx3t]

Electric blankets are brilliant. Cost pence to run and really make a difference at night.

[@mariaherradi8732]

Also emergency blankets and they are very cheap

[@tauheedahmuhammad1507]

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!!!!

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

You are welcome, keep safe.

[@2lorishep]

Has anyone tested out the Crisco shortening version for safety yet? That's a huge trend right now. I know of many who are making these. I mean from reading this, I wonder if the shortening one would have potential to cause a grease fire???

[@JadedWings1]

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!

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

As long as you use a flammable vapourising candle then people are in danger

[@robertstalets1124]

Is there a better type of candle to use?

[@shekinahannora]

Any time you have candles burning, you should be keeping an eye on them and take safety precautions, just as with any fire.

[@DustyFae]

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.

[@nickycoley1]

+Star Dust exactly

[@TerryGascay]

+Star Dust Yeah, right on. These types of heaters (or any open flame) should never be left alone.

[@alakro1356]

+Star Dust I never leave any candle unintended, they are all intentional :)

[@mrprimenumbers6448]

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.

[@13bing]

it was funny ... and I saw no intended harm. Some people have no sense of humour at all.....

[@pinksouthern-girl65]

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!!!

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

Glad you are safe

[@63mudpuppy]

Never pour water on a wax fire its like pouring water on a grease fire

[@DBRGB]

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!!!!

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

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.

[@gladysclausing8785]

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.

[@teresahappe9458]

I have heard beeswax candles are supposed to be a safe alternative.

[@Curkri]

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.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

+Kris Curtis They are extremely dangerous.

[@Curkri]

+High Seas - Living On A Boat Vlog if you truly believe that then you'd be a fool to continue using it.

[@Well_possibly]

+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!

[@Curkri]

+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.

[@Well_possibly]

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.

[@elainekain]

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!

[@musicXisXforever44]

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...

[@TheTurtlee1]

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.

[@Mortthemoose]

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!

[@individuationportal]

this happened to me once when I got greedy and put 5 tealights in mine... thankfully I contained the fire with a lot of water, but it set off the fire alarm and gave my roommates a heart attack

[@stevenmark8156]

You are extremely fortunate! Never, ever, put paraffin, or any oil fire, out with water!! It will usually make it flare up even worse! That is beyond dangerous!!

[@neelubird]

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.

[@kekoa1843]

A very good public service announcement - thank you for taking the time to caution and to help others!

[@ovelizondo7231]

thank you for this video! You proved my suspicions correct! That they work very well, but should not for any circumstances be left unattended! 👌

[@Immy.Jackson]

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.

[@AereForst]

Perhaps elevating the pot away from the candles will allow heating but also heat dissipation from underneath. This way the fuel will not get hot enough to ignite. I don’t recommend tea lights for this reason. Too easy for the liquid fuel to spill. Better to use homemade Crisco (vegetable shortening, for those outside the USA) candles in mason jars. Since Crisco has a smoke point of 360-410F there is no risk. The smoke point is below the flash point when it will actually catch fire. Still, play it safe and allow sufficient height for heat dissipation from below.

[@davidh.8513]

Thanks for the warning.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

You are welcome 😁

[@Traveller32sloop]

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..

[@hazztv6317]

Wow, good info. Thankyou 😊

[@03056932]

Maybe you had galvanised metal parts on your setup that were off gassing?!

[@sazji]

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.

[@ConservativeJuggaloPodcast]

His whole setup is wrong it shouldn’t be dangerous at all

[@marshahall3059]

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.

[@samieparadise9316]

Thank you

[@roxyie1122]

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!

[@rachellewalters8111]

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?

[@lydiahelmick8092]

They say one tea light will burn for a couple hours.

[@lindaashbrook6789]

Thank you for the warning. Most sites recommend using no more than 3 tea lights or 1 larger candle in glass.

[@pattifeit4354]

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.

[@halrhosfeld7529]

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

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

You are welcome. Keep safe.

[@PaulPacheco]

The moral of the entire story: DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED. DO NOT USE OPEN FLAME ON A BOAT. That is all. Common sense prevails.

[@neilhewson5392]

If you'd have just said that at the beginning, you would have saved a lot of hand bags & bickering!

[@theresalogsdon765]

His heater is a bit different that most heaters like that. This had a rod all the way through to the bottom. Yes they can be dangerous. I have never seen one hanging like this most are on the floor on a paver with bricks on the paver, with the pot on the bricks and a entryway to slide in the tray with the candle. They are safe if used properly. Thanks for Sharing

[@thomascornelius510]

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.

[@samlikesfruit]

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.

[@abrandy36]

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

[@DROPTHEGRID]

True little oil candles in bottles can be handled safely tea lights are just a bit dangerous in themselves.

[@Lacombe57]

Seems more like a design flaw in that particular design of lamp.

[@RealWolfmanDan]

Sounds like user error to me

[@kim_yong_un]

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.

[@AmbrosiaDreamWeaver]

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.

[@offason]

iPoop A candle in a tent? People are mad! Tents are flammable

[@neilhewson5392]

No naked flame is completely safe. This is common sense!

[@lrowlands53]

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.

[@vantastic9367]

@@lrowlands53 A tea candle does not produce enough carbon monoxide to "asphyxiate" on, dim-bulb.

[@StealthyNomadica]

Another consideration is that the tea lights that are in clear plastic are terrible! The plastic will catch fire if the wick and flame float close to the edge.

[@_TheDudeAbides_]

Good job making this video. It is crazy how many people just follow internet trends and dont investigate risks of fire or electricity.

[@GreenGoddess1966]

What if you use bees wax or soy candles; are they still as potentially dangerous?

[@PETERJOHN101]

Your use of a second clay pot is creating insulation which traps most of the thermal output and that is why your candle plate is overheating. The objective is to release heat as opposed to storing it inside the area above the flame, as there is no benefit in doing so. Use only one pot. Second, switch to the proper fuel, i.e., a Crisco-equivalent shortening due to its resistance to both flashing and smoking. Place the oil in small tempered glass jars and wick them yourself. Using wax candles in a clay pot heater is like throwing bullets into a fireplace. Don't do that. I have designed a one-pot system that I hope to test soon and I will be shooting for 205 C/400 F on the (one) outer wall as this will effectively warm a 125 square foot room. If your purpose is not to generate heat but rather to deal with window condensation, a clay pot furnace may not be your best option. Good luck.

[@winstonsmiths2449]

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.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

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

[@richardelliott9511]

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.

[@winstonsmiths2449]

@@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.

[@sofializzy4519]

Appreciate the warning. I too have had paraffin catch fire when I was using an incense burner. I had forgotten about that. Thank you.

[@jackiegfeller]

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!

[@ralphlopez4046]

If paraffin vapors can ignite then it is inherently dangerous regardless of the design. Thank you for your warning.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

+Ralph That is completely true.

[@rachelsullivan2926]

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.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

They are death traps

[@lorifarrell5705]

thank you ! just took 2 tea lights out of it ! left only one !

[@Kodikat2]

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

[@tatonkatatonka]

🙋‍♀️ Just was told about these Tea lights and Clay Pots......... Very glad your KZbin showed up on my personal KZbin

[@Cetok01]

Do you think leaving more of a gap between the pot and plate would allow more dissipation of the volatile fumes? Or using a smaller pot so as to accumulate fewer fumes?

[@ronnetteharvey2002]

Thank you I was always afraid of the fragility of the pot. I saw these years ago. Pretty but scared to use it.

[@klaraantal6738]

Thank you!

[@thekingofwaffles8403]

We made several of these in Iraq. Nothing happened to us. Unless you're talking about being lit up like a Xmas tree for the chopper pilot's targeting scopes.

[@RaithUK]

Interesting, i would never have thought about that.. thanks for sharing.

[@nopretribrapture2318]

Thankyou so very much.ive been in an indoor fire ,so i know what its like.only just survived the smoke inhalation when the fire crew gave me oxygen mask outside as i was lying down exhausted on the grass.i did manage to put out the fire using mine and my baby sons duvet.thankfully that night he was with a friend.as a baby he would notve survived that night.

[@cruisemastercharlie2092]

Thanks for the good info. You have probably saved someone from a fire accident. Well done!!

[@a1930ford]

In all the videos I have ever seen posted on KZbin 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.

[@keithinatlanta]

+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.

[@Scriptorsilentum]

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.

[@gmc9451]

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.

[@erdwinjc]

Thanks for the knowledge my friend.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

You bet

[@julesthebed]

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.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

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. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnrbonuajt2bqMU

[@stargazer3212]

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?

[@cellinimedusa4679]

You have probably just saved my house from burning down. Thank you very much indeed!

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

You are welcome. Stay safe.

[@VickieShepherd]

The video I saw had the lights placed in a muffin tin so each tea light was enclosed in a metal container and also had a metal pan under it to absorb the heat of the muffin tin.

[@gingercox6468]

Thanks for the update. I have tea lites ready to go with a metal can for cooking over in an emergency.

[@fuelban]

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.

[@jakehollendale8373]

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.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

you are welcome

[@sueture]

Ha! Me too -- six years later, and Sailing High Seas is saving another life across the Pond! 💗

[@christinevitanovitz1616]

thank you for the warning

[@nangray56]

Oh! Wow! THANK You!! I've been seeing all of the recent videos with 4 tea candles!

[@gonzowarburn7045]

Good video. But I'd like to remind everyone that EVERY source of heat can be dangerous.

[@jasondauenbaugh9060]

I was gonna make a few of these style heaters but after seeing what happened i think that idea is going in the trash can.

[@wendygoerl9162]

So let's see. . . ALL candle-pot heaters are dangerous because the SPECIFIC one you're using has a bolt running through the base?

[@loot6]

Yeah I think the title should be tea candle heaters are dangerous ON BOATS.

[@jan_vyhnak]

are there any safe ones? with safe distance of candles?

[@jduff59]

I like the style just using 1 candle and a couple of bricks under the pot. It's lo-tech, but a half-decent emergency heater if power goes out. It's amazing how well these work, but like any fire, leaving it unattended is just a bit irresponsible.

[@cinderellie8]

What he said was All candle-pot heaters are dangerous because of the levels of concentrated heat. The bolts get especially hot

[@KatarinaS.]

@@jduff59 so in this setup is a terracotta pot used on top or are the tealights left in the open? Do you literally just set a tralight atop a couple of bricks and that's it? Will this actually produce enough heat to slightly warm a room?

[@yokohamamike1041]

Thankyou for a valuable word on safety, so glad that you caught that and lived through the experience!!

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

You are welcome

[@gangstalkedti4458]

Thank you. Thank you for taking the time to inform us of your experience with this diy heater. It was very informative!

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

You are welcome, keep safe.

[@Coopdog1911]

I believe that it ignited because of your setup sir. We elevate the pot up on a couple of bricks or cans of soup, leaving the actual candles much cooler, while still retaining the baking hot pots above. The bolt running down to the bottom of the pot where you have the candles should be about 4 inches longer, so the space between the candles and the pot would be 4-5 inches, then that design would be much safer.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

The danger is due to the paraffin vapour that it is produced.

[@NorfolkBroadsForum]

And the paraffin candles are regarded as being rather toxic.

[@chezpostmanpat]

Whilst I have to agree that *anything* with an open flame could, and can, get dangerous and should be treated with lots of respect, I do feel that this video borders on scaremongering - wrong term but cant think of anything better right now - but any warning is much appreciated, however *if* these types of heater are used with common sense and respect then there should never be a problem That said, looking at your particular design, to me there are several issues that could easily be addressed to make it a lot safer than it is. You have already mentioned that too many tea lights creates a lot more heat, and using one will certainly help lower the risks The “traditional” land based design has the tealights sitting on a non-combustible surface, with the flower pot raised on bricks to create a suitable airflow where the heat will exit through the drainage hole in the “top” of the upturned flower - this means the pot will still radiate heat, but should never get too hot. Your design has the lower tray very close to the upturned flower pot and therefore due to the fact that you have effectively blocked the airflow by using the central threaded rod, means that all the heat generated has nowhere to go except back downwards - and with the tealights being so close I would think it inevitable that the heat will help to soften the wax, even to the point of melting it quicker than if the candles were left to burn naturally. As surmised, the melted wax is causing you issues, but if you were to increase the distance between the tealigts and the pot, you would have better airflow, the pot will still be heated but any “excess” heat will not accelerate the melting of the candles when in use. SInce this should prevent melting, you therefore also reduce the risks of there being a flash fire from the wax fumes as well as preventing it from escaping the pots and flowing around the tray and possibly down the threaded bar as well. Talking of the threaded bar, you need to find an effective way of sealing where it holds the tray to prevent molten wax from draining down along the bar - this would also help to prevent issues should the worse happen and the wax in the tray catches fire. Perhaps you can use a solid based tray that hang from chains off the top chain? And lastly, not obvious to me from your video, but the location of your hook I think could be improved - the hanging “heater’ seems too close to the side walls and so in rough weather I would assume that it could bump the side walls at times? If so, then this would be another cause for concern as any molten wax could easily be splashed around nice video, and a nice warning, if only to be sensible when using such heaters but think you need to re-evaluate your design asap and hope my comments help you out