candles for light - question
 

Can anyone here recommend some low-cost candles that are good for solely providing light?
I'm looking to purchase some in bulk, for a SHTF type of situation, maybe the power going out for a while.

I've tried a bunch of sites online, but the quality ranges from fancy to crap, most sites do not have candles made solely for light, like the old days. They are mostly geared towards scents/decorations. figured this is probably the best site to post this question on.

Also - what would you recommend I mount the candles on? Should I worry about excess wax dripping? Are they generally kept on overnight?

Re: candles for light - question
 

emergency essentials has liquid candles that are for emergency lighting. I found them here http://beprepared.com/category.asp?c...cd2=1230329617

Re: candles for light - question
 

dont buy bulk candles untill you have tried a few many of the dollar store specials have incorrect wick sizes which will burn down to quick due to
dripping most of your taper candles will work just fine for light just test them first you should get 7 to 8 hours out of a decent normal sized candle (10 to 12
inches) providing you dont have to many drafts causing dripping.

Re: candles for light - question
 

how much do you want to pay for some decent beeswax light candles?

Re: candles for light - question
 

You can buy those tea candles in a little metal holders by the 100 count bag at Target. I have a little lantern made for them and you can get couple hours out of each candle...better than sitting in the dark.

I pick up bigger candles at thrift stores, garages sales, and places like Marshal's when on clearance.

Re: candles for light - question
 

We know the real reason you look there is that you look for the lavender and rose pedal scents!:wink:

Re: candles for light - question
 

Here is a 120 hour candle:

http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-...n-Glass/Detail

Re: candles for light - question
 

You can tell us what you really like, I'm guessing you are a peach and gardenia kind of man.:biggrin:

Seriously, I find high quality candles (sometimes beeswax)...mostly unscented, but I'll buy some of the scented if they cedar or some other wood type scent if they are cheap enough. Right after the holidays Marshal's puts candle on clearance...(I went and pulled some out so I could give you an accurate description and price...aren't I nice?) last year I picked up several packages of Made in Germany "Rustic Columns" candles...these are 1 1/2" diameter x 12", that burn 3 hours per inch...$3 per package of 2 (unscented), Chesapeake Bay candles set of eight 10" tapers (hand poured and cedar scent)...$2, and a bunch of others that I'm not going to go look for...but equally good deals.

Re: candles for light - question
 

mmm...candles... i love em

at home we burn scented candles, i personally prefer the honey vanilla ones...they aren't overpowering....

in a longterm shtf scenario you will relearn to live your life by the weather seasons and daylight hours...if it gets dark, well just go to bed...trust me, you'll be tired...

but candles for backup lighting...i just buy anything thats on sale and don't worry too much about it...i probably have enough candles to last a couple years with common sense usage...no wasting them...

as far as what to put them in...well we have several candlestick holders around the place but philosophically a person needs to ask themselves how do you want to live ?

who are you ? do you like the ceramic candlestick holders with a cheap paintjob on them or the regular glass ones...

or do you prefer a step up to the Mikasa cut crystal candlestick holders...

or perhaps a brass metal or silverplated candlestick holder...

or, if you are like i am, would you prefer to use antique sterling silver candlestick holders...yeah baby...

so who are you ?

http://shop.ebay.com/items/?_nkw=ste...lver&_osacat=0

Re: candles for light - question
 

I distrust dollar-store candles. Even though they are just wax and string, I'm sure the chinese have found a way to put lead in them.

Re: candles for light - question
 

Why dont you just go to Walmart and get the liquid parafin lanterns for $11.00 - $13.00 and a half gallon of odorless liquid wax for $3.00+?
You can even burn kerosene in these.
Cheap, easy and adjustable burning rate for needed light.

I see alot of these old kerosene lanterns go for .50 cents at garage sales all the time and you just have to replace the wick with new and fill with liquid parafin.
Wala! indoor odorless/smokeless lantern.
I have about ten of them with about 8 gallons of liquid wax.

Re: candles for light - question
 

We have some of those fancy gel candle in pint size jars. We get about 20 hour burn time. (these are expensive, because they have decoration inside the gel.) I know if you get just the gel candle with no fancy do dads they are much cheaper. Stupid question for you? Why dont you just get a solar lantern? Then you dont have to worry about running out of candles? http://www.21st-century-goods.com/Me...L9000Blgbk.jpg



This is the lantern I have.
http://www.athenabrands.com/ProductC...15_general.jpg It puts out an ok amount of light, but not something I could read by. I need bright light, (dag burn old age!)
Athenabrands The price is a mere 30.00. They have other lights as well. We use ours all the time, instead of leaving all the lights on.

http://www.survivalcenter.com/images/Mvc-023s.jpg
6 day candle

Re: candles for light - question
 

mexican grocery stores have the saint and good luck candles, about 2 inch diameter and 10 inches high. these laST ABOUT A WEEK. used tuna can with lid folded up for reflector, melt candle/parrifin scraps, pour in can and as wax is cooling put a votive candle in the middle. these will last for quite a while and the can lid reflects a lot of light. mex votives go for a buck or two around here. 1 lb blocks of parrifin are avail. @ grocery or hardware stores cheap, can fill your cans if you haven't saved any candle scraps. a wooden kitchen match makes a good wick for the tuna can candle if no manufactured votives available. stick it in the semisolid cooling parrifin, fold lid over and stick a few in vehicle when traveling in winter.

Re: candles for light - question
 

Nice website. I really liked this item:

http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-...e-seeds/Detail


http://www.mredepot.com/catalog/Canned%20Seeds%203.jpg

Re: candles for light - question
 

I paid about a buck each on the 5-6 inch or so 1 inch diameter emergency candles at the local hardware store.

Had a chance to use them Christmas Eve when we were without power for about 6 hours and I used 6 of them around the house without a problem.

Re: candles for light - question
 

A single 26 watt (100 watt output) compact fluorescent light can light up a small cabin or large room well enough for complex work task and reading.

A cheap 400 watt modified sign wave power inverter will drive the lamp and still leave enough available power for a laptop or TV set.

A single marine battery will store the power the inverter needs.

A single 75 watt solar panel can charge the marine battery enough for several hours of service per day. Your car can recharge it in emergencies.

A cheap 30 amp blocking diode can serve as the charging "control" circuit.



There, now put it all together and stop worrying about storing/buying fuels, coleman lanterns, candles or burning kerosene lamps.



Next problem .....

Re: candles for light - question
 

Here is a really informative site. I found it by searching for "30 amp blocking diode" from the above post by Minimus.

http://www.reuk.co.uk/Shed-and-Garag...r-Lighting.htm

Re: candles for light - question
 

Go get some Jesus candles, and frequent Goodwill. You'll be candled out in no time.

Re: candles for light - question
 

I highly recommend wall sconces for candles. Get them on eBay.

They keep the candle right where it's supposed to be, most have wax catchers, and this means fire hazard is kept to a minimum.