Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Light Show Candles

Candle flame changes color every few seconds
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The candle is poured around the wick in layers, each having a different chemical to change the flame's color as it burns.

• Strontium chloride for red flames • Calcium chloride (bleaching powder) for blue flames • Magnesium sulphate (Epson Salts) for white flames • Baronsalts (Borax) for yellowish-green flames • Copper sulphate (blue vitrol/Bluestone) for green flames • Sodium chloride (table salt) for yellow flames

The effect would be really neat if you got several burning at once, all randomly changing color.

Update: Rather than having the chemicals in the wax, you print thin bars of them on the candle wick itself. This would allow for very narrow bands of color changing chemicals to be deposited on the wick allowing the colors to change fairly quickly and in a controlled manner.

doctorremulac3, Sep 04 2014

Hey, maybe I got something here. https://www.youtube...watch?v=3odkXeX3GLs
Airwick is selling these candles with color changing LEDs at the bottom. Mine would be a lot simpler. [doctorremulac3, Sep 04 2014, last modified Sep 05 2014]

Coloured Flame Candle
[xaviergisz, Sep 05 2014]

[link]






       Flames [+]   

       // Calcium chloride (bleaching powder) //   

       "Bleaching powder" is normally Calcium Hypochlorite, Ca(ClO)2
8th of 7, Sep 04 2014
  

       Hmm. People are buying color changing candle holders. (link) It's just a candle with an LED changing color at the bottom.
doctorremulac3, Sep 05 2014
  

       Magnesium powder for the next to last layer. The last layer is a mix of iron oxide and aluminium powder. Wheee!
AusCan531, Sep 05 2014
  

       Could be scaled up, so while you are watching your house burn down, you at least get a free light show.
not_morrison_rm, Sep 05 2014
  

       Sodium to get a yellow flame? It's yellow anyway.
bs0u0155, Sep 05 2014
  

       I think an easier way to do this would just be to have each section of the wick infused with different chemicals. Easier than having to pour different layers of wax.   

       Although having little nuggets of various chemicals mixed into the wax might be the easiest way yet. As the wax melts a chunk of copper sulphate slides into the flame and burns, then a chunk of borax etc.
doctorremulac3, Sep 05 2014
  

       Changing out the candles of an advent wreath with some of these would make a great practical joke.
RayfordSteele, Sep 05 2014
  

       Got it!   

       You "print" the wicks with the different chemicals. This would allow for very narrow bands of color changing chemicals to be deposited on the wick allowing the colors to change fairly quickly and in a controlled manner.
doctorremulac3, Sep 05 2014
  

       No. Where did somebody suggest that?   

       The idea in the second link is for colored candle flames, something that's existed for years.   

       I'm suggesting printing thin bars of various chemicals on the wick to make the flame change colors every few seconds.   

       If somebody has already proposed that, please supply the link.
doctorremulac3, Sep 05 2014
  

       If you could false-sleeve this with a stick of gelignite, then   

       "give a man a colour-changing candle and he's entertained for a bit, but give him the gelignite one and he's entertained for the rest of his life".   

       Surprised M. Borg didn't come up with that one...
not_morrison_rm, Sep 05 2014
  
      
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