Emergency candles?

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Buck268

Joined
Nov 5, 2006
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Does anybody still keep candles around for an emergency? I kinda got a bug to make an "EMP Box" lately and that got me thinking about candles. I've seen some rated for 9 all the way to 36hrs burn time but who makes some decent options? What would I want to look for?
 
I usually keep the candles that are given at church, some are 3 years old but haven't used them.

Dollar stores sell cheap candles, not sure why you'd spend a huge amount on candles.
 
Buck268 said:
Does anybody still keep candles around for an emergency? I kinda got a bug to make an "EMP Box" lately and that got me thinking about candles. I've seen some rated for 9 all the way to 36hrs burn time but who makes some decent options? What would I want to look for?
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I keep a UCO candle lantern handy with spare candles. Much safer than open flame candles around kids and pets. Plus it can be hung indoors or in a tent, or carried safely without worry of spilling hot wax. Replacement candles come in a three pack if I remember right. White wax (rated at 9 hours each) are most common but some outdoor stores also carry the correct pink dripless candles and also beeswax candles (rated at 12 hours). Of course I keep oil lamps on hand around the house too for power outages. Not only do they give off decent light but also heat for when the power stays off in really cold weather.
 
I have a stack of candles but because of the fire risk I am very hesitant to use them. Really they are more emergency fire starters and fireplace primers than lighting tools. I'd rather go to sleep early and grope around in the dark than run the risk of burning down the house. Preserving the house is more important than light. Never leave a candle unattended, this has to be a hard rule. Especially if there are pets and kids about. You will come back to a burning table. Ask me how I know. :)

My candles are the bulk Ikea teacandles that cost about 5 bucks for a pack of 100. They can also be used for other things like heating a fondue pot or a cup of tea in a pinch. I even used them once to heat a mailbox key to jiggle open a frozen lock. :) The long candles that people use for romantic dinners are a bad idea, they are much too easy to tip over IMHO. Some of the big fat candles are iffy with regards to the fumes they put out. I don't trust the paint/color agents they put in them.

To keep things in perspective people did fine before candles existed. Most tasks can be done in the light of day. Whatever you wanted to do in the dark can probably wait until the sun goes up, and if not... LED lights are the way to go. My smartphone is within reach 95% of the time and it has a camera flash that doubles as a perfectly adequate flashlight until I can make my way to the battery power headlamps/hand torches. With the flashlights I have I could make it through a month just swapping lights, nevermind changes batteries. I have a stack of spare batteries that would extend it to a year if used sparingly.
 
UCO does make a candle lantern that uses tealight candles. And new inserts are out there that convert them into mini oil lamps and an insert that has an LED bulb. But the regular UCO and it's siblings have a tempered glass globe in a metal frame to protect the flame and a flat base for sitting as well as a bail and hook chain for hanging. Can you tell I like them? :p

Oh... and they are not expensive either.
 
I have one good use for candles during camping or hunting . I carry a box of waterproof matches .One match lights a candle [normal large dia but about 4" in length. With the candle I can then light many campfires !!!
 
Yeah those UCO lanterns are probably a good way of burning candles. The UCO micro runs on tealights, it also gets very hot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J6j1Svvz5k

Electronics are better though. Protect your electronics from EMP with a faraday cage. There is some debate about whether an EMP would damage battery operated devices anyway since they are not hooked up to the grind. Here are some instructions for a cheapo faraday cage.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/doomsday-preppers/interactives/budget-prep-faraday-cage/
 
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I have one of those UCO cable lanterns and a couple of packs of candles, but for power outages, I use a Coleman MicroPacker Compact Battery Lantern. I bought it at Walmart over 6 years ago
after a 6 hour blackout. It is supposed to go 92 hours on a set of 3 AA batteries. After using it for 6 years as a reading light, I replaced the batteries just for the heck of it. I don't know how long
the 9 candles would last, but I doubt it would be 92 hours.
 
My wife used to be a "party light" saleswoman. When the power goes out, I don't even notice (if only she could power the tv with a candle). She lights up the house with leftover candles. The one I like the best is about a foot tall with probably a six inch circumference. It will last at least all night long.
 
Okay, these aren't exactly candles. But still sorta neat.

[youtube]ay7hc1juJEo[/youtube]
 
You can make a candle by sticking strands cut from a cotton mop head into a can of Crisco. They put out a fair amount of heat & light. Smells like you are frying something.
 
I dunno... you're probable better off installing redundant heat & lighting systems for power outages than using an open flame in your home. Wood stoves, propane heaters, passive solar heating systems, geothermal heat pumps and redundant power systems etc. Primitive half measures are a bad idea.

Just a reminder... The moonlight modes on some modern LED flashlights run in the months of continuous usage. If you can't get the power back on by then you are in for some serious hurt.
 
I've got no comment on what make of candle to use for blackouts, we just use what's available at Wal-Mart or the dollar store. We've also got old-style chambersticks, and options sconce globes for flexibility purposes. I've also got a couple of Wal-Mart's el cheapo kerosene lanterns on hand in case of a blackout, and they work extremely well.
 
Have some old chambersticks.Also use kerosene lanterns many hours of light with very little fuel.
 
We have some candles but use them for things other than emergencies. For scent, warm light, ambience, etc.
 
I keep candles around. I used to use scented candles a fair amount until I learned an important lesson.... even the ones inside glass containers can cause a fire. They can break the glass and wax runs off the side of the un-attended candle onto perhaps a linoleum floor and catches the floor on fire. Add in some combustible stuff that might be near the candle (paper, mail and so forth) and you have a burnt down house. Pets add to the problem big time. Yes, I had this happen to me, but fortunately I did not burn down my house. My brother's house burnt to the ground because of an unattended candle and a cat. They lost that cat in the fire.

So, yes I keep a bunch of candles in a box in my garage just in case. I even have "emergency" candles such as sold by Walmart on hand. I have oil lamps and battery powered lanterns that are available should the need arise again. The oil lamps only get used under prolonged need and generally that does not happen. I have a generator that I can plug into my house.

NO candles get used in my house EVER now unless they are constantly attended/kept an eye on.
 
I haven't used candles for power outages in years, probably used oil lamps more recently but my go to has been my Coleman propane lantern the last few times the power went out. I have 2 that I use for camping, one is self lighting, I usually keep one or two small tanks of propane around, the stuff never goes bad. I also have a "tree" that mounts on a grill tank that the lantern sits in top, with that I could run a light around the clock for a few days and even run a Coleman stove or two off of the other fittings.
 
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