How does the fuel work? Does the fuel damage clothing and furiture? Does the fuel sputter? How can you make the lamp light easier? Will the fuel work in the fireplace? Does the fuel smoke? Can I mix the fuels? Sometimes I see yellow streaks, why?

How does the fuel work?

Spectraflame fuel is really a quantum leap in physical chemistry! The base fuel is a clean substance that burns with an almost invisible bluish flame. Added to the fuel are certain metal salts whose atoms absorb the heat energy given off by the combustion of the fuel. This absorption of energy causes the electrons orbiting around the metal atoms to " jump " to a higher energy level. The electrons stay at this level for a short time and then re-release the energy as visible light ! Depending on the color, the metal atom may absorb several to many photons of infrared ( heat ) energy and release only one photon of colored light. The energy absorbed and the energy released are exactly equal or nearly so. This phenomenon is governed by well understood laws of physics and quantum physics. The same phenomenon occurs in a neon tube but the energy supplied is electrical or electromagnetic in nature. This is one reason the brightness of the flame is approximately one third that of a normal flame. Also, only one major color is present instead of all three. (Red, Green and Blue light in equal luminous amount makes white light)

Does the fuel damage clothing and furniture?

It can stain wooden furniture like any solvent or candle wax would. You should protect your furniture by placing the lamp on a dish, saucer, plate or metal tray ( preferably with a small lip around the edges to help contain accidental spills ) with at least a few inches all the way around the lamp. The wick can sputter during ignition, which can happen with all ignitable wick products, this will help contain any material ejected by the wick.

As for clothing, the fuel will wash out of most materials with a little soap and water. The fuel is actually water soluble! It's not an oil at all!

Does the fuel sputter?

All oil lamps, candles, fuels and yes, Spectraflames too, can sputter while burning or when "just lit". Why ? Because water vapor from the atmosphere gets into wicks. If the water vapor concentration is high when they are lit, the water flash boils and builds up pressure. When this pressure is released , it can eject a small amount of material from the wick. This is normal for candles and oil lamps. This is one reason why placing the lamp on a plate or fireproof surface is such a good idea.

How can you make the lamp light easier. You can use the eye dropper cap that came with the lamp or your own eye dropper and place a few drops of fresh fuel directly on the top of the wick and let it soak down the wick. This will make it a lot easier to light. If this is the first lighting for the lamp, use the eye dropper cap to saturate the top of the wick. Make sure you tilt the lamp slightly forward for a few seconds so the fuel will wet the bottom of the wick as it goes from inside the lamp to the outside. After the wick is fully saturated, then light the wick. Fresh wick and fuel makes the lamp very easy to light. If the lamp has not been used for a while and was left with fuel in it, it might sputter and be a bit hard to light because of the water vapor absorbed into the wick and fuel. Use a wooden match to light the lamp in this case. Keep the top of the bottle of fuel tightly closed. This will help keep the fuel fresh and prevent water from dissolving into the fuel. Spectraflame fuel is hygroscopic - it absorbs water. This water absorption does not affect the burning of the fuel. Place a few drops of fuel using the dropper cap (supplied with your lamp), onto the wick, let the wick soak in for a moment, then light as usual.

Will the fuel work in the fireplace?

No, Spectraflame fuel does not work on the same principle as the fire coloring materials. The concentration of the metal ions is much lower in Spectraflame fuel than are present in the fire place chemicals. Spectraflame is an additive process, that is, the longer you use it, the more ions build up in the wick and hence the higher saturation of color.

Spectraflame fuel is balanced as closely as practically possible to have a slightly higher ion concentration in the wick than is being vaporized by the flame. This helps stabilize the color as much as possible.

Does the fuel smoke?

Not while the lamp is lit! The major by products are water vapor and carbon dioxide. When the lamp is extinguished the temperature of the wick is lowered below the ignition point of the fuel. The wick is still very hot, just like any normal candle wick! It takes a moment for the wick temperature to lower below the point where the molecules of fuel are being chemically re-arranged by the residual heat. It is no worse than a candle that has just been snuffed out. The odor is a bit different. It is not the usual smoke odor you get from a wax or oil based product.

Can I mix the fuels? Yes, you can mix the colors but, we don't recommend it. You will get a flame that has both colors at once in different parts of the flame. You will also get a flame that is the combination of both colors. (red /green = yellow) It is not a very pretty effect. The colors will be alternating and at random. If you would like a mixed color take a look at our Autumn fuel.

Sometimes I see yellow streaks, why?

The yellow streaks in the flame are caused by carbon being partially burned. The wick is cotton and mostly contains carbon, oxygen and nitrogen atoms. To minimize the effect in the green lamp, make sure the wick is not over 1/4 of and inch above the top of the lamp and is straight up and not canted to one side. If the flame engages the side(s) of the wick, carbon is released from the wick and colors the flame with varying degrees of yellow. Some of these effects can be quite pleasant, especially in the red lamp. It looks like a real fire in miniature. Carbon’s spectral lines are quite bright and cover up almost any color produced by metal ions. This is why an almost colorless flame fuel has to be used.


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