Self-Lighting Candles!
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Lights and Sound
Forum Discription: Technical discussion
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3679
Printed Date: 5/06/25 at 7:48am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Self-Lighting Candles!
Posted By: kaelidancer
Subject: Self-Lighting Candles!
Date Posted: 12/21/08 at 2:42pm
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Okay, so I found this article on this very site: http://www.communitytheater.org/how_to/candles.htm - http://www.communitytheater.org/how_to/candles.htm It seems straightforward enough, but I sorta want to take this concept to the next level: I'd like to make it portable. What I mean is, I'd like to take this concept and rig up a hand-held candle holder so that someone can pick it up, the candle will magically flare into life, and the candle can then burn until the actor extinguishes it. I'd have to fit the whole works, in an unobtrusive and inconspicuous manner, onto a brass candle holder like these, with a small push-on switch to activate the heating element.  So I guess my question is: just how much juice will the heating element need to effectively light the candle? Will a 9v battery do it? Or something smaller, even? I can't go much bigger than a single 9v, for obvious reasons. Also, if anyone has experience with the heating element method in that article... is there a "warm-up" time before the match head ignites? Since my actors have to be holding these things to press the switch, will they be holding them for a minute or so before the candle ignites? Or is it a matter of seconds? Thanks for all the help! Not in a really big hurry, since this is for a show that I'm directing next Christmas... but I'm always thinking! K ------------- Kaeli Gardner Johnson City Community Theatre http://www.jcct.us - www.jcct.us http://www.gardnerarts.com - www.gardnerarts.com |
Replies:
Posted By: Spectrum
Date Posted: 12/21/08 at 6:38pm
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I have done this many times before, although never "portable." The time to ignite the match head (and then the candle wick) is a second or less, but that's with a good current source. I imagine similar results could be obtained (although maybe needing a few extra seconds) using a very LIGHT gauge nichrome wire (like they use in model rocket launches) and a nine volt battery. I'm a little skeptical that a nine volt battery will deliver enough current to the circuit to get the nichrome wire glowing hot enough, but it's worth a try. I'm intrigued enough that I may try this myself, just to appease my own curiousity. Please let us all know what you end up doing to make it work. Good luck! ------------- Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional. |
Posted By: kaelidancer
Date Posted: 12/21/08 at 8:00pm
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Good info, thanks for replying :) It may be a while before I give this a whirl, as it's for a show that I'm directing in December 2009, but I'm sure I'll get curious and test it well before then. I'll definitely keep you posted. ------------- Kaeli Gardner Johnson City Community Theatre http://www.jcct.us - www.jcct.us http://www.gardnerarts.com - www.gardnerarts.com |
Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 12/22/08 at 7:23am
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There is a thing that model airplane builders use called a GLOW PLUG which you can use to ignite a lot of things. It has capability of using 9v batteries or a pair of AA's. What it is, is a tiny heating element that they use on model airplane engines and they work great for a lot of things. Check your local hobby store and see if they have them - they work on direct contact so your battery pack is wired to a flat metal contact plate that touches the back of the glow plug and fairly quickly heats it up to red hot - like a car cigarette lighter only in miniature.
See if something like that can't work some way for you.
TonyDi
------------- "Almost famous" |