Heat generation of domestic night lights... a potential fire hazard

The use of night lights (tea lights) has increased in popularity in recent years and these candles are now often used in many domestic dwellings. Their popularity is in part due to their ease of availability an relative inexpense. The casing of such candles is made of aluminium and as a consequence of use can heat up considerable. This work examined the increase In temperature of the aluminium casing of night lights when burned with a single wick, and double wick both in still air and air flow. In doubled wick cases the temperature rise was often rapid with temperatures of over 200°C easily achieved. This is hot enough to melt through many surfaces such as television casings.