Tea lights and votive candles are pretty popular. You might be familiar with them if you like to burn candles. Many people have confusion between tea lights and votive candles. Even they think these two are the same.
So, you might be confused about whether they are the same or not. If they are different, then how long do tea lights and votive candles burn. Well, they have different requirements that you have to know in detail.
So, let’s see the burning time for tea lights and votive candles.
How long do tea lights & votive candles burn?
Generally, tea lights are supposed to burn from 2-5 hours. Besides, votive candles can burn for up to 10 hours. Many tea light advertisements show that the tea lights will burn up to 6 hours. But the typical time is 2 hours. Contrarily, votive candles will burn less time if the size is small.
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You might be confused sometimes that tea lights and votive candles are the same because they have some similarities. But their sizes are different. Generally, tea lights are smaller than votive candles.
So, the burning time for these two is also different. Generally, tea lights will burn for 2 hours smoothly. Many manufacturers offer that their tea lights will burn up to 5 to 6 hours. But in general, tea lights don’t burn this long. They start to burn off in 2 to 3 hours.
But votive candles are pretty bigger than the tea lights. So, the burning time is also more for votive candles. Typically, votive candles can burn up to 10 hours. The wax and wick burn separately, so the burning time is even more.
Generally, if a votive candle’s wax burns for 3 hours and wick burns for 3 hours, that means that their heights are equal. So, the total time of burning votive candles will be more than tea lights.
Moreover, the burning time mainly depends on the height and width of the tea light and votive candle. The more the height and width, the longer they will burn.
Do tealight candles burn out on their own?
Yes, tea light candles burn out on their own. Generally, if the tea light candle is in a safe container, it’s pretty safe to leave the candle burn out on its own. If a tea light candle has a self-extinguishing wick, it will burn on its own.
When you put on a tea light candle and leave it for burning on its own, that is pretty dangerous. You might know that when the tea light candle burns, it will burn to the bottom gradually. Moreover, it will burn the wick too.
So, if the container is a glass material, it will crack or break when the flame reaches the bottom. So, always consider a safe container if you want to allow tea light candles to burn out on their own.
How long do small votive candles burn?
Small votive candles will burn for 5 to 6 hours. You might know that a standard-size votive candle will burn from 9 to 12 hours. Even some votive candles can burn even more time. So, it’s pretty expected that a small votive candle will burn less time.
Generally, small votive candles are 1 to 1.5 inches tall. These candles take time to burn the wax and wick. Generally, the wick size is half of the total length. So, the wick burns for 2 hours, and the wax burns for 2 hours. So, the overall expectation is to burn up to 5 hours.
If the size is a little taller, the burning time will be more. For 1.5 inches votive candles can burn up to 7 hours.
How do votives and tealight candles burn?
Generally, votive candles become liquid when they burn. So, you will need a container to hold the liquid. That’s why votive candles burn for a long time. They are generally taller than tealight candles and will burn a long time.
But a tealight candle is smaller than a votive candle. Generally, tealight candles are wax in a metal cup. So, when you will light them on, they will turn solid to liquid while burning. After being liquid they will stay in the metal cup and burn until the wick is not burned fully.
The wick of the tealight candle is anchored up to the bottom of the cup. When you burn the candle, the wax will melt and the wick will float on the liquid wax.
What is the difference between votive and tealight candles?
Many people think that votive and tealight candles are the same. But they have some basic differences that make them different from each other. So, let’s see what are the differences between votive and tealight candles.
Size:
One of the basic differences between votive and tealight candles is their size. Generally, tealight candles are small candles. They might be 1 to 1.5 inches tall. But votive candles are taller than tealight candles.
Burning time:
Like the sizes, votive and tealight candles also have a difference in burning times. Generally, votive candles burn a long time. Some votive candles can burn for up to 12 hours. But tealight candles don’t burn this long. They can burn up to 2 to 3 hours.
Container or holder:
Votive and tealight candles have different types of containers or holders. Tealight candles are small. So, they have small metal cup holders to hold the melted wax. But votive candles are pretty large.
So, they have a little larger glass containers that are specially made for votive candles.
Clean-up:
When it comes to cleaning the candles after they have burnt, cleaning tealight candles are easier. You can throw the little candle holder in the trash. The tealight candle holders are disposable most time.
But when you clean the votive candle, you have to clean the glass container. Because the votive candles burn in the glass containers and are stuck in there after burning. So, you can’t just throw the glass container in the trash like tealight candles.
Cost:
Generally, votive candles are costlier than tealight candles. You might know that votive candles are taller than tealight candles. So, the amount of wax is more in votive candles.
Moreover, votive candles need holders or containers to keep the melted candle. That raises the cost of votive candles. But tealight candles are pretty cheaper than votives.
How do you calculate burn time for votives and tealight candles?
Calculating burn time for votives and tealight candles is essential to know the effectiveness of these candles. Moreover, you will get an idea about when you can put them off. So, let’s see a process that you can follow to calculate burn time for these candles.
- Measure the original weight of the candles before burning.
- Put on the candles and keep them burning for some time. Keep a record of the time they have burnt.
- Measure the weight again after putting the candles off.
- Subtract the measured weight from the original weight. This number is the burnt candles for the time being.
- Multiply the time with the original weight and divide it with the weight of burnt candles. This number is the time for the total burn time of the candles.
How long do votive candles last?
How long votive candles will last depends on the size of the candles. Generally, votive candles can last from 2 hours to 18 hours depending on their size. If the candles are small, they will last more than 2 hours. But if the candles are big, they will last all day long.
But the average size of votive candles will last from 10 to 12 hours. 10 hours is the average time for burning votive candles. So, if you want to burn votive candles, you can buy the average size to get the optimal performance.
How long do LED tea light candles last?
LED tealight candles are flameless candles. So, there is no chance that they will burn out soon. Generally, the lifespan of an LED tea light depends on its battery. If it has a good battery, it will last from 100,000 to 200,000 hours.
But if the battery is not high-quality, it will not last that long. So, the lifespan of the LED tea light is it’s battery-related. Even if you keep the LED tea light candle on for four hours daily, it will work properly for a long time.
So, you can expect at least 100,000 hours for an LED tea light candle.
Final Thoughts:
Tea light and votive candles are so popular and convenient that people use them all over the world. They might be used for scent or other purposes but they have different burn times. Tea lights are smaller and burn up to 2-5 hours. Contrarily, votive candles can burn for up to 10 hours.