Candle powered hot air balloon into a thunderstorm

July 12 2009 - I built and flew this balloon into the skies of an approaching storm. Only a few minutes later, it started raining and lightning.

The candle was made from a large handmade wick set into candle wax in a regular tea light tin. It burned until I lost sight of the balloon (a slight breeze took it away pretty fast). I'm guessing it was still burning when the rain came.

For more on candle-powered hot air balloons, see http://www.solar-balloons.com/candleballoon.html

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• hot air balloon
• candle
• fire
• balloon
• solar
• flame
• fuel
• ufo
• sky
• sky lantern

[nthkeoaeosntuhaeosnu]

I guess they release these things by the thousands in the orient. I don't see Japan burning down. They have some kind of holdiay when everyone lights them in a single night. go here, Heavenly Lantern Festival - Taipei on youtube

[catman529]

yes that's true - I think they build their balloons with oiled rice paper which is more flammable than plastic and I don't hear of any fires other than the balloons burning up themselves. It's amazing even to watch the low quality videos of 10,000 sky lanterns taking flight...

[catman529]

If the green bags are thin/lightweight enough, give it a try. They might be too thick though so I would stick with tissue paper or super-thin plastic if they don't fly well.

[threeque]

Good thought.. What about the 'green' food waste bags, they are biodegradable now. Actually tan in color. Have to put it on my list of things to try before I die.

[catman529]

I got lucky this time and that's why I let the balloon go - there was a storm approaching but the ground-level wind wasn't turbulent or gusting at all. Only a slight breeze came and took the balloon almost due south, while the storm blew in from the west. It was pretty cool to watch but not something I can do very often as you could imagine.

The lake idea sounds good. Maybe make the balloon from tissue paper instead of plastic since it would land in the water. Just a thought.

[threeque]

You are gambling with what you think the storm is going to do and what the storm will actually do. Yeah, it's safer than setting one off on a nice dry day I guess. Most storms I have experienced, the wind comes first, then the rain, so If I let one off just prior to a storm where I live, the balloon would be ahead of the rain, and may stay ahead of the rain.

This looks so cool. I really want to try it. I was thinking if I let one go over lake Ontario as the wind was heading of shore.

[catman529]

How is this "too risky"? The balloon was headed straight into a torrential downpour.

[threeque]

This is too risky. All I can say is I am glad you don't live near me.

[catman529]

That's one of the main reasons for releasing a balloon into or just after a rainstorm.

And the balloon is much more likely to melt than rip. And there's not a full chance that the candle would survive the fall without being extinguished, although it is possible. Like I said, that's why I always try to release around rain so everything is wet.

[jezzabellkoda]

the only thing i would have 2 say is that what if the balloon rips and the candle is still lit and it burns down a house or starts a wild fire or something???