Brass Metal Diya (Lamp) & Sunflower Oil ... Reaction !!!

[Emperor]

Hi,

We have Brass metal diya with glass lid for daily Puja at home.

Using Refined Sunflower oil (3-4 different brands) to lit it and found that the oil starts accumulate some waste material on inside border of Brass Diya, the waste material is so much sticky that if you didn't properly clean diya with Pitambari Type Special Powder within 7 days, then, after 10 days very very hard to remove that stick, green substance.

Didn't found such issue if use - Special Puja Oil, Palmolive Oil, Groundnut Oil, Sesame Oil, Vanasapti Ghee or Cow Ghee.

Did any one of you, who have same brass metal diya experience same with sunflower oil?

Is Rice Bran Oil didn't keep such waste material inside?

 

[rahuljawale]

Yes! Encountered something similar a few days back. But I don't remember what we had used, but it definitely wasn't Sunflower oil.

 

[vink]

we have noticed not as much green markings but lately on new puja oil's coming in bottles.
they are nasty mix of vegetable oils, mineral oils but then sold as Til(sesame) oils..
i think these are created as cheap oil for diya lightning.. even marked as not for consumptions..

 

[Kilroyquasar]

we have noticed not as much green markings but lately on new puja oil's coming in bottles.
they are nasty mix of vegetable oils, mineral oils but then sold as Til(sesame) oils..
i think these are created as cheap oil for diya lightning.. even marked as not for consumptions..

they produce a lot of smoke too..and dont last for long

 

[6pack]

Look at your kadai used for deep frying food. You will find similar oil residue on outside of the kadai burnt to a crisp.

What makes oil stick to the pan so bad that it is so difficult to wash out?

My parents went out of town for a bit and so I had to fend for myself with cooking! I made some chicken and some quesadillas on a particular pan. However, my parents got back and my mom is astoun...

cooking.stackexchange.com

 

[TEUser2K1]

Gingelly oil or ghee is considered good for this purpose.

 

[vink]

they produce a lot of smoke too..and dont last for long

not much for a smoke but definitely short time for lighting..

 

[TechUser00]

Can't exactly formulate the reaction but I think there might me a polymerisation reaction and the heavy material gets deposited on the surface due to good heat dissipate property of metal structure. Try an earthen Diya and see if this still happens.

 

[blr_p]

From #5

Using Refined Sunflower oil (3-4 different brands) to lit it and found that the oil starts accumulate some waste material on inside border of Brass Diya, the waste material is so much sticky that if you didn't properly clean diya with Pitambari Type Special Powder within 7 days, then, after 10 days very very hard to remove that stick, green substance.

Semi drying oil have high enough unsaturated fats to oxidise into a gooey mess

Didn't found such issue if use - Special Puja Oil, Palmolive Oil, Groundnut Oil, Sesame Oil, Vanasapti Ghee or Cow Ghee.

Non drying oil have enough saturation so they don't oxidise as readily to form a hard varnish that needs scrubbing after

Ghee is loaded in saturated fats so better still for burning

Not familiar with the terms drying and non drying. But everybody knows about saturated vs unsaturated fats.

The lesson here is oil with saturated fats ie unhealthy to eat requires less maintenance ie. cleaner to burn than vice versa. Avoid unsaturated oils in your diyas as they have a higher flash point (desirable for frying but unnecessary in a diya) and this causes those hard varnishes and extra cleaning. Along with gooey mess depending on the kind of unsaturated oil

@superczar?

Interesting topic

 

[6pack]

Even coconut oil (the loose variety you can buy in shops and not the packaged ones which have some chemical stabilisers added to them) have a high burning point and are used for such purposes including treating iron utensils.

 

[jiith77]

we have noticed not as much green markings but lately on new puja oil's coming in bottles.
they are nasty mix of vegetable oils, mineral oils but then sold as Til(sesame) oils..
i think these are created as cheap oil for diya lightning.. even marked as not for consumptions..

also - used oils, esp from restaurants, are collected and reprocessed for various goods and chemicals.

 

[Emperor]

Can't exactly formulate the reaction but I think there might me a polymerisation reaction and the heavy material gets deposited on the surface due to good heat dissipate property of metal structure. Try an earthen Diya and see if this still happens.

In Diwali we used same oil but no such issue with earthen diyas.

 

[NoobP]

In Diwali we used same oil but no such issue with earthen diyas.

I think it's because the diya is outside, like we use multiple brass diyas and the diya under the sun has more that sticky substance than the one inside the temple.

 

[TechUser00]

In Diwali we used same oil but no such issue with earthen diyas.

Then it's because of the metal diya. Try using a non-brass Diya. I think it's the brass that causing the reaction. If I am not wrong there is a greenish tint in the residue.

 

[blr_p]

Then it's because of the metal diya. Try using a non-brass Diya. I think it's the brass that causing the reaction. If I am not wrong there is a greenish tint in the residue.

Brass has a certain amount of copper in it. When copper oxidises you get a green residue. It seems higher temperatures by oils with higher Flashpoints cause this.

This makes no sense as the difference
is only a few tens of degrees more. If you want to avoid green residues then you need a different material. Brass won't do regardless of the oil used.

 

[dexterz]

In Diwali we used same oil but no such issue with earthen diyas.

oxidation. have to regularly clean brass diyas. expected of copper alloy diyas.

 

[Kilroyquasar]

not much for a smoke but definitely short time for lighting..

the first such oil that i used, used to give out a lot of smoke. it was marketed as just generic 'inedible oil for lighting diyas & for pujas', not as 'sesame oil'. i replaced that later with the kind you mentioned, and that didnt have this issue.

 

[vink]

the first such oil that i used, used to give out a lot of smoke. it was marketed as just generic 'inedible oil for lighting diyas & for pujas', not as 'sesame oil'. i replaced that later with the kind you mentioned, and that didnt have this issue.

yupp we had many in starting but later these burning oils manufacturers got smarter too, nowadays you cant easily diffrentiate in pure and cocktail oils.

there was a massive need for cheap oil for puja in pandemic shortage time that really boosted the fake's market..

also - used oils, esp from restaurants, are collected and reprocessed for various goods and chemicals.

possible reuse of oil.. but it should be mentioned on lable.. ofc fssai is sleeping on...

 

[blr_p]

the first such oil that i used, used to give out a lot of smoke. it was marketed as just generic 'inedible oil for lighting diyas & for pujas', not as 'sesame oil'. i replaced that later with the kind you mentioned, and that didnt have this issue.

The blend mixed oils of low flashpoint with that of a higher one. So the lower flashpoint started smoking. They mixed what was available and economical and the result was some random incompatible choice of ingredients for the blend.