Here’s a straight-talking, practical guide on ARC Raiders and what to do with Burnt-Out Candles, a loot item that many players stumble over and then aren’t sure what to do with. I’ll explain their actual purpose, what they’re good for (and what they aren’t), backed up by real data from the game’s loot tables, plus some simple numbers to help you make informed decisions during your raids.
What Burnt-Out Candles Actually Are
In ARC Raiders, Burnt-Out Candles are classified as a common trinket. That means they’re a simple loot item you can pick up during scavenging runs. They can appear in Residential areas and other loot-heavy locations alongside various scrap items and collectibles.
Here’s what matters:
- Sell Price: 640 funds
- Stack Size: Up to 15 per inventory slot
- Use: Trinket only, with no known role in crafting, upgrades, blueprints, or progression
In short, Burnt-Out Candles are primarily a source of extra funds rather than a resource you need to save.
The Best Thing to Do: Sell Them
For most players, selling Burnt-Out Candles is the right choice.
Why Selling Makes Sense
Inventory space is one of the most valuable resources in ARC Raiders. Every slot occupied by a low-value trinket is a slot that could hold a higher-value item, rare crafting material, or weapon attachment.
For example:
- 1 stack of Burnt-Out Candles = 640 funds
- 5 stacks = 3,200 funds
While 3,200 funds won't make you rich, it can help cover ammunition costs, gear repairs, or contribute toward your next equipment purchase.
Early-game players especially benefit from selling every unnecessary trinket they find. Those extra funds add up surprisingly quickly over multiple raids.
Can You Keep Them?
Sure.
Some players enjoy collecting unusual loot items and storing them in their stash. Burnt-Out Candles can serve as a small collectible item if you're building a themed stash or simply like holding onto rare-looking objects.
However, there is currently no gameplay advantage to keeping them.
Unless you're collecting for personal reasons, selling them remains the more practical option.
What Burnt-Out Candles Are NOT Used For
A lot of players hesitate before selling items because they're worried about future quests or crafting requirements.
As of current game information, Burnt-Out Candles are not used for:
- Crafting recipes
- Weapon modifications
- Armor upgrades
- Hideout progression
- Vendor reputation projects
- Story quests
- Seasonal event objectives
That means there is no strong reason to stockpile dozens of them "just in case."
If your stash is getting crowded, Burnt-Out Candles should be among the first items you sell.
Inventory Value Comparison
Let's look at a simple example.
Imagine you finish a raid with:
- 3 stacks of Burnt-Out Candles
- Several rare collectibles
- A handful of crafting materials
The three candle stacks provide:
- 3 × 640 funds
- Total: 1,920 funds
Now compare that to a single high-value collectible worth several thousand funds.
This illustrates an important principle in ARC Raiders: value per inventory slot matters more than total item count.
Experienced players constantly evaluate loot based on how much profit each slot generates. Burnt-Out Candles are acceptable filler loot, but they should rarely be prioritized over rarer items.
In discussions about optimizing progression and gear upgrades, you'll often see players searching for terms like U4N, buy arc raiders blueprints pc while looking for ways to improve their equipment faster. Regardless of how you approach progression, efficient inventory management remains one of the easiest ways to build up funds naturally.
A Practical Player Scenario
Let's say you enter a Residential zone and spend 15 minutes looting.
You extract with:
- 2 stacks of Burnt-Out Candles
- Several crafting materials
- One valuable collectible
The candles contribute:
- 2 × 640 = 1,280 funds
That isn't a massive payout, but it's essentially free money from loot you found while searching for more important items.
Over 20 successful extractions, those same candle sales would generate:
- 1,280 × 20 = 25,600 funds
Small gains accumulate over time, which is why many veteran players still pick them up if they have spare inventory space.
Burnt-Out Candles are one of the simplest loot items in ARC Raiders.
Keep them if you enjoy collecting trinkets.
Otherwise, sell them.
They currently have no significant use in crafting, quests, progression systems, or upgrades, making them a safe item to convert into funds whenever you return to Speranza.
For most players, the optimal strategy is straightforward: pick them up if you have room, sell them when you get back, and reserve your stash space for materials and items that directly contribute to your long-term progression.
