Oozing Goo - The Lava Lamp Syndicate

Hey all!  This is my first post here, as I have been lurking for sometime now.  Have 3 lava lamps right now and working out the bugs out of them.  My original lamp I have is a 1991 Midnight blue fluid/white lava.  Have owned it since day one.  Moved recently due to some big changes in my life and had finally dug it out and set it up.  For awhile now it has been doing the goose egg in the bottom of the vessel.

So did my homework and through process of elimination found the flow was off.  Further study revealed that it could be that the water density was just to great not allowing the wax to flow up.  Well yesterday, to my daughter out to our local feed store and picked up a gallon of propylene glycol.  I removed the cap off my cool lamp by just twisting it off, in the inside of the cap is a rubber seal about the size of a quarter which makes resealing the vessel relatively easy.

Turned on the lamp with the cap now off and let it heat up and start going through the motions.  After awhile it warmed up and there was my goose egg or light bulb shaped blob at the bottom of the vessel.  Doing its usual thing....nothing!  Started slowly adding the PG to the vessel, about 1cc at a time.  As a approached 5cc's of PG in there, finally was able to get the lava to break!  I was so excited.  So slowly continued to add PG 1cc at a time, till I have finally added a total of 25cc's to the vessel and it is flowing fantastic, like NEW!   I realized after filling how much water/PG had evaporated over the past 20 years. Well now the volume of the vessel is now right below where the cap normally screws down and secures.

I was going to let it run for about 10 hours then shut it off and while it is cooling down re-secure the cap down.  I believe there is sufficient volume at the top of the vessel for gas/ vapor expansion.  What do you guys think?  Will take some pics and post shortly.  Just wanted to tell you guys what a great site this is and very happy to be here.  Have a 71' red/red floor lamp model and just picked up a 30 inch floor lamp purple/yellow lava floor lamp will post pics soon for some info about these lamps.  Thanks again all, sorry so long!

 

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firstly Welcome... i too was a member quite a while before i engaged but i feel i have a home of sorts here..as i am quite sure you will too...

so as I cant not recall the original fluid level i could only pop around my house and check out what mine have... you say the level is just under the bottle cap? Hmmmm this is just what I am thinking.. and there are plenty of more members here whom would know more.. but i am picturing this.. when heated since level is so high this may cause the lava to probably reach the very very top and even make plenty of contact with inside of bottom of lid...I just have to wonder if it could cause some sticking.. when you turn off light what is left on top may end up staying on top . Then again... it could just run like a champ.. Of course once you post them photos and we can see just how much space is available at top will help..

Welcome aboard !!

 

  Its best to check the fluid level when hot. It sounds like you have a pre 1993 screw top globe, the fluid level should make it almost to the bottom of the cap when hot and running.

OK guys...turned off the lamp last nite at about 6 am this morning and went to bed.  Just got up here at 2:04 pm CST so 8 hours later and my fluid level is back to it's original level???  What gives?  I did not "seal" the cap last nite, thought I would run it again to double check my progress.  Did all my PG evaporate over 14 hours?  Turned it back on and will start from square one..will post pre PG pics and post PG pics.  Any info would be appreciated.  :)

Here are the pictures:

Cold lamp after 25cc PG fill and possible evaporation over 8 hours. Cap is loose, original level when filled last nite was at the second line here where cap will rest when fully tightened down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well once the lamp warmed up the fluid level rose to where it was last nite, when I turn it off in a bit I will tighten down the cap and see what happens.  Flow appears to be good and it is breaking like it did last nite.  Thanks again, all who responded.  Still learning, and admiring all those beautiful lamps out there.  Will post some pics of my 2 other lamps, one is a black 71" Torchiere lamp red/red.  The other is a 30' aluminum bottom and top with a sunburst on the top cover and the lamp which is purple/ yellow lava.  Will post soon. Thanks again, all.  :)

 

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