Goo Kit Lava Has Gone Dead

[Vince]

In the quest for trying to get my 52 oz. to flow like a lava lamp is supposed to, I've went from a little success to dead goo.  I figured the goo kit would be a no brainer.  First picture below shows the goo now, second picture shows it a few days ago.  Here is what's happened:

1- first attempt at goo kit went well until I incrementally added surf up to the recommended 15ml and then the goo decided to stop breaking up and flowing other than an elongated blob.

2- the color was nice, an opaque orange and filled in well.

3- I decided to change the water out and try a second time since the goo wasn't doing much of anything.

4- second attempt never produced much, I'm up to 12ml surf and now, folks, get this....

5- the goo has gone back to translucent clear orange like it was when we first started it up!  Lost all of the opacity and "solidness" of color.  Stays in a blob and flows up in the middle, over, out, and down the edges of the blob, serrendipitously staying attached to it's friend, the coil. 

All I use is distilled water, and the surf from the goo kit.  I have basically a dead lamp at this point.  I also  measured my water at 140 degrees and decided to put the dimmer on.  At 120 degrees the lava was hardly responding.   I'm hesitant to try epsom and dawn or other soap, as I'd like to see this think work according to the directions on the goo kit, like it's supposed to. 

I guess I'm going the lazy route, but I think this goo is a bad batch.  Any thoughts?

[goober jack]

 Join the crowd of unsuccesful recent gookitters!

[goober jack]

Ive also noticed there is only mini gookits for sale on ebay right now.

[Vince]

Jack that is most curious.  I wonder if they'll tell everyone a bad batch is out and they'll replace it?  If this stuff is THIS hard to use, then it shouldn't be sold.  The instructions make it appear like it's easy.  This is the only option I've seen out there so far to kit a lava lamp.  I hope it's something I'm doing wrong that I can correct, or it's somethng that MT can correct. 

[Chris]

I just got my batch and I was working on it this weekend and its doing the same thing...

[Jus]

Check real close and see if there's any stickage of goo to glass.  It can be easy to miss, and it only takes a wee bit sometimes to put a grinding halt to motion.  If you carefully tilt the whole bottle, then gently roll it to get a 360 view, sometimes you can catch a spot that doesn't seem to be responding the same way the rest is to being tilted.  That's the best way I can think to describe it, other than the times you get lucky and spot the all-out SMOOCH of goo up against the glass.  Check the bottom too; the coil ought to move when tilted and the goo should move with it-if it doesn't, check closer for sticking spots. 

Actually, if yer brave and very patient, you can tip the whole shebang reeeeeal slow until it all goes upside down-if you have a sticking problem, you'll likely be able to tell.  And if you do it slow enough, the disruption will be minor and should settle out w/only a brief cool-down.

I feel pretty confident w/the above advice, given my blue goo kit lamp frustrated me so bad at one point, I shook it like a spray-paint can till it looked like goo soup...didn't faze it a bit, and actually helped my particular goo vexation...

 

[Chris]

Details, I originally had it at 12ml of surf for more stretchness... Bumped mine up by three and its moving a little better. Ill keep you posted.

[Chris]

Actually mine started working, I let you know if it continues to work tomorrow.

[Vince]

Jus I will check for sticking.  Chris mine seems to be all over the place with results.  Can not pin it down.  Might do what Jus did and just shake it to hell and let it sort itself out!!   The goo going back to a "transluscent" orange versus a "solid" orange really has me confused.   I'm sure its from overheating because it's sitting at the bottom.

What bothers me about the goo kit is they suggest in the instructions that you replace your water every so often.   That's crazy.  Why? 

Another thing about these lava lamps is that I have a HUNCH that the lamp needs to be under pressure for the lava to flow properly.  Just a theory of mine.  If it's not sealed well on top the lava might not have enough pressure against itself in the liquid to break apart and flow around.  I use a cork to seal it temporarily and when I pop the cork out when the lamp is hot I get quite an un-sucking sound release of pressure. 

Oh well... I'm hooked.  There's no going back.  Now - I'm - on- a - mission...

[Loren]

I had my 52oz column lamp do the same exact thing, and I fixed it with some pickling salt dissolved in water. It's the goo, sadly. :( It looked like your second picture, but now it looks like this:

It ran just fine at first, but then suddenly it just stopped flowing, just like what happened with you.

[Kirk]

I've had a similar experience with my goo kit, too.  I bought mine a couple of weeks ago.  

I do like Loren's pickling salt idea -- it' s gotten many a flow going for me.

Vince said:

Oh well... I'm hooked.  There's no going back.  Now - I'm - on- a - mission...

[Vince]

I believe my goo has separated.   There is a little chunk laying on top that absolutely will not sink back down.  The rest is just burbleing at the bottom and will not break off and rise.  Just a dome.  It is as if part of the goo is doing opposite of the other part.   I do not think this batch of goo I have is good.  I will contact MT on Monday.

[Jethro]

I dont believe the lamp needs to be under pressure to work properly. if you goo appears to be over-heating but resting on the bottom, then you have a density problem and net to make you water more dense by adding salt.  I'd also lay off the surfactants until you get the density issue worked out.

Vince said:

Another thing about these lava lamps is that I have a HUNCH that the lamp needs to be under pressure for the lava to flow properly.  Just a theory of mine.  If it's not sealed well on top the lava might not have enough pressure against itself in the liquid to break apart and flow around.  I use a cork to seal it temporarily and when I pop the cork out when the lamp is hot I get quite an un-sucking sound release of pressure.