Oozing Goo - The Lava Lamp Syndicate

It's been awhile, but I really could use all the expert opinions that are available here.....Would anyone care to answer a few for me?

First a little back story...

I purchased this Christmas 2015 a Lava Grande from Amazon, in a yellow wax/blue liquid format with silver base and cap. It arrived to me (NEW OUT OF THE SHIPPING BOX) dark and cloudy (the liquid). I am rather upset about this, and the seller REFUSES to admit one sent me a faulty lamp. One has claimed back that I SHOOK the lamp... well interesting as it had just been jostled around for over a week in shipping, so that couldnt have POSSIBLY SHAKEN IT!!!! Sigh... anyway... I've cycled it about a DOZEN times, and well it's a BIT lighter (the liquid), but it's not clear like it's supposed to be. Or appears in any photos of the lamp online one has seen...

That said, I have read, re-read and contemplated ideas for this grande, including a complete goo change via the goo kit. I'd really like to try and get close to the (green-olive -ish color LAVA ) that Hagerty/Lava Lamp-Lite used in the early 70's, with the matching blue/green liquid. I know...a few may have just rolled ones eyes..but I can hope right??

My questions for one would be.

1. Should I just change out the liquid as instructed by many on here, using the distilled water/ surfactant available from gookits? And leave the new water clear for a rather boring Yellow (LAVA) clear (LIQUID) option?

2. Is it easy or even a good plan TO color the new water? Or should I just measure out the correct amt. of surf and be done with it after letting it warm up, (get flowing again).

3. Does one need to add epsom salt to this new liquid as has been discussedad infinitum here.

4. Can the old LAVA even be used with new water/surf, or should I just use a whole new kit? Im open to trying some of the pretty colors they offer, such as that beautiful light blue/aqua color......in maybe a light green liquid???

5. If I do use the new kit, should one use a lower wattage bulb? As the new lava seems less dense than the factory supplied goo....

I guess what I am asking for here is...what would YOU do ??

Thank you all for reading...

Chad

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Comment by Loren on March 9, 2016 at 9:25pm

I have made about 30 custom gookit lamps for other people, and a couple for myself. I have had really good luck with 32oz and 52oz globes, but never, not once got a working gookit grande. :(

I have used water-soluble marker dyes for my lavas and glitters for years, and it's mostly colorfast, and produces true colors. Food color will likely give you unsatisfactory results. There is NO true red, for instance...it's orange. There's also no true blue...it's turquoise. The colors will also likely fade with time.

Another option you might look into is adding oil-based dye to the wax. I for one would probably love a yellow/clear grande, but adding a little red dye to the wax will make it orange, and a little blue will make it green. But I would NOT use magma tower blue dye (or green or aqua, for that matter) because even after 4 years of complaints, they still have not fixed their defective dyes...they still turn your wax PURPLE. Avoid it at all costs, and instead get some concentrated blue candle dye.

Comment by Claude J on February 25, 2016 at 3:06pm

YES I have goo kit'd many lamps.

Once u get the procedure down,is'd easy

Experimented with custom colors as well

Comment by Bridget T on February 25, 2016 at 12:48pm

Claude you're having good results with current goo kits?  I'm about to clean house and am trying to decide how many nasty grandes to kit, and how many to glitter via Kirk.

Comment by Claude J on January 13, 2016 at 7:56pm

P.S> DO NOT use propelyne glycol if your using a goo kit

it is not necessary

Comment by Claude J on January 13, 2016 at 7:54pm

I've done all the above

I had to send my NEW 50th anniversary back last week, (that I bought on Amazon), because it was so cloudy, you could not even see the lava.
Amazon sent UPS to pick it up and they sent out a replacement at the same time, without question.

if you get nowhere with amazon or LL and wish to change the fluid and keep the new/old lava , it can be easily accomplished.

I always heat up and remove the lava, and clean out the globe for good measure.

I wash with clear dish-soap (Dawn) and leave some residue behind to coat the inside of the glass

Add lave with straw/funnel tube so it does nto splash and let cool.\

Add surf

Fill @75% with distilled water and run it until it heats up.

Add the remaining 25% with propelyne glycol/glycerol (similar effect to epson salts) SLOWLY to adjust the specific gravity. Sometimes it is barley needed, ....sometime it is

"this takes a insurmontable amount of time-plan a evening.

I've been through a few quarts of goo from Magma Towers in the last month,

Great product
It seems that almost every lamp I buy lately, come in need of a refurbishment

I dump the goo on off-brand china kits, (gas pump,tubes, rockets, ,etc) they are usually just ugly

Even vintage Disney lamps and Lava brand lamps that came brand new in the box were in need of a change due to age.

I like some of the neon florescent colors that are now available for food colors

Goo kit florescent green and blue is cool too

I just ordered a liquid dye assortment like Voxel suggested
also bought blacklight glow in darkdye - for chitz n giggles

its fun to experiment

Comment by Keith on January 13, 2016 at 1:51pm
Comment by Chad M. Schieberl on January 13, 2016 at 1:49pm

You all are the most awesome...you have no idea how much I appreciate all the comments!!!

Comment by Keith on January 13, 2016 at 1:46pm

Regarding return/refund of the lamp, you can try contacting Lava Lamp directly.  They may replace it, after all, they are the ones who guarantee their product.

But if you go with a goo kit, keep the original bulb but be prepared to use a dimmer if needed.

Comment by VOXul on January 13, 2016 at 1:42pm

You are welcome, Please don't hesitate to ask any questions that come up! I know Carol is the GooKit queen around here, she has a lot of tinkering insight to most flow issues with their kits.

With the bulb question that can be hit or miss. I have found that lower wattage bulbs take much longer to heat a kit (mind you I have only made 32oz kit globes) than typical wattage for original blend. A lot of people run the original wattage per globe size but put a dimmer either in line with the power line connection or a plug in type like this.

Comment by Chad M. Schieberl on January 13, 2016 at 1:31pm

One last thought from me...

So when one revamps a grande with an oozing goo kit, does one keep the original T20 100 W bulb in there, or becasue the lava is of a lighter denisity than the original , should one use a lower wattage alternative??

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