My NEW Grande isnt so well..GRAND....

[Chad M. Schieberl]

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

[Chad M. Schieberl]

VOXul....

Thank you for your reply. I kinda figured that it being a new lamp, that it would just be bette rto re-do the lamp with a new kit. There are VERY nicely detailed picture and text on here to follow. so I think that's probably going to be the way I proceed. Thank you again!!

[VOXul]

It can be rather tricky trying to re-masterfluid mate with Lava recipe wax. Some have pulled it off with a lot of tinkering but most just scrap the entire contents of the globe and go with a GooKit overhaul wax/water. More time is invested on keeping fluids/wax if it is a classic lamp as those materials just work better than today's stuff. Vintage lamps from the 60-70 era are built with some pretty nice poisons, they just work better. Salts, specific gravities and swearing occur if you decide to try and replace the water but keep the Lava brand wax, unless you are a chemical engineer. Take this on if you are feeling feisty. Filtering is an option, people have used Katadyne hand filters that do not involve activated carbon/charcoal as this strips needed ingredients from the water plus the murky junk.

Coloring water can be interesting, OG member Keith has had great success with using highlighter ink. It seems to not fade as fast as food coloring will. Inkjet printer ink has also been said to be successful in creating nice water hues that last.

GooKits are pretty cut and dry. if you over surf/under surf you can easily dump and start over or add more surfactant. Wax colors whatever you can dream up, I have had great success with liquid candle dyes to color my wax, easy to do and also easy to over saturate so be careful or you end up with black wax. GooKits offer dyes as well, I have not used them though.

Being me, I would GooKit it. Since it is a new lamp you will probably achieve desired results if you scrap it and make it your own. If it was an older USA made lamp, Giant, I would do what I could to keep all ingredients intact. Just my two cents.