Faded liquid in 52 oz. globes

[Eric]

The liquid in my 52 oz. globes (Model numbers 1424-blue liquid and 1425-purple liquid) has faded in the past few years and I'm thinking about coloring them back to their original colors (I've never done this before). Anyone have any specific tips, tools to buy, or things to avoid?

Thanks!

[Manix5]

This is what works for me.
You can use regular food coloring to make the lamp fluid any color you want. This is the food coloring you buy off the shelf at the grocery store.
1. Heat the Lava lamp so the wax is flowing.
2. Remove the globe from the base and use a small screw driver to gently pry the edges of the bottle cap from the edge of the globe. Remove the bottle cap and save it.
3. Put the open globe back on the base, so the light shows through it.
4. Add one drop of food coloring at a time and allow several minutes for it to mix. Do it one drop at a time and give it time to mix until you get the shade you want. Be careful not to add too much food coloring, or you will not be able to see the wax.
5. When you have the color you want, remove the open globe from the base and put the bottle cap back on top. I use a bottle capper to press the bottle cap back on the globe. (You can get bottle cappers on EBay.) If you do not have a bottle capper, you can use a small flat headed screwdriver and needle nose plyers to push the bottle cap edges back onto the globe. You must do this while the globe is hot to get a good seal with the cap and it forms a vacuum that helps the lamp flow. Be sure the cap is secure on the globe, or else it will spill or evaporate over time.
Good Luck!

[Eric]

Thanks for your advice! My globes are nicely colored again.

One problem I had with this method was that I get lava globs stuck at the top of my globes--thus, adding coloring at the top was a big hassle--I would probably do this with cool lava next time.

One more question: how do I tighten the cap well? Each time I press down in one area of the cap, another pops up...

[Eric]

It took some teeth gritting and elbow grease, but I've successfully used my screwdriver and needle nose pliers to get snug fits on my lamps--the trick was pinching the ridges with the pliers. Thanks for everyone's help. Maybe I'll expand my collection--any color combo suggestions?

[Ben Van der Linde]

Ok new here and have been serching but just want to comfirm a few things.
I have a Blue/white lava 8000 series (From reading here I think that is a midnight series) about 10 years old. I had left it at my parents place the last 6 years and I picked it up earlier this year and unforutnalty it has been on a shelf near the window and has faded to clear.

From what I have read it is fine to re colour it with food dye when cold and re cap with capping tool such as used to cap beer bottles with home brew.
How tough are the bottles I would hate to press down to hard and crack the glass?

Just wanted to comfirm all this as I am a bit nervous about opening it.

PS it has always seemed to get some lava stuck at the top even while flowing then when stoped it just sits up the top there stuck on the surface tension.

Ben