Putting new wax in an old lamp

[Lisa]

I have a 1971 Century with very nice, clear liquid but old, bubbly wax that has really unattractive white minerally-looking stuff in it. I want to keep the old liquid and add new wax. Can I buy new wax? Or if I need to make new wax, how do I know what recipe will be compatible with the old liquid? Or is it better to just replace both the wax and the liquid? Or is there a way to clean the white minerally stuff out of the old wax?

[nico bellic]

sorry my english
im use 2 cheap lava lampes to refill a old lava lite,
but you maby have to crash the glass of the 2 new,
i open up the old one last day it smell very bad

peace and love from denmark

[Lisa]

I feared as much about the incompatibility. And I agree about these made-in-China lamps--they're impossible. I have two (and sent at least two back to Lava World) and they are truly disappointing. That's part of why I started buying old ones from ebay. But the old ones all have various problems, probably age-related. By far my most beautiful lamp is a purple-yellow Wizard from probably ten years ago--beautiful flow and colors. Thanks for the tip about the replacement globes. I'm tempted to buy one purple-clear and one white-pink and make a purple-pink. In the meantime, I think I'll take out the minerally red wax from the globe I have now and see if I can clean it. I've got nothing to lose if it doesn't work.

[Lisa]

I tried taking the wax out and straining it, but whatever that white stuff is, it's blended smoothly into the wax. Then I put it all back into the globe and turned it on last night. Here is a closeup of the texture of the wax. It flows fairly nicely, but it's really unpleasant to look at. It's both bubbly and grainy--makes me think of a diseased liver. I'd had the lamp running all night when I got this message, so I just turned it off. I'll post another picture as soon as it cools down.

[Shawn]

I have the same question....can i use the goo from a knockoff lamp with the liquid from the original globe?

[Lisa]

I've been trying your fix, Bohden, but it doesn't seem to work. The bubbles seem to be a permanent fixture in the lamp. It only acts like that when it's in the lamp. I took the wax out and warmed it in the microwave and it seemed perfectly smooth. Then I put it back into the lamp and turned it on, and the wax bubbled exactly the same way it has since I bought it.

[Shawn]

but, could i use the goo AND liquid from a knockoff? yeh, im a bit dense, but its late and im half awke...:D