Any pointers for topping off a globe?

[Chonzo]

The 1987 Century I just picked up is a little low on water. Ideally, I'd like the liquid to go up to the cap but as it stands, the level is about 1.5 inches below the cap. Basically, does anyone know of any liquids (or concoctions) I could add with the same density? It'd like to just keep it as it is as not to mess with it (I like keeping vintage things vintage) but my OCD simply will not allow it lol

Does a chart exist with known densities of each original fluid/wax for each model/year?

[Jeff]

Distilled water...but you may have to add some fog juice or propylene glycol to it if you are adding a lot of water.  Could also take a smaller lamp from the same vintage and use its fluid.  I wouldn't mix between generations though....supposedly things didn't change but something did because the smell from a vintage lamp is totally different than from the newer ones. 

[Chonzo]

Ok, thank you. It shouldn't even be a cup of water to fill the space but if it starts acting funny I'll add a little glycol. TY!

[Spurs5Rings]

Hi, there ... I have the exact same issue with a 1986 Century that I bought back in the day. Did you add the distilled water, and how did the lamp perform? I'd be curious to know before I start messing around with my lamp, which I've had forever.

Thanks!!

[Tim Gill]

Ushaly just water should be fine, only add other things if it needs it

[Chonzo]

I'm going to add the water tomorrow or thursday so I will definitely let you know how it works out!

[Chonzo]

Well I finally added the water and I knew right away I probably shouldn't have messed with it lol I used distilled water but immediately saw it swirling with the liquid already in it. I only added about an inch and a half worth of water to the top.

So, I plugged it in and it normally will shoot up a bunch of small ooze balls before a flow starts... but this time it would shoot up a slightly larger ball, about one at a time, and right when it gets to the point where the level originally was, they curve off to the side and fall back down. No goo stayed at the top. Once this stopped, a large goo blob would form and then would just hang in the middle, occasionally bobbing back down, but there is no flow what so ever :-/ at this point it had been on for 10 hours.

I opened the top and found that there appeared to be more liquid in there than what I had put in so I eye dropped out until the level I topped it off at, then added a single drop of surf (my goo kit arrived just two days before) and nothing changed.

Anyway, this morning the level has dropped again, this time to about half of where I topped it off. I'm curious how the distilled water changed the globe environment because the level never shifted based on heat/movement.

I suppose my question is: should i attempt to remove water to bring it to where it was and hope for the best OR should I add more surf maybe? I guess if it comes down to it I could just empty it and goo kit it but I'd really like to keep it as vintage as possible. Any suggestions?

[Chonzo]

I just wanted to update you, I ran the lamp last night and seems to be pretty much normal now. As it heats up the liquid does raise to the cap line (about half an inch to an inch higher than when it's off) but goo gathers at the top again. Unfortunately I couldn't let it run a full 8+ hours, only about 5, but tonight I'll monitor for a full cycle and see. I think it just needed to settle a bit. The goo "balls" that shoot up were more plentiful than one at a time, although still larger than before, and it appears to be running fine.