Oozing Goo - The Lava Lamp Syndicate

Greetings, all! I'm new to lava lamps and got my first as a gift about a month and a half ago. I'm rather fond of it now but it no longer works. I'll explain:

During an otherwise normal run I happened to notice that no blobs were forming and the wax had all collected in a roiling dome at the bottom. The wax had separated from about 2/3 of the coil and I figured that was the problem. After poking around here I think this is a result of overheating, since that the lamp is basically new. I've had some success reattaching the wax to the coil by melting the wax and tilting the globe so that the coil flips over into the wax which I then allow to solidify. From what I can tell this might work if I got it to reattach everywhere but I haven't been that lucky yet. I don't imagine this is very good for the lamp but it's the only thing I can do without popping the cap. And that brings me to you.

First, is there a better approach than what I'm doing to rejoin the wax to the coil without opening the globe? Second, assuming there isn't, what steps should I take after removing the cap? And finally, if I squelch my fix-it instinct and replace the lamp I'd like to know what causes the wax to detach in the first place so I can prevent it. I'm guessing it detaches if I run the lamp too long while the ambient temperature is too high. Has anyone noticed the same thing?

And before anyone asks, it's a Lava Lite lamp made in China. Maybe that was the first mistake but I didn't know it mattered at the time. I'm still using the 25W bulb it came with.

Thanks in advance!

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hey - it sounds like your lamp is overheating.  i would put it on a dimmer and reduce the voltage to the bulb.  that should join the wax to the coil again.  also, placing the globe on a flat surface while putting both hands on the globe and moving it back and forth (like you do when you're trying to warm your hands) can help.  good luck, and welcome to OG!

My Wizard does that from time to time and I have to say the dimmer does help.  I still have to keep adjusting it.  I slide it up a notch and it gets so hot that it does nothing.  I lower it a notich and it starts oozing again, but it doesn't take long for it to come to where there are just globes floating around not really doing anything.  For a USA lamp its always been a temprementall lamp, but I've grown attached.  I tell everybody it's getting to be an old lady and it's set in it's ways, lol!!!  I did try a lower wattage bulb but then it didn't do anything at all.  With the Wizard C11 bulbs they don't come in a huge variety of wattages.  At least not where I get them they don't.  I don't know maybe i'll try a lower wattage bulb again.  It's been so long since I experimented with this lamp that I can't really remember the results. 

Thanks! I actually tried spinning the globe like you mentioned and it seemed to detach the wax more - as if the rotating coil were acting like a knife and slicing the wax away from itself. Does it matter the spin speed or the extent to which the wax has melted?

It sounds like needing a dimmer is a common problem. Is it really? I'm kind of surprised that manufacturers don't use a formula that's more compatible with standard wall outlets and bulbs (or have a dimmer built into the lamp cord, for that matter).


Brad said:

hey - it sounds like your lamp is overheating.  i would put it on a dimmer and reduce the voltage to the bulb.  that should join the wax to the coil again.  also, placing the globe on a flat surface while putting both hands on the globe and moving it back and forth (like you do when you're trying to warm your hands) can help.  good luck, and welcome to OG!

Sometimes you have to lay the lamp on it's side so the coil is actually on top of the wax.  Then do the swirl thing to get it to rest back in the bottom of the globe.  You have to be careful though as to not shake the bottle too much when it's warm.  As far as the built in dimmers, to my belief the only ones that have the in-line dimmer switches are the Grandes and the Colossus.  Am I right guys?  As far as vintage lamps go, I don't know if any of them came equipped with dimmer's or not.  I think there may have been way back when.  The other members on here know WAY more in terms of that then I do.  To my understanding a lot of the vintage lamps do run hot.  It's just the nature of the beast I guess.  In order to achieve melted wax and flow, there has to be an adequate heating source.  The only way to regulate a standard light bulb is to use a dimmer.  I have china lamps that also overheat.  Now on the other hand, my brand new clearview doesn't get hot enough, and therefore takes forever to achieve even the slightest of flow.  I posted in another thread about a sale on dimmers.  They are nice ones and they are on sale for 1.90. 

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