Grande wax in 52oz bottle

[kero48]

So I have an odd problem. 2 of my new grandes I simply redid with distilled water and surf. They run beautifully.

I have red grande wax from another grande that came cloudy and i didn't want another red variant so I simply melted the wax into a mason jar for a rainy day.

I made a 52 oz lamp from the wax, distilled water and surf (no different that that the grandes I fixed). Same wax as my other new lamps.

The lamp will only partially work. It will not flow 100% up to the top and never really get going. I can leave it on for hours and it simply will not flow like my other 52oz lamps with lava lamp wax with distlled water and surf.

My theory is that grande wax really needs to the 100watt bulb to get it fully moving and that the 40 watt bulb in the 52oz base is simply not hot/strong enough to get the lamp working properly?

Is it possible the grande wax is denser/thicker hence needing the stronger bulb?

Thoughts?

[Jon]

Is your 40wat bulb a 130v or 120v bulb..  I have 32 OZ lamps where i tried 130v 40wat bulbs with and they wont move..  The lamp takes forever to heat up and it will eventually get to 120-130f but it still wont flow.  I tried a 120v bulb and within 2 min the lava started moving.   Also some of my 32OZ lamps run like CRAP with the 120v bulb.. they shoot little gumballs from being too hot.  Those 32oz lamps when i put the 130v bulb in it flows beautifully, yet  the other 32oz lamps with the 130v bulb dont flow at all..  Its very strange.. but yea

130V bulbs have thicker fillaments that last longer i found out so they run cooler even though they claim 40w, so try a different brand bulb . Maybe thats the problem ? 

Try adding some more surf. distilled water is cheap so if you mess up try again, if a grande needs 40-50ml of surf (thats what i found is perfect) to flow good and it has 1 1/2 gallons of water, then thats 5x more water then the 52oz lamp.. So 40-50ml of surf would be 5-10ml for a 52oz lamp.  Not 1 or 2 drops like the guides say

[kero48]

Jon, typically 52oz lamps require 15 to 17 mls or surf. So the lamp right now has about 17mls. I don't think surf is the issue eventhough it couldn't hurt for me to add a few more mills.

I know Claude will be able to answer my question as he is the grande master lol.

I still think that grande wax could be different than regular 52oz lava lamp wax. It just seems thicker to me.

Oh, I have tried several 40 watt bulbs for the 52oz bases. All these other bulbs work fine in my other 52oz lamps.

[Claude J]

I cannot comment on a 130-volt v.s. a 120-volt bulb

Although I feel, the Wattage, not voltage would be the determining factor.

Grande bases generate more heat faster due to the higher wattage and proximity of the bulb.

(proximity is a whole other subject depending on the vintage of the base)

If the lamp is not generating enough heat with the recommended wattage, then the specific gravity should be adjusted to compensate (not the amount of surf)

[Jon]

 claude.  130v bulb have thicker fillaments.. Which means a cooler bulb.  They are dimmer and colder regardless,of them saying 40w or not.  Its the filaments that do this.  

look it up on google youll see im right.

Buy a 130v bulb in the dollar store.. get a infarred therm run the lamp checling temps as you go.  Then swap back to a 120v bulb.  Youll notice the 130v bulb takes twice as long to heat up.  In an hour a 120v 40w bulb the lamp will be at lets says 115f.  With the 130v bulb itll be at around 100f.  

One of my lamps using the 130v bulb was at 116f in like 3 hours....  When i swaped the bulb the next day and 3 hours in it was almost 130f..  Big difference.  And even when the lamp got to 125f with the 130v bulb it didnt flow.. the bulb wasnt hot enough.. I took the bulb out letting it cool for a min.. then put the 120v bulb in and boom within 2 or 3 min it started flowing.

Both 40w bulbs.   But again the thicker fillament causes thr bulb to be colder. 

I only broughy up bulbs because he might be using the wrong bulb.   Its worth a shot they are only a few dollars

[kero48]

So, if I need to adjust the specific gravity would getting epsom salt work as I can' get PG locally and not ordering it for such a small lamp. I need simple solution or I'll just empty the bottle and ditch the wax.

I wondering if the pickling salt would work like I used on the gem lamp. I guess it couldn't hurt to try.

Claude J said:

I cannot comment on a 130-volt v.s. a 120-volt bulb

Although I feel, the Wattage, not voltage would be the determining factor.

Grande bases generate more heat faster due to the higher wattage and proximity of the bulb.

(proximity is a whole other subject depending on the vintage of the base)

If the lamp is not generating enough heat with the recommended wattage, then the specific gravity should be adjusted to compensate (not the amount of surf)

[Claude J]

Pickling salt is not preferred. Use epson solution. You should not need much

kero48 said:

So, if I need to adjust the specific gravity would getting epsom salt work as I can' get PG locally and not ordering it for such a small lamp. I need simple solution or I'll just empty the bottle and ditch the wax.

I wondering if the pickling salt would work like I used on the gem lamp. I guess it couldn't hurt to try.

Claude J said:

I cannot comment on a 130-volt v.s. a 120-volt bulb

Although I feel, the Wattage, not voltage would be the determining factor.

Grande bases generate more heat faster due to the higher wattage and proximity of the bulb.

(proximity is a whole other subject depending on the vintage of the base)

If the lamp is not generating enough heat with the recommended wattage, then the specific gravity should be adjusted to compensate (not the amount of surf)

[kero48]

So I tried something interesting and don't ask why. I emptied the distilled water and surf. Used plain old tap water and the lamp starting working. I added 2mls of surf for good measure and the lamp actually works pretty decently.

I can't explain this, can you?

With regards to epsom salt? I need for the future some form of reference on how much to put in as you said "it shouldn't need much"

Maybe the tap water and distlled water have different specfic gravities?

[Jon]

I noticed that myself when i used tap water maybe its the minerals in the water ?  Or the chloramine lol

[Andy]

Hi kero48

Jon is right about the watt thing.

Watts  = power and nothing to do with light or heat.

I can also see that a lower voltage thinner element can get hotter but ive never done the test.

But a extra thick element can draw 40 watts but have no light but create more heat so its a physics thing .....light + heat = 40 watts but at what ratio??

Watts for globes was just a rough guide for brightness if they're all made the same way but now with leds it all to do with lumins which is so confusing.

Just a quick question, what type of surf do you use?

Good luck with the lamp

Cheers 

Andy

[Andy]

Hi again

Just to clarify that

P=V x I

Or power ( watts ) = volts x current (amps)

So 40watts = 130v x 0.3 amps 

And 40 watts = 120v x 0.33 amps

Normally the more amps the more heat, its got to do with electrons and friction but you cant see it.........more confusing physics stuff.

Cheers

Andy

[kero48]

The surf I use is from magma tower

[Andy]

Hi Kero48,

I emailed magma tower a few days ago and are still waiting for a reply about sending Kits etc to Australia.

In the meantime I've got some lab quality oncentrate Sodium Lauryl Sulphate in solid form coming so I'll give this ago.

Cheers

Andy