Lava GRANDE Lamp recieved cloudy

[Da9L]

Hello !

Glad to finally become a member to this community, seems to be a place with much knowledge..

Which leads me to the reason i come here. As you can see i come from Denmark, so buying one of this beast wasn't exactly cheap. I payed around 60 usd for the lamp it self and another 120 usd just for the shipment.

 

But when i recieved it it was all cloudy :( First off i contacted lava light directly, which suggested i placed the lamp in a cold room for a few days.. after 3 days with no change i contacted then again, but now they do not respond.

 

I've attached some pictures, so that you can se what iam talking about. IF lava lite did respond and they suggested that i sent it back it would cost me another 120 usd, so i have no choice but to try and fix this my self.

 

Do you have any suggestions ? Can i fix it without opening it or do i have to change the water ?

 

 

[WeeboTech]

It gets tiresome when someone says they have an issue and the person is directed to the manufacture or with alternatives the thread turns into what is perceived as defense or a religious war.

 

Mathmos lamps can have issues too, I have plenty that are clouded or had other issues, nothing is perfect.

To post otherwise is misinformation.

 

I've had a number american lava lamps arrive cloudy after rough shipping. They usually recovered.

The newer china ones don't.

In comparison, I have had a number of mathmos lamps arrive cloudy. They have never recovered. (for me). 

 

I have had american lamps arrive as badly as the original post showed. 

When put in a cold corner and cycled often on a timer, they eventually cleared up.

I do not believe the current generation of lamps made in china recovers the same. 

 

I'm not advocating the purchase of one manufacture over another. 

I think any purchase should work without any form of home repair or tweaking. 

 

People need to be directed to the manufacture as they are the only ones who can do anything to change the root cause.

Vote for the product with your wallet, refund request or have your voice heard with directed letters of complaint direct to the manufacture.

 

The responses deviate from the original post. 

I.e.. >> Do you have any suggestions ? Can i fix it without opening it or do i have to change the water ?

 

In getting back to the original post. 

If you still want to keep the current lamp and get it working, there are methods and members who post useful information to help you along.  

 

If you want an alternative there are many people who can help suggest something to your liking.

 

 

Richard said:

I always find it funny when issues with LL come up and people start defending them even though they know themself's it's a whole load of crap LOL

 

I'm failing to see how lamps arriving in the condition this grande did is classed as normal to LL and then to feed some crap like leave it in a cold room or run it for a few hours each day and it will clear up is seriously delusional !

[Da9L]

I am very nervous to what will happen here. If LavaLite is unwilling to either give me a refund or send me a new non-china or at least non cloudy lamp, i just wasted allmost $180 :(

[Jim]

Thing is though, for us Americans, once you include shipping costs for say an Astro, the price of the lamp is almost to a level of "not worth it" for a lava lamp.  Don't get me wrong, I love lava lamps just like the rest of you guys.  But $125 for an Astro, IMO is borderline too expensive for a 52 ounce lava lamp.  Its like those designer jeans for $300.  $300?  For blue jeans?!?

 

Without shipping it is a little over $80 and that seems like a fair enough price point for me.  I would expect Centuries and Aristrocats to sell at a similar price if they maintained the pricing scheme they had when they made em in the states (Silver Streak was $55 or so).

 

Mathmos needs to find that legal loophole so they can get us lamps without us paying 50% more on top just for shipping.

James Reiche said:

Before spending good money on products, some proper research should be done.

This site is "filled" with countless stories like this, that exemplify the "high quality" standards of LL.

 

If you want to avoid buying new crappy lamps it's easy, just avoid LL.

I may have learned this the "hard" way, but that does not mean others have to as well.

The only company I would consider buying a "new" lamp from currently is Mathmos.

 

It is unfortunate that so many people still have to learn this the hard way.  :)

It will be nice when LL finally closes its doors and stops ripping people off.

Until this happens,  we will only be reading more stories like this from the victims of LL.

 

[WeeboTech]

Yes it is most unfortunate, However, all is not lost, you could try your hand at a goo kit or a filter.

ha, another option is to empty it and fill it with astros, then you would have your giant lava.
I'm afraid the cost of that would be significant too.

Also a timer an extension cord and a cold corner may help.

Keep following up with LL. The only way they will really get the message is when their pocketbooks are dealing with it.





Da9L said:

I am very nervous to what will happen here. If LavaLite is unwilling to either give me a refund or send me a new non-china or at least non cloudy lamp, i just wasted allmost $180 :(

[WeeboTech]

So I guess the potential is there. 

Georges wasn't so clear, I asked George to post his story in another thread. 

[Ford Prefect - NPNG]

the flow looks wack to me. i know they're over heated, shops shouldnt run them all day like that, they dont look desirable like that to me even though they are clear

Richard said:

Out and about on my travels today I came across these 2 lamps and they were both crystal clear with thick wax unlike that tranparent stuff they are using now and no I didn't buy them but it seems the UK gets crystal clear lamps as I am yet to see a LL lamp cloudy in the UK ???

 

 

[Da9L]

Okay so my lava grande has been standing in a cold room (12 - 15 degrees) now for 5 days.. And it has actually helped a tiny bit!

 

The difference is very small and if it is possible to clear the lamp in this way it would require the lamp to be standing out there for around 5 months i believe

 

See if you can tell the difference in the attached picture..

 

Among this, the store i bought the lamp from on ebay, has been contacted by LavaLite. They asked me to send me some pictures, so i send them the pictures i have shown you here.

 

Btw, should i let the lamp stand out in the cold room now or should i try turning it on ?

[WeeboTech]

I actually don't know if that will clear the lamp permanently.

I've had cloudly lamps like that settle, only to recloud upon the next usage.

 

 

I've had success with older american lamps by cycling the lamp frequently with a timer.

Cold corner of the house.

Timer to turn it on at night (like a night light).

Turn it off automatically.

 

For the smaller lamps I've set it do work 4x a day. On 2 hours off 4.

For the Grande size you may want to try once a day or twice a day.

 

How long did LL say to leave it alone in the cold area?

[Da9L]

WeeboTech

"How long did LL say to leave it alone in the cold area?"

 

"Let the lamp sit in a cool place for a few days and it should clear up." <- That was what they wrote me.

And you are right with the reclouding after it has been turned on.. Maybe i should try what you suggest with the timer. I do however still hope LavaLite will send me a new lamp as this is rediculus :P

[WeeboTech]

For the record, I have had smaller globes arrive like that and actually clear through continued cycling on a timer.

I'm not confident that the current formula will be as resilient in clearing.

 

From what I see, the globe is settling, not really clearing.

[WeeboTech]

Autumn wrote an informative thread about the filtering process if you choose to go that route. 

http://oozinggoo.ning.com/forum/topics/so-you-have-a-grande-and-it

[Da9L]

Thanks WeeboTech .. I would have done this if it wasn't because that to get a MSR Filter pump here in Denmark i need to order it from USA. The pump it self costs around 90 usd but the shipping is also 90 - 95 usd.. So that would be another 180 usd for me just to get the lamp to work properly. :(

 

I am currently communicating with the store on ebay i brought the lamp from and LavaLite.. I will keep this topic updated on what happens !