Water

[patrick wood]

The water in the lamps, is it the same for all crestworth lamps or does change depending on the age and type of wax, for example would the water used in my 1963 mk1 lamp that has the liquid wax be the same as my other 1964 mk1 that has the setting wax(solid)?

[andy ross]

Hi Patrick, I'm pretty sure it would be quite different; I've had problems with later (Mathmos) refurbs where the wax chemistry between batches (not just the Master Fluid) was different and wouldn't work with the same MF; so I'd have thought the variance between liquid and solid wax must need significantly different MF formulations.

Lucky you for owning those beauties!

[patrick wood]

Have purchased a Mathmos replacement bottle with orange fluid, I will transfer the new fluid into my mk1 liquid wax lamp, as the original fluid is cloudy, fingers crossed it might work!!!!

[Mark]

I hope it works for you.

It didn't work for me though.

Assumed it would be okay, but the wax just shot to the top when it warmed up and stayed there.

Put the original fluid back in and it worked perfectly again.  

[patrick wood]

Yes could be a problem, I might try it out on another mk1 with solid wax first.

[Arne]

I dont know if all the crestworth lamp are the same but many if not all of them are running very well with distilled water + some kind of soap that doesnt cloud up the water. I use dish washing soap for babies. I just got an old clouded crestworth today and it works great with water and soap now. you can adjust the flow untill you like it. I'd start with 10drops.

[Arne]

mathmos lamps for sure dont work that way, they run on propylene glycol + water in a 30/70 mix + soap...a bit tricky though.

[patrick wood]

Got some propylene glycol from amazon, de-ionised water from Halfords (suitable for lava lamps), a hydrometer/specific gravity tester from e-bay, so time to experiment!

[Johnny]

if you use the mathmos fluid in a original crestworth aka wax it will cloud, the liquid contents back in the 60s will be totaly different to modern safety liquid versions, crestworth change the formula numerous times over the years and mathmos have changed it as well.

Also if the wax in your mk 1 is the original wax chances are it gone way beyond its best , personal if your wanting ( like i do ) keep the original bottle then id empty it and refill it completely with a new mathmos contents, thou you will need to top it up as the modern bottles dont have as much contents as the early bottles, and remember you must leave space in the bottle of expansion.

[patrick wood]

Yes, crestworth made a few changes through the 60's and mathmos through the 70's, there not all the same, changes in wax, changes in water density, its a minefield tread carefully!

[Arne]

dont wanne be a dick but theres no way mathmos made any changes through the 70's the name was changed early 90's. I replaced the masterfluid of several creatworth lamps now and they came from 60's to 80's and all worked with distilled water + soap...it may be a minefield but its like 2 mines on an area as huge as the sahara. Mathmos deffo made some changes due to banning or price raising of some substances and also they had a special fluid for the metallics and glitterballs from which I only know the glitterball "formula"...the metallics are still a mystery to me even though I tried a LOT!

[patrick wood]

Hi, thanks for the update, when you say you changed the masterfluid in the early crestworth lamps, did you use anything else with the water and soap?

[Peter Panussi]

But Arne, didn't you post back in 2011 "I figured the masterfluid for mathmos metallics"?

I just bought an Astro metallic, it did't arrive yet, but if it's cloudy I was hoping that you could solve the problem.

And regarding the glitterballs: In 2012 you posted "yes, it's 100% glycerine. tried it. works:)", in 2011 Eron Rozmos posted "I have successfully refilled a Mathmos Glitterball Lava Lamp with pure 100% (not diluted) Glycerin. It works perfectly." - so at least these are not complicated to refill...