Stupid cloudy LL's :(

Hi folks, my first post this is :)

I currently have 3 Lava Lamps (I always just call them "LL's" because I'm lazy).

Two I bought way back in the early 70's, when they made them well.

A few weeks ago, I got the LL bug and decided to buy a Grande (purple w/ yellow lava).

When I got it (from Amazon) I noticed, to my shock, that the liquid was so cloudy, I could

not even see the lava!!

I did a bit of reading, and all I could find was that I shoud just run the lamp a few hours every

day and it would clear up.

Well, it did clear a little, but its still cloudy.

Meanwhile, I bought a LL with (supposedly) clear liquid, and it was cloudy also!

I decided to use that one for experiments, so I opened it, and filtered the liquid through some

laboratory filter paper. No good!!

So now I am wondering, am I stuck with a permenently cloudy Grande?

Also, I have another Grande on the way, from LampsPlus.com (no more Amazon, they do not

know how to ship them) and I am really nervious that it will be cloudy also!!

I am so upset and dissapointed I could cry!! :(

Can anyone please help me?

Replies are closed for this discussion.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Josh Van Cleave on February 9, 2011 at 12:12pm

I would love to get my hands on a Colossus globe and base "as a kit"

Stanley Post said:

I'm thinking they should just sell them in kit form with an empty globe.

Wouldnt that solve all these problems?

Permalink Reply by Dr. WHAT?! on February 9, 2011 at 12:19pm

That's not a bad idea and I think it would solve some issues, but open up other issues as well. A lot of these larger companies have rules and regulations like safety concerns and the use of chemicals etc. Lets say one day some guy decides that the wax looked good enough to drink and drinks it then boom he dies. That's a whole other mess for them to clean up. All lava lamps that are made anywhere LL, Mathmos are sealed to prevent idiots from harming themselves. SO a open kit is most unlikely.

Stanley Post said:

I'm thinking they should just sell them in kit form with an empty globe.

Wouldnt that solve all these problems?

Permalink Reply by Josh Van Cleave on February 9, 2011 at 12:26pm

Has anyone ever called Lave Lite and asked them if they will sell just the empty globe and a base?

Dr. WHAT?! said:

That's not a bad idea and I think it would solve some issues, but open up other issues as well. A lot of these larger companies have rules and regulations like safety concerns and the use of chemicals etc. Lets say one day some guy decides that the wax looked good enough to drink and drinks it then boom he dies. That's a whole other mess for them to clean up. All lava lamps that are made anywhere LL, Mathmos are sealed to prevent idiots from harming themselves. SO a open kit is most unlikely.

Stanley Post said:

I'm thinking they should just sell them in kit form with an empty globe.

Wouldnt that solve all these problems?

Permalink Reply by Dr. WHAT?! on February 9, 2011 at 12:30pm

I've tried to get a empty colossus or just a bad one to gookit and they couldn't do it. Safety issues for selling a non working product

Josh Van Cleave said:

Has anyone ever called Lave Lite and asked them if they will sell just the empty globe and a base?

Dr. WHAT?! said:
That's not a bad idea and I think it would solve some issues, but open up other issues as well. A lot of these larger companies have rules and regulations like safety concerns and the use of chemicals etc. Lets say one day some guy decides that the wax looked good enough to drink and drinks it then boom he dies. That's a whole other mess for them to clean up. All lava lamps that are made anywhere LL, Mathmos are sealed to prevent idiots from harming themselves. SO a open kit is most unlikely.

Stanley Post said:

I'm thinking they should just sell them in kit form with an empty globe.

Wouldnt that solve all these problems?

Permalink Reply by Gooboy on February 9, 2011 at 1:34pm

Oh hell, I am so tired of being denighed, paying extra, or the Feds just plain banned because of "safety issues".

BTW, Paula's last name is Regowsky (gow as in cow). I left her a phone message to call me back, so I got

the ball rolling.

When I talk to her, I will try to pick her brain regarding these rumored new Grande colors and the thing about

changing the formula to solve the cloudy problem.

Will post back.

Permalink Reply by Autumn on February 9, 2011 at 2:42pm

http://oozinggoo.ning.com/forum/topics/the-big-lava-lamp-information

The lava lamp was found to contain water, 38% by mass; chlorinated paraffin, 36%; low molecular weight polyethylene glycol, 13%; kerosene 7%; and microcrystalline wax, 6%.
http://oozinggoo.ning.com/forum/topics/lava-reverse-engineering

Lava lamps flow optimally at 45-50 C.
The wax contains paraffin wax, a mineral oil such as ondina 17, carbon tetrachloride, and petroleum jelly.
The liquid contains glycerol ethylene, glycol, polyethylene glycol or propylene glycol(30% of total volume).

There are copies of the patents at the bottom of the post.

Stanley Post said:

I am going to follow your advise and call Paula today.

As for the smaller globe, it is colorless liquid w/ red lava and I bought it for experiment.

I figured it would be cloudy too (and it was).

I am a chemist, and love to play with a new challange. If I can figure out what is making it cloudy,

and know the composition, I can precipatate the cloudyness out of the liquid.

I have poured out about 200cc's of the liquid and have added a few different chemicals to it without

success.

I think something in the lava is seperating out into the liquid upon shaking (in shipping).

If its petrolium base, I should be able to remove it buy diatome filtration.

If I can find a way to clear it up chemicly without blowing it up when it heats, I will just fill it back up. ;)

If my GooKit comes in, I can better analyze what this stuff is actually composed of (I know its a trade secret,

but when you have a nosy chemist on the trail, you can forget about that!! :)

Bohdan said:

Do not buy anymore Grandes till Lava lite releases there new lamps with there new formula. You spend money and time on the new lamp then you have to fix it . This is not good. They said they would have a new formula in 2011 so I would wait and see. What may be happening now is they are selling the last of the old batch units to make room for there new improved ones. Give LL a call send them an Email with your problem and let us know what they said about your problem Grande.

Try this number call them. 630.315.3300 ask for Paula