Goo Kit Lava Has Gone Dead

[Vince]

In the quest for trying to get my 52 oz. to flow like a lava lamp is supposed to, I've went from a little success to dead goo.  I figured the goo kit would be a no brainer.  First picture below shows the goo now, second picture shows it a few days ago.  Here is what's happened:

1- first attempt at goo kit went well until I incrementally added surf up to the recommended 15ml and then the goo decided to stop breaking up and flowing other than an elongated blob.

2- the color was nice, an opaque orange and filled in well.

3- I decided to change the water out and try a second time since the goo wasn't doing much of anything.

4- second attempt never produced much, I'm up to 12ml surf and now, folks, get this....

5- the goo has gone back to translucent clear orange like it was when we first started it up!  Lost all of the opacity and "solidness" of color.  Stays in a blob and flows up in the middle, over, out, and down the edges of the blob, serrendipitously staying attached to it's friend, the coil. 

All I use is distilled water, and the surf from the goo kit.  I have basically a dead lamp at this point.  I also  measured my water at 140 degrees and decided to put the dimmer on.  At 120 degrees the lava was hardly responding.   I'm hesitant to try epsom and dawn or other soap, as I'd like to see this think work according to the directions on the goo kit, like it's supposed to. 

I guess I'm going the lazy route, but I think this goo is a bad batch.  Any thoughts?

[Chris]

Well I said I would add a update, mine appears to be working but it does take longer to warm up than my China Made Lava Lite. Also havnt had to use the dimmer much. If anything changes I will let you all know.

[Brad]

just wanted to throw this out there - i recently purchased a goo kit and made a grande with it.  the wax is PERFECT.  no issues whatsoever.  

[goober jack]

 Heh Brad! Your grande is gorgeous by the way! What a great shot of it!!!

[Brad]

thanks!  those purple/yellow lamps look great with some light shining through them.

jack said:

 Heh Brad! Your grande is gorgeous by the way! What a great shot of it!!!

[Vince]

Brad, that's a beautiful lamp, the purple yellow grande.  As for mine, I've changed the liquid again, with distilled and only a small amount (3ml) of surf.  I have the dimmer set so the water temp is about 120 degrees.  The goo is not consistent. One run it has some motion, another run and it's just dome city again!   And it's gone transparent again.  MT said they'll send another kit to me to try an new batch of goo. 

I've done everything according to the directions. 

I will give the whole project another try when the new goo arrives and see what happens.  In the meantime I may try again with this batch of goo and see what happens.  It's possible the COIL has residual crap on it from the Lava Lite wax that was no good. (it was neon yellow and I'm told was from a bad batch of lamps made last summer. It was so cloudy you could not detect the wax inside!).  

I will post success eventually!

[Loren]

The century I kitted about a month ago was doing what you're describing, Vince. It formed a used condom at the top, and all the melted lava drains out. That thing just hung there...and wouldn't sink. The flow beneath just had to slowly eat away at it. until it was all melted. I had to run it about 10-12 times, until that lamp actually started spiking, and running like a normal lamp. Maybe the wax needed to mix? I've been trying to get a quart of goo from them that will run in my grande for months now...this quart is the 5th one. I will say that, they are getting better, and trying VERY VERY HARD to do right by me.

[Vince]

Loren, exactly!!!  Like a vertical 3D river.  Kim at MT is super, they have great service, yes they are trying to help out.  I redid my 52 oz. this morning.  I cleaned the bottle out with boiling water.  Rinsed with surf to coat the glass.  Poured the wax, hardened.  Then poured distilled water with 5 oz surf.  It's on the bulb now.   It' really funky.  I'm going to cycle it for a few days and see what happens.  OH- it's on a dimmer too, so my water temp is running about 120 degress max. 

[Jethro]

Vince, if it's not too late I would increase the desity of the water and that should cause your dome to rise.  I remove some water from the lamp and dissolve in some epsom salt.  Worked on my lamp...I'll see if I can post the video of the explosion.

Vince said:

Brad, that's a beautiful lamp, the purple yellow grande.  As for mine, I've changed the liquid again, with distilled and only a small amount (3ml) of surf.  I have the dimmer set so the water temp is about 120 degrees.  The goo is not consistent. One run it has some motion, another run and it's just dome city again!   And it's gone transparent again.  MT said they'll send another kit to me to try an new batch of goo. 

I've done everything according to the directions. 

I will give the whole project another try when the new goo arrives and see what happens.  In the meantime I may try again with this batch of goo and see what happens.  It's possible the COIL has residual crap on it from the Lava Lite wax that was no good. (it was neon yellow and I'm told was from a bad batch of lamps made last summer. It was so cloudy you could not detect the wax inside!).  

I will post success eventually!

[Jeanne]

 I just refurbished a 52 oz grande and it's doing the non moving tower flow thing too.  I've got some pickling salt, how much should I add?

thanks for any advice.

Jethro said:

Vince, if it's not too late I would increase the desity of the water and that should cause your dome to rise.  I remove some water from the lamp and dissolve in some epsom salt.  Worked on my lamp...I'll see if I can post the video of the explosion.

Vince said:

Brad, that's a beautiful lamp, the purple yellow grande.  As for mine, I've changed the liquid again, with distilled and only a small amount (3ml) of surf.  I have the dimmer set so the water temp is about 120 degrees.  The goo is not consistent. One run it has some motion, another run and it's just dome city again!   And it's gone transparent again.  MT said they'll send another kit to me to try an new batch of goo. 

I've done everything according to the directions. 

I will give the whole project another try when the new goo arrives and see what happens.  In the meantime I may try again with this batch of goo and see what happens.  It's possible the COIL has residual crap on it from the Lava Lite wax that was no good. (it was neon yellow and I'm told was from a bad batch of lamps made last summer. It was so cloudy you could not detect the wax inside!).  

I will post success eventually!