Lava Lite's New Website & The NEW Heritage Collection

[Dr. WHAT?!]

http://www.lavalamp.com/

The new Heritage Collection will be available to buy 10/28

**Updated the Heritage Collection will be released today on LavaLite Website at 10am CST. Heres a sneak peak!

*** http://lavalamp.com/heritage-collection ***

[Keith]

A few thoughts, the instructions for new Lava Lamps has always included giving a couple of weeks for "breaking in".  Most of the time it has only taken a few days.  The instructions also tell how many hours to run the lamp at a time so when they say "run it for a week"  that would include on and off cycles.  Cloudiness in these lamps is another matter altogether.  As is bent bases.  Both of those issues is better addressed by returning the lamp.

Also someone has suggested that the Grande formula should be used in the smaller lamps.  Maybe the formula is different, maybe not.  But if it is different I would expect the Grande formula would over heat in a smaller globe, but that is pure speculation on my part.

Egnix said:

I'm completely fine if the lamps just need some break-in time.  My Spensers-bought Neons started out as some of my worst flowing lamps, but now they're my best flowing China-made lamps. 

I just wish LL would give us some more detailed feedback. When they say, "Try running the lamps for a week and control the flow with dimmer switch.", should that be interpreted as running the lamp 24x7? or 8 hours a day for a week or  ??

Jim said:

This advice seems appropriate to me as well.  Let the wax fully break in as I sense that changes the overall density of the wax.  It may be hovering near the top as the virgin wax is still coming together and is lighter while doing so.  I'm a business guy, not an engineering/science guy so I may be in left field here.

All I know if that my Grande started out almost the consistency of Goo Kit wax (partially transparent and bubbly). but the wax color quickly got more saturated.

Brad said:

here is some info. from LL regarding the problems we're having:

Try running the lamps for a week and control the flow with dimmer switch.
We have randomly pulled product and to date I have had good flow.
We have had some wax sticking which will happen in shipping and it takes a few days to melt off.

[Kirk]

And probably with the same cap code, including batch number - i.e.: it's hard to believe that good and bad lamps are coming from the same batches.

I too wish we could get a better explanation from LL besides "use the dimmer".  What is that white crap and how long does it take to get your quality under control?  Seriously.

But here's to hoping that someone finds a good Century soon, and Autumn and Blob's problems with the Grande's don't portend of things to come.  My neon green Grande is on its way.

Erin said:

It's still odd to me that some of us get clear ones and some of us get crap ones. :( 

[Bridget T]

I have to think some of the problem with shipping these lamps individually is the box design.  It's tall, narrow and unstable. 

When you think about all the conveyer belts, large sorting bins, and other methods used to transport them it's a miracle any of us get single lamps that are clear.  I realize a tall rectangle is LL iconic box, and it works great when you're packing of bunch of them in a bigger (more square) box or on pallets, but for single shipments the design is possibly the worst if you want your package to remain upright in transit. 

If LL wants to keep shipping individual packages they need a new, shorter and more stable box or they need to ship in bigger boxes and stuff the extra space with packing material.  It would cost more long term, but I can't believe all these returns/re-ships and bad lamps killing repeat customers isn't equally expensive long term.

[Rodrigo]

Yeah Ive had plenty of usa globes come in cloudy or hazy and clear up within 10 days. Not the same case for the latest china globes though, but at least LL is always willing to replace cloudy ones.

An update on my century: It stopped sticking! It hasnt stuck to the sides for 2-3 cycles now but still having the same other issues. wax barely melting after 10 hours (dimmer always full blast), VERY lazy flow that goes up and never comes down, when i put the globe on a regular base it actually completely melts, but then it all really stays at the top, nothing at all on the coil. So then i go back to the century base at full blast, and it hardens again and stops flowing, even at full blast. Im so confused but its starting to look like these bases dont heat up, and the globes get too hot on any other base.

[Autumn]

I will be cycling my neon grande to see if it ever clears up. It is by far the cloudiest neon grande I have seen posted. I am getting a replacement grande so I can run them and compare the results.

Rodrigo said:

Yeah Ive had plenty of usa globes come in cloudy or hazy and clear up within 10 days. Not the same case for the latest china globes though, but at least LL is always willing to replace cloudy ones.

An update on my century: It stopped sticking! It hasnt stuck to the sides for 2-3 cycles now but still having the same other issues. wax barely melting after 10 hours (dimmer always full blast), VERY lazy flow that goes up and never comes down, when i put the globe on a regular base it actually completely melts, but then it all really stays at the top, nothing at all on the coil. So then i go back to the century base at full blast, and it hardens again and stops flowing, even at full blast. Im so confused but its starting to look like these bases dont heat up, and the globes get too hot on any other base.

[Jeff]

I'm trying an r20 40 watt bulb in the century tonight.  Will post the results.  If this doesn't work, its going back.  It still might go back anyways...since its a bit cloudy.

[Kirk]

I received my neon green grande today.  The globe is crystal clear.  Yay!

Unfortunately, the base and cap are SEVERELY dented.  I don't think this damage was done by FedEx -- there is no evidence of box damage.

I've decided to run it now to make sure the flow is fine, so I can give a full report to Susan tomorrow.

Pictures forthcoming...

[Kirk]

Here are the pics of my new neon grande right after unboxing tonight.  Dented base, cap, and even the bulb is crooked.

[Kirk]

It sure 'nuf is !  It's warming up now.

Critter said:

But damn is the jug CLEAR!

[Kirk]

Yup, that's what I thought, Bill.

But damn -- the globe looks AMAZING!

[Marley's Ghost]

Drat, Kirk, that's awful!!   Thank Heavens the globe looks great, let's just hope it behaves that way too!   Replacing the base/cap and bulb will be a piece of cake.   But that shouldn't have been sent out in that condition.

[Kirk]

They have a quality control problem, and I sure wish they'd get it fixed.  They have the world's greatest consumer economy ready and willing to buy their product.

But yes, it's no big deal for me to get a replacement on the base and cap.

Now, let's see the Giant flow!

Marley's Ghost said:

Drat, Kirk, that's awful!!   Thank Heavens the globe looks great, let's just hope it behaves that way too!   Replacing the base/cap and bulb will be a piece of cake.   But that shouldn't have been sent out in that condition.