What's wrong with this? Is it just past its prime?

[Jeff]

[Cowmatian]

I'm not sure but I have a 05 midnight bottle that does the same thing. It still flows nicely, so I just leave it alone. I would guess the bottle has been run too much, but I'm not sure.

[Jeff]

The flow isn't bad on this either...it just looks like snake skin.  I tried boiling it last night w/ the fluid off, and had stirred the wax several times while it was molten in effort to recombine that white powder portion as well as try to whip the bubbles out, and it looked pretty good before I put the liquid back in, but soon as it got up to temp its back to looking like this, so my efforts were wasted. 

[Cowmatian]

Yeah, it seems that the wax is permanently damaged by over running, but some batches of bottles were more sensitive. One of my friends has a midnight that they run nearly 24/7 and it isn't bubbly at all. I think LL adjusted their formula often.

[Jeff]

I don't get how wax gets bad without being cooked, or burnt off (like with a candle).  I mean its not like its burnt off (like when burning a candle).  If its all there and not burnt or charred looking, one would think it'd just work. 

Guess if I want to use this globe I'll have to bite the bullet and kit it.  Really hate the thoughts of doing that w/ a globe from the 70's though...its my only true "vintage" one.  My other oldest one is from 91 I belive.

[Cowmatian]

Personally, I'd just keep it as is since I like variation in look among my lamps. It's not "correct", but still entertaining to watch so I consider mine "unique". If you want smooth wax though, I think the wax would need replaced I'm thinking.

[Ben]

That looks just like my '70's Aristocrat after I changed the fluid over to salt solution. It flowed great for a while, then it started sticking to the glass, and now it looks like green snot stuck everywhere. It needs a goo kit now. I was wondering if it was a surfactant problem but maybe the wax just didn't like not being in the original fluid. That little snafu is what led me to ooozinggoo! Have you opened this globe before? That's odd for a globe that hasn't been fiddled with.

[Rich C]

I've typically seen bubbles when a lamp gets overheated.  Try using a lower watt bulb for a while or try a dimmer for a while.  I haven't had a bubbling issue since I put a 25w bulb in my troublemaker Midnight.  It moves a little sluggishly, but not bad.  I figure with a dimmer and a 40w I may be able to find the right balance.

[Tim Gill]

I think its just the amount of times wax is heated, re heated again and again etc and also for lengths of time changes it. I don't know exactly how or why but lamps do have a life span this one has probably got it its point.

At least its doing something, I had a old lamp that died on me and it just sat there doing nothing however long it was left on for.

It it were me I would leave it how it is - just for the novelty factor.

Jeff said:

I don't get how wax gets bad without being cooked, or burnt off (like with a candle).  I mean its not like its burnt off (like when burning a candle).  If its all there and not burnt or charred looking, one would think it'd just work. 

Guess if I want to use this globe I'll have to bite the bullet and kit it.  Really hate the thoughts of doing that w/ a globe from the 70's though...its my only true "vintage" one.  My other oldest one is from 91 I belive.