52 oz Premier Yellow Wax/Purple Liquid - Color Problem?

[Mmm...]

I recently purchased a 52 oz Premier Lava Lite with yellow wax and purple liquid. The photo in the advertisements for this product show a richly multi-hued color pattern with deep purple liquid and wax ranging in color from brilliant golden yellow to orange to red. The lamp I have shows deep purple liquid and a dull golden yellow wax (much like bees wax) when the unit is not in use.  When the light is turned on, however, the wax brightens to a sunny golden yellow which immediately turns to orange and then red and the liquid becomes a bright pomagranite red.  When I ordered this Lava Lite, I originally received two that had to be returned due to defects. But those two also had the same color pattern I just described. Why doesn't the liquid show as purple when the light is turned on? The liquid is very clear so I can enjoy the movement of the wax, but the colors are not what I had expected. Both the liquid and the wax (once it leaves the base of the globe) are bright red.  Is my lamp defective? Should I return it? Or do almost all yellow wax/purple liquid lava lamps have that same coloration pattern?

[Kempton]

its just typical Chinese lamps. You probably will not get one that looks like the picture ever.

[Jus]

What you describe pretty much sums up what I've seen in my limited experience with lava lamps.  I cannot tell you why they often appear to be a completely different color when on as opposed to off; with luck maybe some of our other much more savvy gooheads may pop in and explain the dynamics.  I had one lamp that had gorgeous, deep dark blood red wax when running, but when off the wax was a very disgusting and sickly puke green color...reminded me of that lovely scene in the Exorcist.  Have you tried photographing your lamps yet?  That has potential to throw a whole other frustrating curve ball when for example you take pics of a purple waxed beauty, but your photos show it to be merely dark blue.  I've definitely had that dynamic explained to me, but honestly I still don't get it. Verrry frustrating when you just want to capture a pic of the lovely lamp, but the pic is nothing like what your eyes see.  ANYWAY- lamp is not defective, that's the way it is normally.  Here's that shot of my gorgeous purple creation: *rolls eyes*, and jus so happens it's sitting right next to my own attempt at a purple/yellow...

[Mmm...]

Thanks for the feed back. I noticed today that Amazon.com has just discontinued offering this model (#5225). They have apparently received too many complaints about either the product or their shipping process. (Probably both!) They say they are currently working to resolve the problem. Frankly, if they would simply label their shipping boxes "FRAGIL" and "THIS SIDE UP", I think there would be far fewer returns due to cloudy liquid.

[Mmm...]

I finally cracked the code and figured out how to get my Yellow Wax/Purple Liquid lava lamp to show the colors that I had expected!  It apparently needs to have an external source of light -- perhaps a nearby lamp or back lighting from a window to show off the blue tones in the purple liquid.   Attached is a photo of what my lamp looks like when operated near a window during the day. Very pretty!