Bubble soap

[Ian]

So I was wondering... Has anyone tried adding miracle bubble solution to the new china lava lite formula? I know bubble soap makes the wax stretchier, but I'm not sure if it would cause clouding, or other issues. Has anyone tried this? If not, I suppose when I finally do, I'll be the first! And then I will post my results.

[Carol]

Yep, used it.  All 3 of my fluid changes looked amazing after I did them, but after a few runs commenced to get cloudier and cloudier.  The 52 oz green one I did a fluid change on lasted the longest, but it did cloud up pretty good.  I could still see the flow pretty good though.  I've seen them where you couldn't even see the lava.  I hear that people have done fluid changes on the china LL's with the surf that you get with the goo kits.  I don't notice too much difference in the lamp as far as the wax becoming more stretchier, when adding the surfactant,  but it makes a difference in the speed of the flow and how much the wax breaks apart into smaller globes, if that makes any sense.  I've noticed that heat plays a bigger factor in the flow then the surf does.  Now in my fluid changes, when adding dish liquid, wow, that really made the wax runny!!!  I still haven't figured out if it was the salt that clouded up my lamps or the dish liquid, but I've tried 3 different salts and bubble soap and dish liquid and all had the same results.  I have read somewhere that the new china lamps do not need any salt.  Supposedly they have the formula where the wax is just a smidgeon heavier then the water so therefore no salt is needed to change the density of the liquid. 

 

MY ADVISE:  If you want to attempt a fluid change, hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.  I ended up ordering a kit and redoing all my fluid changes because if they recloud or end up looking like something gross, you will end up being without those lamps for awhile until you get your goo kit to fix them or end up trashing them.  I hate being down any of my lamps.  My OCD can't handle an empty lamp sitting there with no goo!!  lol!!

[Ian]

Thanks, haha I have done fluid changes with bubble soap, with not good results in any of the lamps I tried. I meant was just opening up the bottle, and adding bubble soap to the original liquid, not doing a whole fluid change.

[Carol]

Well, with the results that I've had with bubble soap and also dish liquid, don't know if I'd wanna attempt that, lol!!!  I do think others on here have tinkered around with fluid and adding things to adjust flow.  What are you really going for?  Stretchier wax?  Have you tried lowering the wattage of the bulb or using a dimmer.  I noticed with my lamps, especially my vintage, if they start to get hot, they will produce a lot of small balls, for lack of a better word, lol, and no more columns, snakes or stretchy stuff.  I had to go back to a 25 watt'er in my Wizard base due to the fact the bulb socket set up has the globe sitting directly on the bulb.  The 40 was just running it too hot.  Now that I've backed off a bit, I am seeing a lot more slower, stretchier, oozing stuff.  Before you mess around with the fluid, I would probably play around with the heat the lamp is receiving, unless you have already done that.  I have a 20 oz and no matter what I do to this lamp, it continues to put off a boring flow.  Don't know if it's the size of the globe or what.  I've kitted it, and called it a day, lol!!  It's a pretty color, it's clear, so I just let it be. 

[Ian]

Alright I went for it today! I did not use bubble soap, since I could not find mine and am too lazy to run to the store! Lol anyways.. I used Palmolive pure and clear dish soap. I put only a few drops in. I'm waiting for the lamp to warm up, will post results in a few hours! I used my pink/white globe from Spencer's that I got a few months ago.

[Carol]

My lamps flowed great at first with the dish liquid, but then clouded back up.  I used one that had coloring in it though.  I don't think that is why, but who knows.  Good luck!!!!

 

[Ian]

I haven't had any cloud up on me with dish soap, but I have with bubble soap.. So here's to hoping! Lol I also have no clue how the dish soap is going to react with the lava lite liquid formula.. So as long as it doesn't create a toxic fume I won't mind whatever happens!! Always looking on the bright side... Lol I just hope it does something interesting.

[Ian]

Update: I'm getting beautiful, stretchy flow, just as stretchy as the vintage formula! But it does seem to be clouding up a tiny bit. If it stays like it is, I love it. Blobs keep combining mid-lamp, column flow keeps happening, I wish I could post a pic. If it stays like this the next few runs I'll post pics.

[Tim Gill]

Sounds hit and miss with the bubble soap - sure it works but it clouds it, what is in the bubble soap that is diffrent from dish soap such as dawn that works well as surf

[Rampaging Chipmunk]

Dawn dish soap will work well for China lamps assuming that the wax isn't screwed up. Sometimes, the wax is just crap and no amount of modification will make it work. Also, in my experience, China wax almost always will not move until salt is added. I've only had one work without salt.

[Carol]

I've had a china 20 oz work without salt, but then it turned into something like cottage cheese looking!!!  lol!!!  I've used all kinds of additives and unfortunately never had any luck.  I didn't have dawn so I used shop-rite brand dish liquid and it clouded up.  Same with the bubble soap.  Hey, they have a new dawn out called "Dawn Clear" or something like that where they do not put any coloring in it and it is supposed to be a more natural dish soap.  I wonder how that would work in a fluid change??  Hummm???  But all my fluid changes ended up being dumped and goo-kitted.  I wonder if anyone has ever actually had one that stood the test of time with salt and/or dish liquid and/or both???

[Tim Gill]

the lamps that I have changed the formula / density with have all been fine I first started using the old Epson salts method, that works but can cloud it when the lamp is off.

PG is the best option i have found as it dosent cloud the lamp and you can use it straight and not that much (depending on the globe size etc)

I have used old school dawn dish soap for surf but ushaly use it for preaping globes and this is fine but now use the goo kit surf haven't had issues with this at all.

Carol Morrow said:

I've had a china 20 oz work without salt, but then it turned into something like cottage cheese looking!!!  lol!!!  I've used all kinds of additives and unfortunately never had any luck.  I didn't have dawn so I used shop-rite brand dish liquid and it clouded up.  Same with the bubble soap.  Hey, they have a new dawn out called "Dawn Clear" or something like that where they do not put any coloring in it and it is supposed to be a more natural dish soap.  I wonder how that would work in a fluid change??  Hummm???  But all my fluid changes ended up being dumped and goo-kitted.  I wonder if anyone has ever actually had one that stood the test of time with salt and/or dish liquid and/or both???

[Carol]

Never used the goo kit surf except for when I do a total goo kit, but I know a lot of OG members have!!  I have a big enough bottle, so if I ever need to do a fluid change I'm going to try the surf.  Does it work in vintage as well as china??