Newbie Question : How long/safe to run your lamp?

[Heyfrito]

Okay, just got my first lamp, a Mathmos Jet (violet / blue) very very cool. It gets pretty hot though (guess that isn't much of a surprise) but wanted to know how long I should be running it at a go. Can it go overnight? Are they fire hazards? Does running it for too long at a go cause it to get damaged or the wax to fade? Since I bought it off of eBay there is no instruction manual where I could probably answer these questions for myself.

Thanks in advance.

[Novemberchild]

Good job! You paid a resonable price and got a rather rare color combination, and got it from what I guess must be a respectable seller because I see him frequently (or is that "regularly"?) offer lavalamps.

Nice way to kickstart your collection!!!

If you want to keep the lamp in shape as long as possible, you may not want to exceed the run cycle beyond 5 or 6 hours.

Also: Keep it away from sunlight (and water, and whatever you do: Do NOT feed it after midnight! *knickknack*)

Set it up in a place where there's no draught. A little air-circulation is okay and needed, because you want to avoid the heat from building up around the lamp (as could happen in a closed showcase like a Vitrine).

Only clean it when it's cold, only use the proper cleaning agent for the glass and if a soft dry cloth doesn't suffice for the plastic parts, wet it in warm water with a few drops of dishwash. That should do...

And absolutely never (and we mean never) shake or stir it when the lamp is on and heated.

That should be all for the "how to handle" department...

About damages:
I would yet have to hear of a fire being caused by a properly funtioning(!) lavalamp. As you may know, the safety rules applied to electrical devices in Germany are rather strict and, as far as I know, all Mathmos lamps have the official "GS" and "TÜV" seals of approval.
So the risks of running it for too long, like over night, rather affect the lifetime and quality of the lamp's content.

The most probable damages overheating may cause are: Damage to the vacuum seal which results in the lamp not working properly the next time you turn it on; Clouding and accelerated discoloration of the liquid phase; Damage to the wax, known among the forum as "Bubblitis" or foaming, simply put: the wax will start to look ill and ugly.

But what I consider the most likely damage to occur with a jet that overheats, is that the lightbulb will just give, the way they normally do when they're worn out!

I hope this helped.

[Heyfrito]

Yes, that's fantastic information. Thanks to both of you for the help.

[Modulo '70]

hi i've run mine all night before and no probs, however, be careful not to use too high a wattage bulb if you dont have a dimmer switch, these were not standard on the jet models but of course, can be added. a nice model and will give years of lava satisfaction!