Problem with bubbles and I don't know how to fix this one.

[goodude26]

Hey all. I can usually fix a problem with a globe when it flows funny or so, but this one is just not being user friendly.

This globe arrived half empty because the cap got broken in the mail. I filled it up with distilled water and used the usual stuff to get it going again. Well, I got it to flow great besides one major problem. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF BUBBLES IN THE WAX!! So irritating.

Does anyone have any idea what I can do to reduce the bubbles???
Any help is MUCH appreciated.

Here is the link to the pic since I cannot directly upload a pic.
http://s192.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Respect_the_Century/?action...

W_J

[cpu2hot]

Hi I may be able to help you I am not a scientist but I believe you get the bubbles when a globe is run with no cap on it or with too little water in it it allows air to mix with the wax when it gets to top of the liquid then when it cools it sinks to the bottom and lets the air mix into the liquid wax. too fix this you have to cycle the globe turning it on till the wax melts a little then turn off till cool then turn on again till wax is all melted to the bottom and when hard no air bubbles are visable top up the liquid SEAL WITH A CAP and run the lamp or uncap the globe and either drain and save the liquid and remelt the wax till it is puddled on the bottom of the globe the air will break free from the wax and dissipate into the air then recool the wax till solid then readd the liquid till it is JUST BELOW THE SHOULDER where the cap sits reseal the globe with a wine cork or whatever you can use let it reheat, the pressure created inside the globe and the absence of extra air in the globe should not allow the bubbles to reform. any globe running without a cap will get bubbles as I say I am not a scientist my reasoning may be wrong but this has worked for me . also the bubbles may be produced from the PERK in the goo when heated in an unpressurized unsealed globe if run long enough unsealed the perk will evaporate and the globe will not function peoperly

Hope this helps

[goodude26]

The problem doesn't seem to be air. I am using about 50% original liquid and 50% distilled water with a few drops of soap as a surfectant and enough kosher salt to help the wax to become light enough in the liquid.

The bubbles are coming from the bottom of the lamp, it is almost like the lamp is boiling, but the bulb is the proper bulb and I have tried another bulb just to see what happened and the same thing happened.
The globe literally sends up a bubble every 2 seconds, sometimes sooner. I have taken a look under the globe and notice there is a pocket of liquid that is sitting below the wax, but I have no idea how I could eliminate that and I don't even know if that is the actual problem.

I don't know. this lamp might have to just have bubbles in it. It flows well. But the bubbles are troublesome and ugly.

W_J

[cpu2hot]

Hi I didnt know you had added soap The problem may be the soap there were a few posts saying people added soap and the bubbles came it also happened to me on some early trials it looked like it was working and then the bubbles came and then the little white flakes and then the clouds they also say you cant get rid of it. Play with it for a while and then maybe start from scratch because if the soap wrecks the goo you wont be able to use it Or if you do there will be little white flecks in it that will cloud youre new liquid I think all the little white bits that will appear are little bits of wax that the soap has damaged .

I am pretty new at this but have spent quite a lot of time with it and have 3 globes that I have fixed to a condition I am happy with and the flow is what I like . There are deifnatly people out there more knowledgable than I and hopefully they may be able to help you If they can I would appreciate if you would pass on to me what the outcome was
Thanks Frank

[goodude26]

I filled the lamp up with distilled water and added the correct type of salt to the lamp and got it flowing before I ever added the soap and I still had the bubbles. So I know the soap is out.

Also, the soap I use has not given me any problems at all. I use Suave hair shampoo. It works great.

I have tinkered with the globe a little more and have it warming up now. I will keep my progress posted if things change for the better or worse.

W_J

[cpu2hot]

Okay there is another possibility If the lamp was running with a low fluid level or with the cap off. The PERK in the wax WHEN HEATED by the bulb could transform from a solid to a liquid to a gas thereby creating bubbles also if somwhere along the line the lamp was really overheated or frozen the perk could be forced to seperate from the wax and that would explain the pool of liquid on the bottom which when released from the wax would create either gas bubble or a liquid bubble . Also the Bubble if under the wax , should mean it is heavier than the wax and the heaviest thing in a lava lamp is the perk or maybe glycerin as it can be used instead of salt to make the water heavier. Some things to try. If the wax when cold is not in a nice FLAT pool in the bottom but has air bubbles visable drain and save the fluid and remelt the wax in the globe till no bubbles visable, then refill the globe and turn on the lamp, with the cap ON. The cap will pop off once or twice but replace it the each time . The cap keeps the lamp operating at a not so small internal pressure which can keep gas in a liquid state this would affect the perk. If this helps at all redo the process if this is the problem you may end up having to add more perk to replace any that has evaporated because if enough evaporates your perk will eventually float in pure water and you wont be able to adjust the water density with salt , more salt to the water would just make the wax lighter in relation to the water. Once again this was something that happened to me and I always run with the cap on now, When it first happened I wasnt sure that was the soloution but since I have made it my habit to run with the cap on I have almost no bubbles but I do have some LIQUID bubbles in a wax I made with a high percentage of perk these bubbles just flow inside the rest of the mass and only appear when the lamp is hot but it does pool under the wax and looks like an air bubble I cannot state the above as ironclad fact but these I feel are some good possibilities incidently increasing the ratio of perk and mineral oil to parafin wax reduces the viscosity and lowers the amount of soap needed to make the wax break into individual masses

Tell me is the suave shampoo a clear soap i have read clear soaps are better

Good Luck
Frank

[Ryan]

I am having similar problems, but not on that scale. I do want to say that I think those are 'water' bubbles. If you can, try to watch one pop when it's not near the top and if nothing comes out, it's a water bubble.

[goodude26]

Thank you for the info, cpu2hot. I may give it a shot. But may also just leave the globe alone since it doesn't belong to me. I'm giving it back to its owner in a few days because the problem is so odd.

You are right, Ryan about the bubbles being liquid. When they pop nothing comes out. It may be like cpu2hot said and just be a chemical imbalance in the wax itself.

W_J