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Lava Repair
Flea markets and swap meets are my favorite commercial venues, but let’s face it, the treasures that you bring home are often in less than pristine condition. Such was the case with the flea market lava lamp that I received as a birthday gift one year.
It was more of a “magma” lamp, as when turned on and fully warmed up, it never actually erupted. The goo just sort of sat there in a ball at the bottom of the globe. I used it this way for a number of years, since it did emit a nice glow, and it a was Century model, the quintessential but now discontinued lava lamp.
Curiosity got the better of me one day, and I decided to open it up and try to figure out just what the stuff inside was, and see if I could get it to work again. Google eventually led me to oozingGoo.com where the serious lava lamp tinkerers hang. I spent some time on their Formulas message board, and decided to have a go at making some lava.
After some messing around, I ended up with my own successful recipe that is a variation of the “Retro Basic” formula that oozingGoo reccomends.
The ingredients are:
- Water
- 1 tsp. Perchloroethylene (brake cleaner)
- Salt (non-iodized) or ethylene glycol
- 1 cup Petroleum Jelly and/or Wax
- Soap (surfactant)
The molten wax/petroleum jelly combo, and water are the two main fluids in the lamp. The “perc” is used to adjust the density of the waxy part, while the salt or ethylene glycol (either will work) are used to fine-tune the density of the water. The relative density (or is it specific gravity?) of the 2 parts has to be just right or, once up to full operating temperature, the lava will either float to the top and stay there, or sit at the bottom in a blob.
If the lava floats, you weigh it down by adding more perc. If your lava sinks, you make the water heavier by adding salt (the canning and pickling variety) or ethylene glycol.
A few drops of dish soap acts to break the surface tension of the wax so that it flows rather than remianing in a ball.
For more in-depth instructions on how to assemble your own goo, or to learn all you could ever want to know about liquid motion lamp theory, and lava lamp history, visit oozingGoo.com.
Thanks for this entry! I’d always figured there was somewhere on the internet that discussed lava lamp theory in-depth, but I’d never had the time to look for it. Now you’ve saved me that time!
I have tried the “retro” formula and I keep getting seperation of the different parts. The Wax seperates from the perc so I tried mineral oil also. It still seperates and clouds really bad. Did you have the same problem? Have you tried the “retro” formula? My next plan is perk and mineral oil alone.
Namaste,
I have not had a problem with seperation.
Are you making sure that the perc is well blended in the molten wax?
I would avoid mineral oil completely. The mineral oil formulas are a completely differnet beast.
I have had the best luck with simply vaseline and perc. Using pickling salt if I need to make the water heavier.
good luck
Is there any other mixtures that do not use perc? Is there another oil based chemical that is denser than water that is safe?
i just want to know whare i can get bulbs
and Q two is thare any possible way i can add more water to this thing its kinda below the lines because my grandmother had it in her closet and it was under a bunch of junk. i dont have the bulb cuz the metal holder got crushed i managed to fix it with plyers and rubber wire insulation
Namaste-
Most hydrocarbons will be less dense than water. You need something to increase the density, and chlorinated organic compounds will do the trick.
I understand if you have health or environmental concerns about using something like that, but the alternatives are basically using chemicals containing iodine or bromine instead of chlorine. These are harder to find, and in my experience they may also react with the water over time.
Another alternative would be to lower the density of the water, or replace it with another hydrophilic solvent altogether. If grain alcohol isn’t too volatile, you might be able to mix it with glycerine to match the density of the petroleum jelly. I haven’t tried it, though.
I HAVE A LAVA LAMP AND I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW I CAN REPAIR THE LAVA INSIDE OF IT. ITS ALL STUCK TOGETHER AND DOES NOT MOVE AROUND LIKE IT IS SUPPOSE TO. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW I CAN FIX THE LAVA INSIDE MY LAVA LAMP SO IT WILL WORK?
Ok, the problem with my lamp is that once fully heated and operating some stays at the bottom and top, with only minor little bubbles of wax moving up and down. The odd thing is that there are bubbles of air in the wax itself at the top and bottom and never seem to go away even after turning it off for several hours. And once its fully cooled to room temperature a small layer of wax stays at the top and never moves. So I have no idea whats wrong with it. Any ideas?
Wow!! Thank you . What a wonderful site . Rescued my son’s lava lamp when he moved two drops of soap and a little water and it is working beautifuly .
I have the same problem with my lava lamp as Morgan. Is there any possible way to fix it, or do I just have to live with it?
Thanks
I had the same problem as Morgan (and Gavin), I removed the top (with much effort and swearing) and added TWO drops of detergent (washing detergent) and ONE tablespoon of salt (dissolved in a small amount of water first). This has resulted in the lamp working perfectly as if brand new. My one reccomendation though would be to heat the lamp before you put the stopper back in to allow for heat expansion (i did not do this and the stopper popped out which was no big deal, it is fine now thanks fo asking). My eight year old stares at the lamp for hours, I think there may be something wrong with him.
I had the same problem as Morgan (and Gavin), I removed the top (with much effort and swearing) and added TWO drops of detergent (washing detergent) and ONE tablespoon of salt (dissolved in a small amount of water first). This has resulted in the lamp working perfectly as if brand new. My one reccomendation though would be to heat the lamp before you put the stopper back in to allow for heat expansion (i did not do this and the stopper popped out which was no big deal, it is fine now thanks fo asking). My eight year old stares at the lamp for hours, I think there may be something wrong with him.
How did you get the cap off ?? And then how did you get it back on ??
I used a bottle opener to get it off, and a fresh cap aand bottle capper (I have one for my beer making) to re-seal it.
I had a lava lamp for about 4 days then the lava just sat at the bottom in a ball it will not rise to the top how can i fix it?
I have the same problem as Levi. I have had it for a couple of weeks and it used to work fine. I really love my lamp and want to fix it so is there a home remedy or do i need to return it?
I have the same problem as Levi. I have had it for a couple of weeks and it used to work fine. I really love my lamp and want to fix it so is there a home remedy or do i need to return it?
I have the same problem as Levi. I have had it for a couple of weeks and it used to work fine. I really love my lamp and want to fix it so is there a home remedy or do i need to return it?
My lava lamp has a coil or spring that goes in a circle around the bottom with some lava attached to it, but some of the lava got loose and it doesn’t work as well, how do i fix that? Do I need to open it up or put new lava in?
I have a problem that my lava flows normally, but has started sticking to the sides near the bottom of the lamp. The small bits that have stuck now wont come off, and the flowing lava slides up the edges leaving a slug like track of cooler wax deposited on the sides.
How do i get it to come off the glass sides?
I have just fired up an ancient lava lamp for the first time in 15 years…after a while a great result…except that after a couple of hours the fluid in which the wax performs has gone opaque. Question: is it posible to change the water without dsturbing the wax - and has anyone had this problem and resolved it?? Thanks guys, Trevor.
My Lava lamp was shaken while hot, and now the lava is in small globs that do not move up and down. Does anyone know a cure for this?
A question from a young lava lamp enthusiast. I turned my lava lamp back on for the first time in about 8 months or so, and after about 5 hours of heating, all the wax grouped up at the very top and seems to have hardened in a glob. As the wax was moving to the top, many tiny bubbles floated up with up but they’ve combined with the large chunk of wax now. I do not know if this is normal because I’ve never had this happen before. Please help me out, any advice would be great. THANKS SO MUCH!!!
My sister brought me an 8/9 y.o huge lava lamp, I turn it on the wax at the bottom moves up a bit from 1 side but there is a patty of few stalactites on top that doesn’t move either, the bulb
seem hot enough to heat the silver base and bottom part of the glass… yet the “magma” hardly moves other than it risen a bit from one side…huuummm… What A I to do to resucitate this nice big lamp? HELP ANYONE???
My Lava lamp hadn’t been turned on in many years, when I did a large glob went to the top and an equal amount stayed at the bottom but no lava activity, I tried shaking it up but it eventually settled back to how it was before.
I was able to fix it though!
What I did was open it up and pour all of the liquid (water I assume but it smelled like paint thinner) into a different container leaving behind the two chunks of lava, I then heated up the lamp without the fluid and without putting the top back on until the whole thing was melted, I swirled it around to make sure the floating mass and the sinking mass were mixed together as one and then I removed it from the heat (i used the lamp base to heat it up). after allowing it to cool I added the liquid back in and sealed it back up and now it works like a champ!
It seems that the components that make it nearly neutrally bouyant had separated and the water prevented them from mixing back together.
hey, i was wondering what would be the best way to take the lil cap off and to put it back on to get the best air tight seal?
Kelly,
I f you have the later style lamp, with the bottlecap top as opposed to the screw top, you will find the easiest way to reseal it will be with a bottlecapper. You can borrow this little device from a friend who brews his/her own beer.
HELP!!! the lava in my lava lamp is stuck at the top in a ball that sometimes sticks to the glass. i cant get it down. i admit i accidentally shook it but now its stuck at the top. i dont want to open the cap and do anything…that might break it. please help me get my lava lamp back to normal. HELP!!!!!!
PS. when i accidently shook it all the lava when into little tiny particles. help me please