Home >> Toys >> Other Toys

How to Repair a Lava Lamp

Two common types of problem with lava lamps are clouding of the liquid and lack of ̶0;lava̶1; flow. The former arises from the wax lava̵7;s being jostled, as it is quite fragile. The latter problem can occur because the heating at the bottom of the bottle is inadequate or excessive. Other explanations can be if the lamp liquid is the wrong density, or the wax has too much surface tension.

Instructions

Cloudy Liquid
- 1
  Turn off the lamp for two hours to let the wax cool.
- 2
  Turn the lamp back on after the particulates have dropped out of the water.
- 3
  Turn it back off as soon as you see the water start to cloud up again.
- 4
  Cycle through, turning the lamp off and on again for several days̵2;at least six times. If the problem continues, continue with the next step.
- 5
  Run the lamp for 10 hours straight̵2;the idea being that the lava is not heating up enough. If the problem continues afterward, you̵7;ll have to replace the liquid. See the eHow article ̶0;How to Clear the Water in a Lava Lamp̶1; in this article's Resource links for details.
Inadequate Flow
- 6
  Determine whether the lava is lying flat or is dome-shaped in the bottom of the lamp. If the former, then the lava is likely insufficiently heated. If the latter, then the lava is overheated.
- 7
  Change the bulb, if the lava has been insufficiently heated. If the original bulb was functioning, put in a bulb with a higher wattage output. If it wasn̵7;t functioning, replace it with a bulb of the same wattage.
- 8
  Turn off the lamp for an extended period, if the lava seems to be overheated. Also, check the environment. The lamp should not be sitting on a heated element, like a TV or radiator. The ambient temperature should be around 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 9
  Run the lamp for four hours, and then remove the bottle from the stand and place it on a flat surface. Use oven mitts, since it will be hot.
- 10
  Turn the bottle slowly for about a minute, to cause friction between the lava and the coil underneath.
- 11
  Return the bottle to its stand and turn the lamp on for an hour. The lava should flow properly.

Other Toys