Loving this thread. I’ve got lava lamps in 3 different places in my basement now (3 each, so 9 total). I only fire up the 27” on Fridays when I pull out the vinyl and drink. It’s pretty much a ritual now.
(Topic ID: 275268)
Quoted from MT45:I'm now in for $798 for one lamp ... »
Though to be honest I would probably drop that kind of coin if they ever produced their Lunar again...
Quoted from MT45:Just checked and shipping was $191.66 - converted from = 144 BP sterling
Add the cost of the lamp at $531.00
Add the cost of bulbs, transformer at $75
I'm now in for $798 for one lamp ... better be a beauty!
I'm running through all the options to convert it to US - will report back once settled:
Got this step up transformer on the way. Can use it "as it arrives" with this unit
amazon.com link »
Got these bulbs on order to see if they function well enough to heat the lava properly
These bulbs will draw .62 amps vs the UK lamp draw of .34 amps so I will be watching the cord temps carefully - probably not an issue
amazon.com link »
Just FYI...the iO will come with three extra bulbs. I didn’t realize that until after I received it. It is buried in the text at the bottom of the page.
I never converted any of my Mathmos lamps. I use transformers I bought from Grainger. They work great for all of my lamps and are NOT made in China. I read about a lot of people having issues with the Chinese made transformers. I do not want my home to burn down if you know what I mean.
I also bought a UK dimmer from Amazon UK for my iO after reading about some iO’s running hot. The yellow/orange bottle runs hot around 5 hours in. When I bought my iO, I bought the other bottles also. Saves on shipping if you bundle them together.
I created a thread on Reddit that explains some of what I have experienced buying Mathmos lamps.
Besides Reddit there is the oozing goo site with a lot of lava lamp information.
In my opinion, the lamp is worth the cost since you cannot purchase it in the US. It is a one of a kind in the US. If you have the money, it’s worth doing! I own pinball machines and cars, so why not.
You will love it! Post pictures when you have it running.
Oh and the matt silver iO is now for sale.
Bethany Beach, DE
Quoted from Deez:So this thread inspirired me to buy the 24" lamp off Amazon. It took about 7 hours to heat up cause it was in the cold but it is absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it.
Link to one you bought. Want to add one Thx
A little blip in the setup tonight.
My bottle leaked in transit. Not a ton and maybe not enough to matter
I unscrewed the white cap (it seems like they use a type of superglue to put in on - shreds like candyglass when you unscrew it)
I cleaned the cap and the threaded area of the bottle, added some E6000 adhesive and screwed it back tight
Waiting on my transformer to fire it up
I sent an email to Mathmos to ask them if I have enough liquid remaining to run it properly (seems like I do)
IMG_0369 (Medium) (resized).jpgIMG_0370 (Medium) (resized).jpgIMG_0383 (Medium) (resized).jpgIMG_0385 (Medium) (resized).jpgIMG_0386 (Medium) (resized).jpgQuoted from MT45:A little blip in the setup tonight.
My bottle leaked in transit. Not a ton and maybe not enough to matter
I unscrewed the white cap (it seems like they use a type of superglue to put in on - shreds like candyglass when you unscrew it)
I cleaned the cap and the threaded area of the bottle, added some E6000 adhesive and screwed it back tight
Waiting on my transformer to fire it up
I sent an email to Mathmos to ask them if I have enough liquid remaining to run it properly (seems like I do)[quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image][quoted image]
Ouch, that sucks! I had one leak a small amount. But not as much as yours. I asked them about it and said it should not affect anything. They offered on a smaller lamp to send me a replacement. Just don’t tell them you are in the US. If they offer to send you a replacement and you are willing to pay the shipping, take it and tell them to ship it to the address they have on file in the UK.
Ultimately, I accepted the replacement as I had another shipment going out with it.
Good luck...it should work fine. And it looks like the level is above the bottom of the top piece. So hopefully you will not see the top of the fluid once the lamp is assembled.
The Home Depot near me has some at pretty reasonable prices...
They call them "novelty" lamps.
Not sure of the quality, but some are in stock...
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lighting-Lamps-Novelty-Lamps/Lava/N-5yc1vZc7q1Zart?storeSelection=
Quoted from Dent00:The Home Depot near me has some at pretty reasonable prices...
They call them "novelty" lamps.
Not sure of the quality, but some are in stock...
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lighting-Lamps-Novelty-Lamps/Lava/N-5yc1vZc7q1Zart?storeSelection=
Those are just Lava brand lamps, quality is not what it used to be after they shipped manufacture to China in the early 2000's.
Just picked up another 16.3in on a whim; flows nicely but the bottle is very cloudy probably will have to refill it.
If you want quality Mathmos seems to be the only game in town, but I want to say, one of their Astro lamps probably would be north or $160 by the time you get it shipped stateside...
2 weeks later
Quoted from liftmagnet:Those are just Lava brand lamps, quality is not what it used to be after they shipped manufacture to China in the early 2000's.
Just picked up another 16.3in on a whim; flows nicely but the bottle is very cloudy probably will have to refill it.
If you want quality Mathmos seems to be the only game in town, but I want to say, one of their Astro lamps probably would be north or $160 by the time you get it shipped stateside...
I purchased a few of these lava lamps from Home Depot. One had rotating glitter with a color changing effect (appears to be an LED effect). The second was a red liquid with orange wax. The 120 Volt 25 Watt bulb on the wax unit burned out instantly, when I turned it on. I purchased a new bulb and it worked fine, for a while. After being left on continuously for several days, that new bulb also burned out. I got a box of 6 new bulbs and replaced it again. I guess you cannot leave these on for an extended period or the bulb will not last. The body of the glass globe unit gets pretty warm after it is left on for an extended period of time. The rotating glitter lamp seems to work fine, but it is not really a lava lamp, as it is defined in this thread.
Quoted from Dent00:I purchased a few of these lava lamps from Home Depot. One had rotating glitter with a color changing effect (appears to be an LED effect). The second was a red liquid with orange wax. The 120 Volt 25 Watt bulb on the wax unit burned out instantly, when I turned it on. I purchased a new bulb and it worked fine, for a while. After being left on continuously for several days, that new bulb also burned out. I got a box of 6 new bulbs and replaced it again. I guess you cannot leave these on for an extended period or the bulb will not last. The body of the glass globe unit gets pretty warm after it is left on for an extended period of time. The rotating glitter lamp seems to work fine, but it is not really a lava lamp, as it is defined in this thread.
I have a Metallica glitter lamp, that i obviously had to have. Ill get a better pic when off vacation.
20191019_215109 (resized).jpgSorry, no pics; yet. I bought an Amazon lava lamp with clear liquid from Amazon for my daughter. Came in all cloudy and never really worked, so returned. I went to CL and saw a cool one being sold about 5 minutes from my house that appears to be working well based on pictures. My thought, don't take a chance on random Amazon shipments and get one I know works.
Started talking to the guy and he has 110 lamps and wanted to let a few go. I picked up a yellow wax/blue liquid and red wax/clear liquied tonight for $30 total. My wife didn't want the second one, but you guys corrupt me and I had to also have one.
The seller/lave lamp guru told me to let them sit for a day because they have been in his cold car all day. I tried heating up a bit puttin on a heating vent and now have them on. Yes, patience is not something I have.
I'll take a pick when they start to flow.
P.S. the seller also included extra bulbs that he didn't tell me ahead of time. Very cool.
1 month later
Finally had a chance to finish my review of the Mathmos Giant IO that I bought back around Christmas
Cool thread. Ironic that I found it just days after firing this beauty back up for the first time in probably a decade. The bulb burned out long ago and it's been sitting dark on my bar for a very long time. Finally remembered to hunt down a new bulb and started running it a few days ago. I am still working from home, and it's a really nice addition to my workspace. I might have to take it with me if I ever go back to the office full time! 
I've had it since high school (~1994) and it still works great with the new bulb. They sure are hard to photograph. The lava is much more red in person. Flows like a dream once warmed up.
E8311452-267E-46F0-A0A8-AF5CD2DB512A (resized).jpeg
Quoted from yfz450:You can get the date code from the cap. 94 is one of the better years for the Midnight Series.
941131, so I'm assuming that is Nov 31, 94. Then again there is no 31st of Nov, is there? Hmm. I'm still guessing '94 though based on both that number and my fading memory. Either way, it had to be pre 1995 as I took it with me to college and definitely had it before that.
I found this at a flea market last weekend and am super happy with it! I cleaned the outside pretty well, but It is a little cloudy inside and has a bottle cap-type top.
Any suggestions on how to replace the bottle cap if I redo the liquid inside?
933D1CF8-9F72-4E71-A14F-6E4DC13140BE (resized).jpegA7E69031-6439-4FD7-B9E4-80E649FC3290 (resized).jpegC188D1CC-5BB0-4B9A-93EE-083DE282463B (resized).jpeg
Sana'a
Anyone have any tips for getting the wax stuck to the glass? It's a brand new light so im still heat cycling to get rid of the cloudiness, however, I'm not sure about the wax that's stuck to the sides. I have it currently wrapped in foil but I am slightly concerned it may burst.
20210216_170450 (resized).jpg20210216_170517 (resized).jpgOk, who has put them on top of games.
How did you secure them so they have stability if/when the game gets nudged?
9A677781-3373-4AED-9050-E8713B48CCC3 (resized).jpeg
I asked for ideas on Facebook and I think the winner is a suspended shelf attached from the floor joists. This eliminates having them on the games at all.
Added over 3 years ago:I already have a solution
Quoted from brenna98:Ok, who has put them on top of games.
How did you secure them so they have stability if/when the game gets nudged?
[quoted image]
That and putting neons on top of games are two of the worst ideas for toppers.
As for the cloudy lamps, there really does not seem to be a way to fix that without refilling it.
I just recently refilled my old lava lamp that got knocked over when hot with one of the Goo Kits from Magma Tower and so far I am happy. Easy enough to do as long as you have a bottle caper. It does run a bit cooler than the standard lava lamp goo so you would probably need to get a dimmer if you want to run it for any length of time.
If the lamp is flowing well and is just cloudy you can just replace the liquid with distilled water and a bit of surfactant. I just did this to my new LAVA brand lamp because the cloudiness never went away. I have yet to try dyeing the water but I have heard the the ink from highlighter pens works really well for this.
Quoted from liftmagnet:As for the cloudy lamps, there really does not seem to be a way to fix that without refilling it.
I just recently refilled my old lava lamp that got knocked over when hot with one of the Goo Kits from Magma Tower and so far I am happy. Easy enough to do as long as you have a bottle caper. It does run a bit cooler than the standard lava lamp goo so you would probably need to get a dimmer if you want to run it for any length of time.
If the lamp is flowing well and is just cloudy you can just replace the liquid with distilled water and a bit of surfactant. I just did this to my new LAVA brand lamp because the cloudiness never went away. I have yet to try dyeing the water but I have heard the the ink from highlighter pens works really well for this.
I've been trying on and off to redo the liquid in my 2 lamps so far with no luck. Can't get the right ratio to have the goo actually break off and float to the top.
Quoted from dsuperbee:I've been trying on and off to redo the liquid in my 2 lamps so far with no luck. Can't get the right ratio to have the goo actually break off and float to the top.
I just used the surfactant that came with the goo kit when I just changed the water in the new lamp, it was about 12mL for a 52oz lamp. Alternatively, sodium lauryl ether sulphate seems to be a good choice; should be cheep and easy to source from any chemistry or home soap making store.
Quoted from brenna98:Ok, who has put them on top of games.
How did you secure them so they have stability if/when the game gets nudged?
[quoted image]
I asked for ideas on Facebook and I think the winner is a suspended shelf attached from the floor joists. This eliminates having them on the games at all.
That is just a bad idea.
I'm not sure when they changed the formula over, but the 90s and before lamps are not filled with water
They smell like kerosene when you open them, and people who drank the liquid have died
Don't mess with it, or pour into your drain
Quoted from Nevus:My first lamp arrived today from the UK. I purchased a plug adapter on Amazon.
I went with Pink/Yellow. It’s better than I expected. Looks like I’ll be wanting more.
[quoted image]
Looks nice, is the plug converter just an adapter for the plug or is it a step up transformer? What’s the best way to run these from 120 to 240?
Quoted from KongDonkey:Looks nice, is the plug converter just an adapter for the plug or is it a step up transformer? What’s the best way to run these from 120 to 240?
Check out my blog post for info on what I did to convert mine
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/lava-lamps/page/4#post-6124350
The 27" tall Grande lava lamps are on sale right now for $75 and ship in 3 weeks
This is the largest LL they still sell in America
https://www.amazon.com/Lava-Original-27-Inch-Silver-Grande/dp/B001MWSW0K
It's Amazon, so if you get a cloudy one after running it for 2 weeks, you can return it free for another
71e3R-y48HL._SL1600_ (resized).jpgQuoted from vid1900:The 27" tall Grande lava lamps are on sale right now for $75 and ship in 3 weeks
This is the largest LL they still sell in America
amazon.com link »
It's Amazon, so if you get a cloudy one after running it for 2 weeks, you can return it free for another[quoted image]
Thanks for posting Vid - this is a killer deal and a great way to get a large lamp quickly and without the huge expense of ordering from the UK
I'm about 10 days heat cycling my new 27" grande and still can't see the lava/wax due to the excessive cloudiness. I plan on draining the distilled water and adding new, dyed with printer ink to see if I can save this lamp. Amazon already placed an order for an new one and let me keep this one. The attached photo is after 10 hours of runtime for that day
20210221_204427 (resized).jpgQuoted from Rshackxd:I'm about 10 days heat cycling my new 27" grande and still can't see the lava/wax due to the excessive cloudiness. I plan on draining the distilled water and adding new, dyed with printer ink to see if I can save this lamp. Amazon already placed an order for an new one and let me keep this one. The attached photo is after 10 hours of runtime for that day
[quoted image]
That looks like it froze in shipping, probably can't be saved.
But since you got it free, it might be time for a Gookit. If you want red lava, tell them when you order, because they don't include the red dye with all the colors in the kit.
Quoted from KongDonkey:Looks nice, is the plug converter just an adapter for the plug or is it a step up transformer? What’s the best way to run these from 120 to 240?
I went with the small adapter. I wasn’t sure I needed the voltage stepper for a lamp.
Left side is what came with the lamp.
Right side is the small plug adapter from Amazon.
B54EDD6D-BE03-4899-9AE7-DA925778C89E (resized).jpegQuoted from Nevus:I went with the small adapter. I wasn’t sure I needed the voltage stepper for a lamp.
It's based on the type of transformer. Simply look at the input voltage on the label of your power adaptor. If it says 110-220v, it's an auto-switching power supply and can be adapted with just the plug adaptor. If it doesn't say 110v 60hz, then you need a transformer.
Breda
Quoted from vid1900:The 27" tall Grande lava lamps are on sale right now for $75 and ship in 3 weeks
This is the largest LL they still sell in America
amazon.com link »
It's Amazon, so if you get a cloudy one after running it for 2 weeks, you can return it free for another
Cool, thanks for the heads up; though the yellow blue ones were back to normal pricing I was able to pick up a pink and purple one for $80.
We shall see if I get a good one or not.
One of the best flowing newer lamps I have, I actually bought as a gag.
These were on sale at Odd Lots for $6 each.
I bought a case of them (they came packed in round cylinders), and gave them out as gag gifts to friends. No matter what their political bent, everyone laughed and enjoyed their lamp.
The lamps all had a white, sperm like lava, that flows and flows; never overheating or getting stuck at the top. (it looks green in the pic, but in person, it's white)
You can leave these plugged in for a week, without a dimmer, and they just never stop flowing.
The base and cap are molded ceramic-y stuff, super cool.
I waited for a 45th edition to come out with yellow or orange lava, but it never did
IMG_20210224_193732 (resized).jpg
Quoted from vid1900:One of the best flowing newer lamps I have, I actually bought as a gag.
These were on sale at Odd Lots for $6 each.
I bought a case of them (they came packed in round cylinders), and gave them out as gag gifts to friends. No matter what their political bent, everyone laughed and enjoyed their lamp.
The lamps all had a white, sperm like lava, that flows and flows; never overheating or getting stuck at the top. (it looks green in the pic, but in person, it's white)
You can leave these plugged in for a week, without a dimmer, and they just never stop flowing.
The base and cap are molded ceramic-y stuff, super cool.
I waited for a 45th edition to come out with yellow or orange lava, but it never did
[quoted image]
That is absolutely hilarious. They definitely lost out by not making the 45th edition... 
2 weeks later
Quoted from flynnibus:It's based on the type of transformer. Simply look at the input voltage on the label of your power adaptor. If it says 110-220v, it's an auto-switching power supply and can be adapted with just the plug adaptor. If it doesn't say 110v 60hz, then you need a transformer.
The Euro plug on this lamp is normally used on 220 Volt, 50 Hz outlets. I would be very careful operating it on 120V, 60Hz as mentioned above. If the nameplate doesn't say that it can be operated on 120 Volts, it could get hot and cause problems, as it is likely drawing twice as much current as normal at 120V. If the nameplate doesn't say it will operate at 120V, you can plug it into a travel converter. Here is an example:
ebay.com link: 50 Watt Step Up Compact International Travel Voltage Converter
One of my kids friends shook my 1997 Midnight series lamp on Saturday. I’ve had it since 1997. I’ve been pissed since I found it looking like shown here. Is it toast? Or can I just run it for hours on end and hope that it clears up? It was crystal clear until a teenage brain decided it was a genius idea to shake something that didn’t not belong to him.
9B64FDB5-1B65-4F7B-9CFF-3B9002A1C0D1 (resized).jpegQuoted from johnnyutah:One of my kids friends shook my 1997 Midnight series lamp on Saturday. I’ve had it since 1997. I’ve been pissed since I found it looking like shown here. Is it toast? Or can I just run it for hours on end and hope that it clears up? It was crystal clear until a teenage brain decided it was a genius idea to shake something that didn’t not belong to him.
BAN HAMMER to this pubescent brain! "Hey, look at this..."
Quoted from johnnyutah:One of my kids friends shook my 1997 Midnight series lamp on Saturday. I’ve had it since 1997. I’ve been pissed since I found it looking like shown here. Is it toast? Or can I just run it for hours on end and hope that it clears up? It was crystal clear until a teenage brain decided it was a genius idea to shake something that didn’t not belong to him.
[quoted image]
Make him drink it.
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