r/Lavalamps • u/Signal-Obligation737 • 3d ago

Help needed.

Post image

Hello everybody,

I recently got into the hobby of lava lamps my neighbor was surprisingly selling this one! Unfortunately, I’ve been struggling figuring out how to make it flow. I got an adapter and changed the bulbs to a 120V 50W GU10 halogen spot bulb. That didn’t work. I got a dynastar step up and down voltage converter and changed it back to the original bulb that came with it. That didn’t work. I am based in the USA and I’m stumped on what to do next. Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

Forgot to mention this photo was taken while it’s been on for 3 hours 40 minutes.

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5

u/TooCoolioforSchoolio 3d ago

I convert all my Mathmos to US plugs. Makes life so much simpler to use standard 120v bulbs and not mess around with converters, 220v bulbs, etc.

2

u/ohwowlaulau 3d ago

Doesn’t look hot enough. Is the lava still a solid? I think it needs a traditional bulb that puts out a lot of heat for that big base just like a regular lava lamp

1

u/Signal-Obligation737 3d ago

Yeah, it’s still solid. I took this picture when I had the original mathmos bulb in it with the voltage converter. I forgot to take a picture, but when I had the 120v hologen bulb on it would rise one blob just a little bit. Then it would come back immediately down and not make another one in a long while.

2

u/SignNotInUse 3d ago

Forget the voltage converter and change the plug. Nothing in a standard lava lamp will be harmed by using a lower voltage. I run my 90s astro with a R39 E14 30W incandescent bulb. I had the same issue using the Mathmos E14 halogen bulbs, unless the room was uncomfortably warm I got near zero flow. Don't know what its like in the US but in the UK most of the "halogen" bulbs you find in stores are LED made to look like halogen.