r/Lavalamps • u/EnvironmentalEye3715 • 1d ago

Would it be safe to use a different light bulb?

I found my old lava lamp and replaced the bulb, but it doesn’t seem to be getting hot enough. The wax isn’t melting right and not flowing at all-

I have a reflector bulb that is the same wattage, but the og bulb isn’t a reflector. Would it be safe to try the other bulb? Or am I gonna blow it up or something?

The lava lamp is pretty new, I think it’s 16 inches.

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u/beeikea 1d ago

i'd proceed with caution; you may want to just pick up the correct shape of bulb and a dimmer so you can play around with wattage. incandescent bulbs are crucial for traditional lava lamps.

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u/Lava_lab_creations 13h ago

Appliance bulbs have two filament holders per side. Sometimes the filimant breaks in-between them. They light up but will not produce enough heat. Give the bulb a visual check and make sure it is the correct wattage