![lava classic lava lamp lava classic lava lamp](https://www.lavalamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/2116_VIDEOS-STILLS-1500x2000.jpg)
The STAR Lighting 100-watt light bulb comes with a type R20 medium base, and measures 3.55” in length, and 2.5” in diameter, making it a great fit for 27” lava lamps.ġ6.3” to 17” lava lamps – 40-watt light bulb If you have a massive 27” lava lamp, you will need a 100-watt lightbulb.įor a lava lamp that’s between 16.3” to 17”, it is recommended that you use a 40-watt lava lamp light bulb, whereas a 15-watt light bulb is a great fit for 11.5” lava lamps.Ģ7” lava lamp – STAR LIGHTING 100-watt light bulb Good news is that lava lamp bulbs are easy to find, but here’s a few specifications to help you choose the right bulb. It is highly important that you find the right kind of bulb for your model to increase the lamp’s longevity. What Kind of Bulb Goes in a Lava Lamp?īefore revealing the kind of bulb best suited for a lava lamp, it’s worth noting that you don’t have to use a special bulb, but should use a bulb that’s specific to your lamp’s design. If you have a classic 14.5-Inch/20-Ounce Classic Lava lamp, the Lava the Original Lamp is a great choice.
![lava classic lava lamp lava classic lava lamp](https://www.lavalamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/GRANDE-768x1024.gif)
Getting back to the big question of what size bulb is best for your lava lamp, the answer depends on the size of your lava lamp. What makes things worse is that incandescent light bulbs do not offer great service life, so you will probably be replacing your lava light bulb often, depending on how much you use it. Take for example the EU, which has banned the use of halogen lightbulbs around two years ago. Well, the answer truly depends on how much heat the respective bulb produces.īut this also leads to another major problem, which is fact that inefficient lighting is slowly being discontinued across the globe. With that said, you’re probably wondering what is the best size bulb for your lava lamp, given that LED bulbs are incompatible. It is best to use a bulb recommended by the manufacturer, which should be listed in the owner’s manual. If you do use an LED light bulb, your lava lamp will still warm up, but in most cases will result in a poor display of lava. In comparison with other types of bulbs such as incandescent bulbs, LED bulbs use roughly 90 percent of their energy to create light, and just 10 percent loss of heat, which again is not enough to heat up the wax in the lava lamp. The low heat generated by most LED bulbs is not enough to melt the wax inside the chamber of a lava lamp, which will prevent it from turning less dense than the water, and rising to the top surface.
![lava classic lava lamp lava classic lava lamp](http://www.avalankids.com.au/assets/alt_3/KLS-MMLP.jpg)
LED bulbs are billed as energy efficient lighting, therefore do not produce a lot of heat. When it reaches the bottom, the bulb heats it up again, and the whole cycle starts over. The wax when heated is now less dense than the water, and no longer sinks, but instead rises.Īs the wax gets further from the bulb, it cools which causes it to sink right to the bottom. Heat plays a pivotal role in varying the density of the wax, which gradually expands, and increases in volume. The wax is slightly denser than the water, which means it is slightly heavier, therefore should always be at the bottom of the lava lampīut a bulb at the bottom heats up the wax via a twisted metal wire, and causes the wax to rise. Lava lamps use heat to change the volumes of the lava, which is simply a mix of coloring and wax, and the translucent liquid is mostly water.
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When the lava inside the chamber is less than the liquid, it floats and rises to the top surface, and sinks to the bottom when it’s denser. The idea behind the lava lamp is simple, where the goal is to completely change the density of the lava. Lava lamps provide psychedelic lighting, something straight out of the 60’s, yet are quite fascinating, because they showcase a solid illustration of the Archimedes principle. 6 Final Thoughts How Does a Lava Lamp Work?.4 What Kind of Bulb Goes in a Lava Lamp?.