Lava lamp

The lava lamp is no longer a deficit, as in the distant Soviet times, and over the years has not lost its popularity. This, as before, is a noticeable and fashionable decor item, loved by many for its brightness and unusual design. Now anyone can buy such a lamp, although in the Soviet Union it was considered rare luck to get such a thing.

Previously, it was prestigious to give a strange lamp for the holidays, with her participation were organized home disco, the guests always paid attention to it. And although now the passions around the lamp have subsided, it still remains a welcome piece of furniture for many.

Current lamps are distinguished by a variety of colors, patterns and sizes. Prices for unusual decorative lamps vary depending on the country of manufacture and the individual parameters of the product.Lava lamps are particularly popular with teenagers for their catchy designs, but few of them know that today's gadget is not a modern innovation at all.

The idea of ​​creating a lava lamp belongs Edward Craven Walker, an engineer from the UK. It was he who in 1963 conducted an experiment on mixing oil and paraffin, followed by heating the mixture. The effect shook the inventor with beauty and he invented a unique lamp, giving it the name Astro Lamp.

Two years later in Hamburg, two American businessmen from Chicago became interested in the invention with the liquid inside the flask presented at the trade show. They bought a patent for a lamp with bubbles, called their purchase "Lava-lamp" and put its production on stream.

In the 90s. The lamps were widely recognized in our country, where the peak of the spread of the psychedelic subculture was observed, and everything unusual caused great excitement and interest.

The first lamps were made mainly with a bright yellow or blue liquid in the flask, and inside the red and white paraffin “clouds” formed strange shapes. The development of technical capabilities has allowed the production of lamps of a wide variety of shapes and colors of the contents of the vessel. But their essence remained unchanged - the magic of a small Universe enclosed in a framework of transparent glass.

Place for a lava lamp can be found in any interior. She can easily "revive" even the most boring style, becoming his bright accent. The device not only plays the role of decor, but also works as a lighting device. It is often used as a night light, since its lighting area is no more than three meters.

However, most often acquire this object as decoration and entertainment for the look and soul. After all, the game of paraffin in a glass flask simply fascinates the attention by the change of forms and the magic of color. Appreciate the device for being:

• has an unusual design for the lamp;
• universal and interesting not only to children, but also to people at any age;
• compact in design;
• practical, maintenance-free and easy to install and connect.

Lava-lamp can be both desktop and outdoor, it depends on the size and design of the glass bulb. The device has a simple device and is a lamp consisting of:

• a glass transparent cylinder filled with glycerin and translucent wax;
• incandescent bulbs located in the lower compartment of the structure;
• the basis consisting of a socle, a reflector and the glow lamp of a certain type and a voltage;
• metal cap;
• power supply wires

The composition of the liquid in the tank - glycerin and paraffin. All transformations in the flask occur on the basis of paraffin, which at room temperature sinks in glycerin. The lamp is heated due to the operation of the bulb and reflector. In the process of heating the wax softens, becomes lighter and begins to slowly move through the cylinder. It creates the visual effect of clouds floating through the air.The temperature difference leads to a change in the movement of paraffin, which takes on the most unexpected forms in the process.

There is no special plan for the stages of functioning of the lava lamp. This device is simple in design, for operation of which it is enough to connect to a working electrical network or a special plug (in a wireless model). If the lamp is supplied disassembled, it must first be properly assembled. This is an easy and quick process:

• Place a light bulb in a special base in the base-stand and twist.
• Insert the flask into the stand with the lid facing up (in no case do not open the lid),
• Put a decorative cap on the flask.

After that, the device is ready to connect and start working. There are only a few steps left before he begins to fully enjoy himself:

• The lamp should be placed on the floor or on a flat tabletop close to the outlet.
• For the device to work, you need to connect it to the power supply.
• After plugging in the socket the incandescent bulb lights up.
• Glycerol and paraffin are heated, as a result of which paraffin is set in motion.

After 8 hours of continuous operation, the lighting device must be disconnected from the network and left off for about an hour. This time will be enough for the lamp to be connected again.

Lava-lamps are presented in stores in a wide range, providing an opportunity to make a choice to each buyer. There are models that involve the use exclusively in girls' rooms and romantic interiors of bedrooms. But there are concise and more versatile options for offices and minimalistic living spaces.

The base material of all models is made of metal, which gives it stability during installation and heating. The design is selected for individual reasons and can be varied:

• Oblong flask with small monochrome glitter, beautifully iridescent and moving in the depths of transparent glycerin.This tabletop model comes in a variety of cap colors, bottoms and glitter.
• A flask of similar form with a glitter of the same color as glycerin. Small glitters are a little richer in hue, the base and cap are in the same range. A multi-colored palette is offered, a desktop installation is supposed.

• Base and cap chrome plated, glitter in three colors, lamp with ceramic base.
• Floor lamp on a high leg (123 cm) with a stable base. Inside the glass bulb monochromatic glitter in a transparent or tinted liquid. The largest, most expensive and spectacular model.
• Lamp for installation on the floor (61 cm) with a wider chrome-plated metal base. The filling of the flask is glitter of small caliber in transparent or colored glycerin.

• The cylindrical shape of the lamp with a large transparent part, filled with sparkles (39 cm).
• A cylinder-shaped lamp with clear liquid and colored wax (39 cm).

• A rocket-shaped lamp with floating bubbles of wax of one or two colors against the background of absolute transparency of the bulb filler.
• Figured models with glitter of all colors of the rainbow or wax bubbles.The possible color range varies in all possible combinations: from violet with blue to blue-yellow, green with gold or red-orange. The model with a bright design is most often purchased for children.

Lamps with a glitter differ from analogs with wax in that shiny particles move faster when heated, and dense wax forms intricate shapes. It can be oblong drops, blots, clouds, bubbles or something like jellyfish and parachutes. Everyone is able to see something special in bizarre forms.

When using the lava lamp for the first time, it will take from 2 to 3 hours to fully heat the paraffin. If it is assembled at the base or in the upper compartment and is stationary even after 1.5 hours of operation of the device, the luminaire must be turned several times around its axis.

If the paraffin is collected at the bottom of the flask during the operation of the lamp, or if bubbles appear too small, it is necessary to allow it to cool for an hour. Using the lamp is simple, but you still need to follow the basic rules:

• install the product only on a flat stable surface;
• incandescent bulb should be located strictly in the center;
• the average temperature in the room is not lower than 20 degrees;
• clean the glass bulb with a soft cloth, it is acceptable to use a wiper with a non-“aggressive” compound;
• timely disconnect the device from the network to avoid overheating;
• replace burnt out lamps with analogs of A-15 watt marking technology or A-40 W;
• every 3 months to make a full cycle of heating the lamp.

Lava-lamp, like any other device that works on the mains, requires compliance with safety precautions during its operation. In order not to harm the health and not damage the lamp, remember the following:

• It is unacceptable to transport the device in the cold and store it at low temperatures (less than +5 C).
• The lamp should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Overheating of the product is fraught with wax fading and device breakage.
• It is forbidden to shake the luminaire included in the network, move, drop or perform any active manipulations with it.If you do not want the liquid in the flask to dim, flow, or explode.

• Do not use additional sources of light and heat to heat the device. Incandescent bulbs are sufficient to ensure the normal operation of the device.
• According to the instructions, only incandescent bulbs should be replaced. The rest of the design is not allowed to change.
• To preserve the integrity of the device and its own safety, it is recommended to act according to the instruction manual of the lava lamp.

Often, neglecting the safety rules and prescriptions of manufacturers leads to product breakage. Warranty does not apply to damage cases caused by the consumer.

The popularity of the device, combining decorative and lighting functions led to the fact that many foreign and Russian companies took up its production. As in any other area, there are also leaders here.

Alive Lighting is a company with international status, producing lighting equipment through the work of a large team of enthusiastic and cohesive employees. These experts implement interesting ideas in models of lamps that are valued for their quality and modern design:

• "UNO Volcano" - This is the name of one of the most popular lamps from Alive Lighting, which assumes a floor installation and has protection against overheating, which is very useful for devices of such a design as a lava lamp.
• "Tube Passion" - model in design minimalism, recognizable by the red color of the wax. The bright product has standard sizes that allows its use in any room of residential and office space.

Mathmos is the oldest manufacturer of lava lamps. Winner of many prizes for the design of devices and well-organized marketing. The most revered models from Mathmos are:

• "LavalampAstro" - design with a removable bulb, there is a large selection of colors, complemented by new variations on a quarterly basis. This allows, having bought a lamp once, to be able to regularly change its design to a more modern version.
• "FireFlow O1" - a unique pattern among typical lava-lamps. The device is heated by a candle and has a removable glass cylinder, made in the style of "hi-tech". The device can work without interruption 3 hours. So much time is needed for the candle to burn out completely and go out. The device is simple, effective and reliable in operation.
• "FireFlow O1 shine" - from the previous model has an incredible space design. It works up to three hours from the candle, which makes it universal, mobile and independent from the power grid.

Some lesser-known manufacturers have also already found their admirers by releasing the following lamps:

• PUL1020 - Russian-made lamp, presented by Orient, specializing in the design and manufacture of lighting fixtures. A distinctive feature of the lamp - iridescent sparkles, playing flashes in the bulb when turning on and heating the device. Works from the network, is sold at an affordable price, unpretentious in the care, attractive in the interior.
• "Start Love" - product brand with the same name "Start". The standard representative of lava-lamps at affordable prices.

Also noteworthy are Chinese lava lamps produced in factories producing lighting devices of various types and purposes.

How the lava lamp is arranged, look in the following video.