The Importance Of The Lava Lamp Bulb
The lava lamp bulb is not something that is specially manufactured only to be used in a lava lamp. Most lava lamps use a regular 40 watt frosted bulb which you can get anywhere. Some lamps use different types of bulbs. You may find it a little difficult to get some of those bulbs in regular stores. In that case, you would have to order a lava lamp bulb from a lava lamp manufacturer. That may turn out to be an expensive affair as the manufacturer will give you branded bulbs. Of course, if you need these special bulbs then you have no choice but to pay the price.
How Does The Lava Lamp Bulb Work?
The lava lamp bulb has two functions. The main function of course is to provide illumination. The second function is what actually makes the lava lamp work. Apart from emitting light, the bulb also emits heat. The lamp contains a liquid into which wax is added. The bulb is placed beneath the tube which contains the liquid and wax. When the lava lamp is off, the wax lies at the bottom of the liquid. When the bulb is switched on, the heat emitted from it makes the wax expand and become lighter than the liquid. It then starts rising to the top of the lamp. As it reaches the top it begins to cool down and starts descending again.
This process continues as long as the bulb is kept on. This is why you can see the wax blobs inside the liquid keep moving up and down. Sometimes the blobs break up into smaller pieces. At other times, they come together and join to make bigger blobs. The heat that comes out from the lava lamp bulb helps this phenomenon to take place. That is what makes the lava lamp work.
The earlier models of the lava lamp used wax in them. These days you get lamps which use other chemicals apart from wax. There should be two components in the lamp with different densities and they should not react with each other. This is important to know, especially when you are planning to buy a lava lamp for your house. You should also be sure of what lava lamp bulb you will be getting. It will be safer to go for a lava lamp bulb which you can get easily at any regular store, like the frosted 40 watt bulb.
You will find a lava lamp bulb being used depending on the type and model of lava lamp you buy. Makers of lava lamps use bulbs like a 100 watt reflector bulb with frost inside for some models. They also use a 40 watt candelabra type bulb or a regular 40 watt frosted bulb. Some models require very bright lights so they have fluorescent bulbs which do not give out that much heat.
When you buy a lava lamp you should make sure you know what bulb is being used in it. If the lava lamp bulb gets spoiled, you will at least know what to look for at the lamp store.