Carramar lava lamps

[John]

Hi team. My name is John & I've purchased a few lava lamps online & picked up a blue volcano lamp. I thought it looked cool & like the previous owner I originally had no idea what it was. Fortunately there's one listed on eBay with a good description & a Google search led me here. I'm in New Zealand so using a 120 volt bulb was not an option & it took awhile to find a bulb that will work in this lamp. Eventually finding the GE Lighting "Light Bulb Lustre 25W Clear E27 Edison Screw" bulb fits & works well. I'd be keen to know more about these vintage lava lamps - how many colours was made available & how many of these lamps was made? Now that I've got a blue lamp it's motivated me to look for more. Alas it's clearly going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack to find another & it's shear luck I have one at all.

[John]

I consider myself really lucky to have found so many in the short time I've been collecting these Carramar Volcano lamps. Have just paid for a green lamp which means I've only got one of the standard colours left to go!

[John]

I've spent much more than I ever intended but I've now got an orange Volcano coming. Now that I've got one of each of the standard colours I'm really hoping for one with the crown base or even custom colour combination & I'd really like a black Volcano. But it'll be wise to allow the funds to accumulate to the level it was prior to this week. If anyone wanted the spare Yellow Volcano I could probably be talked into passing company with it.

[John]

It hasn't occurred to me that I've got some decent pictures & should post them here. If anyone here is after a specific colour feel free to let me know & should I find another I can leave it for someone else & share the link. I'm sure there's more that like this type of lamp that wouldn't mind having one of each & they're obviously still to be had. All be it not very often & after the bidding war for the orange lamp others are after them too.

[Bohdan]

Great photos and a fantastic write-up!!

[John]

Have finally put all of the Volcano lava lamps together but unfortunately there are a few that either didn't come with a bulb or the bulb no longer is going. I purchased a few different types of light bulb & they all didn't fit without some form of modification required. The bulbs I do have are all looking old & the details of the bulb have worn off. I was starting to think that I was going to have problems finding any until I read something David Molloy posted in 2013 which through Google sent me to quite possibly the only supplier of new replacement light bulbs specifically for the Carramar Volcano lava lamp. I did what was required & now have ten bulbs that will eventually be coming my way & I'm absolutely stoked. Have taken a few pictures of a couple of the working lamps & they must use a different recipe as the lava moves like nothing I've ever had before & does look more like real molten lava in nature. It's going to look cool once I have them all lined up together & working in a dark room. :-) Here are a few more pictures, will have to take more over a longer time in future to get the best effect. I've looked on the PJ White website a few times & they've usually out of stock so get yours while you can.

[John]

Spent a little more time testing all of my lava lamps, changing light bulbs when required & making sure they all worked. Out of six lamps only two bulbs was required so quite the testament to how well the Volcano will last if looked after properly. I didn't have enough time to warm them up so only took a few pictures of them together while turned off & will get to it when I have more time.

[Bohdan]

What a fantastic line-up!!

[ElectricAstro]

Great colours on these lamps!

[John]

Well the inevitable has just happened! Found another decent purple three leg Volcano in need of a lightbulb & couldn't let it go. Now there's going to be two purple & two yellow lamps in the line up. If there's anyone who'd like either (or both!) of these colours let me know & are willing to send.

[John]

Have set up all of the lava lamps (including other brands) up with Belkin Weimo wireless switches. They have the option of being able to set a timer or I can operate them from a smartphone or tablet & I don't need to be home to do this. It's cool being able to enter a room & they're already warmed up & flowing. The Volcano line up looks like some of them will require more regular use to get them flowing properly as some was stored for most of their life. Have more bulbs coming probably went overboard but who knows how long they'll remain available.

[John]

Was searching eBay using a different search criteria & came across a listing for an original Carramar lightbulb in it's retail packaging. It took me awhile to decide if I wanted to buy it myself but eventually came to the realisation that I already have enough bulbs & this would look out of place with the lamps. If anŷone here would like it here's the link to make it yours:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272601123387?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&a...

[Bohdan]

Its always great to see an original bulb in packing!