Are vintage bubble lights safe?
If you have strings of vintage bubble lights in your Christmas decoration box, use them with caution. They are dangerous if they break open; the hot liquid can burn children or pets. The fumes from a spill are also considered carcinogenic. Modern versions of bubble lights are made from less hazardous materials.
How do vintage bubble lights work?
In these older lamps, one can often see a white piece floating at the top of the vial, until the heat of the lamp dissolves it and it starts to bubble. The light from the lamp illuminates the bubbles from underneath, causing them to shine.
Do bubble lights go bad?
One of the most common reasons a bubble light may fail to bubble is because it is simply too cool. If this is the case, you will not be able to get the light to bubble until the weather warms.
Do bubble lights cause fires?
Opaque Casing. In the early days of bubble lights and Christmas lights, colorful plastic casings surrounded the bulbs. These casings, with opaque coatings, trapped high levels of radiant energy inside, which increased the possibility of bulb combustion and caused many trees to catch fire.
What is the fluid in bubble lights?
Bubble lights are a string of lights for the Christmas tree that contain a fluid-filled base. When turned on, heat causes the liquid to boil giving the appearance of bubbling. The liquid might be water or a lightweight oil but is typically methylene chloride, the same solvent found in paint strippers.
What is the liquid in a bubble light?
How long does it take for bubble lights to bubble?
How long does it take for the bubbling action to start? Once the light is turned on it can take from 30 seconds to 5 minutes for the bubbling action to start when at temperatures over 65F.
Can bubble lights be repaired?
Repair: – DON’T attempt any repair to the light set by cutting, splicing, replacing plug, lampholders, or the end connector. – DON’T try to replace the light bulb inside the plastic housing. – DO replace bubble lights (entire assembly) and fuses (see above for instructions in the trouble shooting section).