Do the lava inside the lava lamp not flow smoothly, or is the expiry date of the lava lamp bulb reached? In this case, you might be stuck to know what size light bulb does a lava lamp take? Meanwhile you do not know the lava lamp bulb size that used in it.
As we all know lava lamp comes in different shapes and size. The capacity of a lava lamp night bulb size also varies with the size of the bulb. Generally, 11 inches lava lamp is designed by using 15 watts bulbs for a lava lamp.
Furthermore, there few more sizes of lava lamps are also available in the market and all of them use different sizes of bulbs.
In this guide, I am going to guide my reader about what size light bulb does a lava lamp take? Ultimately if they want replacement lava lamp bulbs then they do not face any problems in it.
Size Of Bulbs- What Size Light Bulb Does a Lava Lamp Take?
Like every other lamp in the world, the lava lamp also uses a bulb of a specific type to provide the perfect color combination of light. Similarly, every small light bulb for lamps has an expiry date, they will not last forever.

In this situation, the user has to replace the bulb according to the size of a lava lamp. Unfortunately, if a person does not use the lamp according to the size of the lamp, then it will definitely affect the working of the lamp.
Ultimately the selection of night light bulb size with respect to size is very crucial so that your magical get work perfectly. Below I am going to mention the bulb size chart according to the size of the lamp.
Read it carefully so that you can find out what watt bulb you are going to use as a lava lamp replacement bulb.
15 Watts Bulb
15 watts incandescent bulbs are used in 11.5 inches tall lava lamps. So if you have a lava lamp of this size and you want to replace its bulbs then grab a 15-watt bulb for it.
25 Watts Bulb
Generally, a 14.5-inch tall lava lamp comes with a 25-watt incandescent bulb inside it. These bulbs are enough to provide specific heat to the liquid inside it. So that lava inside the lava lamp can flow without any trouble.
40 Watts Bulbs
A lava lamp of the size 16 to 17 inches is designed with 40 watts bulbs. With the increase in the size of the lamp, the lava inside it also increases in quantity. Ultimately greater lava requires more heat for its flawless working.
100 Watts Bulbs
The maximum watts bulbs of bulbs that can be used in lava lamps are 100 watts. The 100 watts bulbs are used in 27 inches-tall lava night lights. Never try to use more or fewer watts of bulbs in any lava lamp. If you do so then you will end up with the odd working of the lamp.
How Much Power Do Lava Lamps Use?
A lava lamp totally depends upon the source of heat inside it. The heat source in the lamp is an incandescent bulb. These lamps provide consistent heat when plugged in. ultimately producing continuous heat and a lot of electricity use.
So here I am going to mention a rough estimation of electricity use during the working of the lava lamp. The amount of energy used totally depends upon the wattage of the bulbs. For calculating the energy use we have to convert watts into kilo watts first.
A lava lamp with 40 watts bulbs, say stay on 24 hours every day for 365 days(40 watts x 24 hrs x 365 days), then it will use 350 kilowatts of energy per year. Similarly, a 100 watts bulbs utilize 876 kilowatts per year.
How To Replace a Lava Lamp Night Bulb
After knowing what size light bulb does a lava lamp take, now it’s time to learn how you can replace the lava lamp safely. Below are a few steps to follow in this concern
- If you have recently used a lava lamp, then leave it and let it cool.
- Make sure the lava lamp is unplugged
- Now loosen the lava lamp glob and remove it from the base and keep it in a safe place.
- Now unscrew the expired lamp and screw the new lava lamp bulb.
- Tighten the glob of the lava lamp carefully and you have done with the lava lamp bulb replacement.
Dangers Of Replacing Lava Lamp Bulb
Here are a few risks while replacing the lava lamp if you are not following the above procedure safely.

Glob May Slip
After removing the glob from the lava lamp base, if you did not keep it in a safe position there is a chance it may slip and break.
Breakage Of Bulbs
Sometimes during screwing and unscrewing of the bulbs if a person applies more pressure than the requirement then the bulbs may break. The breakage of the lamps can hurt the people who is replacing the bulb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question No 1: is it safe to use 40 watts bulbs for 25 watts lava lamp?
Answer: No! Experts do not recommend using higher-wattage bulbs in the lamp. The reason is it may overheat the lamp.
Question No 2: Does a lava lamp heat up while changing the lava lamp bulb?
Answer: no lava lamp does not heat up during the lava lamp replacement bulb. The lava lamps stay unplugged during this process.
Question No 3: Are lava lamps halogen or incandescent?
Answer: Lava lamps mostly use incandescent bulbs. Now are days few bulbs are also using halogen bulbs also.
Question No 4: Can I use a higher-wattage bulb in my lava lamp?
Answer: It’s not recommended to use a higher-wattage bulb in your lava lamp than what is specified by the manufacturer. The heat generated by a higher-wattage bulb can cause the liquid inside the lamp to overheat and potentially damage the lamp or cause a fire hazard.
Additionally, a higher-wattage bulb may cause the lava to move too quickly or become too hot, affecting the performance and lifespan of the lamp. It’s best to stick to the recommended bulb size and wattage for your lava lamp.
Final Words
I hope you find the discussion of what size light bulb does a lava lamp take informative and interesting. So always use the bulb according to the size of the lamp. Furthermore, follow the bulb replacement process carefully to avoid any hazards.