Re: Lava Lamp Left on Stove Explodes, Kills Man

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." <Paul@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:41C11A86.ADEFCF5A@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Guy Macon wrote:
> >
> > Lava Lamp Left on Stove Explodes, Kills Man
> > Source: Reuters Wed Dec 1, 2004 09:12 AM ET
> >
> > SEATTLE (Reuters) - A Wa****ngton state man who placed a lava
> > lamp on a hot stove died when the lamp exploded and a glass
> > shard pierced his heart, police said on Tuesday.
> >

<SNIP>

>
> What sort of pressure relief do these lamps have? I'd have tought that
> the mfg. would have already considered failure modes due to over wattage
> lamps, etc.
>
> -- 
> Paul Hovnanian     mailto:Paul@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> ------------------------------------------------------------------


Once the liquid starts boiling, steam pressure would build quickly, of
course.  The cap is threaded on the Lava Lamps that I've seen so the force
to remove the cap would be higher than if the cap were just pressed on.
Some years ago, a glass gallon jug with a metal screw cap and a couple of
inches of cider was left in my garage for a week while I was away.  I
returned to find the garage a mess with large glass shards everywhere. 
Some
traveled 20 feet.  Good thing cider now comes in plastic jugs.

Terry McGowan