Owing to the plethora of health benefits a salt lamp holds, it is no wonder that you have placed one in every room of your house. Salt lamps are great décor pieces that can completely change the look of any place. These miracle lamps not only give a chic look to the place but also improve the environment.
After you have chosen the right salt lamp for your place, the next step is to know how you can take good care of the salt lamp. The salt lamp can last for a long time if handled in the right manner. No matter how robust the lamp looks, a little negligence can cause severe damage to it.
Salt light bulb:
A Himalayan salt lamp is a block of salt that is chiseled at the center to form a hollow space. An electric bulb is fixed in this hollow space. This is what a simple Himalayan salt lamp looks like.
Since the bulb happens to be the most important part of the salt lamp, we will talk about it in detail in this article. We aim to provide you all the necessary guidance that may come in handy while fixing and replacing the light bulb.
What type of bulb does a salt lamp use?
First, know the difference between different light bulbs available in the market.
- Incandescent bulb: It is the least expensive bulb available. It gives a warm, inviting glow and is most commonly used.
- Halogen bulb: It is a little pricey but energy efficient. It gives out day-light illumination called white light. Its color is sharper than the incandescent bulb.
- Fluorescent bulb: It gives out the brightest light and comes in different colors. It is best used in large areas.
- Tungsten filament bulb: It is the best choice to be used in the salt lamp. It is perfect to bring along the light bulb that comes with the salt lamp if you want to get the exact replacement. You basically need something that gives out light and generates enough heat.
How to choose the best size of bulb for your salt lamp?
Himalayan salt lamps are not mere lamps used to light up any space. They can be used 24/7 to balance out any positive ions and to cleanse the air from pollutants. Since the lamp will be used all the time, you need to find a bulb that fits well and doesn’t use up much electricity. Follow this size chart to know the right sized bulb for your salt lamp.
- Himalayan salt lamps with 3-11 lbs (mini, small, medium) require a 15 watt light bulb.
- Himalayan salt lamps with 12-20 lbs (large, extra-large) require a 25 watt light bulb.
- Himalayan salt lamps with 21-40 lbs (jumbo) require a 40 watt light bulb.
- Himalayan salt lamps with 41-200 lbs (super jumbo plus, super jumbo ++) require 50-60 watt light bulbs.
Can halogen or LED bulbs be used in the salt lamp?
You need a bulb that produces light and heat for the salt lamp. Unfortunately, you cannot use LED or halogen bulbs because:
- LED bulbs produce the best light, are very cost-effective but they do not produce heat.
- Halogen bulbs produce too much heat which is not suitable for a salt lamp.
What to do if the salt lamp bulb keeps blowing?
Bulb blowing is a general issue that is faced by many Himalayan salt lamp users so let us discuss it in detail. As discussed above, the salt light bulb may stop working due to many reasons. Let us discuss these reasons in detail and the steps we can take against each malfunction that the bulb may experience.
1- Low-quality bulb:
Low quality or cheap bulbs. They use thin elements that blow up even with a slight surge in power.
2- The bulb may be fused:
If the bulb of your salt lamp is fused and has no white film inside it, then first you have to check if the filament is intact or not.
For this, you can pick up the bulb and shake it a bit to listen for any ringing sound it may produce. If the lamp makes sound, then, of course, the bulb is fused, otherwise, it is not.
3- The bulb may be cracked:
Another possibility of a salt light bulb blowing is that it may be cracked. If you are not sure that it is the case of bulb cracking or not, then there is one simple way of checking it. When bulb cracks, it makes a thin smoky film of white color on the inside surface of the bulb. When this happens, then it is definitely the case of bulb cracking and this normally happens when the bulb of the lamp has not been properly taken care of and is used in a rough manner.
When the bulb continues to strike against the lamp multiple times, its chances of getting a crack increase. To prevent this from happening, you must hold the bulb with one hand and the lamp with the other while moving it and you should also make sure to switch off the lamp as well in such a scenario.
4- The cord may be damaged:
The third possibility is that the cord of the salt light bulb may be damaged and this normally happens when the cord starts absorbing moisture from the lamp.
If this happens, try changing the bulb of your lamp and if it still doesn’t work, then replace the cord of your lamp.
5- A loose connection in the lamp holder:
This makes the circuit incomplete which causes the electric current to jump over. This may heat things up and cause the bulb to blow.
If your bulb keeps blowing, check and fix these things:
- Your bulb supplier.
- The wire connections of your bulb holder.
- If the spring-loaded connectors are working properly or not.
Himalayan Salt lamp weeping:
Weeping or leaking of the salt lamp can cause damage to its bulb as well. Since the lamp is hygroscopic, it attracts moisture. This causes the lamp to weep. If the moisture reaches the bulb or the other part that connects it to the cord, it may get damaged.
How to change the salt lamp bulb?
Follow these steps to safely replace the bulb of your salt lamp:
- Unplug and thoroughly clean the lamp
- Disassemble different parts of the lamp
- Place the lamp on a flat surface and carefully remove the damaged bulb
- Carefully fix the new light bulb
- Check for any loose connections and fix them
The salt lamp does not require a lot of care. You just need to be careful about a few small things and the lamp will last for many years.