16
So I've got a metal desk lamp, a vial of TFA Peppermint, and just ran out of air freshener...
submitted almost 11 years ago by s33plusplus

....So I use it like a room freshening dripper!

I figure since a glade unit is literally a 15-20W resistor with maybe a fuse in series, and the carts are basically our flavors diluted in an expensive wicked glass bottles, it's basically a modified RTA for perfume.

Knowing this, and also knowing the lamp puts out ~180F of heat well distibuted in the head of the lamp, I figured why not drip some concentrate on the lamp? It won't hit autoignition temperature, so little risk of fire, and as long as I place the liquid away from the live socket, no chance of a short.

And it works! 0.1mL freshened the area right up. Not a long term solution (yet, maybe I'll whip something up to put that waste heat to use!), but it seems to work well enough.

As an added plus, it kinda contrasts well with the juices I'm mixing in front of me. Sorta helps with all of the scents overwhelming your nose.

Comments
Sort
9 points
 
by tet5uoalmost 11 years ago

http://i.imgur.com/vtjTDN5.gif

2 points
 
by SuperCow1127almost 11 years ago

Dare I ask why you need air freshener so badly that you run out and have to McGuyver more before you just buy some?

1 points
 
by s33plusplusalmost 11 years ago

Because I'm too damn lazy to get more, and everything was right there (also because I could :P).

As for why it was needed, I've got two cats on this floor. No matter how rigorously you clean up after them, those smells linger man.

2 points
 
by Sempais_nutrientsalmost 11 years ago

Just don't drip it onto the bulb, or it may explode.

1 points
 
by [deleted]almost 11 years ago

^^ this

thermal shocks a bitch

1 points
 
by s33plusplusalmost 11 years ago

Yeah, this is why I sucked at glasswork. Heat the wrong bit too fast and that thermal expansion will show you just how much the glass hates you. Steel is less fickle. Usually.

2 points
 
by [deleted]almost 11 years ago

Lol I blow glass for a living. I get hit with hot, thermal shocked glass on a daily basis at this point. The rods or tubing litterally pop chunks off if you stick them in the flame too fast. Put something hollow in the water bucket when it's hot enough and I've actually seen them rocket back out of the bucket from the rapid steam production they cause....

1 points
 
by s33plusplusalmost 11 years ago

Isn't that mostly halogen and CFLs that do that? The metal frame works well enough anyway.

1 points
 
by Sempais_nutrientsalmost 11 years ago

Well any bulb can blow from thermal shock.

1 points
 
by s33plusplusalmost 11 years ago

True. It is thin glass. It comes down to the temperature differential though, hence why halogens have a double envelope; I've seen ceramic rings used for a similar purpose that sit on the glass, and they don't blow the bulb unless they're cheap non-pyrex high wattage bulbs.

In any case, it's a bad idea in general since there isn't much heat distribution and it's more intense. The metal cone the bulb sits in has mega huge surface area anyway :P

1 points
 
by NudeNicotinealmost 11 years ago

How bad (did) it smell beforehand?

wondering the lol moment you went through before searching for an air freshener.

End fart joke.

Site copyright © 2025 DIY Compendium. Data courtesy of Reddit.