automating a fog machine?

[MikeB]

I'm looking to start small and setup some basic Halloween props this year. Basically, detect motion, trigger music, trigger fog machine, lights, etc.....

One of the hurdles will be automating a fog machine, and I'm curious if anyone is doing something similar, and/or has found a particular machine that might lend itself to automation.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[hult]

I'm looking to start small and setup some basic Halloween props this year. Basically, detect motion, trigger music, trigger fog machine, lights, etc.....

One of the hurdles will be automating a fog machine, and I'm curious if anyone is doing something similar, and/or has found a particular machine that might lend itself to automation.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

DMX512 (aka DMX512a, DMX ) is the method of choice for control for fog machines and entertainment and theatrical lighting

Google < Fog dmx >
Also eBay < Chauvet F-1050 >

The Chauvet F-1050 Fog Machine is DMX controlled and costs ~$100 with shipping.

HTH ... Marc

 

[AnthonyZ]

Last year, we ran a couyple cheap (a la Walgreens) Heshen Lide Enterprises machines. They have high voltage "remotes (that plug into the machine itself). I just cut the remote cables and tied to relays. Easy peasy...

 

[BitWise_Mark]

I played with a fog machine one year (not automated) and it seems like remember the thing having to run for a minute or two before fog would come out. Not sure if that was just that particular model (no idea what it was), but it might be worth taking into consideration.

 

[MikeB]

I played with a fog machine one year (not automated) and it seems like remember the thing having to run for a minute or two before fog would come out. Not sure if that was just that particular model (no idea what it was), but it might be worth taking into consideration.

That's my understanding as well. I've never owned a machine, but my understanding was that they have a master on/off to power the unit and get the heater going, then a separate control (maybe on a remote) to actually start the fog. That's what I'd like to automate if possible.

Last year, we ran a couyple cheap (a la Walgreens) Heshen Lide Enterprises machines. They have high voltage "remotes (that plug into the machine itself). I just cut the remote cables and tied to relays. Easy peasy...

Thanks Anthony. Did that cut power to the machine entirely, requiring a couple minute warmup?

Thanks

 

[The Pod]

Here's what I did last year to automate my fog machine with X-10.

The Pod

 

[personalt]

I am really interested running a fog machine this year. after the heater warms up can you just run the fogger non stop for a few hours or do you have to turn it on and off to control the flow.

my thought was stick this thing in my garage and crack the door and let the fog flow out down the driveway.

Would I plan to just crank it up or would I have to cycle it

 

[tmbrown97]

I bought one of those $20 fog machines a couple of years ago... puts out an OK amount of fog... same issue - had to warm up, then the button to run the fog could work...

Later I ran into a replacement remote for $10 that I bought that lets you set timers and stuff like that - how long to run, how often - a direct replacement (in the bargain bin after halloween at Osh)... Couldn't find it last year when I wanted it though, so I never tried it out...

Given that it's a simple remote, and I now have the Elk doing a bunch of my automation, I'm sure it'd be quite easy to crack open the remote that came with the unit and splice in a relay that can be remotely activated in place of or along with the button making it controllable via automation. I'll have to dig mine out this weekend and give it a shot. I'll test out voltages and see if it's a simple closure or if it passes current and report back what I find... hopefully I can get by with a standard automotive relay that I already have laying around and run it off the relay expander that's already in the garage... then the elk can run it.

My only remaining issue is that I have no outside motion sensors yet - but I'm sure I could use a powerflash an X10 motion sensor to trigger a zone in the Elk (since I don't have X10 tied into it directly) to set this off... That would also let me trigger the spooky sounds too...

 

[tmbrown97]

I am really interested running a fog machine this year. after the heater warms up can you just run the fogger non stop for a few hours or do you have to turn it on and off to control the flow.

my thought was stick this thing in my garage and crack the door and let the fog flow out down the driveway.

Would I plan to just crank it up or would I have to cycle it

Really depends on how much you spend... the cheapies don't put out a lot of fog, but are ok in small areas, like a semi-enclosed entry way. If you want to smoke the grounds, the more DJ-like fog machine is a better bet, but more costly.
Search http://www.musiciansfriend.com for fog and you'll see a lot of great options from the cheapies to the nice dance-floor-filling ones.

 

[ano]

I am really interested running a fog machine this year. after the heater warms up can you just run the fogger non stop for a few hours or do you have to turn it on and off to control the flow.

my thought was stick this thing in my garage and crack the door and let the fog flow out down the driveway.

Would I plan to just crank it up or would I have to cycle it

Really depends on how much you spend... the cheapies don't put out a lot of fog, but are ok in small areas, like a semi-enclosed entry way. If you want to smoke the grounds, the more DJ-like fog machine is a better bet, but more costly.
Search http://www.musiciansfriend.com for fog and you'll see a lot of great options from the cheapies to the nice dance-floor-filling ones.

Other than very expensive ones, you can't get continuous fog, and you probably wouldn't want it anyway. Fog machines have to heat up, then, they can only run so long before they overheat and shut off, so if you keep them "constantly" on they will cycle on and off. But then still, this can be lots of fog. A few years ago I did this for Halloween, and after just a few hours of 20% fog, I could see the fog near the ground for at least two blocks away. Wonder what the neighbors thought.

 

[MikeB]

OK, so I got a fog machine (actually, the Chauvet F-1050 mentioned above). Looks like the hardwired "remote" switch, like Anthony mentioned above, is simply a high voltage switch. 2 wires going to it, red and black.

I'm a newb at this, so please be easy on me. What kind of relay do I need to make this work? I do have a Radio Shack DPDT relay kicking around (part #275-217). Can I power this with a wall wart? I don't believe I can.

What do I need to make this work, and how do I wire it up?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

If I'm understanding this correctly (warning, I'm typing this while watching football though) you would cut the wires to the remote as Anthony mentioned, wire one wire to the NO and one to the C (make sure they are from the same "swinger").

Then, since this relay has a 120 VAC coil, you can use an appliance module and wire the two sides of the coil to a cut cord plugged into an appliance module.

This DPDT plug-in relay is ideal for switching high-current appliances and lighting. Coil rating of 125VAC, 15mA, 4.5 ohms and a body size of 1-5/8x1-3/4".

Do you have the socket to this relay? It would be a nightmare wiring it if you don't.

 

[MikeB]

Thanks for the reply! I got a bit further already. As you mentioned, I wired a cut extension cord to the coil connections and plugged it in, and sure enough the relay energized. I tested continuity with a meter and found the NO and NC contacts.

Again, I apologize in advance for the ignorance, but what would the socket do for me exactly? I see one available, part #275-220, but am not sure how that would make it easier. I'm sure if I had one in front of me it would make much more sense.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Socket would just make it easier, sounds like you don't need it though as you got it working so no worries. Make sure you wire the "C" and "NO" though (i.e. don't use the "NC" connection). If the relay doesn't have these marking (NO, NC, C) let me know).

 

[MikeB]

It doesn't have them marked, but I was able to figure out which was which.

I think I'm just going to cut off the hardwired remote as mentioned above, and save it in case I need it in the future. So, looking at the remote wiring, I'm not quite sure what is what. There are white, black, and green wires that come in to the remote, and they are wired as pictured here:

http://www.techav.com/pics/fogswitch.jpg

A red wire is jumpered between the LED and the switch. I'm not so concerned about the LED, which lights up when the unit is ready to fog. I plan on having the unit plugged in and running the whole time, and only let off occasional bursts, so I expect the unit to pretty much always be ready.

So, based on the photo, would I simply wire the black and green to the relay, and just cap off the white?

On a related note, any tricks on using heat shrink without a heat gun? I thought of using a hair dryer, but it doesn't seem to be powerful enough to shrink it in a reasonable amount of time. All the local stores are now closed.