Halloween
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Okay I have a question,
I 've just built my fog cooler and want to control my fogger with a relay rather then wired remote.
How can I figure out the plugs for contact on the fog machine?
It's the same 3 prong plug commonly used for computers.
So (I think)
1 has to be constant power
1 has to be the contact to trigger the fogger
1 is prob. the status light letting you know the fogger is ready
Besides trial and error does anyone have any suggestions, maybe with a test meter?
I 've just built my fog cooler and want to control my fogger with a relay rather then wired remote.
How can I figure out the plugs for contact on the fog machine?
It's the same 3 prong plug commonly used for computers.
So (I think)
1 has to be constant power
1 has to be the contact to trigger the fogger
1 is prob. the status light letting you know the fogger is ready
Besides trial and error does anyone have any suggestions, maybe with a test meter?
TonyNo
Active Member
If it is the standard setup, you short the middle and left (looking at the female with the middle up).
http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Hallowe...gerControl.html
http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Hallowe...gerControl.html
finally got my axworthy setup going:
http://www.mydotsoft.com/products/my.Galle...alloween&page=3 (last 3 pics)
I also have a video:
http://www.marstracker.com/video.mov (11 meg)
http://www.marstracker.com/video2.mov (1 meg)
Doesn't look too bad considering I almost invested nothing. It looks pretty cool at night.
http://www.mydotsoft.com/products/my.Galle...alloween&page=3 (last 3 pics)
I also have a video:
http://www.marstracker.com/video.mov (11 meg)
http://www.marstracker.com/video2.mov (1 meg)
Doesn't look too bad considering I almost invested nothing. It looks pretty cool at night.
TonyNo
Active Member
Bah! It started raining about an hour before the scheduled stop time and I had to pull my hardware in. At least the pop-up skull and my wanna-be FCG were a hit.
I was going to have the FCG motion activated, but ended up triggering it every three minutes for about 25 seconds. It was really cool when the kids yelled, "Hey! There's a ghost in that window!". Then it would shut off, and they would try to convince the others that there was something there before!
Also, my purchased fog machine timer could not cycle quick enough to keep fog on the walk. I suppose I should have tested it first! I've got some time now to "fix" it...
I was going to have the FCG motion activated, but ended up triggering it every three minutes for about 25 seconds. It was really cool when the kids yelled, "Hey! There's a ghost in that window!". Then it would shut off, and they would try to convince the others that there was something there before!
Also, my purchased fog machine timer could not cycle quick enough to keep fog on the walk. I suppose I should have tested it first! I've got some time now to "fix" it...
We did something simpler.. We had a covered porch and could get some strobe lights up in there. That was begging for a lightning/thunder simulation, so it was done. I had a computer out of the way with wiring into the neighboring garage. Relays controlled the strobe lights, and I borrowed my honking big game computer's sound system with a serious subwoofer, and hid that behind the plants on the porch. Then added a nice harmless looking doorbell button....
Then we raided the fluroescent paint for danger signs (crossed out and painted over with "WELCOME!!") and glowing arrows pointing to the doorbell button. Add a bunch of other things (tombstones, my wife did a pumpkin with a sword through its "head", etc etc), and use a spare motion sensor to cue some spooky background music sound effects that cut off when the first person steps onto the porch... Add lots of netting that glows purple under UV and it looked really spooky.
Oh boy, it worked very well. We scared the heck out of a few kids, but most thought it was very cool. The funniest reactions were from the 10-12 year olds who realized something was going to happen and were already on edge... They were the ones that yelped or screamed.
Only one set of tears.. and that was a 2-year-old who didn't appreciate the dry ice in the cauldron.
Most of the younger kids got a fright but enjoyed it and wanted to do it again.
I had to quickly add a visual cue when it was rearmed and ready to trigger again. (I used an extra relay output to turn the doorbell light off when the sequence began, and back on again when it was reset and ready again)
I would love to have done a flying ghost though.. Oh well, maybe next year. I'll try a fog chiller instead of dry ice next year too.
And next year, this is being done before the last minute so it can be properly debugged.
Best quotes overheard:
"I'm not pressing it.. YOU press it!"
"DUDE! You're glowing!" (one comment to a friend as they walked up the path)
"That was cool!!"
Various phrases with four letter words not quoted
Then we raided the fluroescent paint for danger signs (crossed out and painted over with "WELCOME!!") and glowing arrows pointing to the doorbell button. Add a bunch of other things (tombstones, my wife did a pumpkin with a sword through its "head", etc etc), and use a spare motion sensor to cue some spooky background music sound effects that cut off when the first person steps onto the porch... Add lots of netting that glows purple under UV and it looked really spooky.
Oh boy, it worked very well. We scared the heck out of a few kids, but most thought it was very cool. The funniest reactions were from the 10-12 year olds who realized something was going to happen and were already on edge... They were the ones that yelped or screamed.
Only one set of tears.. and that was a 2-year-old who didn't appreciate the dry ice in the cauldron.
Most of the younger kids got a fright but enjoyed it and wanted to do it again.
I had to quickly add a visual cue when it was rearmed and ready to trigger again. (I used an extra relay output to turn the doorbell light off when the sequence began, and back on again when it was reset and ready again)I would love to have done a flying ghost though.. Oh well, maybe next year. I'll try a fog chiller instead of dry ice next year too.
And next year, this is being done before the last minute so it can be properly debugged.
Best quotes overheard:
"I'm not pressing it.. YOU press it!"
"DUDE! You're glowing!" (one comment to a friend as they walked up the path)
"That was cool!!"
Various phrases with four letter words not quoted
justonemore
Active Member
And you should see what Skibum looks like with a mask ON !
It's was cold and rainy here.
My fog cooler didn't work that good but maybe it was because it was cold. People seemed to like the custom tombstones
elvis get over it
Bill clinton lies here, over here, over there with arrows
Your next
I had lightning machine set up but it was very windy and it caused a few issues. I do have plans for improvement next year though.
My fog cooler didn't work that good but maybe it was because it was cold. People seemed to like the custom tombstones
elvis get over it
Bill clinton lies here, over here, over there with arrows
Your next
I had lightning machine set up but it was very windy and it caused a few issues. I do have plans for improvement next year though.
huggy59
Active Member
I ended up not doing anything at home, but I did go to a party and decorate quite a bit there. I didn't do any really active stuff beyond music and some lights cycling on and off and the fog machine, but I did make a trashcan-based fog cooler and it worked very well. That's the one where you take a 32 gallon plastic trash can and ~20ft of 4" dryer vent hose, cut out some holes in the can for the enter and exit hoses, and fill it with regular ice. Even though it was very cold out, the fog stayed low!
Next year I'll have more time to set up the house and yard like I want to. Look out!
Next year I'll have more time to set up the house and yard like I want to. Look out!
I didn't do a lot this year, no time. But not bad for my first attempt at a haunt.
Closed in the patio with some cheap black platic table cloths, set up a strobe and the fog machine. Then just a small blacklight, some webs, and other little things.
Fog chiller did not perform well in the chilly air, although it works great in the house. I used a cooler with gallon jugs of frozen water. I'm thinking of trying the radiator/heater core method next year.....
All in all, a lot of fun and the kids seemed to like it.
Closed in the patio with some cheap black platic table cloths, set up a strobe and the fog machine. Then just a small blacklight, some webs, and other little things.
Fog chiller did not perform well in the chilly air, although it works great in the house. I used a cooler with gallon jugs of frozen water. I'm thinking of trying the radiator/heater core method next year.....
All in all, a lot of fun and the kids seemed to like it.
I found a great site which explains how to use a wiper motor ... wish I thought of using a PC power supply before.
http://www.scary-terry.com/wipmtr/wipmtr.htm
http://www.scary-terry.com/wipmtr/wipmtr.htm
