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KAM Hazer issues


Neil Hampson

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I can't complain as I have been given a KAM 800W (KHM800 I think is the model number) haze machine for free as it wasn't working. The issue was found quite quickly as it was totally blocked up and therefore no output, I cleared it with the help of a syringe of hot vinegar and then running the pump constantly to flush out the unit. Now that the unit is cleared it now has the opposite issue, when asked to haze at 5% on DMX input the unit appears to haze heavily, there being no real difference in volume between 5% and 100%. The fan operates OK. It took me a while to notice that the fan and haze channels are actually swapped over from what the manual states.

 

Internally I notice that there is an air pump in the system, that I can hear running at times, but it is a very weak flow and I cannot imagine it being able to compete with the pressure from the fluid pump or the back pressure of the heated fluid from the element. What does this air pump do? is it to somehow dilute the fluid for a thinner haze at low values, as if this pump is not working, I can see that might be my issue? any ideas? I don't have any details of the air pump as I didn't strip it down enough to be able to take it out, it appears to be a 12 or 24V unit rather than the aquarium type you would find in a Lemaitre or Unique.

 

At the moment I'm having to run the hazer through a submaster running a 2 step effect of 30 seconds on, 2 mins off, otherwise the haze is just far too thick in our small venue.

 

Any Ideas?

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Its a shame that you don't have a working unit to compare your to. At a guess, the air pump is meant to do exactly what the air pump in a Unique does: keep a constant flow of air through the heater block to stop it getting blocked. Since your heater block did become blocked then I'd guess that your air pump is, as you suspect, worn out.

 

If I were you, I'd try and find out the specs. (voltage, air flow, etc) of your air pump and see if I could find a suitable replacement. Something else to try, and something that our Unique had, was a one-way valve in the air line between the air pump, and where it merged with the pipe from the fluid pump. This should prevent any back pressure from either the fluid pump or the heater block from pushing fluid back toward the air pump. Something else to note is that the air pumps from Look Solutions are no longer the aquarium pumps of old. Maybe because they weren't powerful enough? We had to replace an old aquarium pump, and the replacement supplied was a big metal-bodied pump, attached to some rubber isolation blocks.

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After this show I'm going to strip it down again and have a look at it again. I'm pretty sure the air pump and fluid pump don't run at the same time, I hadn't considered that it is to purge the line through. I thought it was some kind of weakener to give a lighter haze. I might also try adding a little distilled water to the fluid to dilute is a little to see if I can thin it out a bit, maybe start at about 10% water.

I suppose the fluid is an important factor as well. I couldn't find a KAM specific fluid so I'm using a fairly generic QTX haze fluid.

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  • 4 years later...

@Neil Hampson I've got one of these open on my bench.

 I also see very little "smoke", but am getting some.  Fluid pump pumps in spurts, then a T piece, one leg to the heater, one through what I'd guess is a one way valve  from the air pump.  That might be for purging the heater?  Or boosting the pressure?

 

Anyway, did you get anywhere with yours?

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