partyanimallighting

I've used a couple Antari Z1200 II's for over 12 years now and just today tested each one and they're still fully functional. Their M series are also very durable, really heavy housing and can take some weather. The older Hurricane 1300 series from Chauvet really do take some abuse also but the newer models like the 1600's and upwards have too many sensors in my opinion and are prone to shut down for silly little issues. Just my opinion.

Hi all!! timsabre, yes. The unit does normally carry a bi-metal thermostat mounted on the heater housing or a plate mounted to the block but this machine has been sitting around waiting to be repaired and that thermostat appears to have wandered off somewhere so I simply installed another where the original one was fitted. And also yes, I was also amazed to encounter that melting heater block scenario in the past. Right through the vents on the bottom of the machine's housing. Thankfully before any major damage happened and it was an incident that I was no way involved in. Blocks on cheaper machines are normally wrapped only in fiberglass insulation and this could happen but the larger (better quality) machines have their blocks fitted into a sheet metal enclosure and in case of melting, I would think that this enclosure will trap the melting aluminum. kerry davies, I have wayyyy too much spare time on my hands!! 🤪Money wise, just the cost of the thermostat actually......it's aged yes, but these Hurricane models take "lots of licking and keep on ticking" as they say. Even if I source a used one, there's still the additional cost of shipping a used unit overseas to me, and that's just not cost effective. KevinE, to date I've haven't had the idle need to take a blow torch to a heater block and melt away all the aluminum but to be honest, I've been dying to see the internal makeup. I'm assuming there's the capillary tube coil exiting front and back and the heating element fitted inside this coil inside a mold and the molten aluminum is poured into the mold and that's that. I have seen (just yesterday actually) the thermocouple spot-welded to a capillary tube in a Froggy's Fog H4 Hazer (first time seeing this) Also, thank you for pointing out the spiral tube poking through the aluminum block in my picture. I DID NOT notice this at all and I now have an idea as to how close the spirals run to the edge of the block.You're saying that I can just scrape away a bit of the aluminum and spot-wend on a new thermocouple and this sounds like a new project that peaks my interest for sure. What type and value of thermocouple should be used for this? I know that the ring type and screw type K is normally used in fog machines but is there a particular type that can handle the spot-welding? Or do I use the standard ring type? As for the drilling of the hole into a supposed pocket, I've run the machine and there's no leaking of fog fluid or smoke anywhere near where I drilled the hole so it seems that I missed the capillary tube........hopefully. I would have assumed that the entire block was solid but I suppose the formation of an air pocket is quite possible during casting. Thanks all!!!!

Hey guys! Firstly thanks for all the responses. So here goes. This heater came off a Chauvet fog machine and I don't want to poke around I.e: drill into where the wire leads exit the block because I don't want to drill through the capillary fluid tubing accidentally and ruin the block. Jivemaster, there seems to be no type of resin or filler where the wires enter the block so I was assuming (maybe wrongly) that the sensor/thermocouple/PRT (???) is cast into the block itself. I have encountered ring type 6MM thermocouples bolted onto the block itself on other brands and I know for a fact that the Antari models use a K type 6MM threaded thermocouple screwed into the rear of the block where the heating element terminals exit the block. Replacing the block with an original block for Chauvet units runs between USD110.00 to USD185.00 and this is before inland shipping and US sales taxes. Then there's overseas shipping to me plus Customs duties and taxes. Not worth it hence me posting here looking for a solution. richardash1981, I also would assume that the thermocouple can't be cast in because it has to "expand/flex" if it's a bi-metal type. Regarding the color coding, the wires themselves both carry white insulation but the terminals that connect to the PCB are color coded (RED+ and BLACK-) and the PCB itself is marked + and -. Moving on.........I decided to take a gamble and I drilled a 6MM hole in the back of the block in the same general area where these screw type thermocouples are connected on the Antari heater blocks. Strangely enough, the block seems to be hollow inside but I didn't investigate that further. I then tapped out the hole with a 6MM tap and screwed in a K type thermocouple. I then reconnected everything and powered up and the block heated up and I checked the temperature, which climbed steadily. The thermocouple did not trigger the PCB at all to activate the pump but I adjusted the potentiometer that controls the thermocouple ever so slightly and VIOLA!! The Green FOG LED comes on! The fog output was exactly like the original output and the machine cycles on and off as it should during use, no spitting, no sputtering, no liquid residue when the output dies down and no burning fluid smell so the output seems to be fine. The block itself reaches a temperature of around 165 ~180 degrees (taken at the front of the block with a laser temperature gun) before the thermocouple triggers the fog output and everything seems to be fine. Just to be safe I put a 185 degree N/C thermostat across the LIVE AC lead feeding the block. This is where I expect to hear you guys SCREAM at me and warn me that I've just created a fire hazard...........or am I OK here?

Hi wizards! It's been sometime since I last sought advice in this forum but I'm looking for a solution to a problem I've encountered. I have a perfectly good heater block for a Hurricane 1301 Fog Machine that has a broken thermocouple wire. These newer blocks have the thermocouple cast into the block itself during manufacture so they can't be replaced if something goes wrong (a broken wire in this case). My questions are 1, can this broken thermocouple be replaced with another type? And if so, what type and what value? I see that there is ring types and also threaded K types which screw into a hole in other types of blocks (Antari 1200 II, M5). Question 2, if I can replace the broken thermocouple with say a ring type or screw type, do I take a guess as to where to drill the hole that will be used to fasten the new thermocouple to the block? I wouldn't like to accidentally drill into the capillary fluid tube cast into the block. Question 3, if the new thermocouple does not trigger the pump, is it simply a matter of adjusting the pot at the thermocouple terminals on the fog machine motherboard? I've done this before when replacing substitute heater blocks in other units in the past with no issues operationally. Hoping for a positive response!!

I had 4 of those UV cannons in the warehouse but they were just way too old, too bulky and took up too much space so I basically gave them to a youngling who's getting into lighting. To replace them I took 6 RGB PARs with individual diodes and replaced all the red, green and blue diodes with different wavelengths of UV. I think from 380nM up to 410nM. Works for me 😁

KevinE, the pump terminals are not polarized ie: + and - and when the 120VAC feed was connected to the pump one way from the motherboard, the pump would not work at all. Reversing these wires somehow solved the problem. indyld, I'm clueless as to why the reversing of the wires worked. I've never encountered the issue before and when I'm testing machines with no output, I normally first check for continuity across the heater block to confirm it's not blown/burnt out, then I check continuity of the 120VAC wire feeds from the motherboard to the heater block then I apply some AC directly to the pump to see if it's working. If everything's OK, then I power up the pump again with the fluid line in the reservoir so see if there's a proper flow of fluid through the heater or if there's a blockage. Normally, a direct AC feed to the pump powers it up regardless of which wire, LIVE or NEUTRAL is attached to which terminal.

I think it makes more sense to use a follow spot for your application. Purchasing one moving head for occasional one off applications seems to be a waste of funds.

Thanks for all the responses so far! indyld, as per your scolding from another manufacturer, "Applying 230 volts directly to the pump does nothing for the diagnosis.Please assemble the device completely and then check whether the pump is controlled by PWM voltage via the circuit board." But if the pump works with direct AC applied at least you can confirm that the issue is with the motherboard and not with the pump. And what about cheaper models of fog machines that use a simple setup of a wired remote (120VAC) and a thermostat to switch between the pump and the heater? This simple setup functions in these cheaper machines and I don't believe I've encountered polarity sensitive pump terminals in these scenarios (I could be wrong). As DrV said, the diode changes the sine wave but what happens in the case of these cheaper machines? Does this type of simple wiring run the risk of damaging the pump? Operating voltage here is 120VAC @ 60hZ. I only discovered the issue with the reversed terminals by meterng the voltage at the pump terminals and I got 120V with the FOG button depressed but no fog output (albeit with the terminals in the wrong position). I then tested with an incandescent lamp connected and that worked fine (no diode). That's when I got the bright idea to reverse the pump terminals and the pump then worked. Old school ways 😀

Thanks alistermorton, I discovered the problem but I'm still baffled. The pump functions perfectly with external AC power, no matter which terminal the AC hot or AC neutral go to. However......this is not the case with the AC feed from the motherboard. On testing, the pump refused to fire but when I reversed the live and neutral feed from the motherboard to the pump terminals, it functioned as it should. I know that there is a diode built into the armature/coil of the pump and this may be why the AC feed will only function on the respective terminals, live to live, neutral to neutral, on the pump. I don't recall encountering this problem with pumps in the past but the wiring polarity on other machines is defined via a thermal cutoff/protector/switch which slides into a groove on the pump's plastic housing. Martin and Antari pumps use this type of thermo protection to prevent overheating of the pump but these Chauvet 1600 models don't carry it. My new question is, if this diode defines a polarity for the pump terminals, why is direct AC not affected? Is this because of circuitry built into the fog machine's motherboard?

Hi KevinE, yes, pumps are the normal issue when there's no or low output but the pump is fine and powers up when an external 120VAC is applied. These newer pumps are a lot better than those older SP-12A and SP-35's of the past and most times a simple O-ring swap-out normally brings a faulty pump back up to fully operational function. The fog machine itself is fully functional....up to the output stage. It goes through all processes correctly, relay switches 120VAC to the heater, thermocouple sensor from the heater sends signal to the motherboard, temperature climbs steadily in the display, signal LEDs change color as expected......then nothing.

Hi all, It's been a while since my last post but I've been stumped by a couple Chuavet Hurricane 1600's for a few days now. The units themselves are a fairly neat DMX capable model, small but with a good output. Their major issue is their low fluid sensor, which consists of an optical sensor that the fluid line passes through. Once an air bubble enters the tube, the "blue flashing light of death" appears. My solution in the past to this issue was to bypass the sensor completely by bridging the wires on the sensor harness. No more blue flashing light. If the machine runs out of fluid and the pump burns, it's my fault and my fault entirely and I can live with that as it's my responsibility to keep the machines topped up when in use. Anyway, on to the problem. These two machines have a pump trigger issue. On start up the relay clicks and 120VAC is sent to the heater block. The "HEAT" reading on the display climbs steadily and the motherboard signal LEDs do what they're supposed to do, go from RED (cold), to PINK (warming up) to flashing BLUE (almost ready) to solid BLUE (ready to fog). But when I press the manual fog switch there's no output. So far I've tested the two optocouplers (817 and 3021) and the readings are OK. The DC output on the DB107 is fine and L7805 and BTA16 seem to be fine also. I'm just not getting the FOG switch to trigger the pump (the switch also tested OK). I'm assuming that the BTA16 triac deals with the high amperage heater block alone and the 7805 is supplying the required voltage as the display and motherboard are working fine otherwise. Some feedback as to what I should be looking for would be great. Clearer pictures can also be posted. Really hoping to get some feedback/assistance here.....

Chinese? I bought outdoor rated RGBW LED PARs from Longman Lighting in 2013. For the past 11 years I may have changed 2 power supplies, a couple diodes and a couple amperage control boards. Still in service, still going strong.

Hi DRV! Thanks for the response. The plates are not connected directly to the SMPS but via a 6 wire harness (R/G/B/W++) feeding the four individual color channels that are driven by the LED PAR motherboards, most of which utilize 9910C LED drivers. The original SMPS installed is 28V 5.3A and as you mentioned I'm now drawing 7.5A at 24V across the 18x10W plate. If it is that the plates are receiving only the maximum 5.3A from the 28VDC SMPS I'm fine with that because their output is sufficiently bright without any pulsing/flicker. The lower current draw will also extend the life of the diodes (am I correct here?). I've already done the plate swap out so I'll have to open up a unit again and take an amperage reading from the SMPS 28V+ to the motherboard with my meter and see what the current draw is like. According to what you've said above, if I'm drawing ONLY the maximum 5.3A from the SMPS I'm fine. If the current draw is higher in my readings then I run the risk of overloading the SMPS. Makes sense or is there anything else to factor in?

Hi all, I'm just throwing this out there seeking some feedback. I have a few 14 x 10 Watt outdoor rated LED PARs that have been really problematic over the years that I've used them. Diodes have died consistently on all eight units and they constantly require repairs via RGBW diode replacement. Most times they do not come back from jobs without at least one failing me. In my opinion the issue is a poor quality diode/diode plate and I decided to resolve the problem once and for all by replacing all the diode plates in the units. Here's where the question/query/inquiry comes in. The 14 x 10 watt plates were all replaced with 18 x 10 watt plates and lens plates and the replacements fit perfectly. However, the 14 x 10 watt utilizes a 28VDC power supply whereas the 18 x 10 watt requires 24VDC. Instead of replacing the eight 28VDC power supplies with the required 24VDC power supplies, I simply reduced the SMPS voltage down to 23.5 ~ 24VDC via the onboard requlating potentiometer and each and every unit now works fine, no blown diodes to date, no overheating issues like in the past. Does anyone see an issue with adjusting the 28VDC voltage feed downwards to 24VDC? Reducing the voltage would send the amperage up slightly but I would think that would be insignificant. The only issue I could foresee is that, if the pot fails or shorts, the output voltage could revert (spike) back to 28VDC and possibly burn out the diodes. Are there any issues I should be aware of?

Anyone willing to chip in with some advice here? I firmly believe there's a lot of residue in the tank despite all the rinsing out with distilled water that I did before. I filled the unit with water and shook it violently then flipped it to empty the old water based fluid and whatever residue and there was a lot of gunk in the tank. I repeated several times but maybe there's still residue and I believe that, during operation, the unit outputs haze from the oil based fluid and then the filters pick up the residue and clogs up, diminishing output. When the unit stops, I'm thinking that the residue falls off the filters and output increases until the filters clog again. I'm guessing here and I don't really want to open a unit I'm not familiar with without some guidance from one of you experts. I found a picture of the tank nozzle with filters.