Jem Technohaze Problem

[jexjexjex]

Hi all

 

My Technohaze has just died on me and I'm wondering if anyone has had similar experiences.

 

One minute, it's pumping out haze fine style, the next nothing.

 

Currently, when it's switched on, the fan operates, but the "Heating" led and the "Power" LED on the remote do not operate.

 

The manual seems to suggest that for the "Rower" led on the remote, that it may simply be a fuse on the PCB, however it doesn't say anything about the "Heating" led.

 

I'm just looking for ideas as to whether it's something I could tackle myself, of if it'll need to go to a dealer for a strip down.

 

Thanks.

[staralike]

firstly - if you are not fully happy with doing things live, or have no training in electricity, then take it to a servie shop.

 

Failing that, get the multimeter out, and open her up !.

 

Check the PCB fuse (uses same PCB as the techno fog) - shold be a glass quickblow type, 20mm. Usually protected by one of those little plastic caps over it.

 

Meter the terminals for the heater block, and see if you have 230v at the heater. - common cause of the heater block not getting power is the thermal trip going on top of the block. On some models its a simple 'push to reset', on others, its a replace job.

 

Hope this gets you started !

[Jamtastic3]

mmm trying not to go off on one but I have a near similar problem with mine.

 

When I turned mine on the other day ago, all came on and the unit started heating up. The LED turned green and the smoke was produced but then 5 mins later the 'Fluid out' LED came on and the unit wouldn't produce any smoke. Now I can't get any smoke to produce because it thinks the unit has no fluid in the tank when actually the tube is fully submerged in a full tank. Any ideas? Does the tube's 'sensor' die or dry out?

[dave singleton]

Ha ha! This is interesting because I have a problem with mine too.

 

Mine shows it has power then does nothing else.

[Don Allen]

The Jem technohaze manual has a short section on troubleshooting, http://www.martin.com/service/downloadfile....PDF&cat=65

[gnomatron]

mine's buggered too, but that's because we've been putting 50/50 jem smoke fluid and water in it. Don't do that, it'll break it.

[johnhuson]

mine's buggered too, but that's because we've been putting 50/50 jem smoke fluid and water in it. Don't do that, it'll break it.

 

Some extracts from the manual.

 

SAFETY

 

- Always read the user guide before operating the machine, smoke machines need to be operated carefully to avoid risk.

 

- Always use Jem approved fluid, other fluids could be dangerous an could cause damage to the machine.

 

Fluid suitable for this machine: JEM Pro-Haze

 

Note - The JEM warranty will be void if any fluid other than the JEM approved fluid is used. If other fluids are used there could be serious damage to the machine and the fluid may not of been testedfor use in public areas.

 

Curious to know how with all this information available in the manual, you still manage to use the wrong fluid!

[Jamtastic3]

I'll confess and say that I've been using the wrong fluid too - it's only becuase we have a Magnum 2000 so initially we used diluted Jem ProSmoke Fluid - eek. But I've figured out what is wrong with mine...

Seems as though the tip of the rubber sensor has came off and the sensor is fully exposed in the liquid. I felt the sensor and it was very hot so I'm guessing it needs replaced??? All Led lights come on and flicker irratically.

[gnomatron]

Curious to know how with all this information available in the manual, you still manage to use the wrong fluid!

 

1 - advice from a trusted friend that it would be fine!

2 - lack of a paper manual to hand, and after 1) not much inclination to find the online one

3 - having loads of jem smoke fluid and no jem haze fluid.

 

I guess sometimes you learn stuff the hard way, eh? The beast still kinda works, it's just rather temperamental. I think a good clean would sort it out.

[Steve Cavill]

Sounds like you need to service you equipment more often too.

 

Run distilled water through it to clean all the parts then run Jem Pro Haze fluid through the system, to keep the pump and heater block lubricated.

 

If it still doesnt work correctly, I think you should look at replacing the heater block, pump or sensor.

 

Swings and rouundabouts.

[Rye_Tunes]

Jamtastic3 - I had exactly the same problem with my Technohaze, the tip of the sensor came off. I had a new sensor fitted and my machine is working perfectly again now.

[Steve Cavill]

Got a couple of these ourselves. Not had any problems like this yet, but could be as suggested and be something to do with the Thermal Trip, quite regularly goes on our ZR-33's...

 

As for the fluid out light...heres a little trick I found, unscrew the top, waggle the tube inside the fluid tub, turn it off, turn it back on and it usually works... strange I know, but you'll try anything when you need it working on a job...

[Guest]

I work with a Techohaze, its always worked fine for me, never noticied any problems.

[jaykaygee]

Hi folks,

 

just bought a second hand technohaze on ebay. The guy I bought it from says he was the manager of the Jem factory and gave me the following advice when I told him I had bought 9.5 litres of Jem Pro Haze fluid from Germany:

 

"If you buy 5 litres of Jem Pro Smoke Super you will be able to make 15 litres of Haze Fluid just by diluting using the following instruction.

1 x litre pro smoke super

3 x litre of Distilled/deionized/purified water (this must be distilled, purified or deionized water the same as you use for car battery's or steam irons ) Do not use tap water as this just creates lime the same as you get in a kettle.

The pro haze fluid you have bought contains 87.5% water and only 12.5 Glycols. Pro smoke super has only 50% water so it makes sense not to keep shipping water around the world.

Hope this comes in useful "

 

So it would appear that there should be no detrimental effects from diluting smoke fluid.

 

James :(

[Smiley]

I also had the same problem with my Technohaze fluid out light stopping operation & e-mailed Jem's Technical Dept. He did not add the 'bypass' technique but perhaps someone here knows it. It's a very common problem. Reply as below:

 

 

There are a couple of things you can check.

Open the machine and locate the fluid sensor board. (On the side)

There are two test points on this board which you can probe with a volt meter. (They are labelled)

With the machine on and the sensor in fluid you should get a reading of about 2.2 - 2.3V and the LED should be out.

When you take the sensor out of the fluid you should see the voltage rise to above 2.5V and the LED should turn on.

If you are not getting 2.2 - 2.3V you can turn the calibration pot (The blue box with a screw in the top) until you have a steady reading of 2.2 - 2.3V.

 

If this is OK then you may have a faulty sensor.

Look at the sensor board again and see if there is any fluid residue on the surface of the board. This can be cleaned of using a suitable PCB cleaner.

 

Alternatively a new fluid sensor system can be purchased.

 

You can bypass the fluid sensing system completely if you want to (Obviously it wont turn off if you run out of fluid) which will mean the machine will run as normal.

 

Any more questions please contact me on 01507 603143 (JEM Serviceline) I am in the UK.

 

Best Regards

 

 

 

Gary Swallow

 

 

 

Service & Technical

 

Martin Manufacturing (UK) PLC