Smoke machine - Cleaning?

[browna]

Hi, I have a smoke machine, which as been laid up for sometime? The smoke fluid doesn't seem to be pumping through. Do you think there could be a blockage, or that the pump isn't working? Can anyone suggest a cleaning fluid?

[Ynot]

It depends on how long the machine's been idle.

You MAY find that running some deionised water thru may help. Some people recommend adding a splash of vinegar, but I've never had the need myself.

[jayselway]

If you do put a touch of vinegar in, set it off outside, or at least have the air freshener ready - it really does pong!

 

Having said that, like Ynot - I've only had to use vinegar once, out of several cleans on machines, and that was cause it was really really clogged!

[gareth]

If you have a modicum of technical skill and feel confident to do so, take the cover off the machine and take a look at what's going on. Depending on the make/model, you may be able to detach the pipes at points along the fluid path before it enters the heater block - if you hold them over a suitable vessel and fire the machine you'll soon see whether fluid is flowing freely to that point or whether there's a blockage.

 

If the pump's failed you'll know by listening - you won't hear it running when you fire the machine.

 

A good run through with deionised water is the best thing to try initially. And to avoid this happening again, flush the machine through with deionised water before putting it back into the store if it's not going to be used for a while.

[tokm]

Just a quick follow up question to the run through with deionised water bit..

 

After giving it a good clean through, what should I/'you' do? Just put the hose/tube back into the smoke fluid container/can and pump a bit of smoke fluid through? Or should I make sure there's no water left in the system? Or would doing that screw up the pump/heater?

 

Just something I've always wondered... and before you ask, surely you've had to clean your smoke machines out before. Well, I did try once with some little antari f80s, but they oddly stopped working after I put some water through them.. smoke output actually de-creased! Hopefully nothing so bad will happen now I'm using large units such as zr33's & antari z1500's..

 

Thanks.

 

Tom

[gareth]

Drawing more smoke fluid back through the machine after cleaning it out with deionised water prior to storage would negate the work you've just done to flush the fluid out!! Just leave it with the water sitting in the plumbing until you next need to use it - at which time you need to give it a really good run with a smoke fluid bottle attached in order to 'prime' the machine before use.

[jayselway]

Tom,

 

When you ran water through the little ones, was it deionised water, or tap-water? Smoke machines are pretty good when it comes to limescale and the like!

 

Jay

[tokm]

Tom,

 

When you ran water through the little ones, was it deionised water, or tap-water? Smoke machines are pretty good when it comes to limescale and the like!

 

Jay

Thanks for that Gareth, just wasn't sure what the right way round to do everything was.

 

Jay: It was 'distilled' water. The stuff your supposed to put into steam irons.. apparently for the exact reason of it apparently not causing lime scale.

 

If this wasn't the right type of water to use, wheres the best bet to obtain some of this 'special' :) water?

 

Thanks.

 

Tom

[Ynot]

Jay: It was 'distilled' water. The stuff your supposed to put into steam irons.. apparently for the exact reason of it apparently not causing lime scale.

 

If this wasn't the right type of water to use, wheres the best bet to obtain some of this 'special' :) water?

Best is DI (DeIonised) water. Not quite the same as distilled, but not far. In fact some places/people believe they ARE the same thing (not a chemist, me, so won't say categorically!! :))

You'll get it from motorist discount stores, or possibly diy stores. cheap, too...

[tokm]

So basically what somewhere like battery refilling water from Halfords? (answer courtesy of UKSLC's forum).

 

Also, someone said that boiled water isn't good enough. More to the process than just distilling it.. So ill remember that for the future.

 

Thanks for everyones help.

 

Tom

[zonino]

Jay: It was 'distilled' water. The stuff your supposed to put into steam irons.. apparently for the exact reason of it apparently not causing lime scale.

 

If this wasn't the right type of water to use, wheres the best bet to obtain some of this 'special' ;) water?

Best is DI (DeIonised) water. Not quite the same as distilled, but not far. In fact some places/people believe they ARE the same thing (not a chemist, me, so won't say categorically!! :unsure:)

You'll get it from motorist discount stores, or possibly diy stores. cheap, too...

 

its not the same, deionised water doesn't have any ions* in it (Na+ etc), it could have other stuff in it,

 

as to them being the same thing... as distilled water should be pure, and therefore just H2O, technically it is also deionised water. however, deionised water is not technically distilled!!!!

 

 

so basically, go to a shop and try and get distilled water, but deionised should work just as well. it should say somewhere on the bottle

 

 

 

*yes, I'm aware that H2O technically exists as H3O+ and OH- so its ionised etc etc

[Tommo]

Hi people,

 

On a related note, I have an MDG Atmosphere with severely reduced output. Has anyone got any tips on cleaning the pipes in one of these?

 

Cheers,

 

Tommo

[Bod]

Hi folks, Scottish tap water works well. or cheap bottled still water from supermarket works just as well. bod

[Ike]

On a related note, I have an MDG Atmosphere with severely reduced output. Has anyone got any tips on cleaning the pipes in one of these?

No but whatever you or anyone else reading this with a MDG Atmosphere DON'T RUN WATER THROUGH IT being an OIL based hazer and all. :blink:

[mac.calder]

If you are in an educational institution, check with the science department too - as most schools and universities will have the facilities to distill water