Low lying Smoke Machine

[Adza]

We are currently putting together a show for the summer and would like to have a smoke machine, at our venue (its our own building) there are 2 smoke detectors above the stage. We have used smoke machines before but they have set off the smoke detectors.

 

We are currently campaigning to have the smoke detectors changed to fire detectors but they building is actually council owned and they wont let us do this without months of planning and bureaucracy.

 

Does anyone know of a Low Lying smoke machine that preferably runs cold and would this be a problem with the smoke detectors?

 

The council are willing for us to hire or borrow one to test it before we buy it.

 

Thank You very much in advance.

[slipstream]

Only true dry ice will be unlikly to set off smoke sensors, the LSX type machines all use smoke like a smoke machine but chill it so it sticks to the floor, it will rise and warm, mixing with room air, the fast disperse nature of it will help, but you stand every chance of setting off the alarms. You may find that 5 min use will not reach a trigger point, but it would require testing a number of times to ensure it's not going to trip when a show gets going

 

Sam

[Ynot]

Only true dry ice will be unlikly to set off smoke sensors, the LSX type machines all use smoke like a smoke machine but chill it so it sticks to the floor, it will rise and warm, mixing with room air, the fast disperse nature of it will help, but you stand every chance of setting off the alarms. You may find that 5 min use will not reach a trigger point, but it would require testing a number of times to ensure it's not going to trip when a show gets going

 

Sam

basically, what Sam says, although 5 minutes of use (if you chuck smoke out at full volume) is VERY likely to fill a small venue, thus be a very high risk of activation of the detectors.

 

There are very few budget low-foggers that work particularly well overall, because of the fact that it doesn't really take very long for the chilled smoke to warm sufficiently to start rising. And unless you use a very fast dissipating fog juice, it will go from chilled fog to smoky stage in very short order.

[Adza]

Only true dry ice will be unlikely to set off smoke sensors, the LSX type machines all use smoke like a smoke machine but chill it so it sticks to the floor, it will rise and warm, mixing with room air, the fast disperse nature of it will help, but you stand every chance of setting off the alarms. You may find that 5 min use will not reach a trigger point, but it would require testing a number of times to ensure it's not going to trip when a show gets going.

 

yea that would be really bad, has anyone got any company suggestions where I could get them to come down with one to test and if it works purchase it. We have to go through the council ordering system so they wont let us buy it then send it back :D

 

Thanks

[Ynot]

Slightly confused...

Do you want to test a low fogger or a dry ice machine?

 

However, talk to any of the major players and I'd expect them to be able to arrange a demo.

Stage LX, White light, Northern Light, maybe 10 out of 10, AC Lighting, etc etc.

[Adza]

Slightly confused...

Do you want to test a low fogger or a dry ice machine?

 

However, talk to any of the major players and I'd expect them to be able to arrange a demo.

Stage LX, White light, Northern Light, maybe 10 out of 10, AC Lighting, etc etc.

 

Yea will do

 

Thanks

[Jivemaster]

Regardless of the current performance, getting the admin to change the detection system to something more suitable should always be a priority. If it's going to take time then start NOW so that it gets finished and the detectors can be changed.

[Adza]

Regardless of the current performance, getting the admin to change the detection system to something more suitable should always be a priority. If it's going to take time then start NOW so that it gets finished and the detectors can be changed.

 

We have spoken to the relevant paper pushing departments and they are doing it but its going to take at least a year apparently :D why are they such idiots

 

Apparently they have to have fire and rescue come down and do a survey, an architect, a structural engineer and then actually splash out the cash for it, this will be about the 5th time in over 3 years that they have come back and just said they're doing it but nothing happened. I am trying but the show we want it mainly for is in summer and nothing is happening.

 

It would be best to get them replaced but to be honest it doesn't look like a possibility at the moment.

 

Thank you anyway everyone

[Ynot]

We have spoken to the relevant paper pushing departments and they are doing it but its going to take at least a year apparently :D why are they such idiots

 

Apparently they have to have fire and rescue come down and do a survey, an architect, a structural engineer and then actually splash out the cash for it, this will be about the 5th time in over 3 years that they have come back and just said they're doing it but nothing happened. I am trying but the show we want it mainly for is in summer and nothing is happening.

 

It would be best to get them replaced but to be honest it doesn't look like a possibility at the moment.

 

Thank you anyway everyone

Well, with respect, it is extremely unwise for a student to make disrespectful statements about their school/teachers/staff whoever on an open public forum - you never know who may also be reading your posts!

 

However, it shouldn't take anywhere near that long to have the appropriate assessments and remedial action carried out in actual fact, BUT (and this is a BIG but) there may well be other reasons why the school doesn't want to or can't have it done. And they - the school - are under no obligation to tell you anything other than 'No'. Hard to accept maybe, unhelpful certainly, but welcome to the real world.

 

As a student, regardless of how highly you may think you're thought of in some areas, you have no real influence over what goes on at the school.

 

So my advice is that if that brick wall is still there, then stop banging your head on it, rethink what you need to do, use what you CAN do and CAN use and make the best of the job that you can in that way.

[Adza]

We have spoken to the relevant paper pushing departments and they are doing it but its going to take at least a year apparently why are they such idiots

 

Apparently they have to have fire and rescue come down and do a survey, an architect, a structural engineer and then actually splash out the cash for it, this will be about the 5th time in over 3 years that they have come back and just said they're doing it but nothing happened. I am trying but the show we want it mainly for is in summer and nothing is happening.

 

It would be best to get them replaced but to be honest it doesn't look like a possibility at the moment.

 

Thank you anyway everyone

Well, with respect, it is extremely unwise for a student to make disrespectful statements about their school/teachers/staff whoever on an open public forum - you never know who may also be reading your posts!

 

However, it shouldn't take anywhere near that long to have the appropriate assessments and remedial action carried out in actual fact, BUT (and this is a BIG but) there may well be other reasons why the school doesn't want to or can't have it done. And they - the school - are under no obligation to tell you anything other than 'No'. Hard to accept maybe, unhelpful certainly, but welcome to the real world.

 

As a student, regardless of how highly you may think you're thought of in some areas, you have no real influence over what goes on at the school.

 

So my advice is that if that brick wall is still there, then stop banging your head on it, rethink what you need to do, use what you CAN do and CAN use and make the best of the job that you can in that way.

 

Can I just point out I'm not a student

 

And Yes I will do

[Ynot]

Can I just point out I'm not a student

No?

Then your DoB is incorrect on your profile?

The profile has been recently amended, because I could have sworn you showed yourself being at a school, and as you're still only 16 and 8 months, one can only assume you're still at school in 6th form, or have moved on to college - hence are still a student.

Unless you're one of the lucky school leavers to find a job at 16...

 

However, student or not, badmouthing people in a position of authority (regardless of whether they deserve it) in a public arena is generally NOT a good idea, full stop.