Antari ICE 101

[v_arpad90]

Hy everybody,

 

I want to buy a low fog machine. I was looking after eurolite NB 40 ICE and NB 150 ICE, and also Antari ICE 101 and Antari DNG 200. Between these models, are some thousand euros or punds different. I heard about Antari ICE 101 that the low fog is not remaining down more than 1-2 min. Is it true? What about the other models? I was also thinking to buy a machine which is workign with dry ice or CO2 but I understud also from forums that is more easy to use ice cubes with a standard fog liquid. Now, I don't now how efficient is it?

 

Please write me if everybody has any experience with this kind of effect.

 

Thanks

[mac.calder]

The main factor in determining the best low fog machine is how low you can chill the fog before the output. The Ice 101 uses ice. Most ice from ice machines etc is around the -4 to -11 degree mark. It is the professionally made version of the "esky low fog chiller".

Dry ice is below -78 degrees.

CO2 directly out of the bottle is a little warmer than Dry Ice - usually some tricky physics is used to optomise this temperature

In the middle of all these options are the refridgerated units which sit at between -11 and -30.

 

It all depends on how much you want to spend.

[Ashley R]

I can tell you now any machine that uses regular party ice is allmost rubbish for a low fog effect. As it rises after a few minuetes, it rises when people walk through it and it does not like drafts etc.

 

One thing I have allwase pondered is if you put Dry ice pellets instead of regular ice in the cooling chaimber and then use a quick disspateing smoke fluid. I wonder if this would work? This idea has been on my mind for a few years now but ive never had the oppertunity to test it out.

[csg]

having used or seen in use most of your list, personally I would not waste my money except the dng200 which is a decent fridge unit. The problem with all the others is that the cooling system is not up to scratch and the fog machine doesn't have sufficient output or duration for a decent effect

 

No low fog systems like drafts, and even the best will rise after a while. None are really quite as good as the real thing.

 

However, if you do need to use an alternative, personally I would be looking at a system that uses liquid Co2 from a bottle as the cooling agent. These systems have the convenience of an ice or refrigeration system, but have a much more potent cooling system with the advantage of loading the resultant fog with a heavy gas that helps keep the fog lower for longer.

 

I myself own and use an effects company cirrus machine, which is a great little thing, similar in output to a well warmed and loaded pea souper - but with the advantage that one full size gas bottle will run it for approx. 50 mins, non stop if necessary. You would need 4 or so pea soupers to do that due to cooling and re-loading.

 

Another option is the Le Maitre freeze fog pro - more expensive but greater output.

 

Of vital importance is the fluid you use - my preference is for Le Maitre fast dissipating or extra fast dissipating fluid. Dependant on temperature ( if the room is too warm, the extra quick fluid's fog will have disappeared completely 4 metres or so from the machine), these fluids used with the cirrus offer fog that will instantly dissipate when kicked up, and will result in absolutely NO ambient hazing - always an issue with low fog systems.

 

So, that is my opinion, after having played around with combinations of kit for years. NONE of the cheap systems work properly in real conditions, low fog effects will always be difficult to engineer, hence will always carry a certain price tag.

[v_arpad90]

Hello,

 

so..the conclusion is, that with this low budget fog machines ( like eurolite NB 40 ICE and NB 150 ICE, and also Antari ICE 101 ) you can't really make a real dry ice effect. With DNG 200 you can do a great job, but it also costs more than 5000 euros. My problem is that I can't afford more than 1000 euros now, for this kind of machine, and I also found an antari ice 101 second hand for 300 euros. I think that for the begin it's ok... I want to use it for little clubs between 200- 500 m2. Somebody told, that to make a dry ice effect with a low fog machine, you also have to think about the club's tempreture.. if this is high than you can't really wait for a long dry ice effect, becuase the fog is rising to easy.. :| But after all, somebody can tell me, how long is an antari ice's low fog reamining on the floor? This is the main question. I was also looking after le maitre but under 5000 euros.. you can't find. Maybe somebody knows an already used machine? A second one?

 

Waiting for answers

[mac.calder]

There are FAR too many variables to be able to give you a figure that is worth anything. If 50 people are dancing right through it in a hot room, about 3 seconds. If it is going out over an ice rink for effect before a show, between 2 to 4 minutes

[v_arpad90]

hello, can u tell me some details about the dng 200? Is it cooling down the fog enough? Maybe after antari ice 101 I'll try to buy this kind of machine too, but I think that now I'll buy this antari ice for 300 euros.. I think that it's a very good price now! I know that the dng 200 also needs a very goof fog machine to function properly...