Best Low Fog Machine

[Ynot]

What's been described above as the pond-fogger type doesn't quite gel with what I saw at PLASA and ABTT, with the MT-Electronic machine though understandably all I have to go on is a short demo whulst there. Those machines are also marketed as 'Made in Austria' so whilst again I couldn't/wouldn't rule out Chinese component parts it's not looking like a Chinese import as a complete box.

 

Add to that the fact that it has a variable fog level - dry ice look through regular fogging up to a definable height of cloud, and that doesn't sound like it's being done with ultrasonics - but then of course I have no background in those other than - well - as pond foggers.

 

All I can say is that the machine on display WAS very impressiveand delivered exactly what I'd expect from a CO2 Pea Souper with no mess or drippage and instantly controllable.

 

Oh - and their datasheet states fluid and water bottle changing being easy, suggesting that this is NOT the tray type Tom's alluding to.

 

All in all, I would definitely recommend anyone getting a demo if you have the £000s to spend on such a machine. It certainly beat the crap out of the Glaciator I hired in once :)

 

E2A data sheet for info

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by Ynot

[ImagineerTom]

JEM spent a lot of time and money playing around with the technology 20 years ago and perfected the way to adjust density and create different physical “layers” of smoke.

 

Several of the Chinese machines I have seen also have a regular fogger in them which is used in conjunction with the ultrasonic system to produce a primate version of the JEM HOT system.

 

All the Chinese machines have “easily changeable” fluid bottles. Just like any fogger they have external bottles. All the ones I’ve seen then pump this fluid in to a baking tray full of ultrasonic units and then have pumps/ducting to take the produced smoke out in to the real world. It is this internal tray that is the problem when trying to move/tour them

[Ynot]

JEM spent a lot of time and money playing around with the technology 20 years ago and perfected the way to adjust density and create different physical "layers" of smoke.

 

Several of the Chinese machines I have seen also have a regular fogger in them which is used in conjunction with the ultrasonic system to produce a primate version of the JEM HOT system.

 

All the Chinese machines have "easily changeable" fluid bottles. Just like any fogger they have external bottles. All the ones I've seen then pump this fluid in to a baking tray full of ultrasonic units and then have pumps/ducting to take the produced smoke out in to the real world. It is this internal tray that is the problem when trying to move/tour them

Fair enough - but have you looked at THIS machine in detail?

[bigclive]

From what I know of the one I have used that I have. It has one slab from what I can see and from what I was told there is a heater for the fog fluid and one for the water. If I get time over the weekend I will put a camera in side the distilled water chamber and see if I can see a what happens inside it. I will also try and take photos of the inside as well.

There is 2 drain valves on the back to drain the distilled water off. you have to pour the distilled water in to one chamber which holds 5 liters and when you switch on the machin it pumps it from the chamer to another one where the ultrassonic slabe is to a set level. The fog fluid pipe that comes from the fog tank goes the into a panel on the other side of the tank away from where the distilled water is.

 

It would be interesting to see that. Especially if it uses a classic 10 atomizer slab or two.

 

The atomiser disks have an optimal distance to the top of the water for the best effect, which is why the water will be cycled through that area, overflowing into the collection and recycling compartment.

 

I can't really think of an easy way to transport this sort of technology without just draining the water reservoirs completely between locations. You could have a system that pumps all the water back into a container, but that would increase complexity and potentially have hygiene risks.

 

I wonder if there's a routine cleaning required. Classic ultrasonic atomisers get a bit yucky inside quite quickly. If the glycol does get dosed into the water that could help with keeping it sterile.

[ImagineerTom]

Fair enough - but have you looked at THIS machine in detail?

I didn’t see what you saw at plasa but in all the demo videos and photos I can find online it /looks/ exactly like the sort of smoke the ultrasonic units produce, the box is physically the same size and layout as the ultrasonic units and the published data about power consumption and fluid use is very similar to the ultrasonic units.

 

It’s perfectly possible they have legitimately invented a complete new technology but all the available evidence suggests otherwise...

[dmxlights]

 

I have taken a few pics of the inside of the low hazer. I will not be taking it apart as only a few weeks old

 

http://mcgcs.net/low/1s.jpg

 

This is where the distilled water is poured in to.

 

http://mcgcs.net/low/2s.jpg

 

The distilled water has to be filled up to the red line.

 

http://mcgcs.net/low/3s.jpg

 

It here where the distilled water ends up

Edited June 29, 2019 by dmxlights

[bigclive]

Ah, so it is using a classic ten head atomiser block. I wonder if it adds a continuous stream of glycol fog to the atomised fog to create higher volume.

[dmxlights]

Inside the low lying hazer I have there is a heater for the fog fluid and the 10 heat atomiser block. It now seem that the 2 hazes are mixed when in the air inside the machine.

 

How I have found this out I have gotten a loan of a mini snake camera and used it to look inside the machine via side vents as I could only get in one side as the heater for the fog fluid is right beside the other one.

http://mcgcs.net/low/5s.jpg

the power supply with the red and white wire is the power supply for the 10 head atomiser and the board above it seems to be the board that the hear for the fog fluid is conneted. The pump below is for pumping the distilled water from one chamber to the other. there is another power supply for the control board and the 2 fans on this machine. I can not see the 2 pump for the fog fluid that pumps the og fluid into the heater.

 

[bigclive]

Intriguing. That possibly explains the programmable fog height concept, since the water fog is heavy and the glycol fog can be quite light. Mixing them in the correct ratio would result in different weights of fog. I'd guess the hygroscopic atomised glycol is attaching to the atomised water droplets.

 

Hopefully that switchmode is well protected from residual water during shipping.

 

The ultrasonic block uses replaceable piezoelectric disks that can be changed by unscrewing their retaining rings if they ever need changed. It's really important that they never manage to operate with no water to cool them. If they exceed their Curie point temperature it will delete their piezoelectric properties very quickly.

 

I wonder if there's a sterilising routine for long term use when the water may go a bit slimy.

 

Notice how I'm habitually assessing the units for servicing requirements.

[themadhippy]

Notice how I'm habitually assessing the units for servicing requirements.

pity poundland don't stock em

[dmxlights]

Intriguing. That possibly explains the programmable fog height concept, since the water fog is heavy and the glycol fog can be quite light. Mixing them in the correct ratio would result in different weights of fog. I'd guess the hygroscopic atomised glycol is attaching to the atomised water droplets.

 

Hopefully that switchmode is well protected from residual water during shipping.

 

The ultrasonic block uses replaceable piezoelectric disks that can be changed by unscrewing their retaining rings if they ever need changed. It's really important that they never manage to operate with no water to cool them. If they exceed their Curie point temperature it will delete their piezoelectric properties very quickly.

 

I wonder if there's a sterilising routine for long term use when the water may go a bit slimy.

 

Notice how I'm habitually assessing the units for servicing requirements.

 

I konw then one that in the machine I have as its own float built in the bank of 10 ulterasonic block also the machine has another float that will fill the compartment where the block is and if it does not it will not work at all.

 

Its recommened in the manul to empty the distilled water out of the machine to make the machine easyer to transport and also makes it lighterto lift. there is 2 dran valves on the back of this machine. also where the power supply is and the distilled water is in the machine don't a chance of it getting wet

 

I have found a site where I can buy the replacements piezolectric disks which also do other parts as well. I will be keeping this site in my bookmarks for again. also here it is for other just incase you need parts

https://thehouseofhydro.com/index.html

 

[bigclive]

You can also get the replacement atomiser disks in most countries from the gardening supply stores on eBay.

Just search for 20mm fogger disc/disk. They're very common in the decorative pond foggers.

[theatretechie]

Have a look into LSX Machines.

 

They have a non CO2 system as well as CO2 systems.

The output is pretty good with the right fluids.

 

LINK