Spanish... Seguro Que Si!
Pay
by...
VISA
MASTERCARD
DISCOVER
AMERICAN
EXPRESS
PAYPAL
MONEYGRAM
Enter
Shopping Cart
LIGHTING:
120
Volt Extension Cords
Black
Lights
Bubble
Machines & Fluid
Bulbs
(Misc)
Bulbs
For PARcan Reflectors
Bulbs
For Strobes
Bulbs,
2 Pin (64514, BRL...)
Bulbs,
HTI, MSD, ARC
Bulbs,
Linear (EHM, FCL...)
Bulbs,
MR (Mini Reflector)
Bulbs,
PAR 36, 46, 56, 64
Bulbs,
Screw Base Floods
Cables
(DMX & Lighting)
Center
Lights (Part 1)
Center
Lights (Part 2)
Chase
Controllers (Not DMX)
Clamps
Color
Gels
Controllers,
(Switch Panels)
Derbys
DJ
Truss Packs & Tripods
DMX
Color Changers
DMX
Controllers (Part 1)
DMX
Controllers (Part 2)
DMX
Dimmer & Relay Packs
DMX
Effects (Not Scanners)
DMX
Moving Heads
DMX
Scanners, Barrel Mirror
DMX
Scanners, Flat Mirror
Ellipsoidals
& Fresnels
Flamers
& Novelty Lights
Fog
Machines, & Fluid
Haze Machines & Fluid
Followspots
Fuses
Lasers
Lighting
Packages
Lights
For Mixers, Racks, TT
Liquid
Projectors & Similar
Mirror
Balls & Motors
Moonlights
Mushrooms
PAR
38 Cans
PAR
46, 56, 64 Cans
PAR
can reflectors,
gel frames, & cords
Pinspots
& Chasing spots
Police
Beacons
LED
Lights
Snow
Machines & Fluid
Sockets
For Bulbs
Strobe
Controllers
Strobe
Lights
Truss
Crank Stands
Truss
Connectors
Truss
Tables & Chairs
Truss,
Square
Truss,
Triangular
Unique
Lighting Effects
KARAOKE:
Karaoke Equipment
Karaoke Music
AUDIO:
Amp
Racks
Amplifiers
Audio
Patch Cords
CD
Cases
CD
Players
Corners
Crossovers
DJ
Work Stations
Empty
Speaker Cabinets
EQ,
Crossovers, Effects
Grills
Handles
Horns
& Drivers
Headphones
Mic
Cables
Mic's,
Wired
Mic's,
Wireless
Mid
Range Drivers
Mixers
Outdoor
Speakers
Plugs
& Jacks
Rubber
Feet
Speaker
Cables
Speaker
Carpet & Glue
Terminal
Plates
Tweeters
Wire
By The Roll
Woofers
SPEAKERS:
Full
Range - Dual 15"
Full
Range - Single 10" or 8"
Full
Range - Single 12"
Full
Range - Single 15"
Full
Range - Single 18"
Horn
& Tweeter Cabinets
Sub-Woofer
- 15"
Sub-Woofer
- 18"
Stage
Monitors
Demo
Products |
|
|
A Simple Guide To Fog Fluid...
|
SECTION 1: Dispelling The Myth
The first thing I'd like to do is dispel the myth
that
using any fluid other than the brand of your machine will kill your
machine. That's "marketing", not factual in every case that I've seen.
Every brand of fog fluid on the market that I've tried, (and I've tried
over 40 brands) are basically the same. They are the same in the fact
that they are made of almost the same mixture and share almost the same
purity.
I've heard the concern about other fluid damaging
the machine
more from "Martin" and "High End Systems" fog machine owners than any
other brand. These guys do a great job of "Marketing". Truth be known,
I've tested several fog fluids that ranked better than both of
these.
The biggest difference in the 40+ brands of fluid
that I have
tested over the past 20 years was not the chemical make up. It was the
purity. Purity is the hardest attribute to achieve in fog fluid. It is
measured in "Parts Per Million". Although Martin and High End Systems
brand of fog fluid is in the top 5 of brands I tested for purity, it
was not in the top spot. In fact it has not tested the same every year
over the past 20 years. That leads me to believe that they may not make
it themselves. They may be buying fluid from a manufacturer that makes
fluid for a lot of brands and labeling it for themselves.
If you were to put an accurate and true warning
label on fog
machines, it would read something like this... "Use the purest fog
fluid you can find in order to achieve a long life from this fog
machine".
|
SECTION 2: Purity
Purity is important because most clogs in fog
machine
heaters are caused by mineral impurities in the water that is blended
in the fluid. The chemicals usually come in an acceptable state of
purity and my tests show that the chemicals haven't varied much in the
past 20 years. Tap water is a definite no-no for fog fluid.
Unfortunately, some makers of fog fluid try their best to purify the
water they use, but they lack the testing equipment necessary to know
if they really succeeded. I've seen some fog fluid manufacturers even
resort to buying purified water to blend with, but the purchased water
was not as purified as advertised. We keep our fog fluid impurities
under 1.5 parts per million and have done a good job of staying under
that figure for the past 30 years. Remember, purity is the most
critical factor for the life of your fog machine. |
SECTION
3: Does The Fluid Match The Machine?
In the 80's, when the fog business was fairly new
and
growing rapidly, I saw a lot variances in fog machines. It was not
unusual to see 100 degrees difference in the heating temperatures of
two different machines. In those days it really was important to find a
fluid that came close to matching the characteristics of your machine.
The goal is to have a fluid with a vapor point close to the operating
temperature of the heat core in your fogger. That problem is not near
as prevalent today as it was back then, but I still see a little
difference in machines occasionally. Here's what to look for. If your
fog comes out quick and thin and doesn't hang long, you might want a
more viscous fluid that will spend more time in the heat exchanger and
vaporize better. If your fog is coming out too thick and slow, it may
be spending too much time in your heat exchanger (which may lead to
early clogs) and you should try a less viscous fluid. You can usually
add a little distilled water to any fog fluid to thin it out. Remember,
never add tap water! |
SECTION 4: Making Your Fogger Produce
Haze
If you want a very light Haze, you can dilute
your fog
fluid with distilled water until you get the grade of haze desired.
When you achieve a light haze, you may not see much fog coming out of
the machine, but the air will be full of tiny particles that your
lights will be seen shining through. Don't be surprised if you have to
activate your fogger more often than usual. That's how it works with
haze. |
SECTION
5: Scents... Good Or Bad?
In the 30 years that I have been working with fog
machines,
I have seen 1000 times as many clogs in machines that never had a drop
of scent added to the fog as I have machines that used scent. It is my
opinion (based on 30 years working with fog machines and fluid) that
the popular scents sold most often (strawberry, vanilla, tropical...)
do not cause any more clogs than unscented fluids. If you take care of
your machine and protect your stored fluids, you should be fine. I have
seen many clogs in night club foggers caused by large amounts of dust
gathering in the tank and jugs of fluid that have been left open for
long periods of time. |
SECTION 6: Cleaning Your Machine
A clogged fog machine is trash. There is no
reasonable
means of removing the burnt clog. To keep it from creating a build up
of impurities, I suggest running a half a cup of UNCLOGIT through it
after every 40 hours of operation or no longer than 3 months. This will
help prevent clogs from forming. After running the UNCLOGIT through it,
you should run a little regular fog fluid through it to provide
lubrication for the pump. |
|
|
