fog machine..uses?

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IceBurghDJ

IceBurghDJ

DJ Extraordinaire
Apr 17, 2015
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Western Pennsylvania
iceburghdj.com
years ago a guy left me several bins of things and in there was a fog machine. I finally got around to seeing if it works - and it does.

I've got an outdoor (under a tent) party on Saturday...tempted to use it, but no clue exactly what or how best to utilize it.

Ihave led lights, a galaxian laser and not yet up and running acrobat (needs a couple of mirror panels).

The only fog I've seen are in videos to help demo lights.
 
Make sure the fire codes allow it first .. fog sits lower than haze, and is best used as a floor effect like dancing in the clouds. Haze works better for lasers and sharp beamed lights.
 
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I've never owned a fog or haze machine. I keep hearing that they set off fire alarms, the fire dept. shows up, and… use it very sparingly if at all. foggers also get clogged up and need to be cleaned, at least that's what I've heard. But a fogger will make beams of light come out. (Good for photos).
 
Ice was talking about using the fog machine at an outdoor event under a tent... Not likely any smoke detectors or fire codes come into play. However, the wind could certainly be a factor. Watch the forecast to see if strong winds are expected... If you have 10-15 mph winds, the fog will just blow away.


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Jas said:
I've never owned a fog or haze machine. I keep hearing that they set off fire alarms, the fire dept. shows up, and… use it very sparingly if at all. foggers also get clogged up and need to be cleaned, at least that's what I've heard. But a fogger will make beams of light come out. (Good for photos).
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In most places around here, if you want to use a smoke / fog machine, a representative from the fire dept has to be there on standby. This eliminates the whole alarm goes off, everyone must evacuate, fire truck comes issue. That said, many smoke detectors / alarms cannot be 'turned off'. The alarm will still trip - it just won't call the fire department.
 
ittigger said:
In most places around here, if you want to use a smoke / fog machine, a representative from the fire dept has to be there on standby. This eliminates the whole alarm goes off, everyone must evacuate, fire truck comes issue. That said, many smoke detectors / alarms cannot be 'turned off'. The alarm will still trip - it just won't call the fire department.
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Same here... but having a rep from the fire department is NOT free. I won't take it out of my fee, and clients are generally not willing to spring for it, so using fog is rarely a possibility.


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Thanks...lots of good info. I just tested it in my kitchen to see if it worked...didn't set off a smoke detector but that was a concern.
If it stays near the floor it shouldn't set them off as they are all high - because true smoke rises. But I can see an issue if the sprinklers go off at a wedding...

so how is haze different? Concerns with smoke detectors?

Thinking of something different to offer for school dances..get a buzz going.
 
The other issue with either machine is the type of fluid you use. Some of them leave a film on the floor (fog usually) or over everything (haze), so need to be careful not to buy the "cheap" stuff.
 
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steve149 said:
The other issue with either machine is the type of fluid you use. Some of them leave a film on the floor (fog usually) or over everything (haze), so need to be careful not to buy the "cheap" stuff.
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Absolutely... I believe the fog juice is usually oil based, so a lot of venues won't let you use it. Haze is usually water vapor, but both can leave the floor slippery, creating a risk of someone falling and breaking their... uh... butt. Then they sue you or the venue or both. [emoji3] Not really worth the risk for me[emoji4]! I've read lots of stories... all bad!


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DJ Bobcat said:
Same here... but having a rep from the fire department is NOT free. I won't take it out of my fee, and clients are generally not willing to spring for it, so using fog is rarely a possibility.
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It's not free here either.

IceBurghDJ said:
Thanks...lots of good info. I just tested it in my kitchen to see if it worked...didn't set off a smoke detector but that was a concern.
If it stays near the floor it shouldn't set them off as they are all high - because true smoke rises. But I can see an issue if the sprinklers go off at a wedding...
Click to expand...

If you fill the room with smoke or haze, it will trip the detector. Dry Ice is about the only thing that won't trip the alarms.

Sprinklers go off at a wedding? Unless the building is on fire, this would not happen.
 
I've never had fog or haze set off an alarm. Only one facility I have DJ'd at prohibits use of both. Haze is usually more dancer friendly, as it seems to be thinner than fog. Haze can almost flow continuously without bothering anyone. fog is usually run in bursts and is thick as it disperses.
 
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Fortunately down here you can do what you want ;) I sill use my old Antari and Chauvet foggers.
 
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I had a halloween party that asked about it a few years back and I advised them about the alarms / fire dept / etc. They chose to bring in their own machines and use them. Can you guess what happened? Everyone was forced outside once the firetrucks showed up - and that was even after a phone call telling them why it went off. Even after leaving the doors open and the fire dept clearing the building of issues, the truck came back 3 times before the alarm people turned the alarm to silent so it would not call the fire dept and somehow they managed to silence the speakers. Even in 'silent mode', the alarm lights still went off most of the night. You can't see crap when a strobe hits fog / haze.
 
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A picture is worth a thousand words so a video.....
Fog machine I used at an outdoor lakeside Cottage 50th B-day Party. The guest of honour was absolutely gob-smacked by the fogger I rented. When I told him I simply rented it he insistingly gave me the cash to go and buy one for myself. I did this as a freebee for a close friend and neighbour. People showed up from all around the lake that night. All run off generator/inverters

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yimPNVbkwnc
 
IceBurghDJ said:
Thanks...lots of good info. I just tested it in my kitchen to see if it worked...didn't set off a smoke detector but that was a concern.If it stays near the floor it shouldn't set them off as they are all high - because true smoke rises. But I can see an issue if the sprinklers go off at a wedding...so how is haze different? Concerns with smoke detectors? Thinking of something different to offer for school dances..get a buzz going.
Click to expand...

Haze is less noticeable, except when light is passing thru it.
But it also has issues with smoke detectors. (or at least it does in the minds of venue owners)
The fog you want it low-lying fog, which is done by cooling the fog....
but again, venue owners lump it all into the same "do not allow" category.

What good is promoting it, if you are not allowed to use it anywhere?
 
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Quite a few venues around here won't allow any fog or haze producing device. Not only is the worry fire alarms but where do you think all that chemical soup you pour into the machine goes? Correct, into draperies, carpets and furniture as well as a nice film on walls and ceilings etc. Not to mention your lungs - they also smell like shit ( except for CO2 but do we really want to be seen as the greenhouse gas dumpers of the marketplace if using dry ice?). If specifically asked for and the venue doesn't mind I simply rent but will never buy. At 7 or 8 bucks a day it is a no brainer....
In the last 2 years I have only rented 3 times (Two for outdoor shindigs) so it will likely not set you apart from all others if that is what you are looking for..
 
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