Chavuet Fog Machine 1300

[caniac]

LOR-to Chauvet 1300 Fog Generator Adaptor Prototype

(Khawes and Caniac)

Attached are two photos of the completed LOR-Chauvet control adaptor which will permit controlling the fog generators from within an LOR sequence; I thought you might be curious to see it.

The operation is simple: the power cord is connected to any available LOR AC channel circuit (represented by the yellow power cord in the second photo) and the circular 5 Pin DIN connector is inserted into the Manual Remote connector on the Chauvet 1300.

When the corresponding LOR channel is 100% on, the fog machine produces fog as long as the channel is energized within the limits of the fog generator's ability to maintain a "ready" state.

LOR to Chauvet 1300 adaptor in the off state

LOR-Chauvet 13300 adaptor in the on (energized) state

Looks great!!

[khawes]

Looks great!!

Ditto.

I've got some magnetic tape that I can stick to the bottom of the controller and then it will magnetically stick to the metal case

Edited July 30, 2012 by khawes

[jabbusch]

khawes,

Magnetic tape; whatever works best for you. Incidentally, just tested the full prototype as shown in the photo (previous tests were done with the components un-mounted and with a relay of slightly different specifications to save space) and it works nicely. I'll put together a BOM tomorrow and get with you and caniac to arrange shipment of your prototypes later in this week.

John

[jonnyci]

FYI -

You can hack any of the standard fog machine switches and just solder in a relay from Radio Shack to do the same thing. When power is supplied to the relay, the circuit will open and "fire" your fog as if you were pushing the fog button on the remote. Once the power is not supplied to the relay, or the circuit is "closed", the fogger goes back to just standby mode.

You can take a simple extension cord, cut the female end off, solder it to your relay and your fogger switch, plug the other end into an available plug on a LOR controller and you are good to go.

[jabbusch]

Caniac, Khawes, et al:

Below is a photo of the completed, initial four LOR-to-Chauvet controller adaptors.

I have also completed basic testing on all four however end-to-end testing has not been completed: I hope to perform those tests this evening, add labels and then they will be ready to ship.

After performing several tests from within an LOR sequence I think it may be useful to add a “Fogger Ready” indicator so that it will be easier to determine how frequently the fogger may be fired and for what durations so that the heated platen has time to recover between operations.

John

Initial four LOR-to-Chavuet controller adaptors immediately after basic testing.

[TJ Hvasta]

I have three non-dmx foggers, two of them 400watters and a 1000w I found at Goodwill for $12/ea. Each had remotes. Two foggers (the 400watters) had the simple on/off rocker switch with neon "Ready" light, the 1000w has the push-button sw, also with the "Ready" light. One 400w was hard wired, the second 400w and 1000w had a socket for the remote.

I mounted the relays, along with the original Ready light, inside the fogger case, and ran the relay power cord, out the back (as a seperate dongle would prob get lost). Jeff and Holiday posted a diagram how to wire the relay on the FB User group but I cant find it now. The relays are RadioShack 120vac relay, pn 275-0217, $9.99/ea, (make sure you do NOT get the 12v dc relays), was $21.79 out the door. Nothing else needed. I decided not to use relay sockets (they were another $3). Two cords out the back of the fogger, one is the heater power, the other is the pump power, thats the one that goes to a on/off (only, no dimming) LOR channel. I tested by plugging in the heater power cord. Once the Ready light came on, I momentarily plugged the Pump power line into an outlet, the pump immediately started. These will be used for fogging the ropelight Mean Wizards face during the sequence, as in the Wizard of Oz movie. The C9 you see is for the load across the relay, so it doesnt present itself as a dead short across the line. Yes, it is required, you can use a C7 also, I just didnt have any.

Wiring the relay was easy, you just have to trace the wiring around to use the correct lines in/out the remote if paralleled, or to the lines themselves if the remote was removed.

This will only work if you have non-dmx foggers, which sounds like Carniac really has..

Edited August 6, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[jabbusch]

I have three non-dmx foggers, two of them 400watters and a 1000w I found at Goodwill for $12/ea. Each had remotes. Two foggers (the 400watters) had the simple on/off rocker switch with neon "Ready" light, the 1000w has the push-button sw, also with the "Ready" light. One 400w was hard wired, the second 400w and 1000w had a socket for the remote.

I mounted the relays, along with the original Ready light, inside the fogger case, and ran the relay power cord, out the back (as a seperate dongle would prob get lost). Jeff and Holiday posted a diagram how to wire the relay on the FB User group but I cant find it now. The relays are RadioShack 120vac relay, pn 275-0217, $9.99/ea, (make sure you do NOT get the 12v dc relays), was $21.79 out the door. Nothing else needed. I decided not to use relay sockets (they were another $3). Two cords out the back of the fogger, one is the heater power, the other is the pump power, thats the one that goes to a on/off (only, no dimming) LOR channel. I tested by plugging in the heater power cord. Once the Ready light came on, I momentarily plugged the Pump power line into an outlet, the pump immediately started. These will be used for fogging the ropelight Mean Wizards face during the sequence, as in the Wizard of Oz movie. The C9 you see is for the load across the relay, so it doesnt present itself as a dead short across the line. Yes, it is required, you can use a C7 also, I just didnt have any.

Wiring the relay was easy, you just have to trace the wiring around to use the correct lines in/out the remote if paralleled, or to the lines themselves if the remote was removed.

This will only work if you have non-dmx foggers, which sounds like Carniac really has..

TJ Hvasta,

Hi, and thanks for your input, what a great forum for information exchange!

As you may see from my attached photo (I suppose it’s visible?) I have already completed the construction and testing of the LOR-to-Chauvet prototypes(yep, non-DMX, hence the adaptor- although the Wired Remote control connector does look very much like the 5 Pin circular DIN spec of the newer DMX standard). I developed these adaptors with several basic points of design philosophy:

1. I wanted to avoid modifying the OEM fog generator in any manner- opening the manufacturer’s production unit almost always voids safety certifications as well as the manufacturer’s warranty.

2. I wanted to provide isolation between the LOR 120VAC channel and the Chauvet unit itself.

3. As a part of #2 above I wanted to interface with the Chauvet unit using only low voltage control signals, which the separate adaptor unit permits me to do most easily.

4. I wanted the unit to be transportable from any FC-T controllable Chauvet Fog Generator to any other such device simply by unplugging the adaptor from one Chauvet and moving it to another similar device.

5. Finally, I wanted some design versatility included which I did by delivering all the low voltage control signals to the adaptor (so now I can quite easily add the “fogger ready” indicator and similar functions to the unit with little extra work).

In an effort to protect the LOR TRIAC circuit, I have specified an integral RC snubbing circuit which obviates the need for the C9 or C7 Christmas lamps in parallel with a relay coil- I’ve scoped the circuit and there is virtually no CEMF current present past the snubber when the relay drops so that seems to have been fairly successful.

Also, I think the several of us who are involved in this little project bought our Chauvet generators new from the manufacturer and didn’t get nearly the deal you found (I never see deals like that!) - Another pretty good reason for us to stay out of the OEM’s enclosure!

Wizard of OZ? I would love to see your Wizard of OZ show; is it posted somewhere?

Thanks Again,

John

[TJ Hvasta]

John, I'd reply but i cant read your post, its too small

Edited August 6, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[jabbusch]

John, I'd reply but i cant read your post, its too small

TJ Hvasta, (sorry, I keep doing that- I need to set the font size default larger)

Here we go:

Hi, and thanks for your input, what a great forum for information exchange!

As you may see from my attached photo (I suppose it’s visible?) I have already completed the construction and testing of the LOR-to-Chauvet prototypes(yep, non-DMX, hence the adaptor- although the Wired Remote control connector does look very much like the 5 Pin circular DIN spec of the newer DMX standard). I developed these adaptors with several basic points of design philosophy:

1. I wanted to avoid modifying the OEM fog generator in any manner- opening the manufacturer’s production unit almost always voids safety certifications as well as the manufacturer’s warranty.

2. I wanted to provide isolation between the LOR 120VAC channel and the Chauvet unit itself.

3. As a part of #2 above I wanted to interface with the Chauvet unit using only low voltage control signals, which the separate adaptor unit permits me to do most easily.

4. I wanted the unit to be transportable from any FC-T controllable Chauvet Fog Generator to any other such device simply by unplugging the adaptor from one Chauvet and moving it to another similar device.

5. Finally, I wanted some design versatility included which I did by delivering all the low voltage control signals to the adaptor (so now I can quite easily add the “fogger ready” indicator and similar functions to the unit with little extra work).

In an effort to protect the LOR TRIAC circuit, I have specified an integral RC snubbing circuit which obviates the need for the C9 or C7 Christmas lamps in parallel with a relay coil- I’ve scoped the circuit and there is virtually no CEMF current present past the snubber when the relay drops so that seems to have been fairly successful.

Also, I think the several of us who are involved in this little project bought our Chauvet generators new from the manufacturer and didn’t get nearly the deal you found (I never see deals like that!) - Another pretty good reason for us to stay out of the OEM’s enclosure!

Wizard of OZ? I would love to see your Wizard of OZ show; is it posted somewhere?

Thanks Again,

John

[TJ Hvasta]

Whew, I can read that.. As users here have both new and old foggers and snow makers, your works for the newer ones, ('cant even call it mine), the way I wired mine works for out of warranty units .. either is good, tho i like the idea of the "snubber" instead of the C7/C9..

The only thing I have of the WoO show so far are videos of a couple of the sequences I'm using.. click on my sig line, its the first/second video listed.

Edited August 6, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[jabbusch]

Whew, I can read that.. As users here have both new and old foggers and snow makers, your works for the newer ones, ('cant even call it mine), the way I wired mine works for out of warranty units .. either is good, tho i like the idea of the "snubber" instead of the C7/C9..

The only thing I have of the WoO show so far are videos of a couple of the sequences I'm using.. click on my sig line, its the first/second video listed.

TJ,

Okay! My gosh! Now that’s a serious Pirate ship prop you’ve made there. Where do you store that much material?

I liked the OZ animation; I’ve been thinking of something of the sort myself, but I always seem to have too little time.

Nice Job!

John

[jabbusch]

Shucks TJ, I did it again! Here's a larger font version.

TJ,

Okay! My gosh! Now that’s a serious Pirate ship prop you’ve made there. Where do you store that much material?

I liked the OZ animation; I’ve been thinking of something of the sort myself, but I always seem to have too little time.

Nice Job!

John

[TJ Hvasta]

Thank ya 'mate.. it oll breaks down neatly inta infintesimally smoll pieces ta fit in my treasura chest, savvy? P-) actually, breaks down into flats, a pile, 11' x 4' x 4' an' fits in me tool shed.. the masts stay together outside. skellys go into tubs under the stairs. Cannons, wheel, anchor, oll else fits in th' garage..

[jabbusch]

TJ,

It's a beautiful piece of work; how long do you leave it up each year? Do you have an HOA to contend with out there?

John

[TJ Hvasta]

Have an HOA but they like it.. the ship (last year) started going up early Oct, finished by the 15th, the show ran for the week prior to Halloween, then came down Nov 1st when the lights started to go up.. orange/purple came down, rgb strings went up, same ladder trip

[jabbusch]

Have an HOA but they like it.. the ship (last year) started going up early Oct, finished by the 15th, the show ran for the week prior to Halloween, then came down Nov 1st when the lights started to go up.. orange/purple came down, rgb strings went up, same ladder trip

TJ,

What are you using to drive the RGB?

John

[TJ Hvasta]

Ooops, they were actually incand SuperStrings.. just R, G, B minis, twisted together.

[jabbusch]

TJ

So you're just using three LOR channels to make the minis behave somewhat like an RGB string?

John

[TJ Hvasta]

Yep, but an RGB string without DMX is still 3 channels, be it incand or LED.

[jabbusch]

Yep, but an RGB string without DMX is still 3 channels, be it incand or LED.

TJ,

Ah, no doubt! I was just trying to verify my understanding since, before you used the word “superstring” in this context, my only familiarity with the word was as a theory of particle physics! HAHAHA! I’ve not been a forum regular so some of the terms you guys use are new to me.

I am also wondering, do you take the pains to closely associate each group of three RGB mini lamps with each other or does one just combine the strings together without worrying about aligning each group of three lamps, and does that produce the desired effect as seen from some distance?

Also, do you modify the aggregate string colors by varying the channel intensities associated with each color?

Sorry for all the questions TJ, but if you already know and are willing to share, I don’t have to learn through experience only.

Thanks!

John

Edited August 21, 2012 by jabbusch