Jump to content
Light-O-Rama Forums

LOR and Fog Machines


Recommended Posts

Posted

Can I trigger fog machines with LOR?  If so, how would it work?

Posted

Yes, discussed in great detail on previous posts; exactly what to do and how to do it.

 

Do a search and it will provide hours of information.

 

Good luck.

Posted

Yes. Just search. DMX would be the best but fog machines that turn on as soon as power is supplied will also work, and would be better if you don't already have a DMX universe. Just don't dim them!

  • 4 months later...
Posted (edited)

For any other newbie's looking to work your fog machine with LOR.....it can't be any easier.  I simply put a relay in the fog button box, and wired it to the button. a little hot glue holds the relay in place nicely.  I drilled a hole in the box, and ran the AC plug for the relay out the hole, and sealed it with silicone.  Works like a champ. It really couldn't have been any easier, and is MUCH cheaper than purchasing a DMX fogger (cost me about $3 in parts). Will add pics when I get a chance.  I plan on building a unit that will control multi foggers, each on it's own AC line. Even doing this should only bump up the cost of the project by a few bucks. I am also considering making a different plug to run right to the fogger so I don't have to alter the original fog controller. It's pretty straight forward.

 

BTW....the search feature on this site doesn't always work well.  It took several searches with different terms to find any info at all on this, and mostly I just find posts saying "do a search".

Edited by Dcroc
  • Like 1
Posted

Not a problem, i just plug my fog machine into the appropriate channel/extension cord. Tape the button down on the fog machine controller with duct tape and im good. You do have to remember that the fog has to warm up. So it might take 5-10mins when your show starts to warm up. Then after that if you trigger it every couple of minutes it will work right away. Just remember if you trigger it to be on for a cpl of minutes most likely it will have to reheat. i usually trigger to go on for about 30-45secs give it about the same amount of time off and retrigger.

 

all in all, its pretty much plug and play.

  • Like 1
Posted

I had someone "hack" the remote that came with it, I leave the fog machine on and on a NON-LOR outlet.  big thing to remember is ON and OFF only, no ramps or twinkles or shimmers.

Posted

I wouldn't recommend running a fog machine directly off a lor channel.

Instead use a relay with a 120v coil and N/O (normally open) contacts. You would power the fog machine directly into a regular outlet. Then take your remote open it up solder a wire to each side of the switch (could be done differently but this way you could still use your switch) and those two wires would go to a single N/O contact on the relay. The coil of the relay would be powered by a lor channel so when you power the channel it would basically bypass the switch and tell the fogger to run.

 

As for powering the fogger you could also get a second relay. You would then power that relay off a second channel on lor. To make it easy cut an extension cord and run the hot through a contact on the relay. You would connect this channel directly into a normal outlet. This way you not putting the load of a fog machine on a lor channel. This channel you would just leave on durring the show to keep you fog machine hot.

Posted

IMG_1715.JPG

 

Those wires would go through a Normally Open Contact on the relay.

Posted

Do yoour fog machines have the remotes connected with IEC power leads? I saw them on a fog machine I used once and thought they are good because you can extend them, and have several switches so that one can be modified and the other normal, so you would not void the fogger's warrenty.

Posted

I had an old, cheap fog machine and I build a little wooden box to protect it from the rain since we get a lot of it here starting in the fall.

The power cord goes to an outdoor timer that is also used for my FM transmitter. I don't want the transmitter and the fog machine on all the time.

I have the timer set to go on about 15 minutes prior to my light show so it has time to warm up.

The trigger for the fog machine is hooked up to a relay I bought from Creative Lighting. It's very easy to hook up and you can still use you fog machine's button.

The relay goes to one of your LOR channels and to turn it on during a sequence just turn that channel on. It's very easy and effective!

  • The topic was locked
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...