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Any recommendations for creating the best haze/smoke for beamshows in medium sized (100x100m) outdoor venues? Looking for as stable and even spread as possible, even in slightly windy conditions. Would it be best to use only hazers, ordinary smoke-machines, a combination of both. What about differences between oil and waterbased fluids? Any preferences; crackers, MDG CO2, Jem Roadie X-Stream, use of fans?
I used a magnum 2000 (http://www.martin.com/product/produc...=magnumpro2000) and an big fan (http://www.thomann.de/nl/varytec_windmaschine.htm) for my outdoor show on water (http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...-first-show!-D)
Learned a lot of that. You could go for bigger foggers but sometimes more foggers spread over an wide area is better. So instead of using the Jem roadie x-stream use 2 Jem Roadie Compacts or so. Try to find a fogger that can do a continuos flow of smoke without they have to stop to heat up the element. Most of the time that's around 40% of the maximum output. Most of the heavier smoke machines will have that function. (DMX is also a must, not every fogger has this as a standard). I personally won't go for hazers.
If I have to choose between oil based or water based, I would go for water based fluid. It's cheaper and the differences between those 2 when using outdoors. And I guess there are not much big oil based fogger around for as far as I know.
And if there is wind use it ;) I made the mistake to blow with the wind but it is better to (slightly) blow into the wind. Spreads the smoke more.
Well this is what I can tell you about smoke machines outdoor and what my experiences are. Hope it gives you a little idea ;)
Cheers
Just saw on the internet for an Jem roadie x-stream you can buy 8 Jem pro 2000 and 8 of that fans I showed here above include al the needed cables. So you can spread the smoke more then a single unit alone. Just a thought ;)
I use LeMaitre powermist turbos, which can run continuously at lower outputs. That's probably not a lot of help as they're discontinued, and blowers from bouncy castles. I've found making fans and foggers portable is the best solution, you can then work with the wind, so running out power and control lines to several locations, then setting the machines at the best point near showtime.
I just got 4 jungle daddy foggers from cheaplights.com low cost dmx wireless remote and a wired remote with timer heats up quick and can be set for a good cont output. I used to use F100's but they get beat up and repair cost etc.. the jungle daddy has about the same output as a magnum 2000 and in a much more compact size.
I had good results using a Smoke Factory Tour Hazer-II (hazer) and an Antari-1000 (smoke) + a big fan to smoke out a 25x40m surface, but there was a stable and slow wind keeping its direction (cold air going down from the mountain).
The continuous output of the Smoke factory is amazing at full power, and the Antari is doing fine but needs often re-heating. But in your case with a bigger surface, I would use for sure at least 4 machines (hazers or smoke machines with continuous output) and big wind machines. You then will have to choose the best places for the wind machines just before showtime :)
But the wind, even if moderate, is incredibly powerful as a smoke remover, I was not thinking that much before testing it by myself...
I am planing to use 6 fixed smoke-stations with even spread around the area, five around and one in the middle, and 1 mobile smoke-machine moved around depending on wind.
Hazers create smaller particles with a more even spread, for example the MDG Atmosphere is great for indoor shows but I am not sure it will be as good outdoors since the smoke it produces might blow away more easily than a traditional smoke-machine, or? Anyone with good insights in comparing hazer vs. traditional smoke vs. crackers for outdoor laser-shows? Any special differences in cold environments (-15-5C)? Why use fans when you already have a natural wind much stronger than any fan could produce?
Here is a show I did in a smaller area (80x30m): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpzjQ0B7hYA
2x Jem Glaciator Xtream was used to pump smoke down the "stairs" - not the best function, smoke blow away instantly.
1x MDG Atmosphere in the middle
1x F100 in the middle
2x F100 in the middle/ends
In this small area with so many machines it was hard enough to have a somewhat even spread of smoke over the projection area...
Nice show Laservision what laser systems and powers did you use?
Thanks johnmcc. Two MediaLas AttaXX 3,5 RGB where used for the show and two china-imported 1,2W RGB systems where used for logo projections.