Help with a dodgy fogger...

[danielbriggs]

Thanks Doc. You're quite right.
Usually I'm the first person to sort out a dodgy ebay seller, but as much of a hassle and time it would take to swap out (including postage), I'd rather like to have a crack at fixing it myself. There can't be much more wrong with it! I want my fog!

I emailed the guy, and basically got a 'sorry - oh well' back. Should I not be able to revive it, I'm going round to his house and dumping it on his doorstep...

[White-Light]

On the subject of cleaning it - you should use only DE-IONISED Water not tap water. You can add some white vinegar in as a cleaning agent I believe. Best to google to check the correct ratios with several sites

I can't remember what tap water does to the machine but it can be fatal to it.

I'm sure you can buy de-ionised water at Halfords - they sell it for topping up batteries.

There's a video on cleaning smoke machines here:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GArgNY0_oKs

BTW the video is wrong on de-ionised water. Boiling it gives you distilled water NOT de-ionised. De-ionised water is made by passing the water through an ion exchange resin that removes the ions from the water.

[buffo]

I used to work for Continental Water Systems, installing and repairing R/O and D/I water systems. I also served as an ELT on board a nuclear missle submarine, so I've dealt with high purity water for a good portion of my life. Having said that, I can tell you with absolute certainty that there isn't anything inside a fog machine that is going to be harmed by tap water, unless you have *incredibly* hard water coming out of your tap. (As in more than 7-10 grains of hardness.) Even in that case, you'd need to run an awful lot of it through the machine before you started to have scale problems. (And a good vinegar cleaning will still take care of it.)

All the tubing inside is standard copper tubing with brass fittings. The inside of a fog machine is not that much different from your coffee pot or steam iron, except that you normally run pure fog juice through it. It's only when you're cleaning or flushing that you use water - and even then you only run a small amount through it.

Tap water will be just fine. You could make the argument that distilled water would be better, and if using that makes you feel better, by all means do so. But de-ionized water is overkill. (In fact, pure deionized water is actually rather agressive, and will attack copper tubing. But pure D/I water doesn't stay pure very long unless you're constantly recirculating it through a resin bed.)

Adam

[danielbriggs]

OK, I've been messing around with it a bit more tonight...

I've had the pump out, and in bits, every single part of it inside was spotlessly clean and shiny. Cleaned anyway and put back together (the unit now leaks after my messing, but a bit of PTFE tape sorted that.)

Fired up the unit, waited 5 mins, and still nothing from the remote
So I disconnected the remote receiver and shorted out the mains neutral with negative of the motor.
And guess what, the dam thing smoked! (as in fogged ) I was only giving it short half a second dabs, just in case the whole thing exploded, but the bastard thing puffs out some decent smoke!

So now I'm getting somewhere... the fault is with the receiver module. I've attached a few pics and if someone could take a look over, I'd be grateful. But I don't know how helpful a few pics will be.

Does anyone have a WIRED remote I could buy off them? Or at least take the back of theirs and let me know what's in it, and how the light and switch are wired up so I can build my own.

I'm determined to get this bugger working properly...
BTW: I'll give a beer to the person who can help me get this working, either in person at UKLM4 or down the wire for over the pond

Ta,
Dan

[White-Light]

Daniel have you tried eliminating the switch as the source of the problem.

[danielbriggs]

As far as I can tell it doesn't have a switch... Just the cables running to the wireless box. The only switch is on the wireless fob, (But the LED comes on)

[heroic]

As far as I can tell it doesn't have a switch... Just the cables running to the wireless box. The only switch is on the wireless fob, (But the LED comes on)

Looking at the PCB, I bet the fault is in U1. Can you see the markings on it? I would guess it's either a triac or a power FET. Probably a power surge killed it.

[White-Light]

Oh its remote controlled, sorry hadn't picked up on that.

The only other option with the remote is to go through it with a multimeter and check every component to ensure its passing current and at the correct value. Multimeter's will take these readings using safe low voltage current.

However, you need to have the power switched off before testing and you also need to leave it for some considerable time to ensure any charge built up in the capacitors is discharged before you attempt it. I accept no liability for you getting electrocuted by a capacitor as I expect you to obtain professional advice if in any doubt as to the charge status.

[Banthai]

Hi daniel

firstly the circuit uses a capacitor that drops the voltage using the leakage across it, this is a standard mains dropper and is known as not too reliable, if the caps it fail can go open circuit .... nothing

or worse short circuit .... everything goes pop

be carefull these circuits run at mains potential and are not isolated

I would first check the output of the large yellow Cap

you should get an AC output
then check the bridge rectifier .... you should see a low DC voltage ( about 12 to 20v Dc )
then check the Voltage Regulator

look at the number on the regulator it should say something like 7805 or 7812 ( but the pinouts you have dont tie up to the 78 series but it may say the voltage out )

the last 2 digits may denote the voltage that you should be getting at the output of the regulator ( best to search for the reg type on the net )


the easy option is to remove the electronics and fit a 240v rated switch across the White and red wires ..... remember these are mains voltage so the black wire needs to be isolated and done with care

all the best ... Karl

[danielbriggs]

the easy option is to remove the electronics and fit a 240v rated switch across the White and red wires ..... remember these are mains voltage so the black wire needs to be isolated and done with care

all the best ... Karl

Thanks Karl, I'll get the meter on the electronics as soon as I get another fuse for it, as it's currently a little bit blown
(This was due to me messing around before I looked at your instructions)

I don't want to give up on the remote box, but can I really just connected up a switch with no other electronics needed?
Would something like this do?: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=12219
e.g. on the 3 terminals of the switch, solder the neutral wire to the middle pin, and the -ve of the AC pump to either end?

I'm alright with DC stuff, but this AC power is a whole new kettle of fish!

Thanks,
Dan