I'm a not doing very well at the moment.

My EU Lights fog machine is on the blink (got it 2 years ago and it was expensive).

Some fog comes out but not much and is temperamental. The motor is noisey.

Motor gone or does it simply need a clean with the usual white vinegar and distilled water?

I ask before I buy these and find there is no point.

Ta.

There's no motor as such, they use a solenoid pump..an AC coil and a stainless steel piston which vibrates in a cylinder with one-way valve.

The motos can go noisy if there's little fluid in there (blockage on the inlet) or if the springs lose their spring. If there's blockage in the heater block outlet), the pumps normally go quieter. But it's worth having a look and decoke all the same.

If you remove the pump, they're usually polarity-sensitive (despite being for AC) because they're fired via thyristor and also contain a diode in the windings (giving a slower vibration).

If you get the pump going then stand back as they operate up to 15 bar in closed circuit.

So basically, its worth cleaning it to see what happens..

Just been outside for 30 mins trying to clean with white vinegar and distilled water.

No luck.

Motor making a noise and smoke only comes out of it occasionally as if there is a blockage but I don't think there is.

What now?

You can try the pump whilst disconnected from the heater block, just to see if it squirts fluid out (it will also work with water). Bear in mind the usual hazards if you've got the cover off and mains applied and liquid splashing around.

If the pump squirts ok then either the heater is blocked after all (its very common indeed and a solid capilliary won't clear with vinegar as no fluid can flow through at all) or the pump is failing under the back pressure from the block...though like i say this usually makes the pump much quieter as the back pressure effectively 'locks' the piston and stops it vibrating. Sometimes the one-way valve in the pump stem can fail meaning the pump only pumps the fluid in by half an inch or so then sucks it back out again!

Some cheap machines have such tiny capilliary tubes that they soon go 'solid' all the way through with limescale (esp. from cheap fluid...use Jem or Le Maitre) and no amount of vinegar (or even descaler) will clear them.

Vinegar is best for routine preventative maintenance..dont leave it till the thing stops smoking all together!!!

Taken it apart and tested just the motor with water...nothing happens comes out..just noise.

Worth getting a new motor or a new machine?

What will break next..

I've got through 3 of these in the last 5 years. Very unreliable. I don't use them now.

What choice is there?

What make have you got? Most of the DJ stuff comes out of China/Korea/Taiwan. A good machine made in the west has always been expensive, eg Jem, Le Maitre, Smoke Factory. Swefog, Rosco etc.

If you pay under 100 quid for a machine then expect it to be cheap!!

Go for a Jem ZR12, they're industry standard in pubs in the UK.

You could stick a new pump in there of course, expect to pay around 15-25 quid plus postage.



PS I think the ZR12 has just been discontinued, try the Martin Magnum 650 which is the successor to the Jem Technofog..its around the £180 quid mark.

Found a Martin Magnum 650 on eBay (new, boxed and delivered) for £69.99 and the cheapest one is £79.99 from an online disco store..no where near £180 if that was the one you meant.

Either way, its Martin/Jem so will be nice..

Sorry I meant the Magnum 850 which is the technofog equiv.

But the 650 is still a powerful little machine.

Do you think it will last longer than a couple of years though?

I should think so, otherwise Nightclubs wouldnt use them. Martin arent blemish-free but they have a reputation to keep. Just dont feed it rubbish fluid..use the Jem/Martin stuff. Some of the muck in the chinese stuff has to be seen to be believed.

For a while I used a vivid fogger. Cost £30 from maplin and it still works fine 4 years on. Have bought a new hazer since but still get the fogger out occasioanlly. I used electrovison smoke fluid in it with no problems at all. I always empty it after use and it seems to keep it going fine. I would recomend them as a smoke machine as long as you look after it. (maplin sell them for £29.99 if you decide on one) Can fill a large venue quite quickly.