Thread: Are all Fog Timers compatible with all fog machines?

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I think I got burned twice today. First at Spirit Halloween with a clearance fog timer for $6.25 and then at Michaels with a giant craft pumpkin. I came home empty handed

I picked up a clearance fog timer that said only compatible with such and such fog machines and I decided to ask the check out clerk. Big mistake because she asked her manager and the next thing I know, they were snatching all the clearance timers off the display saying that it was a mistake that they were even out.

Oh and they kindly offered me to buy the Spirit Halloween fog timer for $15.

So...
1. Are all Fog Timers compatible with all fog machines?
2. What is the remote that comes with a fog machine? Is that not a timer?

I have never owned a fog machine before, so I am very confused Any help or advise would be appreciated. I think I will buy a 1000 watt since it's an outdoor graveyard and I'll try to build this chiller:
YouTube - 2007 Fog Chiller / Tube

Michaels has these gorgeous giant craft pumpkins that I passed on buying this weekend because they come with a giant price tag of $50. I took my 50% off coupon and went to another Michaels today ready to buy my pumpkin scarecrow head... and the woman tells me they're not for sale! HUH?
She tells me this big long story about how the price is $69 and they are display only. The $69 price tag is how much they pay for the pumpkin. Ugh...
So I asked my boyfriend to go to the one by him and buy it. He had no problem. It was already marked down to $30 something plus tax = $37. I'm going to try to make this gorgeous beast:
Spooky Blue - Halloween Projects - Scarecrow - Terror on a stick
Thank you to Spookyblue.com.

The quick answer is no, not all timers are compatible with all brands of fog machines. The remote that comes with it is for a manual burst of fog.

Hmmmm... that helps! Thanks

I think that the woman at Michaels wanted the pumpkin scarecrow head for herself. I would go back and see if it was still on display. If not, I would give her both barrels, but that's just me.

Well the fog machine I have has the the 3 prong plug
So im guessing if the fog machine has the same plug it should work....
PS: I saw a Fog machine controller at target was about $10...cheaper then Spirit and party city

I have a mis-matched fogger and $8 Walmart timer and both have the three prong plug. For some reason I have to use my manual remote to get the machine up and running. Then, once the green light comes on I can quickly unplug the remote and plug in the timer and everything lights up and works perfectly. If I try and start the machine with the timer plugged in it just sits there, no lights and definitely no fog.

Thanks for the tips on the fogger timer. I still haven't gotten one yet. Busy building building building my other props and crafts...

I might be wrong but I don't think it's just the plug end that's important on fog machine timers. I think it's the parts inside and the circuitry has to match the electronics of the fogger. I know someone here on the board can speak to this.

When I pick up a fog machine I always spend the extra money for a timer for it. Sometimes it's hard to buy one at a later date. And I try to buy this stuff during the after-season clearance sales to get the most for my money. Buying the same brand fogger when you buy replacements (or extras) can help as you don't always need timers on everything. Foggers break down so it's always great to have an extra one in storage for those Halloweens when suddenly it won't work.

I bought a "ground fogger" last year, one of those crappy 400W ground foggers with the little ice tray in it and then this year I bought a timer control at Target for $10 and they work fine together..................both have the 3 prong computer power cord style plug.

If the timer wont work with your fog machine, all you have to do to get them to work is cut the cord and switch the polarity of the wires while leaving the ground wire alone ( usually its the brown and blue wires ). I have had to do this many times to get different brand timers to work with different brands of fog machines.

Just realized that this thread is almost exactly 1 year old, but this info may still be useful to others.