Thread: 2 machines are broken

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I have 2 of the sorta crummy 400W machines. One's from Target and is 2 years old, the other is from a party store and only almost a year, but has never been used by me.

The Target one used to work and did so as recently as February, but now I can't get it to even turn on, even after changing the fuse. Anybody know what else could be happening?

I got the second machine after Halloween last year for super sale and only just today tried it. It doesn't work. The machine runs, but no fog comes out. Thoughts? I can't figure out why that'd happen unless something is clogged.

Any help would be awesome. I know they're only $25 or so even at Halloween time, but I'd really rather not have to buy new ones. Thanks!

Check the search for some fogger help. This is what I came up with...

Fogger not working right! Help?

Fog Machine Help

I am not mechanically inclined, so I haven't tried any of the fixes, but maybe you'll have some luck with it just being a clogged nozzle!

I've probably owned ten or twelve fog machines over the years and I've never been able to fix one once it stops working. There are some folks out there who can fix them, but factoring the shipping costs of each direction, you might as well scrap it if you push the button and NOTHING comes out. I'm pretty handy so I've also tried to buy and install what were supposed to be replacement parts for three different non-cheep foggers. No successes to date.

On the other hand ... just like this from one of the links that Frankie's Girl provided - Mr. Wizzard:

Should your fogger be exhibiting decreased output, compared to its normal output, then cleaning may help. If your fogger has no output at all, cleaning will not help. Therefore, if the output of your fogger seems to be diminishing, you should clean it before the output stops altogether.

When the output is low, I've used white vinegar + distilled water and I used froggy's cleaner to open up the fog machine and get it performing better. I don't think there is any difference between the home brew and froggy's but I'm sure Froggy will dispute that assertion.

In the past I've made many attempts to keep foggers happy, but Mr. Wizzard's cleaning routine also matches my successes:

To clean your fogger, set forth to your local grocery store and procure a gallon of distilled water and some clear vinegar. After returning home, prepare a solution of 50% distilled water and 50% clear vinegar. Empty your fog machine of all fog fluid (throw it away). Fill the tank with the solution of 50/50 water/vinegar. Power up your fogger in a well ventilated area, let it heat up, and fog as usual. The vinegar should dissolve at least some of the impurities that are in the pump and/or heater, and the water should flush them out. After you're satisfied that the cleaning procedure has done all it's capable of doing (hopefully fogging nice and steady now, with good output), empty your fog machine of the cleaning solution (throw it away). Fill the tank with fresh, new Fog Fluid. Power up the fogger and fog as usual. Machine is now ready for use and/or storage.

I'd like to stress that a fog machine should never be stored immediately after cleaning. You should always put Fog Fluid in the machine and make fog for a few minutes before putting it away. A fogger should never be stored, even for a day, without Fog Fluid in the pump and the heater

That said, sometimes they just die.

well, seeing as how I was told to never store my machines with liquid in them, I have a feeling that's the problem. I need to check my more expensive machine now before it might be too late.... grr.

You aren't alone. I was told that once, so I drained three foggers after Hween and only one could be salvaged with the vinegar concoction the next year.

You know last year my two higher end 1 year old machines would not work. A couple weeks back I started playing around with them switching around the timers and got them going.

They seem to be real finicky about what timer goes with which (both are same manufacture fogger and timers) so maybe playing around swapping those could do it. Heck may even be just a dirty connector in the plug needing some in and out to clean the contacts?

I never clean my fog machines. The last one that i cleaned stopped working right after i did so. I usually use try to use mine every two or three months to keep them running. I also store them with liquid in them.

I buy the cheapest fog machine I can find and plan to use it for one season. I'm just looking for a little fog to add a little atmosphere.

So far, I've gotten 3 seasons out of one cheapie and 2 seasons out of another. Considering they cost all of $20 each, I wouldn't have been too upset if they stopped working after one season.

For $20, I don't worry. Btw, I've stored them dry, stored them with liquid in them and out on the patio. $20 buys me another one.

Now lighting and props are a different story.

I disassembled one of mine a couple of years ago and the nozzle was clogged up with mineral deposits. The fogger that won't even turn on might have a bad solder joint on the insided that could be fixed. The main thing is to be careful when fiddling with something electrical.

Check on Ebay at our haunt, we have over 200 foggers they're constanly dying on us.. we use a mixture of Chauvet and rosco, occassionally a cheapo and or eliminator, I buy chauvets on ebay all the time use... like the chauvet 1050 and 1250 hurricanes are great producers quickly of a lot of fog, prices anywhere from 60-120 slightly used