Thread: Fog pump problems.

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I know anyone that has had a fog machine has likely gone through this mess. Suddenly the fog machine will not work. The problem is the pump. I have now gotten very adept at disassembly and cleaning the SP-35A . My Chauvet 1250 stopped pumping. My last fogger had a very similiar pump but I had other electronic problems with that machine.

What I forgot and why I am posting is this. If you pull the pump and decide to test it outside of the fogger. Make sure you include the diode in your test circuit. I spent hours cleaning and recleaning. Tweaking the pump springs and adjusting the valves. I finally ordered a new pump from VEI today. At least they only charge $45.00 If you buy from Chauvet, it's 125.00 plus tax plus shipping.

Then when I got home today, I decided to take a closer look at the wiring prior to the point that I cut the circuit. Just so it makes sense, I am going to install an external circuit so I can flush the pump without the electronics involved.

So what I found was a diode inline covered in shrink tubing. Boy is my face red.

I pride myself in my mechanical ability. I knew the pump should work. It worked if I manually actuated the piston. So if you subject a coil to AC and a spring loaded piston is inside, you get a rapidly oscillating piston, which in effect does nothing. If you place a diode in the ac circuit you get a pulse or half wave circuit. So now the piston gets pulled up 30 cycles per second and released to be forced down in the pump stroke 30 times a second.

I know for many this is basic, but hopefully someone else out there that is
struggling with pump problem will read this.

As far as Halloween.

My wife and I do the house inside and out. My best attraction at this point is my flying ghoulies. I have 6 Ghouls. With LED eyes of various colors. They hang from 200 lb nylon fishing line. That line traverses in the front of the house on horizontally mounted pulleys. The motor is nested under the eave of the garage. They fly from the garage out to an elevated post at the mail box, down the hedge to the left corner of the house, up over the entry walk to the corner of the garage and then back through the drive. It took me weeks to find the right materials to make this work.

Spinman

I'm new here, I'm looking for an SP-35A pump. Could you post the web address or phone # for VEI ?

Originally Posted by JohanGregory

I'm new here, I'm looking for an SP-35A pump. Could you post the web address or phone # for VEI ?

Welcome to Visual Effects - Complete Lighting Equipment and More...

718-324-0011

info@visualeffectsinc.com

Visual Effects
600 E. 156th Street
Bronx, NY 10455

Thanks for the information.

Eh. ya know... gotta try and give back something to the community when I can.

I have replaced the diode going to the pump. However, I'm still not able getting anything out of the pump. I have taken the pump apart and I questioning if I got all the valves in the proper position. Has anyone had any luck with reassembling the SP-35A pump?