Thread: Fog machine "tune up" and maintenance

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So what's the bottom line? I see my old 400 watt fog machine sputter a ton when I use the manual button. It's a cheap POS and I don't usually use it because I don't like to have to man it while I am dressed up to scare kids. I am thinking next year I am going to use it with a prop and motion detector... if only fog machines wouldn't go into such a darn long reheat cycle. I wish you could time the reheat..so you could kick it on every minute or so, or control when it reheats, so you could keep it going almost all the time and thus keep a continuous or semi-continuous fog coming out. There's an idea for someone who wants to start a fog company... add a feature never seen in any fog machine.. the ability to control how often the heater kicks on, rather than wait till it gets to a certain temperature then reheat for ever!!

Anyway, so.. simple green is the new trick? So when you store them, do you empty them out and let them site empty, then run some simple green the following year to clean them out?

Incidentally, for those of you who talk about replacing a 1000/1200/1500/1700watt fog machine pump with a cheap 400watt fog machine pump, won't that seriously degrade the capabilities of the bigger machine? Or are the pumps all similar in capabilities, and it's just the heating element that is different?

I wish i would have seen this thread earlier! I should have cleaned mine after last year no time now

[QUOTE=Anyway, so.. simple green is the new trick? So when you store them, do you empty them out and let them site empty, then run some simple green the following year to clean them out?

[/QUOTE]

I wouldn't store it empty. I run power directly to the pump and run simple green through it. I do it at least three times, letting it sit 15 to 20 minutes in between flushes. Once I am done cleaning it, I run it normally for a few fogger cycles. Then I store it. I would never store it withhout running juice through it after cleaning.

I need to pick up a couple of the party store models to check them out. It would be interesting to know if you can take the heat exchanger apart like some of the other models.

I bought a Spirit 400w model. Set it up tonight. It fired twice and then dead! Never could get it to come back on. I have looked everywhere for my receipt -- it is probably the only receipt that I can't find for stuff! Not sure what to do with it now... It seemed to not be getting warm -- noticed it was warming first time and then it seems to have gone cold.

Bama - check the fuse....

Had looked at it and it didn't appear blown, but after doing a lot of continuity checks inside, I realized I never really checked the fuse. Going to do that next. Also advised it may be the thermal fuse, so will be checking that too.

Originally Posted by Yubney

You might try this...

Theatre Effects - Cleaning Fog Machines (Not!)

"NICE". good source of info. Thanks for the link ;-)

I believe most of the fog machines on the market use a pretty simple diaphragm pump for the fluid - usually, when the machine's left dry, you end up with a bit 'o gunk that solidifies in these, and blocks flow of fluid the next year.

(a pretty good sign of a blocked pump - it makes one hellacious, grinding kind of noise. A properly operating fogger makes a low-to-moderate, smooth, hissing noise, in my experience).

I've opened up the pump before (on one of my machines), and removed the gunk. Put the pump back together (opposite steps of disassembly), and I still use that machine now - I've never cleaned it since (this was years ago), and it's just fine.

One thing I will caution when taking the pump apart - there might be springs or other delicate parts that want to jump away and hide when you open the pump.
Take it slow when you disassemble, and don't force things.
If you can work on the pump in a location where you can control flying bits and pieces, you'll save yourself a lot of stress too (perhaps a good back-stop on your workbench).

Also, don't tear the diaphragm - they're pretty durable, but still very thin, so use caution when opening the pump.


Bottom line: I've done this. Without training or knowledge (maybe I don't want to admit that). And it worked when done - as good as new.
Just be patient, and I think you'll do fine.

Thanks for your comments ugly joe. I have decided to let mine go uncleaned again this year based on these and other comments, along with the theater effects link.

I only own cheapo wal mart 400w foggers... but I currently have a friend's 700w fogger from Spencer's... it uses a draw tube that goes from the reservoir out the middle of the lid and into the pump. When I look at the tube I see droplets of isolated fog juice... I'm wondering if this will also gunk up/dry out and cause a problem?

I suppose cleaning would explain why my machine quit halloween night. cleaned it last year after 2 years of use. I will never clean again unless the machine is sputtering! Thanks for everyones' opinions.