Thread: Chiller thoughts...

Tweet

I've been using the 32gal trash can with the 18' of dryer tube for the last few years with my 700 watt fogger. It worked GREAT!!!

I upgraded to a 1300 watt fogger and the old chiller just does not seem to be able to keep up. The fog clearly passes through it too too fast.

So I started thinking of solutions. I've read all the chiller threads repeatedly and it appears my current chiller and the vortex design yield similiar results. Opinions do vary however. The issues I understand with the vortex is the ice melting after about hour into a solid. So what if a handful of 1/2" copper pipes were suspended in the ice section to insure passage? Not a lot but enough to give a few passages? Like maybe equvilant to a 4" pipe circomfrance.

Then I thought about keeping the fog on ice longer. What if I added a second 32gal trash can. Do both in the vortex design-ish. My thought, In trashcan 1 via 4" opening to an expansion area. Fog rises threw an area of ice that is 1/3 the volume of the container and is closer to the top than the bottom. A 4" pvc pipe at the top then allows the flow into trashcan 2 where another expansion area is at the top of this can. Since the fog should be colder now it should have no problem falling through another 1/3 container of ice that is located closer to the botom in this container. And finally out a 4" opening.

Do you think this will work for the larger output? Is it overkill? Conceptionally wrong? Looking for thoughts before I start trashing what I already have. I'm thinking I'm chilling the ice twice and allowing two areas for expansion. Should be nice and cold what comes out in the end and hopefully lay really low.

I figure just decorate up like toxic barrels with the great stuff foam oozing around.

Any thougts?

David

I use the 400 watt foggers from Michaels, since I don't have that much space to fill, one of the foam boxes that the QVC steaks come in works fine for me, the fog doesn't hug the ground but rises slowly giving that eerie graveyard fog that you seen in movies. The fog goes in through a tube and leaves through a slit on the side.

Have you tried adding some water and salt to lower the temp?

Dry ice.

I switched to that and never went back with a very similar setup to what you have. The fogger on the left is closer to your larger fogger (Chavuet 1250) The one on the right is a 950 Chavuet. The trash bag on the front also helps disperse the fog better too!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-EbhW_FdU0]YouTube - Dual Fog Chillers in Action![/ame]

The chiller I have works great with the lower wattage fogger. But now that I have a 1300 watt unit, it just blows threw the 18' of dryer vent too, too fast. So i figured direct contact with the ice and longer exposer to ice is probably needed for the output this thing achieves.

David

Thats why I suggest dry ice instead of regular ice. regular ice doesn't get near as cold and the trash bag slows down the output and disperses it much better.

Originally Posted by texmaster

Dry ice.

...

Well I cant to get home and see the video. Work has it blocked :-(

Davdi

Try this

[ame=http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/texmaster/?action=view&current=Picture050-1.flv][/ame]

Yup.. had the same problem with my Chauvet 1250 last year..and it's an 800 watt fogger lol. I got the V960 coming for this year, which is 2x more powerful than the 1250 (well 3x if you factor in the 800 watt/1200 watt debacle of the Chauvets from last year). That said, I got the bigger fogger for a couple reasons.

First, I figured I could route it to two locations using PVC. I'll split it up and route it. Each end will have a trash bag as well. In each PVC I am going to pack dry ice, so that the fog is in contact with the dry ice all the way down to the end. The reason for this is.. I know that the fogger is going to be too powerful to run thru a chiller that I can build that isn't too costly. I tried my 60qt vortex last year, and it was no where near big enough for the 800watt fogger. It would work far better for a 400 watt fogger. I didn't know that when I built the vortex design. The reason I think it is so popular is that most people buy the cheap 400 or 700 watt foggers and the vortex chiller for $125 that you can buy, or build it yourself for about $40 to $50, is enough size for those outputs.

The other thing to consider.. if you can set the amount of fog that comes out.. I read somewhere that around 30% to 40% of output would allow you to keep a more continous flow of fog. I asked Gorey from minionsweb where I bought the 960, if the 960 would be continuous like the 950 that I thought it was replacing (or at least a newer/better model of). He's not sure however, but assumes it can be done that way. Looking at the timer that comes with it, it seems like any other timer, its an interval and duration timer. So I am not sure yet how you would set 30% volume output on the fogger with this timer. If anyone knows about the V935/V960s, how you set the actual volume it spits out, that would be great.

My goal is.. if I can set the actual volume... is to put it at about 35% and have it run as close to continuous as possible to keep a nice flow of fog rolling. That and the dry ice packed ABS (sorry.PVC is white, I need ABS), should hopefully chill it enough for it to stay low. Also, I'll wet the grass down so that it stays colder.

TEXMASTER that is sweet!!! ... Those are the same cans I'm using. So I have a few question:

1. Are you doing the dryer hose like me or the vortex design inside?
2. If dryer hose, your coming in up the spiral and out from the 90 degree correct?
3. How much dry ice in each? Mine takes like 30lbs regular ice to cover the hose. Are you covering it all or using less.

I'm not getting no where near those result now (I did with the 700 watt unit). I haven't tried the bag in my testing yet but plan to use it on the big night.

Thanks for the video and help!!!

David

Here is a quick picture of the design I was thinking. But honestly if I can use my current chiller with Dry Ice to get what TEXASTER has, I'd be happy.



David