Thanks for this video! I purchased one of these units without the remote and one couldn't be found. Following the information in this video I was able to use a simple jumper cable to connect the right pin from the timer input (white wire) with the middle pin (yellow wire). This enabled the unit to run perfectly. Thanks again!
Came here because I have an issue related to the machines and everything you've done is exactly as I have, thank you for confirming. All the code questions: If you've ever touched an Arduino, it's not that hard figure it out. Use a module as shown in the video (mechanical or SSR) to avoid smoking the Arduino. Relay + to Arduino 5v, - to Arduino GND, pick any digital pin, in this case D8, then const int relayPin = 8; void setup() { pinMode(relayPin, OUTPUT); } void loop() { // Turn the relay switch ON, for this relay, LOW digitalWrite(relayPin, LOW); delay(500); // Turn the relay switch OFF, for this relay HIGH digitalWrite(relayPin, HIGH); delay(10000); } Reverse LOW/HIGH if your relay requires HIGH to turn on. Add Serial.println() 's as desired.
I did a similar project this year. The major difference between the two were mine came with an IR remote instead of an RF remote. When you pressed the IR remote, it would send a signal to turn the fog machine on, and another to turn it off. What I ended up doing was hacking the IR code from the remote and then building a circuit with an IR transmitter that would output the same code as the supplied IR remote. I programming the Arduino to send random codes to turn the fog machine off. The advantages were I had to make no internal modifications to the smoke machine itself.
Be careful. There's mains AC voltage going through that relay board. While the relay is probably rated to handle it, the dangerous voltage is exposed at the solder pads on the underside of the board. It'd be best to put the relay board in a small junction box to avoid accidental contact. The foggers with the five-pin DIN ports and/or the 3-pin DMX connectors use low-voltage DC, which makes for a safer hack. Unfortunately, those machines are generally a bit more expensive.
Hey Davy. Great video. Thank you for sharing. Do you happen to have a copy of the program you used for the time based fog release, that you would be willing to share? I don't have any experience with it...yet. Thanks a lot, Austin
It's a bit off topic but i wanted to thank you for this video, I bought a cheap walmart fog machine and wanted to rewire it for a timer module. There's ONE other video out there where the guy shows you how to do it but it's HORRIBLE and not electrically safe at all! Your breakdown of this machine and description of each components connections were PERFECT! Thank you!! My cheapo fog machine now works flawlessly like a much more expensive model :)
Yep, but I think it'll only shoot out fog while the thermal element is hot enough so you probably want to pump it periodically instead of keeping it on.
If I remember correctly it's connected to the mains-power so be careful with those. A normal light switch would work though since those things handle that much power. If you use a relay like I used with the Arduino then the switch on the low voltage end could be practically anything.
So here’s a weird question I have the exact same fogger, is there anyway to splice into the wire which the wall outlet cable wire on it is there anyway to splice into that to make it run off of a 12 V vehicle from the car?
A cheap fog machine needs 120 volts and 400 watts! So the only way to do that is to use a 12v to 120v invertor that is rated for 600 watts at the very least. But even then, a 600 watt might not be enough to power it. So I would look for a 800 watt or higher. You get what you pay for!!! The inverter will be well over $100 USD. Take note, cigarette lighter power is only for under 180 watts. You will need to hook the inverter directly to the car's battery to take full advantage of the inverter's capability. Also keep in mind the car needs to be running or your battery will be drained quickly.
I have one with only an IR sensor, how do I wire it to bypass that and activate with a momentary switch? Circuit to the ir isn't color coded ( red, green, brown) a 3 wire plugs into the board to activate
dude I have 2 machines with the same 3 prong remote inputs, but I can't find either of the remotes. any ideas for how I can hack them to make them just fog when plugged in?
I have a slightly different fog machine that I'm doing something similar to. The one I have after warming up stays on for about 20 minutes and then the Ready light goes off and we are unable to release fog for about 1 minute. It then is ready again after the minute passes and normal operation can continue. Does your fog machine have similar functionality? If so how do you handle the motion sensing when it's in the unready state?
Yeah, mine does have a warm up period but it hasn't been a problem as long as the fog is only put out in bursts (it seems worse/more frequent when the fog is more continuous). I'm not sure what to do about that but if you figure anything out let me know!
They don't come pre-loaded, you usually have to buy "fog juice" separately, which I believe is usually water and glycerin or glycol. So you could add anything you wanted. I'm not sure how safe that is though (in terms of breathing in the vapor, flammability, etc).
I used your work here to help guide me for this Halloween's project, than you. :-D We have built a pirate ship prop and couldn't stand that the fog was only arbitrary . . . I wanted cannons! Finally finished it this weekend. ua-cam.com/video/G0Qqo2TOx_I/v-deo.html The original ship: ua-cam.com/video/HYN9FYybIeQ/v-deo.html
Thanks for this video!
I purchased one of these units without the remote and one couldn't be found.
Following the information in this video I was able to use a simple jumper cable to connect the right pin from the timer input (white wire) with the middle pin (yellow wire). This enabled the unit to run perfectly.
Thanks again!
I did the exact thing from your comment and it workssss. Thank you man
Came here because I have an issue related to the machines and everything you've done is exactly as I have, thank you for confirming.
All the code questions: If you've ever touched an Arduino, it's not that hard figure it out. Use a module as shown in the video (mechanical or SSR) to avoid smoking the Arduino. Relay + to Arduino 5v, - to Arduino GND, pick any digital pin, in this case D8, then
const int relayPin = 8;
void setup()
{
pinMode(relayPin, OUTPUT);
}
void loop()
{
// Turn the relay switch ON, for this relay, LOW
digitalWrite(relayPin, LOW);
delay(500);
// Turn the relay switch OFF, for this relay HIGH
digitalWrite(relayPin, HIGH);
delay(10000);
}
Reverse LOW/HIGH if your relay requires HIGH to turn on. Add Serial.println() 's as desired.
I did a similar project this year. The major difference between the two were mine came with an IR remote instead of an RF remote. When you pressed the IR remote, it would send a signal to turn the fog machine on, and another to turn it off. What I ended up doing was hacking the IR code from the remote and then building a circuit with an IR transmitter that would output the same code as the supplied IR remote. I programming the Arduino to send random codes to turn the fog machine off.
The advantages were I had to make no internal modifications to the smoke machine itself.
You did exactly what I want to do. Do you have a guide to how you made it all happen that you can share?
Be careful. There's mains AC voltage going through that relay board. While the relay is probably rated to handle it, the dangerous voltage is exposed at the solder pads on the underside of the board. It'd be best to put the relay board in a small junction box to avoid accidental contact.
The foggers with the five-pin DIN ports and/or the 3-pin DMX connectors use low-voltage DC, which makes for a safer hack. Unfortunately, those machines are generally a bit more expensive.
I was wincing when he was fiddling with it when it was still plugged in. I was shouting "dont touch it man!"
Hey Davy. Great video. Thank you for sharing. Do you happen to have a copy of the program you used for the time based fog release, that you would be willing to share? I don't have any experience with it...yet.
Thanks a lot,
Austin
Brilliantly made
Tip if you want it to work more then 30 seconds,,, Space out the thermal sensor for touching the coil
It's a bit off topic but i wanted to thank you for this video, I bought a cheap walmart fog machine and wanted to rewire it for a timer module. There's ONE other video out there where the guy shows you how to do it but it's HORRIBLE and not electrically safe at all! Your breakdown of this machine and description of each components connections were PERFECT! Thank you!! My cheapo fog machine now works flawlessly like a much more expensive model :)
thats an epic fog machine
what happens if you join the control input cables together? is always going to be ON until you unpplug the current cable? i have the same machine
Yep, but I think it'll only shoot out fog while the thermal element is hot enough so you probably want to pump it periodically instead of keeping it on.
what about a switch? in order to fix that. What kind of amp i will need?
If I remember correctly it's connected to the mains-power so be careful with those. A normal light switch would work though since those things handle that much power. If you use a relay like I used with the Arduino then the switch on the low voltage end could be practically anything.
Ok men, i will try it with a common wall light switch may be it works, thank you.
@@hectorrb How did it go?
So here’s a weird question I have the exact same fogger, is there anyway to splice into the wire which the wall outlet cable wire on it is there anyway to splice into that to make it run off of a 12 V vehicle from the car?
A cheap fog machine needs 120 volts and 400 watts! So the only way to do that is to use a 12v to 120v invertor that is rated for 600 watts at the very least. But even then, a 600 watt might not be enough to power it. So I would look for a 800 watt or higher. You get what you pay for!!! The inverter will be well over $100 USD. Take note, cigarette lighter power is only for under 180 watts. You will need to hook the inverter directly to the car's battery to take full advantage of the inverter's capability. Also keep in mind the car needs to be running or your battery will be drained quickly.
use an arduino w/ a cheap ($5 or less) 315mhz tx and rx pair.
no relay needed and it's all wireless
Hi Davy, Can I have the code for this? this is exactly what im looking for.
Would you share your code for it?
how many volt relays have you used 230?
I have one with only an IR sensor, how do I wire it to bypass that and activate with a momentary switch? Circuit to the ir isn't color coded ( red, green, brown) a 3 wire plugs into the board to activate
Old fog machine.. bullshit it's brand new. No rush or paint blistering around the fill cap. No scratches marks or blemishes on the remote
I only use it for one night a year (Halloween) and it stays in a box the rest of the year.
dude I have 2 machines with the same 3 prong remote inputs, but I can't find either of the remotes. any ideas for how I can hack them to make them just fog when plugged in?
What model of that machine? I’m looking the transmitter and remote like that, thanks
I have a slightly different fog machine that I'm doing something similar to. The one I have after warming up stays on for about 20 minutes and then the Ready light goes off and we are unable to release fog for about 1 minute. It then is ready again after the minute passes and normal operation can continue. Does your fog machine have similar functionality? If so how do you handle the motion sensing when it's in the unready state?
Yeah, mine does have a warm up period but it hasn't been a problem as long as the fog is only put out in bursts (it seems worse/more frequent when the fog is more continuous). I'm not sure what to do about that but if you figure anything out let me know!
So cool
Quick question, are those machines loaded with propylene glycol? can you add your own substances into it?
They don't come pre-loaded, you usually have to buy "fog juice" separately, which I believe is usually water and glycerin or glycol. So you could add anything you wanted. I'm not sure how safe that is though (in terms of breathing in the vapor, flammability, etc).
Watch this.... ua-cam.com/video/5NxTmHc27Hw/v-deo.html
Any chance of sharing the sketch?
Lost my remote so idk what to do
can you provide the code??
I used your work here to help guide me for this Halloween's project, than you. :-D We have built a pirate ship prop and couldn't stand that the fog was only arbitrary . . . I wanted cannons! Finally finished it this weekend.
ua-cam.com/video/G0Qqo2TOx_I/v-deo.html
The original ship:
ua-cam.com/video/HYN9FYybIeQ/v-deo.html
This is useless without the Arduino code.
Lol. Chatgpt says hi from the future.