Fog / Haze Machines

[Mr P 0]

 

Hi Guys/Girls

 

What are we officially allowed to use now. i have not used a smoke machine for a good few years now. Been to a couple of places and they have asked me not to use a smoke machine - which as not been a problem. But i now want to invest and do not which direction to go.

 

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

Many thanks

 

Chris

[stardust 0]

I use a acme Acme HP2S Haze Machine - i purchased this as i thought i could get away with using it at my gigs without setting off smoke alarms etc

It is the biggest waste of money - absoulutely terrible, it does the complete opposite and produces hardly any effect whatsoever. i don't know if it is a c :cense: p model or it actually has a fault but check one out if you have to buy one.

 

I like using smoke and get away with it in some venues, just don't go mad with it! small little bursts now and again.

Edited March 3, 2008 by UKHero

[Dream Catchers 0]

What are we officially allowed to use now.

Hi Chris,

There is no legislation preventing the use of any smoke or haze system.

However, since the smoking ban, some venues have had the fire alarm systems updated/repaired/replaced with ones that are far more sensitive.

The majority of venues are now not allowing the use of smoke/fog machines due to this, and also some smoke/fog machines that use oil based fluid which leave a stick residue which is another reason for the ban.

 

Most haze machines use water/alcohol based fluids which leave no residue and are also less likely to trigger alarms.

 

Every venue that I gig at I always ask if I can use the haze and explain the differences between fog/smoke and haze, up to present none of them have restricted me from using it.

 

BTW. I use a Source/Zoom Hydra/AquaHaze with Prolight fluid.

 

Jim

 

[Gary 0]

My own opinion is that with so many venues and even customers, saying "no" in advance to any form of smoke/haze/fog/ and even (unfortunately) the low/heavy fog effects made by the various "fill with ice cubes" type machine, £75 spent on any hazey/foggy machine, is £75 for something pretty much unusable.

 

As mentioned above some venues, since the smoking ban, have had their fire sensors upgraded to far better, well far more sensitive detection models, which seem to detect virtually anything in the air.

 

I was at a venue mid-november last year, just measuring up etc in preparation for a gig there this April, and the alarm system engineer was there. He was testing the optical sensors, using a booklet of "swatches". (no, not the circa 1980's plastic fashion timepieces). The booklet contained about 2 dozen pivoting pieces of what appeared to be filter gel, ranging from (what I would have called) totally see-through, to light grey. He picked a swatch/filter, put it between the light source and the "eye" of the optical sensor and calibrated the sensor according to how far through the swatch/filter book he got before the sensor was fooled into thinking that there was something in the air. The ideal 3 or 4 "acceptable" swatches in the book, all looked see-thru to me - so I doubt that even a watered down, lowest setting possible hazer would have been usable.