Smoke Machines and Computers

[nrgize 0]

I only take my laptop out occasionaly as I am worried about the smoke from smoke machine ruining the laptop. Someone told me that it gets sucked up by the fan and then blown over the processor and after a couple of months it breaks. Is that Correct ? And also would Cigarette Smoke do the same thing? Am just trying to find the facts out as if it does cause harm might buy a tower PC with better ventilation.

Any help would be most appreciated.

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

Yes Smoke gets into your laptop and sticks to everything, just like the dirt you have to clean off your lights/mirrors from time to time

 

only problem is you cant rip the laptop apart to clean the dirt out so easy.

 

I recomend people dont use laptops

 

put a rack mount PC case into your Amp/light flight case, it uses mostly normal pc parts and can be cleaned just like you should clean your amps etc from time to time.

 

if any one wants rack mount cases then i have them..........

 

also with rack mount pc you can put more in, IE decent Sound card, Bigger hard disks and it wont cost you the earth.........

 

email or call for more information

 

regards

 

marc

[ChrisPointon 0]

Slightly http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/offtopic.gif , but you know that you are also breathing in this residue! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif .

 

Not only do smoke machines, create residue problems with lights etc but they also cause nuisance to some members of your audience. I posted elsewhere, that I give my client's the choice of every aspect when booking, and one of the choices is the use of a fog machine.

 

I found that when given the choice, only around 5% of my clients specifically asked / requested for one. A very large percentage stated that by choice they did NOT want one used at their function.

 

So the question is, by automatically using a smoke machine at all functions, are you un-intentionally causing nuisance and discomfort to a large number of your guests. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/scared.gif . Most local authorities in this area have banned their use from civic, town and village halls as have most hotels fitted with automatic fire sensing equipment, I can see this being the norm up and down the country within the next 2 years, especially if European directives every come into force.

 

I'm not expecting you to take my word for it when I say that most audiences at general family type functions don't want smoke. What I am saying is to ask your clients yourself and give them the choice, and then make the decision based on your OWN findings.

[High Fidelity 0]

I'm not so sure about smoke doing damage to a laptop or PC apart from making them dirty.

 

I've been a PC engineer since the first IBM personal computer came out, when we actually unsoldered and replaced chips on the motherboard, and a 10Megabyte hard disk was the size and weight of a house brick.

 

I have seen PC's in some terrible states inside (and still do) but they continue to work fine. I once went to a PC on one of the secure park and ride car parks near Manchester Airport which was next to a cement factory. The PC was still working fine and when I opened it up to put a card in it you could not even see the components on the board, it was just a level grey carpet.

 

I hate to think what the people working there were breathing in every day http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/fear.gif

[YourBigEvent 0]

Agree with Chris, you ASK people if they want smoke and most will say no, in fact I have only two discos in the next two years that want smoke and have actually asked for it, one in a marquee and wants a nightclub atmosphere, and the other also wants bubbles, which I said no to, unless she pays me an extra £75, as I would need to go a borrow one/buy one and then find a safe place to put it.

If you ask the question, which any good DJ should you will get the answers, and you play to the persons paying not yourself because it makes my lights look good, if that is the case go and buy some more lighting that looks good without smoke but looks even better with smoke http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/1106.gif

[pareshj 0]

Hazer -thats what you need, it gives the same effect as smoke but without the smoke. It's enough to really see the rays of lights etc and not too overpowering with teh clients. most hazers come with a volume control thingy that allows you to control how much haze gets out put.

 

Top of the pops etc use this to really show off their lights

 

forget smoke machines, they are old skool

 

[Gary 0]

Unfortunately many venues which offer public usage are now switching over to optical smoke/fire sensors, which even haze generators will trigger.

 

Isnt Haze fluid also more expensive than smoke fluid.... ADS will know....Ah, no he wont...I think he's still waiting for haze fluid... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/whistling.gif

 

 

 

Anyway....smoke fluid. Theres a "something" in Glycol based smoke fluid called "Glycol...something" thats available in two grades ....industrial grade, and food grade. guess which grade can be harmful to people, in excessive amounts, and guess which grade is often found in cheaper unbranded smoke fluids... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/huh.gif

 

Of course, whether "excessive" means, being in the same room as Glycol based smoke for 5 hours a night, 2 nights a week, for 20 years....or whether you've got to be using smoke fluid NEAT as your favourite "after last orders" chaser refreshment, is another matter altogether. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/533.gif

[Hugmaster 0]

Hi

 

Hate to rain on your parade, but venue owners and guests do not know the difference between smoke and haze, and it doesn't do any good explaining the difference, they still think it's smoke and ask you to turn it off.

 

Believe me I know from experience, which is why we're ditching our hazer and lights that depend on the hazing effect for their wow factor.

 

We going to invest in some lights that will actually get seen at their full potential no matter what kind of venue you're playing in, http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif And it'll be easier to set up too, I'm really looking forward to shaving 15 minutes off our set up time.

 

Darren

[nrgize 0]

When I do use smoke, I find that only spraying small amount out behind the disco and then positioning a fan behind me it looks like a hazer and you also dont get think clouds of smoke and the lights look good.

 

[Gary 0]

Many of the greases/lubricants used on plastic cogs etc of DOMESTIC units are not tolerant of airbourne or ingressed solvents and chemicals.

 

Notably CDrom drawers on domestic units will most likely have plastic wheels/cogs inside them. Domestic grease/lubes will, over time, become paste~like, when exposed to enough airbourne chemicals or solvents.

 

Professional/studio quality devices tend to use a particular lubricant from "Molykote" which is highly resistant to such chemicals and their long-term affects.

 

But then...it costs relatively little to replace a cdrom drive on a pc nowadays... are there other lubes/grease in laptops; eg: cooling fan etc?

[joe 0]

QUOTE (Hugmaster @ Jun 17 2004, 08:51 PM)

we're ditching our hazer and lights that depend on the hazing effect for their wow factor.

If you are selling your haze machine, I might be interested http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif PM me if and/or when you are.

 

At the moment, the majority of the gigs that I do are kids/teenage parties and school discos with the occaisional adult, pub/social club gig and the effect of light beams through the air fascinates the kids.

 

I currently use a smoke machine but this can irritate people as it comes out in big bursts rather than a nice gradual haze.

 

Cheers matey

 

Joe

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (joe @ Jun 18 2004, 07:03 PM)

I currently use a smoke machine but this can irritate people as it comes out in big bursts rather than a nice gradual haze.

Experiment...

 

Try a 6ft length of 2 inch plastic water pipe, with holes drilled along its length...with the smoke machine fired through 1 end.

 

Or two lengths......... \ /

on a Y adaptor piece...Y

Edited June 18, 2004 by Gary

[nrgize 0]

........OR a Fan infront of the Smoke Machine. What I call a cheap hazer effect! Like the idea with the Tube lol. Apparently if you run the tubes through a box with ice cubes in it turns to heavy smoke is that right ??

[Mikeh 0]

Hey

 

Yep, if you run the smoke through ice, normally in a s bend kinda shape it turns in heavy smoke and will lay about 3ft in the air, looks great but not as good as the devices made to do this. One thing I have noticed about smoke fluid is that the buildup wont effect the computer but do give your fans a treatment with some meths and DRY COMPLETLY then put them back in as thise clears the ball bearings in them.

 

 

Regards

Mike

[YourBigEvent 0]

I had even thought of in the past of getting some sort of hose, like the washing machine outlet hose, attaching it to my smoke machine one end, then running it up to the lighting rig and drill holes in it so the smoke comes out by the effect itself, then I thought about a bit more and came to the conculsion of BUGGER IT I can't be bothered to rig that up http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif BUT if you don't breakdown every night it would be ideal

[Mikeh 0]

lol @ ADS

 

 

I did think about doing this then attaching in segments to my crossover bar and t-bars using cable ties, I could then use an adapter to literally snap on other hose's and attach to the smoke machine but just like you I couldnt be bothered! haha.

 

Has anyone tried this? did it work, or did it fail?

 

 

Cyas

Mike

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (ADS Entertainments @ Jun 24 2004, 06:43 PM)

BUT if you don't breakdown every night it would be ideal

It all depends on how understanding and supportive the crowd are... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/huh.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/sadwalk.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/014.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/014.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/014.gif

[nrgize 0]

I like experimenting with Smoke Machines. Might try the heavy smoke idea during next week.

[DJPLEASURE 0]

I use a Proper Midi sized p.c, Lian Li case with filters, so smoke does not seem to affect my pc at all, cant answer as far as laptops.

 

I use a Hazer, not smoke machine, and just enough to create the desired effect. I have not at any point had a complaint, or been disallowed to use it.