# Adding lighting to a fog machine timer



## Axel_7 (Oct 14, 2013)

Ok I keep trying the searches but I think im using the wrong wording.

Im trying to a some lights to my fog machines.

Im doing a Pirate haunt this year and have built some cannons
and planning on putting fog machines thru them but wanted to add red lights going off before (ideally with sound but not much luck)... I found the PERFECT STORM boxes at walmart.com (in the US but our Canadian stores don't carry them.) and they will not ship to Canada.
But any other ideas or can anyone direct me to a thread on this type of prop.


----------



## easycraig (Aug 30, 2011)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Perfect-Sto...653?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d94c6f55


----------



## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

You need a prop controller. Walmart is the wrong place to shop for one. 

Basically, you need two inputs and a sound input or card. 

What happens is, you trigger the prop how ever you want ( an IR trigger, a push button, a pressure mat, etc) Then your prop controller will run the preset program you created triggering your lighting and fog machine. If the controller has sound built into it, then it will play your sound effect as well. 

One issue you will have if you get the controller the way you want is re heat time. Unless you have a high end machine, fog machines have reheat times that are necessary to heat up the fog before it will let you push the button to get more fog again. 

If this sounds overly complicated for you then I would suggest this. Make a control board for your cannons. Take a piece of plywood and mount your fog controllers to it labeling which machine runs which cannon. Then wire up some light switches to extension cords and put each light on one of those. This will be a manual set up but you can trigger your fogger and click the light on and off for the effect you want. Probably a much cheaper option for you and easier to complete in the next 14 days. ( getting things from Halloween vendors right now is tough during crunch time)


----------



## Axel_7 (Oct 14, 2013)

Thanks Easycraig but 32 dollars shipping on a 39 dollar item is wrong 
Haunted spider... what prop controller should I look at and is it getting to close to think I can pull this off?


----------



## The Pod (Sep 15, 2009)

Since you're new to prop controllers and such, I would suggest looking at something like the picaboo http://www.frightprops.com/controllers-electronics/frightideas-controllers/picoboo-controllers.html. It has two relay connections (use one for your light and the other to trigger your fog machine. It also has built in audio so you can add the sound effect. Plus, this controller is programmed simply by pressing and holding buttons on the controller itself. No computer interface or programming language knowledge needed. Just press and hold two buttons.


----------



## easycraig (Aug 30, 2011)

there are several different sellers on ebay with that item... maybe you can find one close to the border... or make an offer on one of the ones that has free shipping.... i would think you could get it delivered for $55-60.


----------



## Axel_7 (Oct 14, 2013)

The Pod... which one of those do u suggest?

I do have 2 cannons.. do I need two different controllers.


----------



## Axel_7 (Oct 14, 2013)




----------



## The Pod (Sep 15, 2009)

Axel_7 said:


> The Pod... which one of those do u suggest?
> 
> I do have 2 cannons.. do I need two different controllers.


Depends how you want it to look:

With two cannons, you could use the PicoBoo Plus. It has 4 relays so you could wire up both cannons to it. Put the light of the first cannon on relay 1, fogger of cannon 1 on relay 2, light of cannon 2 on relay 3 and fogger of cannon 2 on relay 4. (This is assuming you have a fogger on each cannon) Then make your audio file with 2 cannon blasts, program it quick press and release of button 1 (for relay 1) to flash the light and pressing relay button 2 and holding for a while to generate the smoke out of cannon 1. When the sound fires the second cannon blast, you press and release relay 3 for the flash of cannon two and hold relay 4 for cannon 2 smoke.

Otherwise, if you were just firing both cannons at the same time, you would just use a PicoBoo and wire both cannon lights to relay 1 and the fogger(s) on relay 2.

If you wanted two separate cannons with two different triggers, then you'd use 1 PicoBoo and each cannon.

Since you have two cannons and could use 4 relays, another option would be using the MonsterShield prop controller which is going to cost about the same as the PicoBoo PLUS. Again, this controller is nice since you can program it by tapping buttons (trying to keep it simple for you). This might be a better solution because you can program into it upto 16 different routines and have them trigger randomly. So one time you only have the right cannon fire, another time only the left cannon fire, another time right then left, another time left than right, another time both same time, etc. Although with this controller, it doesn't come in a enclosure so you would need something to house it in like a NEMA-BOX and also the audio output doesn't have an amplifier, so you would either need to use an external amp, or just use amplified computer speakers.


----------



## JeffHaas (Sep 7, 2010)

MonsterShield would work but they've stopped taking orders for this year. A MonsterShield costs $59.95 + an Arduino ($29.99), or $90.00.

If you want to do this and don't think you can get any of the haunt-related prop controllers to you in time, AND you're willing to set up an Arduino, Radio Shack now sells Arduinos and relay shields. This would require you to install the Arduino environment and figure out how to download a program to it. But you could have it today.

However, what you want to do is pretty straightforward and I think I already have code that would work. You would have to figure out how to connect the fog machine and the lights.

Cost for this at Radio Shack is: Arduino $29.99, Relay shield $19.99. You can do this less expensively but that will require ordering from the web.

On the other hand, I also know that this suggestion is a BIG hurdle to jump if you've never done anything like this, and I don't blame you if you go with the manual board Haunted Spider suggests.

Arduino:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12268262

Relay shield:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12665270


----------



## The Pod (Sep 15, 2009)

JeffHass, you didn't include the sound card with your suggested arduino setup. If you're looking to go cheap, and no sound option, a Prop1 and some relays would work just as well for under $50. Again, programming involved, but you could use my EZProp1Editor to program it and you wouldn't have to write any code.


----------



## JeffHaas (Sep 7, 2010)

The challenge is finding a good solution to play back stereo sound easily, and I don't think there's anything that you can buy locally (without a lot of hacking), which is what I was focused on - it's Oct. 17 already!

I'll take a look at the EZProp1Editor, it sounds good.


----------



## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

The fogger re-heat time is not an issue. Run one wire from the pump out to the channel of the controller, and then back to the pump. Make sure your controller does not have solid state channels, you need anything that will run ac (for the lights as well, basically anything but a Pico One.)

If you do this and have problems, PM me, I will do a vid and wire one up, I have controllers and pumps, I can set the whole thing up in no time.


----------

