# HELP! Fogged won't prime



## Jd4reals

I have a chauvet hurricane 1700 tat I bought last year. After Halloween last year I cleaned it out by running e vinegar&water mixe per chauvet, and stored it in the attic. 

I just pulled it out and filled it up ready to test for the first time this year,... Well, after letting it warm up I pressed the manual fog button, and all I get is an annoying electrical / pump noise. Yes, I held the button for 2 minutes, per the instructions on the fogged...

I'm at a loss. 

Any help would be appreciated!


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## Frighteners Entertainment

After cleaning you need to put fluid back in it and run it a little.
Most like your pump is a little rusty.
Pretty sure someone here did a how to on taking one apart and putting life back into it.


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## Otaku

Check the inlet tube to make sure it isn't clogged. Can you see any fluid moving in the tube? Also, check the brass nozzle at the outlet. I have a Chauvet 1250 and the nozzle clogs occasionally - the fog just stops coming out. Use a needle to clear out any debris.


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## Jd4reals

Yeah, I filled it up with good fog juice, and I've held the m
"manual fog" button down for 2minutes at a time, several times, probably 10 minutes total.

I was really hoping to NOT have to take the thing apart. Aaargh...


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## Otaku

The nozzle is mounted on the front of the machine and can be easily removed with a socket wrench. Just pull the tube up out of the juice reservoir to check the screen filter. You don't need to disassemble the fogger to check this stuff. BTW, is the fogger heating up, and you get a green "ready to fog" light on the manual button?


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## Jd4reals

Yep, I'm getting the "ready" light (green) but the lights on the front aren't lighting up at all (if your familiar with this model) they have lights to indicate fluid level is good.


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## Otaku

The fluid level sensor may have failed or may be blocked, and the fogger won't activate the pump unless it knows it has fluid in the tank. I'm not sure where this sensor lives - it's most likely inside the fluid tank, but DON'T try to remove the tank from the fogger. That will damage the wiring. If the sensor is in there, try swirling the fluid around in the tank to see if there might be some debris blocking the sensor. You could also try emptying the tank and spraying some water on the sensor to clean it.


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## Jd4reals

Well, I've checked the inlet- all clear. The nozzle seems clear, but it doesn't have a nut- so no socket - no way to take it off. I have a syringe that is filled with fluid, and injected it into the nozzle.

Checked the fluid tank- and sensor- doesn't seem to have any blockages.

None of the lights on the front lite up- neither green or red ( full fluid ok, or low fluid)

When I press the "manual fog"button, it makes noise, like the pump is trying, but still nothing coming out. 

After letting it heat up, I tried again holding the manual fog button down for 2minutes, still nothing. 

It just seems like the pump can't get any fluid.


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## Jd4reals

Started tearing it down- should I be able to pass air or fluid throughout the nozzle and tubes? I have disconnected tubing from the pump..

I'm thinking that perhaps there is a blockage - but the nozzle goes directly into a black box with insulation, where it looks like the heating element is.


Any one have any ideas how to clear the blockage?


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## TeddyMadison

Before you go too crazy in there, do some isolation tests. 

1. Can you draw fluid from the tank to the point where it attaches to the pump. A gool ole mouth suck will determine this.

for the next step, be very careful. You will be exposed to heat, liquid, and electricity.

2. connect the pump to the tank but leave the output side disconnected and with the output pointing away from the unit run the pump. If nothing comes out, you have a pump issue. If you do get fluid out of the pump, you have a blocked heat exchange.


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## Jd4reals

OK, I'm 90% sure it's a blockage in the line AFTER the pump. 

Any ideas what to use to clear the lines?


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## TeddyMadison

I few on these boards commented that Isopropyl alcohol worked for them. I would avoid vinegar, that may be ok for cleaning but a soaking would probably do bad things to the metal parts.


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## Otaku

I used alcohol to clear a clog in a heat exchanger, but I removed the block from the fogger to make it easier to handle. Vinegar won't help you if the exchanger is clogged, it only works on "hard" water deposits. With the fluid line removed from the block, try to blow air through the exchanger. If nothing (or very little) can get through, that's the problem. If you can stand the fogger up on it's front end it'll make it easier for the alcohol to get through the block. If you don't have a small syringe, one of those rubber bulb syringes will work to inject the alcohol into the block. The fluid may not go in very much on the first few tries, but eventually the clog will dissolve. Compressed air helps a lot to blow out the loosened debris. Be sure to blow the block dry before heating it up again.


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## Jd4reals

Ok, so it seems that I DO have a blocked heat exchange. Any tips on how to clear it?


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## TeddyMadison

Otaku cover that for ya.


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## Jd4reals

oops, yeah - going back and forth too much - I lost track.
I'm trying to run Isopropyl alcohol through it now - letting it sit for a while.
NOTHING seems to be moving through the heater block. I've tied ari from my compressor - no luck.

I'm not optimistic.


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## Otaku

It took a while for the clog to dissolve, but in my case the alcohol started seeping through in about 30 mins. Glycerine is miscible in both water and IPA.


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## Brad Green

If the heat exchange is anything like the one in the 1250 Hurricane, all is not lost. Look at the fitting on the exchange where both the nozzle end and the supply line attach. Do they look like screw in fittings (hexagonal, approx. 11/16 size)? If these fittings can be removed it is easy to unblock the exchange. Carefully remove both fittings (the block is aluminum, pretty delicate) inside you will see what looks like a plug with half a slot cut in both ends. Load the opening up with a penetrating oil like WD40 and let it soak in well, just keep hosing it in there. Next get a decently hard wood dowel near the size of the plug, you will be using this as a drift to drive out the 'plug'. DONT use anything steel or even brass, the 'plug' is aluminum and delicate so don't go all Thor and bang on this too seriously. A bit of patience will pay off big here. Gently tap out the plug. Once out you will see that it is a fluid baffle with a groove twisting it's way along the entire surface of the 'plug' (you should also notice it is full of black, hard gunk) gently (slow speed) use a wire wheel to clean this mess up, make sure you didn't damage the ends of the baffle with your tapping it out, check the integrity of the slots on the ends (these are fluid entry/exit ports, use a bottle brush of shotgun bristle to clean the interior of the exchange and the reassemble the unit. Use lots of teflon tape on the fittings and you should be good to go. That's the one nice thing I found with Chauvet and Fox FX units is the ability to gut and clean the heat exchange, unlike the 'Spirit' brand 700's and the little Wally World 400's that have cast together heat exchanges, once those go bad, you're just screwed. Last, don't forget to mark down wire placement on the block, and if it is equipped with one, be careful removing the thermostat probe from the block. Just go slow and careful and you'll have a like new machine in under an hour.


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## Jd4reals

Thanks all! Unfortunately, the alcohol isn't penetrating -3 hours later. 

Looks like I'll have to dig deeper, or send it to chauvet for repair- I called and they indicated that they would fix it for free (ithink)

Anks again!


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## mroct31

I feel your pain, my 1 year old American DJ Fog Storm 1200HD is in the same condition. I'm more pissed that I finally took the plunge last year and paid a lot more than store prices for what was advertised as a "professional" machine and I get the same exact problems as with the cheap machines! It makes me just want to buy the cheap machines every year and assume they're only going to work once and never again, just like this over priced POS I seem to have now. I'm guessing I could send it back to them for repair but the cost of shipping could be as much as a Party City 1000 watt machine. Ugh!

After I posted this I went looking for AMDJ only to find out they're close to me in Los Angeles! But better yet, they sell parts online for their equipment so I'm thinking the $16 for a new pump isn't to much to chance that if I replace it all will be well. I'm slightly hopeful that replacing the pump will take care of my problem as from what I can see the fogger heats up just fine, I can blow air from the pump through the heater out the nozzle, I can sometimes get it to make a buzzing sound at the pump but it won't draw any fluid so I'm not thinking it's the board? Any thoughts before I order one? I'm going to step away from it for the evening and maybe see if tomorrow things are different but if not, order that pump!


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## mroct31

Well good news for me is the $16 pump came today, hooked it up and I have fog again! Nice to know American DJ is close and they are quick and have parts for their foggers!


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## Jd4reals

Anyone have any suggestions on a stronger clog dissolver fluid? I think I might be making progress, after letting it soak for 5 days.


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## Brad Green

Hate to say it, but if you can't pull it apart and manually clean out that hard, carbonized gunk in the passageways, you're sunk. I've ran all the cleaners and solvents I could find in an attempt to unblock the units I have with the cheaper totally sealed heat exchangers and nothing works (kind of like trying to dissolve a lump of coal). Chauvets and the better Fox F/X units have removable inlet and exhaust nozzles, and you can tap out the plugged center spiral and clean it out. That's the only way I saved my 1250 last year.


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## Jd4reals

My chauvet hurricane 1700 has a one piece heat thing. No way to take off nozzles, etc. Aaargh


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