# Fog through sprinkler lines



## pagan (Sep 9, 2009)

Has anyone tried running fog through their in ground sprinkler lines? My thinking is that the ground (here at least) is cold and if I ran a fan (s) off the back end of a chiller it might be better than running ducting and trying to conceal it.. Maybe it's the wine talking....


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## SoCal Scare (Aug 3, 2007)

I ran my fog through my drain lines that ran from my back yard to the front. I had redone my yard and while doing so I added a couple of T's to the main drain line and put in 4 outlets in my front yard. during the season I would cap the drain at the street and put my chiller output directly into the drain in the back yard. Its realy cool to see the fog just rising out of the ground and it keeps the fogger far enough away that you can't hear it. As far as putting it into sprinkler lines the lines are pretty small usually only 3/4 -1" or less so it would definatly restrict the flow of fog unless you used a whole bunch of them. the drain pipe I used was 3" and the fog was not restricted at all even using a VEI 950 fogger on continuous.


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## ouizul1 (May 22, 2010)

The concept sounds good. I would think the hard part would be in getting the fog into the pipe system with enough energy to make the travel. Only one way to find out for sure. 

Were you thinking of removing the sprinkler heads?


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## pagan (Sep 9, 2009)

ouizul1 said:


> Were you thinking of removing the sprinkler heads?


Yep. The pressure issue has me wondering as well, but I am playing around with a manifold that uses fans to force the fog into the line from the chiller. We will see if the puny fans have enough output.


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## Spooky D (Oct 4, 2011)

I ran my fogger though a rather elaborate 3/4 pvc setup a few years ago. It was actually done for a drum set, it worked great. The downside is it created alot of back pressure on the fogger itself and significantly shortened its lifespan. But it was pretty damn cool!


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

You could always look at using some kind of venturi effect to help the fog along it's way.

Consider a T Adapter. The right angle on the T would be your smoke input from the fogger, the straight section of the T would be high speed gas from a compressor preferably with a fine jet. All you are looking to do is increase the velocity of the fog stream towards the sprinkler outputs. You would have to take the popup heads off the sprinklers but I can't see why it wouldn't work. You might get some leakage around the input (do NOT seal the fogger nozzle onto the input - the back pressure could damage the fogger) but it wouldn't be much. The flog will flow along the input until it hits the jetstream flowing towards the sprinkler heads and then be accelerated along the main pipe.

Shoot - words are too difficult - Darklore would knock up a self explanatory graphic in nothing flat!


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Another thing I thought of was to connect up a CO2 extinguisher to the PVC sprinkler system - from time to time you could have an icy cold blast of CO2 jetting upwards from the outlets!

How much are CO2 extinguishers to refill or could you hire a big CO2 tank?


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## pagan (Sep 9, 2009)

I like the compressor idea.. The valve box for the sprinklers is around the far side of the house, out of sight , pretty quiet. I just worry about my tank capacity.. Damn honey, I need a bigger compressor.. Shucks.


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## TroyO (Sep 7, 2011)

Heh, a geo-thermal fog chiller.... awesome!


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## Bascombe (May 18, 2010)

I've used computer fans for years to drive fog for theatrical productions. I've always driven it through 3" dryer hose, though. I have stepped it down to a 1 1/2 inch hose before, but the throw was very short.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

For most sprinkler systems, you have to lift the risers with the pressure and volume of the water, I think you would have a very difficult time lifting all of those risers, even with a good sized compressor, and you have to be careful on how much pressure you use on those lines. Sprinkler systems are typically constructed using schedule 40 (white) PVC, and can't take too much pressure, if the sprinkler system has been in the ground for a while the lines may be brittle, and the high pressure and volume you would need to project the fog would blow them apart.
I think the venturi effect would dissipate the fog too much to be effective for propelling it through your system.


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## fritz42_male (May 5, 2009)

Just take the heads off the popups or risers or whatever. Also there won't be much if any pressure with the venturi method.


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## Offwhiteknight (Sep 17, 2008)

All hail thread necromancy!

I'm seriously considering doing something like this. The potential front yard is not much more than weeds and dirt...so I'm trying to convince the wife to let me rent a trencher and lay in dedicated PVC piping for extension cords (the lamp cord/vampire plug thing protected by the pipe) and for fog...

So what width of pipe would be ideal? What might be the maximal length? I'm thinking no more than 30 feet of travel for the fog. I'm thinking starting at maybe 2 inches, then maybe 1 1/4" then down to 3/4" or even 1/2" for the final stretch...

Any advice would be appreciated.

(oh, and I know the electrical should be in a metal/armored sheath, but that's too bloody expensive and it's not going to be a 24/7 live wire anyway *and* it should be buried deeply enough anyway)


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Offwhiteknight - just keep in mind the likelihood of water collecting in the pipe as well.... might not be a nice combination with electricity.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

As far as the diameter of the PVC for the fogger you should use, part of the equation is how far do you need to push the fog, and how strong is the fan on your fogger.

Are you talking about putting the power/electric line through the same pipe as the fog?


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## Offwhiteknight (Sep 17, 2008)

Nope, different pipes for fog and for the wiring...and to cover water getting in, they'll be capped off when not in use. Easily enough done really. I figure using the same piping might be potentially a problem.

In terms of distance, I'm thinking right now no more than 30 feet away from the fogger, branching off a few times, but still not having to travel more than 30 feet no matter what.


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