# I have 2 fog machines and neither one work.



## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I bought these a long time ago and they have been in storage for about two years. Last time i used them they both worked just fine. I go to start them today and nothing. One smokes very little but it looks like the pump isn't pulling any fluid. The Other pumps fluid but it only makes it half way and then stops. They are two 700w Foggers by "Fog Lite FX". I used the Fog juice that they sell right next to the foggers (in case it was important to know). 

Is there any site that tells you how to clean your fog machine or do any of you know? I really don't want to buy 2 new foggers.

Thanks a lot,

Nick


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

If you are careful, stick a small wire into the nozzle. More than likely the fluid got gummy on you.
If the fluid dried up, the pump may be bad in the other unit.

You'll need to unplug the nozzle or the lines before any cleaning will work.
Once you get that taken care of, distilled water does a pretty good job.
Then replace the distilled water with your juice. Always keep fluid in the tanks, keeps the seals from drying out.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

Well i took apart both fog machines and the one is working but it seems as if the pump doesn't have enough power to suck fog juice out of the resevoir. 

The other one runs as if it should be working but the pump is sucking in anything. Its actually making a bunch of little bubbles in the hose that feeds the fog machine. 

I toook a pin to both machine nossels and scraped around to pull out nothing. When i disassembled the pumps from each unit they looked as if they had gunk caked inside the lines. I tried using the pin to clean that out but didn't really get anything out. How can i clean the pump and the line leading from the pump to the heating unit with water/vinegar if the lines are clogged. Also the one line that is connested to boththe pump and the heating will not detach from the pump for some reason. I am afraid to force because i may break it.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

It will take some patience....same thing happened to me about 4 years.
If you can't get any fluid to go through it, you can't clean it.

You may need to use a small wire and go further into the unit.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

The pin used was more like a needle and was about 2-3 inches long. Basically one of my fog machines is shot as of right now.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Do your pumps look like they came be taken apart or one solid unit?

I was able to take one of mine apart and could clean the bladder.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I'll have to look again but it looks like a solid unit. I am almost certain its a solid unit. I am looking around online right now for cheap foggers.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

what do you want, 400 watt or 700 watt?


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

700+. 400's just don't do it that well. I'd really like to go down to just one big fog machine instead of two small ones. I was even thinking about buying a 1000w or 1400w.


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

Sounds like you just need to prime your pumps...two ways work for me, remove the cap from you reservoire and while it running put your mouth over the openening (the reservoire NOT THE OUTLET!!lol..) and BLOW. Worked for me last year. 

The second is to get a syringe with NO NEEDLE and fillit with fog juice. Take the hose that goes from the reservoire into the pump and attach it to the syringe. While it's running, push gently on the plunger.

A dry pump is usally the culprit with these things, and priming them properly is key. If only partially primed, they act like you described.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Good idea there doc.
I wasn't to get mine to work that way, but did try.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I tried that and had no luck.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

I have 2 700 watt units left.

Interested?


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I assume they work LOL

what are you lookin for them?


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

Well after a few hours of tearing apart my fog machines i got them both working again. One works like it were brand new while the other is running at half its normal power. But i have found a way to bypass the pump and make tons of fog. So i appreciate teh help everyone!


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Bypass the pump? How does the fluid get to the heater? Just curious...


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## Moon00 (Oct 7, 2007)

I would like to know how you bypassed the pump as well. I have a 700w Gemmy fogger that seems to be having the same problem.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

I should have choosed my words a little wiser. 

Here's a brief run down of what i plan to do. As i was filling my feed line with fog juice using a syrienge. I Noticed that if you force fog juice into the line it will come out through the nossle as fog. So now i am in the Saltwater/reef aquarium Hobby and i have a few dosers laying around that i no longer use. Basically a doser drips a set amount of fluid at a constant pace. So my plan is to take the doser and put the intake line into a gallon of fog juice and connect the input line to the feed line of the fogger. This will consantly supply a small amount of fog juice to the heater. Enough to caue fog but not enough to cool the heating unit. 

Also if you have a timer on your fog machine that can be unplugged. Unplug it. WHen you plug in the main power supply to the fog machine the heating unit will turn on and heat up so as long as you don't use the timer on the fog machine the pump will not go on but the heating unit will. 

That is basically what i found out. This isn't proven as of yet but i am fairly sure that it will work. I plan to put it to the test before halloween. 

Hope that is helpful.


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## Texan78 (Sep 25, 2008)

Just keep in mind that if your heating element doesn't have the opportunity to go through a cooling cycle you will burn the heating element up and it will not work at all. Then you will be forced to buy a new machine.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

Interesting. I never thought about that. Maybe i can set the fog machine ona timer so that it runs for 3 minutes and is off for 5 minutes.


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## Texan78 (Sep 25, 2008)

Well most machines have a built in thermostat so that when it gets to the optimal temp for a set period of time it will send it through a cooling cycle. Hence the reason why you can not run constant fog unless you have a machine that uses dual heating elements. You might just want to test your plan and see if the heating element still cycles when bypassing the pump. I think it should as the pump doesn't really have anything to do with the cooling cycle. 

If you just need a new pump take out the old one and and find out the wattage and just replace it with a garden pond pump. They are the same thing and I have heard of others doing this before.


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## Daughter of Darkness (Aug 24, 2006)

*check this first*

I know this seems obvious but to me it wasn't(der!)
My fog machine had blown a fuse and I didn't even realize it HAD a fuse!
Check that first!! teehee
Good luck

:devil:


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## Texan78 (Sep 25, 2008)

That is true, most of the machines have fuses. In this case I don't think this is his problem though since he is getting power to both machines. One is just weaker then the other which would signify a pump problem or something is clogged somewhere.


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## bignick (Sep 25, 2008)

How can i really clean everything out because i honestly think that is the problem in one of my machines.


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## Texan78 (Sep 25, 2008)

Take the pump out of the bad machine and blow it out real good with an air compressor if you have one.


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