# whats up, Chauvet?



## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

Opened up a Chauvet 700 watt fogger, and a 400 watt. Both machines have 400 watts labeled on the heater blocks. Both have identical thermal switches, and pumps.

so...

Where are these 300 extra watts coming from? There isn't any card, or voltage/current/resistance adjustment. Both identical foggers.

lol. mm hm.


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## Dan The Welder (Jul 18, 2012)

One is just more determined


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Hmmm, looks like they're up to their old tricks again. A few years ago, some members here and at Halloween Forum noted that the old F-1200 fogger (advertised as being 1200W) was really only 800W. They tried to blame just about everyone except themselves for the deception, and after much wrangling, Chauvet was forced to refund the purchase price for many buyers of the F-1200. The 1200W heaters were finally located - they were used in the F-1500 fogger, which was advertised as having a 1500W heater. Shameful...
This doesn't surprise me a bit - they've pulled this crap before. I say call bs on them and ask for a refund.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Thanks for pointing that out, Otaku. I didn't know that they had ever done that. I may have to go pull open the case on our old 1000W fog machine and check the heater on it. My Halloween Store 700W puts out about the same amount, even after cleaning the 1000W Chauvet.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Yeah, I had the same thing happen to me. I fired up my new F-1200, expecting huge fog, and it was only marginally better than my old Lite-FX 700W. I thought, well maybe that's okay, the heater will require shorter reheat times, but I was disappointed there, too. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they short-changed you.


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

You're making me nervous. I've got a Hurricane 1300 that's never been taken out of the box (due to 2 years of stormy Halloweens). If it turns out to be a dud, I can't return it.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Wow, did not expect a large name company to appear to be dishonest. Sorry to hear this. I hope Chauvet can explain this to redeem themselves. 

I don't have one. I still have my two FX 700 watters that I bought back in 2006 for 25 bucks each. I bought an 800 watt Martin since and that is my Cadillac.


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

No issues at all with my 1300. Have used it for multiple years and it kicks out the fog. Maybe I was lucky, but whatever the reason, for now I am very happy with mine.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I heard that the higher wattage redesigned foggers (1000W and 1300W), built after the F-series debacle, were working as advertised. Some users tested them with Kill-A-Watt meters and found the heaters were drawing pretty close to the rated wattage. But it does look like they're trying to pull a fast one with the 700W machines.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Update on this. I opened my 1000W up yesterday, and found a wire fitting that wasn't tight, so it had not been getting a good connection. Squeezed it with a pair of wire pliers, and now the thing will fog out a 10' x10' room in one burst. Still takes a while to heat up, though.


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

Cool...fog rocks!


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

Otaku said:


> Hmmm, looks like they're up to their old tricks again. A few years ago, some members here and at Halloween Forum noted that the old F-1200 fogger (advertised as being 1200W) was really only 800W. They tried to blame just about everyone except themselves for the deception, and after much wrangling, Chauvet was forced to refund the purchase price for many buyers of the F-1200. The 1200W heaters were finally located - they were used in the F-1500 fogger, which was advertised as having a 1500W heater. Shameful...
> This doesn't surprise me a bit - they've pulled this crap before. I say call bs on them and ask for a refund.


I thought i remembered there being an issue with them so thanks for saving me have to wade through a million searches and posts! There was a reason I didn't get their fogger before but I couldn't remember what it was.


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## Thisaintmayberry (Aug 23, 2010)

I had one of those underpowered foggers and had it replaced by Shovit; sorry Chauvet. I remember that was a BIIIG deal on the forum back in 2010 or so. It would be interesting to test their newer products and see if they are indeed back to their old tricks.

I however won't be buying one of them. I'm done with that company. :finger:


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

I cant see where they would change anything. But really, inside the case, the only difference between a 400 watt and a 700 or 900 watt, is a few dollars worth of aluminum. So to call it a "700" or "900" and then have a 400 or 600 watt heat exchanger in there, is just kind of sad. They must really need those few dollars.

From what I can tell, you pay for a fogger by cu. ft. of fog produced per minute, except in the cases like LookUSA's tiny fogger, then its a battery powered system designed for a specific purpose, and your paying for the design and portability. 

I suppose its a business decision to over rate wattage, and charge more for less, and the way I think is why I work for a company, and don't run one.


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## george_darkhill (Aug 8, 2013)

Chauvet has always been sort of sneaky like this. As a pro sound and lighting designer, i probably wouldn't buy very many things from them even as a consumer. I highly recommend American DJ or Antari for fog machines. American DJ is very customer oriented and is great for lighting and sound equipment as well. As for juice, Master Fog Code 6 works extremely well for most haunt applications.


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

I looked at American DJ but read a bunch of really bad reviews about them breaking shortly after opening the box. I've never heard of Antari.

George_Darkhill, you like the master Fog Code 6 better than Froggy's?


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