Fog Machine Repair

Рет қаралды 45,999

10 жыл бұрын

Originally recorded March 25, 2014.
I had noticed the output of one of my fog machines (the slave one, as will be explained in a later video) had diminished drastically. The problem was the pump.
Now I've never worked on a fog machine before, so I really don't know much about them. I took the pump apart, put it back together, and it still didn't work. I needed this machine to be up and running for the annual Thanksgiving in March™ that I host. I fired everything up just a few days before just for peace of mind knowing everything was working, and of course this happened.
After playing with the unit for a while, I gave up and purchased a new one. But of course, where would I be if I wasn't able to fix this??? I can fix anything. Most things. Ok, some things.
This was a classic example of F.A.T.T.D. - F***ed Around Till Trouble Disappeared. Somehow, accidentally, I might add, I was able to fix it. I don't know what I did, why it works, but I know what to do for next time.
I decided to keep the new machine anyway, once it came, and I will have a video of a run-up of that soon.

Пікірлер: 50

@effka2660 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this video - bcause it shows the truth of "repairing" this kind of pump!

@jaykay18 5 жыл бұрын

Not a problem.

@tarnishedknight730 5 жыл бұрын

It's a version of Murphy's law. You can't fix, can't fix it, and can't fix it. You order a new one... the old one starts working.

@jaykay18 5 жыл бұрын

I'm OK with that, because eventually it'll stop working again, and I'll have a replacement on hand. It stopped working again years ago, and just now I've ordered replacements. They'll be arriving sometime next month if I'm lucky.

@The_Active_Region 9 жыл бұрын

What i have done in mine is put a set of valves on the suction line to the pump so you can switch between the on board tank or an external tube with a barbed fitting to the case. that way I can just hook up a tube and run a mix of vinegar and distilled water when I want to clean it through or store it.. Mount the valves handles to the outer case and the valve inside. Then label them direct and divert. Or tank and clean.

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

kev31779 Nice idea, thanks!

@United_HVAC_and_Fans 4 жыл бұрын

Haha you got that bastard to work like a charm! I'm planning on ordering a pump for mine which is the exact same as yours!

@jaykay18 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah I somehow got it working but it died a year later. I tried again, same thing, but it was to no avail. I bought a replacement pump, but haven't gotten around to replacing it yet.

@ljmike1204 9 жыл бұрын

thank you for this vid it backs up my idea that the pump of my adj jet stream is dead it had 35% and when i cleaned the pump it whas back to 100% than when i turned it off and on it went to 35% again and that puffing to

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

Yes, those pumps aren't very reliable.

@ljmike1204 9 жыл бұрын

jaykay18 bought the 2 jet streams second hand one worked at 100% the other at 35% i tought it whas somthing easy but turned out to be the pump i also found out the pumps for the seneo coffy machine are the same LOL

@KylarkG 9 жыл бұрын

I have the same model and I had the same problem. From your video, the sleeve that goes into the pump motor is not pressed in deep enough into the pump motor. Where you have the outlet fitting on the pump motor is fine. Is just the fact that the inlet sleeve is not pressed in far enough. I just bought one of these units for 10 bucks that set in a box for 5 years. I am guessing someone tried to fix it and was not successful. I am pretty sure by what you have going on that the internal sleeve in the motor needs to be seated fully. I hope this helps you understand.

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks, it's been working fine since I made this video.

@ronstickle4694 9 жыл бұрын

I have the same one as well and had and have the same problem. when I took the pump apart I saw 2 o-rings in the same spot looks like to set the depth of the end piece. Like you I got it working by loosening it a bit but it worked for Halloween then quit again. I think the pump is a crap design and the fix should be a better pump. I will be looking into it.

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Ron. Yes the fix is a better pump. I had another of the same fog machine that died in the same way except I couldn't resurrect it. I replaced it with a different brand machine. That one worked twice and the pump quit!

@yardhaunt2000 7 жыл бұрын

nice. so if Im following (I scrubbed thru a lot of it but got the gist of it) you took the pump apart then put it back together and it worked when you tightened everything up?

@jaykay18 7 жыл бұрын

Pretty much. Your mileage will vary. Of all the fog machines I've owned, the only thing that dies is the pump. I'm thinking about using a more robust pump, something like a windshield washer pump motor. The wires inside the unit will go to a 12v transformer that will then feed the pump energy. Maybe that will last longer than these. I've tested the unit by "manually pumping" using a syringe, and wow, what a difference! You can REALLY smoke the place out easily by sending it more fog fluid.

@yardhaunt2000 7 жыл бұрын

I agree it's most often the pump. the next being a clogged heat exchanger which I have read people cleaning those out but it's really not worth trying. the custom pump idea is intersting. That would make a good video. I have heard of pumping fog juice or distilled H20 thru the pump with the hose off with a small syringe or a turkey baster cooking type to unsieze a pump that hasn't been used in a long time.

@jaykay18 7 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah, I pumped water and vinegar through the whole system to no avail on my other ones. Even hit it all with compressed air, there was nothing clogged, the pump just refused to pump anymore. If I send fog juice in with a syringe it smokes right out. One of these days I'll get around to fixing it.

@ryanmoyes2867 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

Ryan Moyse You're welcome!

@notajp 6 жыл бұрын

Maybe it’s humming because it doesn’t know the words?? Seriously, I have an old ground fogger similar to this that I’m getting ready to open up, and this vidjayo might just come in handy. Thanks!

@jaykay18 6 жыл бұрын

No problem, good luck fixing yours!

@johnnyzhu6729 9 ай бұрын

I have a Hurricane H1301, and it’s not working. The power light is on, and the main circuit board green light is on. But the heater is not on, and the pump doesn’t start. I removed the pump and had it cleaned. Same thing. What do u think?

@jaykay18 9 ай бұрын

If that heater is not coming on, you will get no fog. That;s the first thing to check. See if 120V is getting to the heater first, then go from there. Could be the "fusible link" burned out. Could be a faulty temperature switch. Or circuit board issue. Time to break out the meter and start poking around.

@ryanmoyes2867 9 жыл бұрын

Any good places you know that supply new pumps by chance.

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

Ryan Moyse No, I looked into that. Better off just replacing the piece of junk with another. Only site that possibly comes to mind for a really cheap pump that will go with a cheap fog machine is banggood.com, but if you can afford to wait 21 days for an item to ship is another story.

@shaundevine007 9 жыл бұрын

My smoke machine won't turn back on. i used it then half hour later went to use it again and nothing, no action no power button light. any ideas wat it might be?

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

shaun dalton Check the fuse on the back first for continuity. If the fuse is good, other problems could be the fusible link (over-temperature "emergency" cutoff), or the heating element itself. You may have to disassemble some wiring to test various parts. The wiring is pretty simple inside. If you bypass everything and apply power direct to the heating element, and it doesn't get hot, you know that's the problem.

@Djice2012 5 жыл бұрын

Can you supply a wiring diagram I stupidly removed all wires and can't get mine to power back on

@jaykay18 5 жыл бұрын

No, I can't. The manufacturer can, but likely they've gone out of business.

@richarbw 9 жыл бұрын

Had the same problem and was about to dump my machine. Seems to work OK but I think I'm getting a slight leak now.

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

Once they get screwed up they never work quite the same.

@steviee7694 7 жыл бұрын

thanks

@jaykay18 7 жыл бұрын

No problem.

@kouroshraoufi8597 6 жыл бұрын

this is a piston pump also diaphragm pump works similar , if you search on ebay possible to find

@kouroshraoufi8597 6 жыл бұрын

Nice Job! you fixed it!

@kouroshraoufi8597 6 жыл бұрын

It is possible to use pure glycerin mixture with Distilled water instead of expensive liquids

@jaykay18 6 жыл бұрын

Yes I've heard of doing that.

@richarbw 9 жыл бұрын

Ahhh...one of the O-rings tore...anyone have a source for tiny o-rings?

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

Without checking online, I do remember I bought a package at the dollar store that had maybe 20 sizes of o-rings; they can't be any worse quality than what was in there!

@savgoulis2826 6 жыл бұрын

Have you dismantled the pump??

@jaykay18 6 жыл бұрын

Yes.

@The_Active_Region 9 жыл бұрын

IThe head might have been clogged a bit,. Take vinigar and run it through it. If that don't work a little CLR and compresed air through the head.

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

kev31779 Done the vinegar and CLR and compressed air. No dice. This one I was able to repair the pump on, the other one I was not. They just fail after a while, they tend to work better if used weekly. Otherwise they have a tendency to clog up, but a lot of that depends on the type (brand) of fog juice you use.

@steviee7694 7 жыл бұрын

what if the reservoir comes off and won't put back on

@jaykay18 7 жыл бұрын

It will. If it came out, it's got to go back. Keep trying, this isn't difficult.

@richardkonsky 9 жыл бұрын

i had the same problem but i just put distilled vinegar in it to clean the pump and tubes

@jaykay18 9 жыл бұрын

That wouldn't work in this case with a jammed pump! Afterwards I used water to clean it, and that seemed to work well. If you think vinegar smells bad right out of the bottle, wait till you put it through a fog machine! That was pretty bad. I've done that too, here: Seasonal Visions International Metal Case 400W Fog Machine Review