Thread: effect machine hacking

We have a snow making machine, and a mini fog machine. The snow machine is remotely operated, and the fogger uses a remote switch. The fogger I think may be easy to hack. But any ideas on how to bypass this remote? I want the controller to turn on or off the snow making machine on cue.

Originally Posted by ydeardorff

We have a snow making machine, and a mini fog machine. The snow machine is remotely operated, and the fogger uses a remote switch. The fogger I think may be easy to hack. But any ideas on how to bypass this remote? I want the controller to turn on or off the snow making machine on cue.

You should just have to connect the wires from the blower motor and the pump motor to a standard electrical male plug and bypass the remote circuitry. What type of controller are you planning to use and how are you planning to connect the machines to the controller

Were gearing up for next years display. We currently have nothing, but are working out purchasing plans with solsticewerks for an 80 to 96 channel display for a charity fund raiser with our church for next year. We will be using light show pro V2 hopefully. But I am waiting on a response from them. Right now, whenever we see a deal, we grab it, and stuff it in a box for next year.

I am hoping I can just simply connect up this snow maker to a custom rig fan/oscillator/snow machine, so that when the channel turns on, the snow blower start spraying fake snow up in the air, while it oscillates.
So when Bing says "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" It will, and on cue.

Originally Posted by ydeardorff

Were gearing up for next years display. We currently have nothing, but are working out purchasing plans with solsticewerks for an 80 to 96 channel display for a charity fund raiser with our church for next year. We will be using light show pro V2 hopefully. But I am waiting on a response from them. Right now, whenever we see a deal, we grab it, and stuff it in a box for next year.

I am hoping I can just simply connect up this snow maker to a custom rig fan/oscillator/snow machine, so that when the channel turns on, the snow blower start spraying fake snow up in the air, while it oscillates.
So when Bing says "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" It will, and on cue.

Just be careful on connecting motors to light controllers, they are not designed to handle those kinds of loads. You might want to check on SSRs.

Another option is to use a relay (low voltage or 120 volt coil) and us the normally open contacts to trigger the remote for the fog machine and one for the snow machine.

Good point on the load issue with the snow machine and fan.

I was thinking of using a lazy-susan, and a car windshield wiper motor from a car.
I was going to mount the snow machine and the fan to the lazy susan, the attach the 12VDC wiper motor, via an arm to cause the oscillation. I dont know if a oscillating system out of a house fan would be strong enough.

But yeah, Ill have to look into the 110 VAC relay in the design planning. I will of course mount it to the roof somewhere out of sight. So when the snow comes down it will just appear to do so from out of no where at night.

Originally Posted by ydeardorff

Good point on the load issue with the snow machine and fan.

I was thinking of using a lazy-susan, and a car windshield wiper motor from a car.
I was going to mount the snow machine and the fan to the lazy susan, the attach the 12VDC wiper motor, via an arm to cause the oscillation. I dont know if a oscillating system out of a house fan would be strong enough.

But yeah, Ill have to look into the 110 VAC relay in the design planning. I will of course mount it to the roof somewhere out of sight. So when the snow comes down it will just appear to do so from out of no where at night.

HINT: Don't buy your snow fluid. I have made my own for years and it works just fine. Very simple formula

1 Gallon of water, despite what other forums say about distilled water you can just use tape water.
1 cup 70% rubbing alcohol
1 cup dish washing soap(cheapest you can buy), not dishwasher but the kind you use to wash dished the old fashioned way.

Ou3 3 machines run pretty much continuously from dusk to 10:00 every night during the season. Each machine has its own 55 gallon barrel of fluid. The 2 smaller machines(they are snowmen that blow snow out of a hat they are holding) dont use near as much as the larger machine. The larger one will go thru about 100 gallons a year. So you can see why I don't buy the premixed fluid.

I take the "socks" off about every other day and wash them as they will tend to get mucked up.

The multiple head machine I am working on will have a container of alcohol in addition to the snow fluid so it will will auto blow alcohol thru each nozzle each day it order to clean the socks.

Originally Posted by mmulvenna

HINT: Don't buy your snow fluid. I have made my own for years and it works just fine. Very simple formula

1 Gallon of water, despite what other forums say about distilled water you can just use tape water.
1 cup 70% rubbing alcohol
1 cup dish washing soap(cheapest you can buy), not dishwasher but the kind you use to wash dished the old fashioned way.

Very cool thanks for the tip! especially on a 45 day minimum display for next year.