Can LEDWiz or similar control other equipment?

[Rick]

I'm looking to hook up a fog machine to turn on for a certain interval during attract mode.  I'm looking for something like LED Wiz to be able to send a signal and 'flip the switch', for example, to turn it on, and then turn it off.  If I was to redirect the wiring from the switch, and somehow attach it to the controller (what I'm calling the LED Wiz or similar solution) could it accommodate such a task?  Is there some type of electronic conversion that would have to occur between the controller and the fog machine switch?

Ideas?

[AlienInferno]

You could probably just take out the switch alltogether so that if plugged in the fog machine comes on automatically.  (I did this to an old jigsaw that the switch had broken on.  Not the safest thing but I needed it working quick.)  Wire the leads from the switch to a relay that the LEDwiz triggers.  Look at how alot of the virtual pinball tables have things like (wiper motors, shakers, etc.) wired in.  Should be similiar when wireing in the fog machine.

[Dazz]

Yes, you should be able to use the LEDwiz for this.  With digital pins we have the LEDwiz controlling solenoids, shaker motors, car wiper motors, and all kinds of different things. I don't see why you couldn't use it to send a signal to the fog machine.

Just keep in mind that fog machines aren't quick at putting out smoke.  They take a bit of time to warm up before they start spitting out fog.

[Rick]

Wire the leads from the switch to a relay that the LEDwiz triggers.  Look at how alot of the virtual pinball tables have things like (wiper motors, shakers, etc.) wired in.  Should be similiar when wireing in the fog machine.

Yes, you should be able to use the LEDwiz for this.  With digital pins we have the LEDwiz controlling solenoids, shaker motors, car wiper motors, and all kinds of different things. I don't see why you couldn't use it to send a signal to the fog machine.

Awesome news!  This is great.

Just keep in mind that fog machines aren't quick at putting out smoke.  They take a bit of time to warm up before they start spitting out fog.

I note that most fog machines have both an 'on' switch and a trigger for fog.  I figure it would power on with the cab, and I'd wire the trigger to the LED Wiz.

Cool news!

[SavannahLion]

I'm not sure what your intent is (and I don't really care), but....

Keep in mind that some people sometimes have undesirable reactions around the "fog" those machines create. It's not really as simple as person A has some medical problem that is going to guarantee his death around a fog machine. It's just that some people react poorly to the evaporated glycol.

My point being, you may want to ensure you can manually force the machine into an off state regardless of what you've got the LEDWiz programed to do.

Might be a good idea to figure out some way of monitoring the fluid level. You don't want to find out what happens if the machine is on without any fluid in there.

[Rick]

Keep in mind that some people sometimes have undesirable reactions around the "fog" those machines create. It's not really as simple as person A has some medical problem that is going to guarantee his death around a fog machine. It's just that some people react poorly to the evaporated glycol.   My point being, you may want to ensure you can manually force the machine into an off state regardless of what you've got the LEDWiz programed to do.

Might be a good idea to figure out some way of monitoring the fluid level. You don't want to find out what happens if the machine is on without any fluid in there.

Both very good points.  I'm going to be sure to include some type of 'cut off' switch, so that there is the ability to do away with the fog machine completely, should this be an issue.  And yes, absolutely, the machine can't be used without fluid - there's a disaster waiting to happen.  Maybe I can rig up some type of switch that won't allow it to power up without fluid.  I want to look into that, too.

[Dazz]

I'm in the haunted house/attraction industry in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and we use a lot of fog machines, so I do have experience with them.  We have several owners that have used LEDwiz's in the past to trigger some of their props and special effects.  I just sent a message to one of the haunted house owners that I know used a LEDwiz to trigger his fog machines.  I'll ask him if he ran into any other issues.

Also, I think most of the newer machines will sound an alarm as well as automatically shut off when there is no fluid. 

[Rick]

I'm in the haunted house/attraction industry in the Dallas / Fort Worth area and we use a lot of fog machines, so I do have experience with them.  We have several owners that have used LEDwiz's in the past to trigger some of their props and special effects.  I just sent a message to one of the haunted house owners that I know used a LEDwiz to trigger his fog machines.  I'll ask him if he ran into any other issues.

That's awesome!  Many thanks!

[RandyT]

The LED-Wiz would work fine, but may need a small relay in-between, depending on the way the fog machine works.

Just a note about the fog liquid (couldn't resist).  The PG used in fog machines is pretty much the same component used by "E-cig" smokers in their flavored liquids.  A few have complained about allergic reactions, but these are more often than not the result of directly inhaling the vapor, over very long periods of time.  Still, there may be safer alternatives, such as vegetable glycerin, or a mix of the two.  VG creates a heavier vapor, which tends to hang longer in the air, but may be of less concern health wise.  It's also good to use USP grade liquids if the fog is somewhere where it is likely to be at face level. 

RandyT

[Rick]

Just a note about the fog liquid (couldn't resist).  The PG used in fog machines is pretty much the same component used by "E-cig" smokers in their flavored liquids.  A few have complained about allergic reactions, but these are more often than not the result of directly inhaling the vapor, over very long periods of time.  Still, there may be safer alternatives, such as vegetable glycerin, or a mix of the two.  VG creates a heavier vapor, which tends to hang longer in the air, but may be of less concern health wise.  It's also good to use USP grade liquids if the fog is somewhere where it is likely to be at face level.

Great to hear, thanks Randy!

(And no, I have absolutely no plans to spray anyone in the face with the fog.  I want to trigger a short spray at ankle-height, just to give an eerie, otherworldly look to the event.  I'm sure the zombies and the Hell Knight appearing on screen will help to kill off any concern of what's going on in the room, real quick.)