Fog machine getting out of control

[Larry B Entertainment]

Had a problem at work the other day with a dmx fogger running from mydmx. During a rehearsal for a show, the machine must have picked up a signal from somewhere and blasted out at full intensity and I couldn't stop it, so I had to dash down the stairs and down a corridor into the main hall to cut the mains to the machine :eek: By this time it had completely filled the room as its quite a high powered machine, people had to leave as the dense fog was so much but luckily the person in charge saw the funny side :) The other LED lights and stuff in the chain never misbehaved so I can only think it was a problem with the machine. No show was running on the PC at the time.
After that I decided to take it off dmx and use the remote instead.

Anyone else had dmx equipment do random things ?

I am using high quality dmx cabling right through, so that couldn't have been the cause.

[spin mobile disco]

Did you use a terminator at the end of the dmx chain? If I get a problem I add one of those in first. Also not unknown on smoke and fog machines for fluid to get in the electrics due to spillage. And that can have random effects. I once had a problem between 2 scanners that would not work together no mater what. Turned out one wanted to be master even when the dipswitches told it not to be.

[Larry B Entertainment]

Didn't terminate the chain as I was under the impression that was only needed for large runs of DMX signal, there was only 2 other effects in that particular chain that the fogger was attached too.
Will use a terminator next time and see if the same happens.