Haze machine

[Dj brummie]

Hi I want to buy something that will make my lights look better. Is a haze machine best for not setting smoke machine off. Thanks for info.

[discoworld]

A haze machine is certainly less likely to set off smoke alarms - however, it still can and will. The trick with a hazer is to be subtle with it - you don't need clumps of it in the air like smoke machines generate. Short bursts will do the job just fine.

[funkymook]

Most venues won't allow a haze or smoke machine so it's always best to have a light-show that looks good without it and think of it as a bonus when you can.

[chriskkj]

I use a Haze machine and it makes my light look great. you dont need a lot just short bursts and the fluid lasts for ages.
Be careful about setting off smoke alarms. Haze machine are not ment to set them off.
But if a venue has very sensitive ones then they will go off. As i found out last week Ops.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Cheap haze machines will set off smoke alarms as they are generally smoke machines with fans and 'thinner' fluid.

The more expensive 'proper' controllable machines are easier to set so that they don't set alarms off.

[BeerFunk]

When I first started out I was all for smoke machines, but my experience is that it's not worth having one, unless you invest in a proper machine, as Darren says.

I'd say invest in good, clear, bright lighting and forget about smoke. You could always make an exception for gigs that you've been asked specifically about lighting (eg. Club night), and hire one in especially.

[paulg]

I'm pretty certain that 9 out of 10 of the venues I last visited would not allow a smoke or haze machine and more importantly, none of the audiences would have wanted it. I hate the stuff. It's becoming a bit old fashioned to use smoke now and you can get lighting quite cheaply that is good enough not to need enhancing. I've attached a picture from this Saturday and I suppose it could always be improved upon but not with smoke. Personally, I think projection of gobo's and room lighting enhancments are the way to go these days.

[SamV]

You can get some proper high end haze machines that have no visual haze particles but still shows the beams. Something like the Phantom Pea Soup Hazer is amazing. But providing you use something of at least Le Maitre Neutron grade, it shouldn't set off any fire alarms. I've certainly never never set one off.

[dicky]

Thought I may as well resurrect an old relevant thread rather than start a new one about haze

I have a QTFX V1 vertical fogger that I got cheap (£65) and I use that in most venues I am currently playing. I've rigged my own LED lighting so I get nice coloured bursts of yellow/red fog too!

I'm not sure where this 'most venues won't allow use of smoke and haze' comes form - has that ever been properly researched? In my experiecne the opposite is true. In fact the venue I play most often now has a policy of turning off the smoke detectors at the alarm panel when live gigs are on (or at least they started to operate that policy after I set it off once at a 21st birthday!!)

However I am now playing one regular monthly booking that has a smoke detector directly above my head so I haven't used the fogger there (yet - I did consider using it horizontally and blasting the fog away from me and the detector) and I did see the detector all taped up with masking tape one week from a previous disco or band I guess but didn't ask them about that!

I also have a booking this coming weekend in a large church hall. Now I went to look around the place already and they have several smoke detectors in the large room, however they tell me that a very light haze would be OK and other discos have used that

So I am now thinking of adding an oil-based hazer to my arsenal of effects for when I can't used the vertical fogger, ready for next weekends gig (60th birthday)

I don't really want to spend more than necessary - I can get this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAM-KHM600...item3f4444127d from my local disco shop with 5l of fluid for £125 (or probably a few quid less on line)

I know KAM stuff is generally not the best of quality, however for something as simple as a hazer are these actually any good for my intended use even though they are not expensive?

I watched a few videos about the use of hazers and how not to set off alarms by using them in timed bursts on a 5min on / 5min off duty cycle

Would the KH600 do that - it does say it has a timer/remote

Any other good (better?) suggestions in a similar price range, or good reasons why I should rethink or strongly consider spending more on one?

Cheers
Rich

[Daryll]

I got one of These.
dont use it very often for reasons given above , but when i can use it , its great, set on timer max fan and min haze

cheers

daryll