Hardly ever use hazers/smoke machines now?

[The_Blue_Dragon]

Hi people,
I just wondered if anyone else has noticed the same as me. It seems like most places now won't allow smoke machines or hazers in buildings. Before I could use my smoke machine on nearly every job but I havent used it now in ages.

Anyone else noticed? and has anyone ever set a smoke alarm off?

[yourdj]

I used on in a prom monday last and it was fine on the test but cleared the whole building out so never again, unless in a marquee or something.

[The_Blue_Dragon]

Why it clear the building? you use too much?

[yourdj]

Why it clear the building? you use too much?

no it set off the alarms and they had to clear people out to the meeting point.
Payed off as they all came in and i hit them with a fat tune and they were there all night after that. :)

[The_Blue_Dragon]

Well I always call the venue in advance to check if they allow them. I find it gutting when they say no as I love the effect my lights give off

[TONYTIGER]

Buy a proper hazer problem solved.

[yourdj]

Buy a proper hazer problem solved.

Is that true? Will it not set off the alarm? If thats the case i will :)

the martin ones are pretty good arnt they?

[NKR]

My smoke machine is just being carried around in the road trunk. Little call for it due to fire alarm systems.

However, did Rudding Park in Harrogate earlier in the year and the DJ in the other room had a smoker on. I was stood near the doorway just having a look and the C&B manager was there. I said you are brave letting him use smoke - he said no we can switch the smoke alarms to heat only rather than smoke and particle. Now that is forward thinking from the people who run that place.

[TONYTIGER]

Is that true? Will it not set off the alarm? If thats the case i will :)

the martin ones are pretty good arnt they?

If you like to use a hazer and be safe in the knowledge your not going to get a hefty bill from the local fire brigade you have to invest in the right gear.
A good Pro hazer will set you back at at least a grand.
I use a Tour Hazer around £900 + vat just let it run in the background you don,t know its on just enhances the light beams like you see on most entertainment shows on the TV.
As for Martin ok but i found they used to set of the alarms .

[rob1963]

Due to most venues not allowing them, I hadn't used my smoke machine for about 10 years, so I recently tested it to see if it still worked, and it didn't...as very little smoke was coming out.

I decided to throw it out, and if anyone requests a smoke machione in the next few years, I'll just buy a chaep one. I doubt I'll have to, though.

[Pe7e]

I use a 'smoke factory' aqua haze, the fluid is water based and oil free, so it doesn't set the majority of smoke detectors off (the ones utilising a ionizing chamber)

[notroubleclubber]

Pe7e - how can you know if the detector is an ion based one or optical?

Im a fire alarm engineer and unless you take them down, most of the sensors you cant tell visually unless its a heat or a smoke. You need to see the label to tell if its an optical or smoke. OR you know the model of the detector as some models have red for ion, some have white for optical. The majority of people wont know this.

[Excalibur]

Hi people,
I just wondered if anyone else has noticed the same as me. It seems like most places now won't allow smoke machines or hazers in buildings. Before I could use my smoke machine on nearly every job but I havent used it now in ages.

Anyone else noticed? and has anyone ever set a smoke alarm off?
Oh yuss. :o :o

My smoke machine is just being carried around in the road trunk. Little call for it due to fire alarm systems.

However, did Rudding Park in Harrogate earlier in the year and the DJ in the other room had a smoker on. I was stood near the doorway just having a look and the C&B manager was there. I said you are brave letting him use smoke - he said no we can switch the smoke alarms to heat only rather than smoke and particle. Now that is forward thinking from the people who run that place.
I'm with Rob on this, I've not taken mine out in ages. It's nice to see venues being ahead of the game and helping DJ's and acts. They should realise it will help them in the long run. Sadly, some venues, even though they could zone out the areas we're working in just can't be bothered, or are afeared of disaster if they turn a section off.

[dj shuggy]

I bought the Mulit Venue System from Le Maitre... It cost me £850 at the start of the year and use it as much as i can.
I called round my regular venues and offered demos of it not setting off tha alarms and got good feedback.
It uses an oil based liquid that produces very fine mist that works great.

Since using it i have set off one alarm.. It was a brand new hall so i am assuming the alarm system was ultra sensitive..

Like others have said erlier in the thread.. I ALWAYS get permission from the venue to use it.

DJ Shuggy

[robbiedj]

Used it a couple of weeks ago, for a marquee wedding.

Other than that, rarely used. But you never know when you can, so keeping it safe and PAT testing regularly.

[The_Blue_Dragon]

I just wondered, do they need to be used regular to keep them working? or will they be ok to be left till needed?

[Vectis]

I must be in the minority ... because I rarely am refused permission to use haze. In fact, I can only think of a couple of venues off the top of my head that won't allow it...

[jon s]

Hardly use mine for fear of setting of alarms. You can't tell if it's a smoke detector or a heat detector. I love marquees they make for a good photo shot. Not many good photos taken these days of nice beams of light.

[TONYTIGER]

I just wondered, do they need to be used regular to keep them working? or will they be ok to be left till needed?

If you do not use regular drain them down and run some distilled water through .

[djdave01]

i had a smoke machine years ago, but most of the venues i regularly work in wouldnt allow its use.
it packed in about 4 years ago and ive never bothered replacing it. The only time i can recall being asked to provide one was at a halloween party 2 years ago, i just borrowed one from a mate.

[Creature]

stoppe dusing my fog machine early last year - brought a big hazer in may and been using it loads - venues with fire alarms i just set the hazer remote to light setting :):)

[TONYTIGER]

Just to make things a little clearer there is a very big difference between a smoke machine and a hazer,as far as mobiles are concerned a good quality hazer is very useful the idea is to have it that it just puts a fine mist in to the air to just enhance the beams of your lighting effect,s not like a smoke machine that chokes your punters and stinks the venue out.
As for the laser nuts (in my opinion the best and most dramatic lighting) it is essential to have a good hazer to get the best out of them.

If your ever in the Bournemouth area check out my sons old venue The Opera House when they have a dance night ,the lasers are stunning.

[yourdj]

If your ever in the Bournemouth area check out my sons old venue The Opera House when they have a dance night ,the lasers are stunning.

they use them in Junk club to name one in southampton. If it was a smoke machine it would set the alarms off :confused:

So if i go out and buy a martin magnum or whatever hazer it will be OK will it :confused:

I will probably use it after the first hour for a bit of added wooo when people start to get bored. :p

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Just to make things a little clearer there is a very big difference between a smoke machine and a hazer,as far as mobiles are concerned a good quality hazer is very useful the idea is to have it that it just puts a fine mist in to the air to just enhance the beams of your lighting effect,s not like a smoke machine that chokes your punters and stinks the venue out.


In my experience of using cheaper end hazers, all they appear to be is a smoke machine using less dense fluid and a fan.

A 'proper' hazer seems to cost £500-£600+, eg: Look Unique etc

[OllieJames]

I quite often use my Fazer/Hazer - although I'm warey now after setting an alarm off a few gigs back.

[TONYTIGER]

they use them in Junk club to name one in southampton. If it was a smoke machine it would set the alarms off :confused:

So if i go out and buy a martin magnum or whatever hazer it will be OK will it :confused:

I will probably use it after the first hour for a bit of added wooo when people start to get bored. :p

Yes you need a hazer,but beware some machines so called hazers are nothing more than smoke machines with a weaker mixture the magnum being one of them.
Check out manufacturers like Look www.looksolutions.com they do a nice machine called the Unique 2.1 or haze base www.hazebase.com which is what i use.
Hope this is helpful.

[Corabar Entertainment]

I will probably use it after the first hour ... when people start to get bored. :p:zip: :zip: :zip:

[yourdj]

:zip: :zip: :zip:

you know what i mean :p

add another edge to the lighting. i often leave off the lazers until it gets going that sort of thing ;)

Human nature being the way it is its very rare i have a wedding that kicks off from the start and
just does not finish till the end with a packed dance floor.

Drunk people are like big kids in my eyes - they have to be entertained :)


£500 for a decent hazer would be a good investment, but a risk if
every venue manager tells me to put it away when i whip it out :tongue2:

I can see it being a big plus for marquee Djing though.

[Alex - Cream Ents]

Biggest problem I find is that many venue managers will not understand the difference between a smoke machine and a hazer, nor will they be interested in you explaining the differences to them.

That aside, if your wanting to make a serious investment in a hazer then the DF-50 is about as good as it gets.
http://www.hazers.co.uk/#df50hazer

If you don't have the budget for one of those (rather pricey..) then the LeMaitre ones aren't too bad - if a little delicate.

[TONYTIGER]

Biggest problem I find is that many venue managers will not understand the difference between a smoke machine and a hazer, nor will they be interested in you explaining the differences to them.

That aside, if your wanting to make a serious investment in a hazer then the DF-50 is about as good as it gets.
http://www.hazers.co.uk/#df50hazer

If you don't have the budget for one of those (rather pricey..) then the LeMaitre ones aren't too bad - if a little delicate.

Used to have a DF-50 in one of my night clubs ok but as its oil based played havoc with the lighting fixtures sticky residue every where.

[1st Choice Karaoke]

I haven't had a gig where I can use smoke or haze in well over a year now. Most venues just seem to flatly refuse, even when you explain the difference between haze and smoke. When I first started out about 12 years ago most venues seemed to have heat detectors in their function rooms... if anything at all, so were happy to use them. ;-(