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Let&#;s just start off by acknowledging the elephant in the room.
Hazers are really cool. If you want one way to really spice up your stage lighting, haze is the way to go! Besides having a good console, haze is the best way to take your show to the next level without spending an arm and a leg.
Why? Simply put, light doesn't really do anything until it hits something.
In a haze-less room, that "something" is going to be your stage, your performers, the walls, backdrop, ceiling, etc.
But when you add haze, now you have thin, smooth particulate in the air that also catches the light in addition to the solid surfaces in the stage and room! It really amps up how good your lighting looks!
However, there is a ton of confusion about haze, how it works, if it sets off fire alarms, and if it&#;s safe to breathe.
I know many of you are also looking to get better looking haze than what they already have.
Perhaps you own a hazer, but it looks more like a cloud of smoke than a concert tour. Or maybe it all gets sucked away into the air vents, and you wonder what possessed you to buy the darn thing.
Whatever your situation, sit back, relax and read on as we dive into the many facets of haze and what you need to know, separating the facts from mythology!
When it comes to atmosphere for live production, there are 3 types of atmospheres that you can generate.
The first is fog, which is covered right here. Fog is a lower, thicker lying atmosphere that doesn&#;t give anywhere near the same effect as haze, and isn&#;t designed as the type of effect you&#;d run all night long. Fog is more of a thick cloud of smoke than the smooth, air-like atmosphere like haze that we all love.
In this article, we&#;re going to focus on haze &#; breaking it up between water-based and oil-based because they are the 2 most common types of hazers out there.
Haze is designed to create a thin layer of atmosphere over the entire room which you are performing in. However, you don&#;t get there in 5 minutes!
Haze is a slower process, and hazing a room can take 30 minutes or more, with your hazer likely running non-stop, or at least on and off periodically to maintain the thickness you&#;re striving for during your show.
In fact, complaints about haze almost always come from patrons who see the haze initially building when you first turn on the hazer. Many times, the haze - especially from water-based machines, will look smokey when it first comes out, until it has a chance to settle and fill the space.
The BEST policy is to always pre-haze the room and get a good level going before you let the public in - most often this eliminates any complaints because you don't get that "smokey cloud" in the air, as the haze has filled the room and settled down.
This haze is made by heating up a water based fluid and shooting it through a nozzle out of the machine. Compared to oil-based hazers, these units have to heat up before they are ready to go, and they also have a cool-down process where they occasionally seep out small clouds of haze.
Unlike fog or oil-based haze, you can&#;t simply turn &#;off&#; the hazer and expect a 100% stop on a dime! Water-based hazers also use a bit more fluid than oil-based, and any reputable model should tell you how much fluid you'll consume at full intensity.
The exact amount of fluid used will depend on how heavy and how long you run the hazer, as well as what model you are using. Since water-based haze has larger particles than oil-based, you naturally need more fluid to keep things going, and the particles dissipate into the air within a few minutes.
The upside to this heater design is that the water based hazer is nearly silent as it runs.
Though I don&#;t like water based haze as much as oil, it does have its place.
In a long-term situation, like an installed venue or church, oil based haze will find its way into all surfaces, nooks and crannies of your equipment and rooms, and can be a pain to clean up if you use a thick haze constantly.
Water-based haze on the other hand, is easy to clean up, and the fluid doesn&#;t make a mess on and around the hazer itself, making it easy to place anywhere without worry or much planning. A good budget model water-based hazer is the ADJ Entour Faze. Our favorite all-around water-based hazer is the Magmatic Magma Prime. It&#;s significantly nicer than the ADJ model, but doesn&#;t cost all that much more. There are also models from both brands that include road cases, just contact us for a quote and we'll find the best fit for you space!
What is a Fazer?
Many water-based hazers are actually &#;Fazers&#;, meaning that they have both a fluid pump and a air pump. This allows the haze to be much smoother and less cloudy as it comes out of the unit and disperses into the room! It is NOT a machine that can make both fog and haze.
Oil based hazers make that lovely haze that is uniform, not cloudy, and hangs nearly forever, without costing an arm and a leg. Not to mention it is also nicer with fire alarm systems in many cases...more on that below!
Oil hazers produce haze by pushing a mineral oil fluid through a compressor and out of the unit. The compressor doesn&#;t have to heat up, it is ready to go from the instant you turn it on. The oil also hangs in the air much better &#; nearly forever in a motionless room!
On the downside, the compressor sounds like a small air compressor &#; it&#;s not always the quietest thing, so this isn&#;t your choice for a quiet theatrical show!
Some oil hazers, like the popular DF-50, are a bit on the loud side for small venues, but I&#;ve found most of the newer models are not quite as loud. The ADJ Entour Haze Pro is a good example of a Oil-based hazer that kicks out a lot of haze for not a lot of cost.
Oil-based hazers also are better on fluid consumption than water-based hazers. You&#;ll find that most oil hazers will go weeks before needing to be refilled with a new bottle of fluid, offering a huge savings!
I can think back to a conference I did recently where the hazer ran 12+ hours a day for a weekend. I only refilled the hazer once!
Like I said above, oil-based hazers will leave an oily residue on anything that is left close by.
So keep moving lights, amp racks, and anything with cooling fans a good distance away from your oil-based hazer, and you&#;ll be great!
If you use oil-based haze without going overboard in thickness, you&#;ll find that it will take a very long time before you notice any residue on your gear &#; especially with newer hazers that are getting better and better!
The last type of Hazers are the CO2 Hazers &#; made popular by the MDG Atme, these hazers feature the absolutely smoothest haze that lasts the longest in the air. These hazers also use the least amount of fluid of all the brands, but do need to be hooked up to a CO2 tank.
They are more expensive than the other types, but use significantly less water-based fluid (and not much CO2) while running. This often makes them the most economical long-term choice for anyone who runs haze often in larger spaces (over around 500 seats). The only "gotcha" is that in the US, if you are commercially transporting C02, you do need to have a Hazmat endorsement. It may seem silly, but that's the rule.
Our top pick for a C02 based hazer is the Antari CH-1.
When it comes to sizing your hazer, you generally have a few choices. Water-based hazers tend to come in small or large sizes, and oil-based hazers are typically just big.
Sizing a hazer can be really tough, especially if you play different venues.
Your first concern is the size of the room. A small hazer, like this unit is perfect for rooms up to people if the airflow is reasonable and there isn't a large exchange of outside air. There will be some rooms where even a MUCH larger hazer can't keep up.
There&#;s no golden rule to follow. Even in a small room, the HVAC can suck away all of your haze in an instant when it turns on. Every venue is different.
Experiment with the placement of your hazer and see how the A/C system moves your haze around. Usually, you can find a great spot to place your hazer that works with your A/C system to distribute the atmosphere evenly. &#;
This magic spot is usually straight across the stage from the main return vent for your AC system. This is what we&#;re going for, and will give you a great, haze-filled event! Not every venue will have this issue&#;and in some venues you&#;ll be able to stick your small hazer just about anywhere and get a good, thoroughly-hazed look without a lot of effort!
Every hazer setup needs a proper fan to guide the haze. Any old box fan or similar will work, as long as it moves the air. You&#;ll want to set it next to the hazer and guide the haze out of the unit and up into the air towards the beams of light.
Make sure you don&#;t place the fan in front of the hazer &#; while it will spread the haze, you&#;ll end up with a fan that is dripping in haze fluid &#; and that&#;s just not fun to take home at the end of the night!
If a small hazer doesn&#;t cut it, you&#;ve got a couple of options. The first is that, if you have the problem of a &#;hazeless spot&#; on one side of the stage or another that you can&#;t get rid of, you can go ahead and get a second hazer. That's typically the best way to deal with either changing air flow or an particular spot on stage where the haze evacuates quickly.
If the small hazer is just too small for the room, it&#;s time to upgrade to a bigger hazer. Check the links above in this post for exact product recommendations.
Are you looking for a place to get the very best in lighting training, and a community where you can share your lighting success and ask questions? Learn Stage Lighting Labs may be for you!
One of the top concerns I hear from folks about hazers is the safety of the air that is hazed up. This is totally understandable, as it looks like smoke, and we all need to be careful about what we let into our bodies.
But I&#;ve got to leave this one to the professionals. The Broadway Actors Equity report is the full scientific and medical study that the actors union did to check the safety of theatrical haze.
If you have the time to read it, it&#;s very deep and complex. If not, here&#;s a quick summary: Haze is safe to use for theatrical performances. Some folks may seem to have a reaction to haze, but that is purely psychological. While you can technically get haze thick enough to cause a physical reaction, you have to practically be drinking the fluid for that to happen &#; way thicker than you&#;d ever want your haze to be!
Oil, C02, or water-based, is does not matter. Both are safe to use and enjoy. Don't use party-store fluids, use proper, name-brand fluids. And if you have problems with folks complaining, print out a copy of the report for them to read and see what conclusion they come up with.
The last concept I want to touch on is the world of fire alarms.
While water based hazers are more likely to set off fire alarms and CO2-based hazers are less likely, every fire alarm system is different. If you have optical/beam type detectors, for example, most hazers will set off the alarm system.
Other types of alarms will be set off by different levels of haze. The only real way to be safe is to work with your alarm company and local fire department to figure out what is the best practice for using haze.
There are essentially (3) main types of fire detectors:
1) Ionization - these are the typical type we find in homes, especially over the decades past. They can be tripped with a moderate level of haze, but they typically do okay with a small quantity of haze.
2) Optical - when ANYTHING passes through the invisible beam of these detectors, they go off. Some units are an enclosed alarm, others shoot across the room or inside of an air vent.
3) Heat sensors - These are the slowest to trip in a real fire, but do not trip from haze.
Many localities will help you to work with you alarm company to turn your alarms to silent, allowing a staff member to monitor the alarms, and make sure there are no real fires. Some venues will allow you to use haze without shutting off the alarms because they know it won&#;t cause problems.
Never, ever disable your fire alarms or turn them to silent without the blessing of your fire department. This is how people die every year and tragedies happen.
As you can see from the types of alarms listed above, if you have a venue that you want to use haze in often, the BEST course of action is to have multiple types of detectors, and then to silence the optical and possible ionization detectors during events. All of this is in coordination with your fire marshal and alarm company, and it gives you the best of both worlds - quick triggering in case of a fire when the space in unoccupied or not during a hazed event, and still having fire protection from heat sensors + probably a fire watch during hazed events.
If you are playing a venue where concerts are a regular part of their lineup, it&#;s likely that haze is acceptable &#; but always ask before you turn on your hazer. If you ARE the venue, I would greatly encourage you to spend the effort and money upfront to make your venue haze-friendly.
And of course, if you&#;re outdoors, haze is all A-Ok! You just might need an extra hazer or 2 to keep up with the wind, so it may not be practical for you. Foggers with fans can also be a GREAT solution for the outdoors, as long as the fogger is rated for continuous use.
What is low lying fog machine?
Low lying fog machine, also known as fog chiller, ground fog, low fog generator, low fog machine, low fogger etc, is specifically designed to create fog that stays low to the ground. Low lying fog machines create a ground dense fog without rising into the air. It is widely used in touring and fixed installation applications such as concert, wedding, theatre, disco, opera, dance, magic, circus, theme park, television/ film, sports, special effects, and forms of military/fire training etc.
Different types of low lying fog machine?
There are several types of low lying fog machine, according to the way they achieve the effect there are at least three types:
Dry ice machine:
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from TOPCAT.
This kind of low fog machine depends on dry ice, such as CREEPER ICE, which generate the low fog by spray the hot water to the dry ice. The greatest advantage is that it can generate long lasting, thicker, denser and better ground adherence fantastic fog. The reason it can achieve the perfect thicker and good ground adherence fog is due to the extremely low temperature of dry ice, which is minus 78.5 degree centigrade. On the other hand is because CO2 with a high molecular weight (heavier than air). The disadvantage for this kind of machine is the cost of dry ice, also the handling should be very careful considering the extremely low temp. of dry ice.
Regular ice machine (fog chiller):
As we all learned from physics, the cooler air sinks and warmer air rises. The regular ice machine takes advantage of this theory, the fogs go through the ice and cools down, then it sinks to the ground and generate the low lying fog. We normally call this kind of machine as fog chiller. The advantage for this kind of machine is that the regular ice is very easy to find and price are low when comparing with the dry ice. Also the machine itself is with low cost. The disadvantage is it is not with such good adherence to ground.
Ultrasonic low fog machine:
Ultrasonic low fog machine is composed of fogger part and ultrasonic part. The fogger part will generate fog and mix with atomized water makes the fog heavier when it blows out from the machine it will adherent to the ground. The CREEPER AQ series machine from SHOWVEN® belongs to this type. The advantage of this type of low lying fog machine is that it can generate extremely long low lying fog, comparing with the easily melting of dry ice or ice. It uses just fog fluid and water, so when customer need generate continuously long period of low lying fog this is absolutely the best option. And the consumables are cheap and convenient to get. Disadvantage is that the fog adherent to ground is not as strong as dry ice machine.
When are low lying fog machine use?
The low fog effect is one of the most widely used effect, from personal to professional, small party to large scale outdoor events. With the fog on ground it can create an atmosphere of clouds. Makes audience to have a feel of grandeur and romantic. Whether you are a DJ, wedding organizer or professional special effect expert, low fog generator can always take your stage to the next level. The usage of low fog generators are endless according to your creativity. Below are some application cases.
First dance at weddings.
This is the most popular and widely used for low fog generator. Imaging when a couple wearing their beautiful wedding dress, the groom and his beautiful angel dancing on a cloud generated by CREEPER series low fog machine. Together with the sparks generated by SPARKULAR, what an impressive sight. It will surely become one of the most unforgettable moment for the couple. And with added value for the whole wedding party you organize.
Theater
Theater is also one of popular use for low fog generator. Create ground clouds atmosphere that match with different scripts. Or sometimes fill the floor when dancing makes the dancers looks lighter. Increase the pleasure of the program.
Magician
The ground fog will help them to increase the mystery of the magic they perform. Besides, it can also help them to hide their magic props.
Artificial lake mist view
To attract the visitors, now there are more and more restaurant or park etc. area design the artificial lakes or water in the yard. With the help of low fog generator the water covered in mist, and we are sitting there take a rest or enjoy the meal or a cup of coffee, what an impressive view.
Professional stage, music concert etc.
According to the need of the plot, low fog generator is a frequent request on the professional stage to generate the ground cloud. In music concert it is always fantastic view when the clouds flow with the sweet voice from singers.
Besides, there are also request in Halloween etc. to create astound atmosphere.
Tips for use of low fog generator
Ground fog is fantastic in using and can help you achieve variable splendid effect, but it can also be frustrating if you not get the skills. According to our experience, we made a summary here to help you.
Wind:
Wind even the light wind can dramatically impact the low lying fog effect. It can blow it up from the ground, and makes it dissipate faster. So for low fog generator it is always with better effect and wider coverage in indoor use when there is no wind. For outdoor use, please always prepare few more units of machine in case there are winds. Also try to find shelter such as a wall for the fog.
Smoke detector:
Whenever you use a low fog machine or other types of smoke machine or haze machine in a venue, please do check the smoke alarms first. There are several different types of fire detectors, some are smoke activated, some are photoelectric smoke detector etc. and also different brands detector with different sensitivity. According to our experience, most of the case the use of CREEPER series low lying fog generator won&#;t activate the smoke detector. Especially CREEPER ICE which is with dry ice to generate ground fog. But no matter what brand of ground fogger, there is no guarantee using it will not detected by smoke detector.
Temperature:
Temperature is also one of important factors that can dramatically influence the low fog effect. When you considering the principle of the generation of low lying fog. So normally, the warmer the weather the better the low lying fog effect. Cold weather is especially with more serious influence on regular ice machine (fog chiller).
Preparation Time&#;
If use of dry ice low foggers, please do pay attention to the heating time, normally it takes 30min above (depends on the water tank capacity). So it is suggest you start to heating up at least half an hour earlier before you want to use it. There is no this kind of worries for CRREPER AQ series low fog generator. The heating up time as short as 1-2min.
Fluid:
For water based fog generator and fog chillers they all need fog fluid, we suggest operators always use the original fog fluids from manufacturer. Fluids from different suppliers may differs a lot, inappropriate fluid will easily cause blocks of foggers.
CREEPER series low fog generator
To meet different requirement SHOWVEN have design CREEPER series low fog generator. It is one of the best fog machine on market. Based on the theory we divided into two groups CREEPER ICE and CREEPER AQ. CREEPER ICE is dry ice low fog generator; based on the output volume it divided into two model CREEPER ICE and CREEPER ICE PLUS. CREEPER AQ is water based low fog generator with ultrasonic technology. Based on the output and in order to makes it more accessories to vast target customer, we have launched three models, CREEPER AQ mini, CREEPER AQ, CREEPER AQ PLUS.
CREEPER ICE series
CREEPER ICE machine are dry ice machine designed by SHOWVEN® . Comparing with present dry ice machine on market, CREEPER ICE series machine have several advantages as below:
Huge reservoirs for ice and water. Support long and dense fog output.
CREEPER ICE with 15kg ice basket and 55L water tank. While CREEPER ICE PLUS with 30L dry ice basket and 75L water tank. Comparing with most of the dry ice machine on market which with 4-5kg dry ice basket, 15-20L water tank. CREEPER ICE series machine are 3-6 times larger. Support much longer and denser fog output.
Compact size, elegant design.
CREEPER ICE series machine with our design patent and private mode, makes it not only more elegant in the appearance but also more compact. The weight is much lighter comparing with the flightcase design, and it is super durable and rustless. Equipped with professional abrasion resistant silent caster, it can withstand the rigors of the road.
Reliable structure design, variable fog output adjustment
Different from most dry ice machine on market which with a mechanical lifting structure to immerse the dry ice basket into water, CREEPER AQ was with disruptive innovation in design. The dry ice basket is kept motionless, the high temperature pump pumping the hot water spray to the dry ice, in this way we can avoid the malfunction of lifting structure, which is quite frequent problems for dry ice machine on market.
With this talent design, we can also achieve variable fog output control just by control the volume of pump. besides, CREEPER AQ with immediate ON/OFF function, operators can stop the output immediately by stop the working of pump, which is impossible for traditional dry ice machine.
Water tank and ice basket separate design, better to store the dry ice
Water tank is designed at the bottom of machine and totally separate from dry ice basket, in this way, operator can store the dry ice in the basket before the events starts. Also, even after use the remaining dry ice can also be store stably for next usage. So it is easy to achieve multi use with just single dry ice feeding.
Other user friendly designs
CREEPER AQ series machine all equipped with DMX control, one operator can control several machines ON/OFF or fog output volume easily at the control table.
Dual / Triple heating system, flexible switch between W and W(CREEPER ICE) /W (CREEPER ICE PLUS), this is much easier to meet different power supply conditions.
Rain proof structure, can be used no matter the weather changes.
CREEPER AQ series
CREEPER AQ series low fog generator are water based low foggers, AQ is short of aqua, take advantage of ultrasonic technologies, those machines needs only water and fog fluid. No need of dry ice or regular ice. Ensure it more environmental friendly and cost effective, as well as easier accessible of the consumables. Considering the different requirement of customers, we launched three models CREEPER AQ mini, CREEPER AQ, CREEPER AQ PLUS.
CREEPER AQ mini is a portable small low lying fogger, the weight is just 15kg when not loaded. It is super compact yet with robust output up to 10,000cuft/min, due to 20 ultrasonic heads it used. It is with built in 6.5Lwater tank, also support external larger water tank. The control can be DMX with console or simply through wireless remote controller. It is an ideal choice for house use such as Halloween, garden party, nightclub rooms, small events etc.
CREEPER AQ and CREEPER AQ PLUS
Similar technologies as CREEPER AQ mini, but these two models are designed for more professionals and larger events. They are with more professional designs.
All this two model are with private mode design, makes it much lighter, durable and rustless, also with the use of abrasion resistant silent caster, makes it can withstand different complicated road situations. Below are some highlight of this CREEPER AQ series machines.
Automatic water feeding
CREEPER AQ series machine designed with external and internal water tank. External water tank is for the storage of water, internal water tank is the place where ultrasonic heads works. As we know if need to achieve best atomization effect, the water level is the key factor. for CREEPER AQ series machine it controls the water level automatically by this separate water tank design.
Multi adjustable design makes it meet different requirements.
The fog density, moisture and fan speed are all adjustable through the control of fog volume, ultrasonic head and fan speed. Besides, in order to support the long effects time, CREEPER AQ equipped with auto water refill system, operators can just connect the machine to water tap. So there is no worry about the shortage of water. This is fantastic function for fixed installations such as in the theater.
More powerful output and better stick to the ground.
CREEPER AQ with an fog output of 15,000cuft/min, while PLUS is even larger to 20,000cuft/min. thanks to more atomizers (CREEPER AQ with 30 ultrasonic head, CREEPER AQ PLUS with 40), the output fog are better adhension to the ground than their fellows from other supplier. Also the fog is denser.
Extremely short heating time.
Thanks to the rapid heating techs, the heating time for CREEPER AQ series machine is extremely short, only need about 1-2min, that means when you plug the machine and go back to the operation desk, the machine is ready to work.
DMX controllable
CREEPER AQ or CREEPER AQ PLUS are DMX controllable, with 2 and 3 channels mode switchable. In order to make it meet requirement from different customers, there are both IP65 rated 3-pin and 5-pin XLR connectors on machine.
Optimized structure design.
Most of water based low fog machines with their water tank designed on top of machine, this kind of top heavy design is not stable when moving the machine. The water tank of CREEPER AQ series machine is designed at the bottom, which is firm and stable. Also in order to easier drain the machine, we have design a drainage hole, operators can easily drain the remaining water after use.
Original fog fluid
For the maximum effect and elongate the service life of CREEPER AQ series machine, SHOWVEN® with the original fog machine liquid FX-M pro medium fog fluid.
Want more information on Water-Based Haze Machine? Feel free to contact us.