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Author Topic: Smoke Generators DIY  (Read 3580 times)

Paul2407

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Smoke Generators DIY
« on: March 24, 2017, 07:29:41 am »

Hi,
Just wondered if anyone has made a smoke (steam) generator to run on water themselves? I was thinking of making one myself as I refuse to pay £50+ for something that will cost around £15- £20 to make and in theory they are pretty simple items to make

So if anyone has got any advise :)
got a misting devise, just awaiting delivery of 12 to 24v and converter already small computer fan anything else I might need? apart from pipework/ plastic container?
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Martin [Admin]

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2017, 07:34:07 am »


Do a search for  Mister    :-)
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2017, 07:36:13 am »

Cool thanks Martin, I did do a search for smoke, steam, & generator but never thought of Mister  :-))   
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Skimmer Fan

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2017, 08:18:59 am »

If you have not found it already


http://www.wicksteedparkmbc.com/smoke-generator.html


is worth a look.
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Skimmer Fan

Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2017, 11:11:38 am »

Thanks Skimmer fan, no I'd not found that but very useful  :-)) 
Just one question if you want two funnels can you just come out of the box with two pipes or do you have to split from one pipe
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Skimmer Fan

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2017, 12:03:56 pm »

I have not tried two funnels but I cannot see why not, you may have to reduce the diameter of the funnels.
But that's what modelling is about try it and see. :D
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2017, 12:28:36 pm »

Great I was thinking of using 15mm copper or plastic pipe rather than the 22mm that most seem to use that way I can go right from the unit to the top of the funnels
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Skimmer Fan

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2017, 01:05:56 pm »

Maybe somebody with a bit more experience could advise on the material.
I used plastic on the assumption that copper tube would cause the mist to condensate in funnel and not give the same effect.
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2017, 01:11:22 pm »

Yes I have had the same thought although a seller from Australia on evilbay makes them with copper pipe so maybe the distance isn't enough to cause enough condensation, I think as you say that part will be trail and error, anyway it will be a few weeks until all the parts arrive from the Far East so I can read up some more before then
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cos918

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2017, 01:51:46 pm »

Hi
made loads of these . Very cheap to make .On my mates QM it has 3 funnels . So I used two out puts from the box and split on of the pipes in to 2 giving 3 out puts . The more funnels you have the more misters you need to get the volume of smoke / mist through . I used plastic conduit with an o/d of 20 mm and an i/d of 18mm . You can get T piece and 90 deg bends no problem for it . Lighter that copper for up top weight . Try and keep the pipe in the funnel helps with the mist . if you need to drop dia try and only do it on the last part of the run


John 
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #10 on: March 24, 2017, 03:28:00 pm »

I think "if" I've done my measurements correctly the pipe run should only be around 7-8 inches so hopefully I should be ok
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cos918

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2017, 03:54:50 pm »

that will be fine .
On that QM model there are 3 mister and 2 fans to get the smoke and lift




john
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2017, 04:01:20 pm »

Yeah I've just gone for a box that is 160x90x60 and 1 60cm fan to run
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D108

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2017, 08:20:06 pm »

Hello,
I have been building a mister unit for a friends model
 I made a few videos of the thing running, the parts cost less than £10. It's not got all the whistles and bells of the commercial units but it's an on going project.
Paul
https://youtu.be/GmTvHiZODE4
 They're not the best videos filmed on my phone too
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #14 on: March 24, 2017, 08:26:41 pm »

Hello,
I have been building a mister unit for a friends model
 I made a few videos of the thing running, the parts cost less than £10. It's not got all the whistles and bells of the commercial units but it's an on going project.
Paul
https://youtu.be/GmTvHiZODE4
 They're not the best videos filmed on my phone too

That's great Paul thank you, I'm pretty sure I've got all the parts I need on order and most look like yours  :-)) did I hear you say correctly in the video not to fill the water more than about 1cm over the top of the mister unit? I was going to connect a potentiometer to adjust the fan speed but I was wondering if it was possible to connect it to the speed controller somewhere so that it automatically adjusts via the speed
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cos918

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2017, 09:27:25 pm »

That's great Paul thank you, I'm pretty sure I've got all the parts I need on order and most look like yours  :-)) did I hear you say correctly in the video not to fill the water more than about 1cm over the top of the mister unit? I was going to connect a potentiometer to adjust the fan speed but I was wondering if it was possible to connect it to the speed controller somewhere so that it automatically adjusts via the speed


You can fit an aircraft ESC ,put it not worth it . Just set the fan speed to what you want via a variable resistor and leave it. Thats what I do .


John
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #16 on: March 24, 2017, 09:32:55 pm »


You can fit an aircraft ESC ,put it not worth it . Just set the fan speed to what you want via a variable resistor and leave it. Thats what I do .


John

Ok thanks John, I'll just stick to the basic one then no need to over complicate if not worth it
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D108

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #17 on: March 25, 2017, 12:27:31 am »

I have to agree with John, I did try to control the speed via an electronic speed controller it was not that successful the speed range was limited only changing a fraction. When the speed was full the mist roared out of the funnel, the fans speed out stripped the misters ability to produce it. so I plumped for a fixed fan speed.
Maybe it's the fans I have, there ex equipment. Action make a module that you connect to an esc via a y lead. It gives the fan proportional control and even ensures it runs in the correct direction when the motor is reversed too. It costs around £30 but dies come with a fan. It's quite pricey so I suppose there is more to getting the fan's speed variable than just hooking it up to an esc. I think you need to convert the signal from the esc into a variable voltage the fan will be happy with. But I may be typing rubbish.


To answer the question about the water level, I found that my mister gives the best results if the water level  is 10-15mm over its top. The mist produced decreases the deeper the water gets.
Paul





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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #18 on: March 25, 2017, 07:49:18 am »

Thank you that's very helpful, I think I'm just going to go with a manual fan speed switch that way as you say set it and leave, and see what it's like before spending on the action unit if it's not really needed.
I've bought a plastic "project box" to fit it all in with the exception of the 12-24v step up unit which will be housed in another box
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cos918

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2017, 07:58:01 am »

Aircraft ESC is what you need as it does not run in reverse . Very cheep from Hobby King
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/hobbyking-3a-single-cell-esc-brushed-micro-motors.html


John
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #20 on: March 25, 2017, 08:22:42 am »

Aircraft ESC if the fan control is on its own channel, otherwise feed it through a bridge rectifier off the main ESC.  To counter the effect of any built-in electronics that the fan might carry making it need a varying voltage rather than a varying length of full voltage pulse, an electrolytic capacitor across the motor terminals should do the job.  Some experimenting with values will be needed to match the pulse frequency ant current draw of the fan.  1000µF per amp feels about right.
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Paul2407

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Re: Smoke Genorators DIY
« Reply #21 on: April 11, 2017, 05:28:37 pm »

Well got most of the bits from ebay for the smoke machine just need to find the right sized tank, I might buy one of the tanks from here but they are still a little on the large size so if anyone has any ideas looking for around 110mm L x 60mm w x 70mm high
you can see my first attempt in the video below the hole for the fan needs to be bigger and the tank is far too big at 160 x 100 x 70mm
https://vimeo.com/212775630
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