Repairing the Z-1520 RGB Fog Machine and Troubleshooting a Heater Error

This time around, I’m going to show you how I replaced the heater and pump on the fog machine.
This fog machine that was sent in by a customer for repair is the ANTARI Z-1520 RGB.

ANTARI / Z-1520

The issue is that the smoke is failing to come out.
I turned on the fog machine and warmed it up to see what was going on.

The machine seemed to be working, but no smoke was coming out.
I inspected the fog machine to find the heater was clogged. The clog caused the pump to malfunction and the fog juice nor the smoke were moving through the pipe.

And now onto replacing the heater and the pump.

Here I removed the front panel.

A lot of dust seems to have piled up inside.
The fog machines that dissipate heat with a fan tend to get really dusty.
Also, if dust gets into the tank and the filter becomes clogged, the fog juice can’t be pumped up through the pipe and the smoke won’t come out.

Here, I used an air compressor to blow the dust off.

After blowing off the dust, I removed the side cover and then removed the heater and the pump.

I removed the nuts that connected the heater and the pump so I could then move onto removing the heater and the pump.

Next, I removed the old heater and pump and installed new ones in the reverse order.
When installing the parts, be careful not to overtighten the nuts or miss the wiring.
Clean the inside at the same time.

After I replaced the heater and the pump, the inside is now clean.

I then reassembled everything and checked to see if it properly worked.
I warm the fog machine up and then let the smoke out.

I was relieved to finally see the smoke coming out. This particular model produces a large amount of smoke, so if it’s not well ventilated, the room will be completely filled with smoke.

The repair is now finished.

For many cases other than this, we are often asked by customers about what to do about a heater error.
This error often occurs when the temperature sensor on the heater detects overheating.
The cause of the error could be a defective heater or a PCB, or the problem could also be caused by the fog machine being used in certain places over a period of time.
Fog machines are more susceptible to malfunction in places with poor ventilation or direct sunlight. Dust accumulation inside the machine could also cause a malfunction by blocking the exit that releases heat, which then causes the temperature sensor to detect overheating.
If you often get an error message, check or change the place to use the fog machine.

Now, let me show you a simple way to combat dust that can be done without disassembling the machine.
On the side of the machine, notice how there are holes and vents.

All you have to do is vacuum the vent and suck up the dust.
This method alone can remove a considerable amount of dust.

If an heater error happens even after you have changed the location or cleaned the dust off, there could be other causes, so please feel free to contact us.

Before ending this article, I’m going to show you how to maintain the fog machine so you can do it yourself on a regular basis.

■ How to Clean the Inside Fog Machine

First, empty the tank and pour the cleaning liquid (distilled water: 80%, acetic acid: 20%) into 1/3 of the liquid tank, and then turn on the fog machine.

Next, warm up the machine and let the fog out until the cleaning liquid in the tank is almost gone. Be careful not to empty the tank completely.
When you have finished with that, pour in the fog juice and then turn on the machine for a short time. Letting the machine run will eject the remaining cleaning liquid that is still inside the pump and the heater.
*Caution: Never let the fog machine run on an empty liquid tank.

Lastly, please refer to “Lessons for Beginners” for more information on how to maintain a fog machine. I hope you'll find it useful.

『Lessons for Beginners / LightingCourse / Smoke machines』

That’s all, folks! Thank you for reading.