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Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home made smoke machine?



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 15th 17, 04:14 PM posted to alt.home.repair,rec.autos.tech,sci.electronics.repair
Arthur Wood
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home made smoke machine?

All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
that works. All it needs to do is...
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
smoke machine.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html

It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
smoke for a long enough period of time.

Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html

It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html

The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html

We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
the side.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html

There's just not enough smoke.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html

Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.
Ads
  #2  
Old December 15th 17, 04:22 PM posted to alt.home.repair,rec.autos.tech,sci.electronics.repair
Phil Hobbs
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home madesmoke machine?

On 12/15/2017 10:14 AM, Arthur Wood wrote:
> All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
> that works. All it needs to do is...
> a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.
>
> We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
> smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
> smoke machine.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html
>
> It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
> rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
> smoke for a long enough period of time.
>
> Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html
>
> It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html
>
> The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
> the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html
>
> We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
> the side.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html
>
> There's just not enough smoke.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html
>
> Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
> Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
> a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.
>

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2XYORX

Cheers

Phil Hobbs
--
Dr Philip C D Hobbs
Principal Consultant
ElectroOptical Innovations LLC / Hobbs ElectroOptics
Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics
Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

http://electrooptical.net
https://hobbs-eo.com
  #3  
Old December 15th 17, 05:12 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 128
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home madesmoke machine?

On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 9:14:26 AM UTC-6, Arthur Wood wrote:
> All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
> that works. All it needs to do is...
> a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.
>
> We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
> smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
> smoke machine.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html
>
> It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
> rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
> smoke for a long enough period of time.
>
> Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html
>
> It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html
>
> The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
> the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html
>
> We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
> the side.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html
>
> There's just not enough smoke.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html
>
> Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
> Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
> a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.


Homemade Vacuum Leak Detector Youtube
  #4  
Old December 15th 17, 06:03 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 128
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home madesmoke machine?

On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 10:12:20 AM UTC-6, wrote:
> On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 9:14:26 AM UTC-6, Arthur Wood wrote:
> > All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
> > that works. All it needs to do is...
> > a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> > b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.
> >
> > We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
> > smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
> > smoke machine.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html
> >
> > It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
> > rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
> > smoke for a long enough period of time.
> >
> > Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html
> >
> > It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html
> >
> > The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
> > the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html
> >
> > We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
> > the side.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html
> >
> > There's just not enough smoke.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html
> >
> > Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
> > Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
> > a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> > b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

>
> Homemade Vacuum Leak Detector Youtube


///He is butting in again WOO WOO WOOF!/// Hesh doggy. ... realfixesrealfast.com also on Youtube. I have watched a bunch of his Youtube videos before since a few years ago. He knows car repair, he explains everything too. ChrisFix on Youtube is good too.
  #5  
Old December 15th 17, 06:46 PM posted to alt.home.repair,rec.autos.tech,sci.electronics.repair
Arthur Wood
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home made smoke machine?

trader_4 wrote:

>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2XYORX

> That's what I was telling him about in the other thread here, that I've
> heard people have used one of those disco smoke gizmos. Seems you
> should be able to rig up something to pipe it in. Plus, with a boom box
> and some songs, you can have a business at parties and weddings as a DJ.


I thank you for coming to my aid, and I apologize for not having "believed"
in your previous suggestion. (See below why.)

For some reason, I had thought that the "party foggers" had a big opening
at low pressure (like the size you can put your hand through) but this one
in the Amazon picture seems to have a one-inch opening with a tiny 1/4-inch
nozzle.

Is that right?

If so, I don't see why it's not perfect for the task - if it generates the
smoke at enough of a pressure to get us a couple of psi for a long period
of time. It has to be in the goldilocks range of a few psi (maybe 2 to 4
psi?).

The output is 2000 CFM, which seems like a lot.
Is there a way to *convert* that to PSI?

The "wired control" might even be useful for one-man operation while
debugging a vaccum leak on an engine.

The machine holds 0.5 liters (1/8 gallon) where a gallon of the fog juice
(propylene glycol perhaps?) is $20 which means the machine, over time, is
cheaper than the fluid used to make the smoke!
<https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Great-Party-Fog-Machines/dp/B005UQPPK4/ref=pd_sim_267_1/135-2052768-3676406>

So I do agree, for forty something bucks, it's about the same cost as what
it cost me to make that tin-can smoke machine that didn't work.
https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke1.jpg.html

Any idea how to calculate the PSI out from the 2000CFM spec?
  #6  
Old December 15th 17, 07:52 PM posted to alt.home.repair,rec.autos.tech,sci.electronics.repair
Tekkie®
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 84
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home made smoke machine?

Arthur Wood posted for all of us...


>
> All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
> that works. All it needs to do is...
> a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.
>
> We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
> smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
> smoke machine.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html
>
> It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
> rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
> smoke for a long enough period of time.
>
> Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html
>
> It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html
>
> The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
> the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html
>
> We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
> the side.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html
>
> There's just not enough smoke.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html
>
> Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
> Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
> a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.


From reading replies you don't any research on anything before posting, then
you argue and ask more questions. Are you a previous poster under another
name?

--
Tekkie
  #7  
Old December 15th 17, 08:18 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 128
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home madesmoke machine?

On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 12:52:34 PM UTC-6, Tekkie® wrote:
> Arthur Wood posted for all of us...
>
>
> >
> > All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
> > that works. All it needs to do is...
> > a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> > b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.
> >
> > We made a smoke machine to work on a friend's kid's old bimmer but the
> > smoke machine we made failed to generate enough smoke. And now I need a
> > smoke machine.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke2.jpg.html
> >
> > It seems so simple, and yes, we've seen the "cigar in a can" and "burning
> > rags in a can" videos but they all have problems of not generating enough
> > smoke for a long enough period of time.
> >
> > Our machine generates smoke for a long time but not enough smoke!
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke7.jpg.html
> >
> > It's 3 holes in a new paint can with glycerin in a soup can inside.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke3.jpg.html
> >
> > The top has a 12VDC diesel glow plug which gets red hot. It is stuck into
> > the glycerin in a soup can. That generates the smoke.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke5.jpg.html
> >
> > We push that smoke out regulated at about 3 psi with an air gun mounted on
> > the side.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke8.jpg.html
> >
> > There's just not enough smoke.
> > https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke9.jpg.html
> >
> > Do you know what fluid would generate more non-sticky smoke?
> > Or do you know of a hundred dollar smoke machine that can do the two thing?
> > a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> > b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

>
> From reading replies you don't any research on anything before posting, then
> you argue and ask more questions. Are you a previous poster under another
> name?
>
> --
> Tekkie


Smoke rises. Mostly, I don't think a smokey 'pot' needs air pressure for that smoke to find its way through any leaky vacuum lines. Look around and see what you have to make a leak detector.
  #8  
Old December 15th 17, 08:19 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 128
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home madesmoke machine?

On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 1:18:52 PM UTC-6, wrote:
> On Friday, December 15, 2017 at 12:52:34 PM UTC-6, Tekkie® wrote:
> > Arthur Wood posted for all of us...
> >
> >
> > >
> > > All we need to find vacuum leaks in a complex engine is a smoke machine
> > > that works. All it needs to do is...
> > > a. Emit lots of smoke that won't clog up an engine when it condenses, and,
> > > b. Constantly push that smoke at a couple of psi for about a half hour.

  #9  
Old December 15th 17, 08:22 PM posted to alt.home.repair,rec.autos.tech,sci.electronics.repair
rickman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home madesmoke machine?

Arthur Wood wrote on 12/15/2017 12:46 PM:
> trader_4 wrote:
>
>>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2XYORX

>> That's what I was telling him about in the other thread here, that I've
>> heard people have used one of those disco smoke gizmos. Seems you
>> should be able to rig up something to pipe it in. Plus, with a boom box
>> and some songs, you can have a business at parties and weddings as a DJ.

>
> I thank you for coming to my aid, and I apologize for not having "believed"
> in your previous suggestion. (See below why.)
>
> For some reason, I had thought that the "party foggers" had a big opening
> at low pressure (like the size you can put your hand through) but this one
> in the Amazon picture seems to have a one-inch opening with a tiny 1/4-inch
> nozzle.
>
> Is that right?
>
> If so, I don't see why it's not perfect for the task - if it generates the
> smoke at enough of a pressure to get us a couple of psi for a long period
> of time. It has to be in the goldilocks range of a few psi (maybe 2 to 4
> psi?).


How did you come up with that number?


> The output is 2000 CFM, which seems like a lot.
> Is there a way to *convert* that to PSI?


Not really. Most likely they are using a fan designed to move air against
very little pressure, like the "muffin" fans in a PC. They will move a
decent volume of air at very low pressure, but the air flow falls off very
quickly as the pressure increases. The only way to know for sure is to get
the spec sheet of the fan.

Here is a spec sheet of a typical DC cooling fan.

http://www.nmbtc.com/content/pdfs/08015JE.pdf

Notice the flow goes to zero at pressures around 0.1 inches of H2O. Your 2
psi would be 55 inches of H2O.

Maybe they are using a different type of fan, but I don't think you are
going to get 2 psi from one of these machines. Maybe you could rig your
compressor to it to boost the pressure.


> The "wired control" might even be useful for one-man operation while
> debugging a vaccum leak on an engine.
>
> The machine holds 0.5 liters (1/8 gallon) where a gallon of the fog juice
> (propylene glycol perhaps?) is $20 which means the machine, over time, is
> cheaper than the fluid used to make the smoke!
> <https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Great-Party-Fog-Machines/dp/B005UQPPK4/ref=pd_sim_267_1/135-2052768-3676406>
>
> So I do agree, for forty something bucks, it's about the same cost as what
> it cost me to make that tin-can smoke machine that didn't work.
> https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke1.jpg.html


The same cost for something that also isn't likely to work without
modification.

> Any idea how to calculate the PSI out from the 2000CFM spec?


See above...

--

Rick C

Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms,
on the centerline of totality since 1998
  #10  
Old December 15th 17, 09:03 PM posted to alt.home.repair,rec.autos.tech,sci.electronics.repair
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2
Default Do you have the electronics skills to design a good home made smoke machine?

On Fri, 15 Dec 2017 17:46:23 -0000 (UTC), Arthur Wood
> wrote:

>trader_4 wrote:
>
>>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N2XYORX

>> That's what I was telling him about in the other thread here, that I've
>> heard people have used one of those disco smoke gizmos. Seems you
>> should be able to rig up something to pipe it in. Plus, with a boom box
>> and some songs, you can have a business at parties and weddings as a DJ.

>
>I thank you for coming to my aid, and I apologize for not having "believed"
>in your previous suggestion. (See below why.)
>
>For some reason, I had thought that the "party foggers" had a big opening
>at low pressure (like the size you can put your hand through) but this one
>in the Amazon picture seems to have a one-inch opening with a tiny 1/4-inch
>nozzle.
>
>Is that right?
>
>If so, I don't see why it's not perfect for the task - if it generates the
>smoke at enough of a pressure to get us a couple of psi for a long period
>of time. It has to be in the goldilocks range of a few psi (maybe 2 to 4
>psi?).
>
>The output is 2000 CFM, which seems like a lot.
>Is there a way to *convert* that to PSI?
>
>The "wired control" might even be useful for one-man operation while
>debugging a vaccum leak on an engine.
>
>The machine holds 0.5 liters (1/8 gallon) where a gallon of the fog juice
>(propylene glycol perhaps?) is $20 which means the machine, over time, is
>cheaper than the fluid used to make the smoke!
><https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Great-Party-Fog-Machines/dp/B005UQPPK4/ref=pd_sim_267_1/135-2052768-3676406>
>
>So I do agree, for forty something bucks, it's about the same cost as what
>it cost me to make that tin-can smoke machine that didn't work.
>https://www.turboimagehost.com/p/368...moke1.jpg.html
>
>Any idea how to calculate the PSI out from the 2000CFM spec?

You can calculate the PSI if you know the viscosity of the fluid and
the size of the orifice the fluid has to pass through. So you will
need to guess at the size of the orifice on the party smoke machine
and then look online for about 5 minutes to find a page that will let
you just plug the numbers in. I am pretty sure that searching for a
"conversions" web site will provide you with a solution. Why do you
need 2 to 4 PSI?
Eric
 




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