Smoke machine fluid

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   What typically goes into smoke machine fluid?
The reason I ask is that my girlfriend suffers badly from eczema. The other night we went out to venue we regularly go to, the next morning her skin had come out really badly. She has an ever growing list of triggers, so it could have been one or more of many things, but the most noticeable difference to a normal night out was that the venue was using their smoke machines a hell of a lot more than normal for some reason.

As far as I understand it, which isn't very far at all, the fluid is typically water and glycol which shouldn't cause a problem. However I can see manufacturers using all sorts of "tricks of the trade" to give a better end result.

With this particular venue I know the management quite well, I can easily find out what type they use and acquire the MSDS/COSHH sheets to find out exactly what irritants may be present in it but that's not really an effective solution for everywhere we go to!

I really hope this isn't an issue, it will be annoying to say the least if we have to stop going anywhere that has a smoke machine.

BTW I'm using smoke machine as a generic term, I'm aware that you also get foggers, hazers etc, although I've never really been that sure of the differences!

Cheers

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BlueDragon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 02 March 2010 Status: Offline Points: 360	Post Options Post Reply Quote BlueDragon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Smoke machine fluid Posted: 09 April 2010 at 1:25am
	What typically goes into smoke machine fluid? The reason I ask is that my girlfriend suffers badly from eczema. The other night we went out to venue we regularly go to, the next morning her skin had come out really badly. She has an ever growing list of triggers, so it could have been one or more of many things, but the most noticeable difference to a normal night out was that the venue was using their smoke machines a hell of a lot more than normal for some reason. As far as I understand it, which isn't very far at all, the fluid is typically water and glycol which shouldn't cause a problem. However I can see manufacturers using all sorts of "tricks of the trade" to give a better end result. With this particular venue I know the management quite well, I can easily find out what type they use and acquire the MSDS/COSHH sheets to find out exactly what irritants may be present in it but that's not really an effective solution for everywhere we go to! I really hope this isn't an issue, it will be annoying to say the least if we have to stop going anywhere that has a smoke machine. BTW I'm using smoke machine as a generic term, I'm aware that you also get foggers, hazers etc, although I've never really been that sure of the differences! Cheers

mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 03 November 2008 Location: Brighton Status: Offline Points: 7797	Post Options Post Reply Quote mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 April 2010 at 3:03am
	Smoke fluid is a mixture (as i understand it) of Glycol (a type of oil from glycerine) and deionised water. the mix goes through the heating element, releasing steam and oil vapour (ie: smoke). 'high density' fluid is simply a higher mix of glycol. haze machines are small smoke machines on full duty cycle with a more watered down mix, constantly letting out a 'haze', whereas smoke machine lets out bursts of concentrated smoke. When i briefly looked into this, the only effects i could find were that the glycol is its a dehydrator or some word of the like, ie: like all oils, it repels water drying out your eyes for instance. It may have dried her skin out and caused it who knows, may have been dodgy hormones that night and tired from dancing, never heard of anything like this before.
	''Remember that the object of a subwoofer is to enhance the output of your main speakers, not overpower it'' ''Dubstep - an elongated electronic fart''

csg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 17 September 2007 Location: bedford Status: Offline Points: 6085	Post Options Post Reply Quote csg Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 April 2010 at 9:55am
	normal smoke machine fluid is a mix of glycol and deionised water, sometimes with a small amount of perfume smoke fluids designed for longer hang times ( ie slow dispersing) tend to be mixed from glycerin rather than glycol. These fluids tend to be used in haze machines, where a long hang time is desirable smoke fluids for oil cracker hazers and gas atomising hazers are pure food grade mineral oil. Both the glycol and glycerin fluid types are the cheapest and most comon. They also attract and draw moisture out of the air - this is why many band singers etc complain about the use of too much smoke. This could be the cause of your girlfriends irritation. Oil based systems are much much more expensive, but do not dry out the surrouding enviroment, meaning that the chances of irritation are much smaller. crackers can suffer deposition problems, leaving oil on surfaces over time, but this is solved by gas atomising oil machines. These however are really really expensive, so only get used where they are really needed like TV studios, aerospace testing etc so, my guess is that excessive glycol smoke, combined with air conditioning caused a dry enviroment, causing the irritation Edited by csg - 09 April 2010 at 9:57am

freeytrap Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 18 May 2007 Location: chester Status: Offline Points: 313	Post Options Post Reply Quote freeytrap Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 April 2010 at 11:35am
	u shure no one has been puting popers in the smoke machene a frind of mine who had an install in a gay club keept haveing to replace the smoke machene because of people doing this

backlash Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 11 November 2008 Location: Devon Status: Offline Points: 3532	Post Options Post Reply Quote backlash Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 April 2010 at 12:59am
	I used to suffer in my local theatre, I used to get horrible skin and sinusitis. But when I got one for mobile dj use and parties, never once suffered. Never suffered since, but I used to be in a musical and panto once a year, and for rehearsal week and show week I'd suffer for about 6 years or more. Only thing I can put it down to.
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BlueDragon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 02 March 2010 Status: Offline Points: 360	Post Options Post Reply Quote BlueDragon Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 April 2010 at 4:37am
	Thanks for the info and advice folks. It certainly seems that dehydration could at least be a contributing factor. I've passed the info on for her to discuss with her specialist. If there are any interesting comments made about this I'll let you know. Putting poppers in it? Some wrong people out there... Very much doubt that could be the case here - it's not really that sort of place to start with, and it's only the techs that would have access as they're up with the lights. Thanks again