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FAQs
Click on a question to read the answer:
What's the
difference between a smoke machine and a fog machine?
What is a smoke machine?
How does a smoke machine work?
What makes the smoke?
How much do smoke machines cost?
Where can I buy a smoke machine?
Do you accept credit cards?
Do you deliver worldwide?
What's
the difference between a smoke machine and a fog machine?
The terms 'smoke machine' and 'fog machine'
both refer to the same type of unit.
'Fog machine' is the term used more in the United States, and 'smoke
machine' is the term mainly used in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Technically, the correct terminology is 'fog machine', as the
dictionary definition of fog is 'liquid particles suspended in the
air' (smoke/fog machines always vapourise liquid), whereas smoke is
'solid particles suspended in the air'. The effect generated appears
to be that of smoke. Tradition along with product descriptions over
the decades has created this moniker foible.
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What is a smoke machine?
A smoke machine is an eletro-mechanical unit which produces
clouds of smoke on demand. Smoke machines are used in theatres, night
clubs, film and television studios, theme parks and other entertainment
applications to produce a smoke or fog effect which creates the illusion
of fog, steam, smoke from a fire, and many other effects or atmospheres.
They are also used to create 'safe smoke' in fire training scenarios,
for leak testing of buildings and containers, and air flow in wind
tunnels (to visualise the air flow). Their size can range from less
than that of a car battery to a small car.
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How does a smoke machine work?
A smoke machine, in its simplest terms, is a heating
element which gets very hot, through which special fluid is pumped
and is vapourised, thereby creating smoke vapour which exits the machine
through the nozzle. Electronic circuitry ensures that the heating
block in the smoke machine is kept between certain temperatures -
too hot and the machine could turn into a flame thrower - too cold
and it shoots out hot liquid.
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What makes the smoke?
The most common type of smoke machine are those which
use a water-based fluid, which is made up mainly of pharmaceutical
grade glycol and water. There are also other harmless chemicals in
the fluid. Other types of smoke machine include dry ice machines (which
create a low lying heavy fog that uses solid carbon dioxide AKA dry
ice), liquid nitrogen (which also creates a low lying fog), oil based
smoke machines (similar in principle to water based machines, but
uses an oil rather than a water base - the smoke can withstand much
higher temperatures) and hazers (water based haze generators, mainly
used to accentuate lighting than for conventional 'smoke' effects).
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How much do smoke machines cost?
Smoke machines range in price, but "Talia expensa
sic empta" - you get what you pay for. We sell machines by the
most reputable and consistent companies. Our cheapest machine is the
Smoke Stream Jnr. that is ideal for small applications and home use,
and is hand-held. Smoke machines that are capable of operating continuously
at high output will cost more but always have the power available
for larger and more varied applications and will never require a re-heat
dead band. The reason our machines are cheaper than other outlets
is due to our low overheads and because we're not VAT registered.
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Where can I buy a smoke machine?
Pea Soup Ltd. supply smoke machines in the UK
at low prices - click here to see product
list.
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Do you
accept credit cards?
Yes. We accept Visa, Mastercard Switch, Solo,
American Express, Visa Delta, Visa Electron, JCB and Eurocard.
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Do you
deliver worldwide?
We can do, although there is an additional postage
charge. Please contact us if you're outside the UK and would like
to order from us. Here's the approximate figures for ordering Pea
Soup machines in Europe:
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Do you have a recipe for pea soup?
Yes! It's here - Pea Soup recipe
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