Creating a fog cooler for low lying fog effect

I built this DIY smoke machine / fog cooler, for use at our local theatre, the purpose is to create a low fog that hugs the ground. As when using a standard smoke machine the fog will rise quickly.

The main idea being hot fog goes in one end and the ice cools the fog before leaving the other. This causes the fog to stay low on the ground.

In this design the fog enters on the bottom level, splits to a three way tee, fog travels across this level to another tee, then makes it way up to the next level via a couple of 90 degree bends this is to maximise the time the fog spends in the cooler. The cooled fog then exits into another tee to make an even exit.

What’s needed

I used the following parts to make this:

• 1x plastic tub with lid (big)
• 1x plastic tub with lid (smaller)
• 1x length of Pipe (32mm x 3m) (link)
• 6x Bends 90° 32mmn (link)
• 5x Equal Tees 32mm
• 2x tank connector 32mm
• 2x coupling (32mm) (link)
• 1x Pipe Weld Cement (link)
• 1x fan controller (link)
• 1x 12v pc fan

All that is need to construct is to cut a couple entry holes to the tub, to the size of our chosen tank connector mine is 32mm, the fog will exit this tank connector via a couple 90 degree bends to a meter long section of pipe with a variety of holes cut in it. This is to try it get an even spread of fog. At the end of this section of pipe is an end plug.

For cooling I am using frozen water bottles. I also added a pc fan in the box set on low to encourage the fog to move though the cooler.

I didn’t solvent weld all the connections, as I wanted an easy way to take apart and transport as wanted to to be able to change the setup easily when needed.