Fog: Waterproof fan alternative

[Prodaytrader]

I have put fogponics on hold till I can resolve a few critical issues. One of those issues was how to move the fog around since every pc fan I put into my system eventually shorted out. I know they make waterproof fans, but I would have to order them online and even those I hear have to be replaced every so often. Just last night I saw an alternative to using a fan of any sort to move fog around.

I will test it tonight and post pics but the short of it is that you put a tube above your fogger large enough, maybe 2 inches wide for my purposes and then you feed in a small bubbler tube inside that larger tube. Hook the other end up to your air pump, the one connected to your bubble stones. I'm thinking it doesn't need to be more then an inch inside the first tube and the air tube needs to be pointing the way you want the fog to go, obviously. In the video I saw this, it sucked the fog up the pipe no problem. I would like to see how far I can take this little experiment, but I think it's just the trick I need to make fog work for me.

[ForgetClassC]

Why not have a fan that is at the end of a tube that is inserted so many inches into the chamber. Also, have the tube at the top of the chamber so that any condensation that does occur is forced down the pipe. Have this fan blowing into the fog chamber. Also, since you dont really want it to be exhausting all your fog, use a cellphone charger, which are around 5-6v as opposed to a 12v. Makes the fan much slower. Just a thought, see if it works if ya run out of ideas.

[Prodaytrader]

all good idea and some of which I have tried. I do use smaller transformers for my fans, I think around 5 volts is what I settled on, and that does slow the fan down greatly. Depending on the application you really don't want that much fan movement. However in my experience, anytime a fan is remotely close to fog the fan will make contact with the fog and begin condensing. This is where the problems begin to arise. I have tried fans pushing into a bucket with the fog supposedly being vented into another pipe but even that didn't work. Any fan in a tube whether it is at the top sucking or at the bottom blowing, will begin to condensate the fog. The only thing close to having worked is when I had a large single chamber res and just pushed air into it from the top. That's when I started to use lower fan speeds with smaller transformers. The system ultimatly failed though. Any fog system will need supplemental misters to handle the water needs of the plants in my opinion. I'm trying to redesign a system that will allow for fog and misters as needed.

[tesuji68]

I had the same problems that you describe, and here is how I resolved them, and now have a really well working fogger system that has gone through 2 grows using the same fan.

Things you need:
1 five gallon bucket with lid
2 dryer vent connectors (through wall, or flap style, not sure what they are called)
4 feet of dryer hose
some pink stuctural foam (I also use this for my tray cover
1 24oz plastic paint cup
zip ties
2 1.5 inch pairs of bulkhead connectors 1 F 1 M
1 60mm fan from radio shack
1 multi voltage output transformer.
small zip ties
fogger

I probably need to post some pics of this setup, but here's how you put it together

cut out a peice of sturctural foam that is small enough to fit in the bottom of the bucket
cut the center out to fit the small paint cup
cut the paint cup to a little deeper than required for the fogger
drill holes in the cup
drill some holes in the foam
mount the cup to the foam
mount the cup and foam to some dryer vent hose using some zip ties
cut a hole for the vent connector in the lid for the bucket
cut 2 holes for the bulkhead connectors
mount the vent connector in the lid and connect the vent to it on the inside
duct tape the fan to one FA
make a cap using an end cap and a small peice of pipe for the other one
cut a hole in your table top to mount the other vent connector
run the other peice of hose between that and the one on the bucket

use the second hole in the lid for checking ph and ec and filling the bucket between nute changes.

[Prodaytrader]

I think I would like to see a pic of that. Your fan does not get wet at all?

[LOC NAR on probation]

Don't some of the humidifiers have fans ? Oh wait here you go. Looks like this is what you need. Maybe I will try the fog again now too.

Waterproof Fans withstand harsh environmental applications., Sunon Inc. (http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/470460)

I love the net.