☠️
The MalaMaker Wiki
  • Home
  • Projects
    • Halloween and Haunt
      • Caught on Camera
      • Costumes and Costume Props
        • Dumb and Dumber: Mutts Cuts Wagon
      • Tombstones
        • Stranger Things: Billy Hargrove
        • Hocus Pocus: Billy Butcherson Tombstone
        • Hocus Pocus: Emily Binx Tombstone
        • Frankenweenie: Sparky Tombstone
        • Mouse Hunt: Catzilla
        • The Statues Are Watching
      • Props and Decor
        • Foam Tattooing (Graphics Transfer)
        • Let it Grow... Lights
        • Moss (DIY)
        • Moss (Fear Finish)
        • Rust (Fear Finish)
        • Graveyard Entrance
        • Corner / Entrance Pillars
        • Wrought Iron Fencing
        • Finishing Techniques
        • Beetlejuice Arrow Sign Prop Replica
      • Electronics & Automations
        • Motion Sensor Array
        • Smart Lantern Upgrade
      • Fogger Hacks
        • Homemade Fog Fluid
        • Fog Machine Maintenance
        • Fog Distribution System
        • Smart Fog Controller Hack
      • Animatronics and Special Effects
      • Pumpkin Carving
    • Arcade Games
      • Skee Ball Xtreme
    • Games
      • Among Us (Live Action Play)
    • Toys
      • Lionel Ready To Play Train Set
        • Criss-Cross Track (LR2P)
        • Railroad Crossing (LR2P)
        • Track Bumper (LR2P)
        • 60 Degree Crisscross Track (LR2P)
        • Loco-Loader Express Track (LR2P)
        • Ramp and Elevated Track System (LR2P)
      • Playskool Express 1988 - 1991 Train Sets and Accessories
        • Locomotive Assembly and Maintenance (Playskool Express)
      • Matchbox Action Driver Compatible City Roads and Interstate
    • Machines and Tools
      • Syil x4 CNC Mill Rebuild
      • Countertop Transport Cart
      • DIY Concrete Vibrator
      • Elegoo SLA Printer USB Network Storage
    • Home Automation
    • Casting (Resin and Silicone)
      • Recasting Rubber Axe Handles
      • Stage Pouring a Mold
    • Concrete Countertops
    • Covid-19
      • The MalaMask Project
  • TikTok (@malamaker86)
  • YouTube (The MalaMaker)
  • Photo Album
  • Maker86 Ind. Store
  • M86 Toys Store
  • Maker86 Industries
  • River City Labs (My MakerSpace)
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  • Supplies
  • Building an AC Sensing Circuit
  • Hacking the controller
  • Providing Power
  • The Build
  • Flashing Your Controller

Was this helpful?

  1. Projects
  2. Halloween and Haunt
  3. Fogger Hacks

Smart Fog Controller Hack

Looking to integrate your fog machine into Home Automation or just simply make it wifi enabled... This will show you how.

PreviousFog Distribution SystemNextAnimatronics and Special Effects

Last updated 3 years ago

Was this helpful?

This project is a bit more complex but if you ever want to control a fog machine with Home Automation, this post is for you. The hack is designed where you can still use the original features of the machine with the added benefits of a smart device. Details and Circuit Design Coming Soon!

Note: Working with AC voltages is DANGEROUS, care must be taken to prevent any short circuits or mistakes in connection. And as always, you are doing this project at your own risk and the Author cannot be held liable for any damages.

Supplies

Building an AC Sensing Circuit

Since a fog machine runs on AC power you need a way to convert the AC signal that indicates the fog machine is ready into a microprocessor. This can be done with an AC sensing circuit who's primary components are a Bridge Rectifier and an Optocoupler. See the circuit diagrams below.

To make this compatible with 220v AC current you will need to swap the 33k ohm and 330 ohm resistors. Details coming soon.

AC Sensing Circuit Build (5v only)

Parts

Details and Build Video Coming Soon!

Hacking the controller

Hacking the system boils down to tapping into the wires that feed the remote to sense when the LED turns on indicating it is ready to disperse fog and connecting the two wires together that trigger the fog. AC power is what runs the entire fog machine to proceed with caution and at your own risk.

See the wiring diagram below to understand how each component interconnects to make up the entire smart hack.

Common Controller Color Code Conversion

There is a common controller that is used on no-name or non mainstream brands of fog machines which uses a yellow, brown and blue color coding. Below you will find a color conversion for this remote with the color coding found in Chauvet Hurricane remotes.

Black = Yellow Green = Brown White = Blue

Providing Power

There are two ways to provide power to your D1 Mini... either through a USB micro power supply or by tapping into the the fog machine power cord and using a PLG06A-5V transformer (see "Wiring Diagram").

The Build

From This...

To This...

To THIS...

Details Coming Soon!

Flashing Your Controller

2cm x 8cm PCB (Cut in half) []

DB107 Bridge Rectifier []

LTV-816 Optocoupler []

33k ohm, 1/2 watt Resistor []

330 ohm, 1/2 watt Resistor []

2.2 uf Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitor []

2 Pole Fixed Terminal Block []

(Optional) Male Header Pin [] (You can direct wire to the ESP board, I tend to modularize things if I need to replace parts in the future)

I am not going to cover how to flash an espHome because there documentation that already exists to do this. Visit the for installation details or add the espHome plugin to Hass.io to flash an espHome device. I have provided a template YAML config based on the diagram above.

Amazon
Mouser
Mouser
Mouser
Mouser
Mouser
Mouser
Amazon
espHome site
The concept explained and demo'ed
29KB
ac_sense_circuit.pdf
pdf
110v AC Sense Circuit
767B
halloween_fogmachine_template.yml
espHome Fog Machine YAML (D1 Mini)
Wiring Diagram
Common Remote on no name fog machines