# another smoke project



## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

nichrome wire 1/2 inch 7 volt battery


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Great smoke! Looks like you took a tumble at the end of the video. I hope you weren't injured.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

What are you controlling it with?

Have you given up on "puffing"?

Nice big back yard, I'm jealous!

Too bad about the earthquake at the end!

Greg


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Impressive volume of smoke.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Will make a write up soon,one thing i found out is not to invest a $ 100. bucks in a smoke unit you can build it for $ 5 bucks butt you need to invest in a good high amp voltage regulator which can take the heat! I 'm talking about the 5 amp critter control from g scale graphics ! Greg i ve been smoking when i turned 14,quit with 30 and started again with 40 ,only with live steam and good steam sparky's so my lungs are clear except for the occasionally Bar fragrance can't avoid the wiff! Now the puffing is in work ,have other things to do in the moment ,will catch up on that! Cheers!


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Why a $100 for a smoke unit??
Any fan driven unit can be used with the zimo decoder to control both the fan and heater element.
I have done the USA Trains, Aristocraft, trainli, and even the ESU unit.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, I think the cost estimate was a bit extreme to draw the contrast with $5.

Of course a pulsed Massoth unit is indeed $100.

I'd make my comparision apples to apples, just constant DC into a heater and fan should be compared to a replacement USAT smoke unit perhaps.

Comparing a Massoth with the DCC smarts, regulator, pulsed smoke control, SUSI to a piece of wire and a fan is really not a 1 to 1 comparison.

But Manfried is a man on a quest... Still hard to beat the Harbor Models unit, but that is expensive, and I think he melted one of those down too! 

Greg


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Add the cost of decoder use and you fast over $,keep in mind :I refuse to go Dcc,I'm anonymous in that!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

It's not just going DCC, all higher end sound cards are also DCC decoders and about $200.

You can do sound for less, but it's also a notch down in quality.

So, for those people with good sound, the electronics to run the heater and fan of a smoke unit are free.

Greg


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Occam's razor.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Smoke unit works like a charm,might have to turn down the :Heat a little bit! Gotta insulate the stack (new one) and putt a wire mesh in it to catch the sparks,just like the real thing,yes guys,"flaming stack!! Looks funny,doesn't it?


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## billsharron (Jan 3, 2008)

Great Smoke!! Next how can it be made grey or black.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, since you can melt the actual plastic stack, I think your're getting really close to realism, why not actually start a fire, and you WILL get black smoke.

Seriously, that's a lot of heat you were generating, what did you use for a wick, clearly you had more heat than you could dissipate, so I'm wondering if your wick is getting gummed up?

Greg


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Glassfibre wick,the reason it turned into a flamer is pretty simple outa torch fuel!! Working on the length of the nichrome wire to tune it right :according to my HF instruments (1 set up as a volt meter the 2nd measures the ah a la Dave Bodnar ,the voltage read 3.5 volts but the amps )according the HF meter jumped to almost 5 amps ,thats way to much the battery i used is a18 volt 2.2 ah power tool battery ,the the voltage regulator is a Critter control basic cooled by a blower motor ! I have to check the new set up with a adjustable voltage regulator 3-18 volts 5 ah
so ca 5-6 volts and 1,5 ah will be my guess for continuous running,as for fluid control i'll putt a 1/8 brass or copper tube 1/4 inch above the reservoir bottom so when the fluid gets below that tube smoke will come out of the tube which gives me another 5 minutes to refill!


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