Boosting a H.L. smoke unit

[tanker 242]

thanks jonger i will be ordering the fans for 3 of my tanks then when the proportional units are back in stock will be getting them as well tanker 242,

[strmnd54]

On one side of the casing of the fan, you will find 2 arrows...
One arrow indicates the rotation; and the other indicates the air -flow ( this one has to point downward)...
If you mix the + and - wires connections; the fan just won't turn...
So first: make sure the fan is turning
Second : the air flow should be pointing down

Norm.

[MichaelC]

Thanks Norm. I think my fans are too cheap to even have the casing mark but I figure it out with the toilet paper test.......... It is sucking in air and the air flow is going down into the pump. I also notice that if I drill the hole too big on the pump I get a back flow of smoke (i.e. instead of coming out from the chamber it is actually coming back out from the hole on the pump).

[strmnd54]

Thanks Norm. I think my fans are too cheap to even have the casing mark but I figure it out with the toilet paper test.......... It is sucking in air and the air flow is going down into the pump. I also notice that if I drill the hole too big on the pump I get a back flow of smoke (i.e. instead of coming out from the chamber it is actually coming back out from the hole on the pump).

Here's a picture combo of the drill sizes that have been working well for me...

[tanker 242]

hi jonger & michaelc did you guys increase the sise of the air hole inside to 3/16 as well as doing the 1/8 hole ,or did you just do the 1/8 hole & leave the inside one alone ? tanker 242

[MichaelC]

I did the 1/8" and the 3/16". Its not all that difficult since there is already a hole there for the 3/16" on the inside and you just need to make it bigger. I am still not getting anywhere near the smoke like strmnd54 but there is definitely an improvement. It might also be my smoke liquid (stock from HL or babyoil so far, nithing terribly exotic). Didn't change the wick with the resistors or the additional input and output hole.

[strmnd54]

hi jonger & michaelc did you guys increase the sise of the air hole inside to 3/16 as well as doing the 1/8 hole ,or did you just do the 1/8 hole & leave the inside one alone ? tanker 242

If don't plan to change the original heater element and enlarge the exhaust ports on your unit; don't enlarge the air hole inside the chamber...You might have smoke coming through the fan port on the back stroke of the piston....
The 2 smokers in the first video of this thread were running with the original heater and the standard size holes ...
All I did was to drill a 1/8" hole for the fan on the top of the cylinder...

[tanker 242]

thanks michaelc sounds like you didnt do all of strmnd54s alterations , like he just said iff not enlargeing the exhaust ports then you dont need to enlarge the air hole inside , & thanks strmnd54 will follow your advice & just do the 1/8 hole for the fan , tanker 242

[MichaelC]

Yeah, I am not that handy or adventurous but even with just 1/8" hole on the pump unit and the fan mine is still not making smoke like strmnd54s..........

I thought maybe the 3/16" inside would help but didn't add all that much to it. I am still debating whether to start enlarging the output and putting in a new input as well and go the full monty........

And of course stramnd54 is right. On one of mine there is back draft of smoke coming out of the pump unit instead of the output vent.

[MichaelC]

Hey strmnd54, any thought on perhaps making the smoke opening on the side (back) of the smoker rather than on top ? I noticed that on couple of my tanks I need to bend the tube and that's where the production drops off significantly. Would the smoker still work with if I seal the top two smoke port and instead drill two holes on the side just underneath the black seal as the smoke ports ? Then I can just go straight across to the exhaust rather than having to bend the tube.

I noticed that condensation is gather up on the tubes so instead of smoke coming out they turn back into liquid form.