Are legitimate water-based hazers an actual reality now?

[Badger]

Hello, everyone.

Back when I used to frequent DJF years ago, we would often have threads (usually posted by newbies) which would ask if a particular "hazer" by ADJ or Chauvet was any good, and the response was normally this:

• That's not a hazer. It's a fog machine.
• It's water-based. Hazers are oil-based.
• Real hazers cost a ton of money. That thing is cheap.
• Doesn't matter that they're calling it a hazer. It's not a hazer.
• If anything, it's a "fazer." Just a fog machine with a fan.
• Dear holy crap, that thing is trash.
• Water-based fog will set off fire alarms; hazers usually won't.
• Sell a kidney and get a proper oil-based hazer, noob.
• Death to false metal.

I have recently made my foray back into mobile DJing, and I recently started looking at hazers again. I'm not seeing many oil-based hazers anywhere, even on eBay. Are they obsolete? Or am I just overlooking something?

I'm hoping that the technology has somehow changed over the past few years and that scientists in some arcane laboratory have figured out a way to make a legitimate water-based hazer. I ran into this thing on eBay and I'm wondering if it's actually something I should consider.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STAGE-HAZE-9...D/361891487409

I look forward to any assistance that you can offer. Thank you very much!

[light-o-matic]

It has been quite a while since I have been in the lighting game.. years.. so not sure where things stand now. There are def a few hazers out there which use water and which are NOT glycol based. But most of the water based hazers still are. So yea, these are mostly machines that produce thinned out glycol fog.

But so far as oil hazers, yea they are awesome. I still have a ReelFX DF50, produced gobs of beautiful, long lasting, very clear looking fog. No smoky appearance, very glassy looking beams, awesome. But loud enough to be heard throughout a large room with the sound system off. Only useful in loud/large events. Though one nice thing about it was, I could run it for just a few minutes at a time, and the haze would really last. I'd haze the place up good before the start of the night and then run it maybe 5-10 minutes an hour. For a sick effect I'd leave it running for 20 minutes or so and really haze the place with darker colors and thin beams on the lights.. and it wouldn't seem too too hazy.. then I'd go full bore with strobes and white beams and you would suddenly be in a cloud. Awesome. I don't use it anymore but haven't been able to bring myself to sell it.

But yea, it is not a machine for ****** use, you can't do a house party or a wedding. Too loud. Hence the popularity of the other type.

So yea forget about oil unless you are doing serious electronic events.
Look into the water based units and see if the non-glycol technology went anywhere in the last 5-10 years.

[Coronaoperator]

Nothing beats the look of oil but as a venue owner the dust bunnies aren't worth the trouble.

A very good compromise is the LeMaitre Radiance. It is what I use now. It is a water based hazer that uses glycerin instead of glycol. It doesn't bother people's throats, eyes and mucous membranes like a glycol fogger does. Yes it is expensive but it will last forever as it is designed to easily be serviced by anyone who can use a screwdriver.

All the others are glorified foggers, some better than others.

[BillESC]

I second the Radiance. It is a major seller for me.

[Drewbdo]

I picked up the Blizzard AtmosFear Tour HZ hazer last year. It seems to do a good job for mobile events. Water based.

Most venues I've talked to will not allow oil based haze.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[wapples]

Whats the cost on a Radiance out of curiosity I too would love to be avoiding one of the oil units we have in a location for an alternative. Its the Antari HZ500 and its a tank Quiet and the yield is AMAZING BUT!
He wants to get rid of the oil all advice warmly received since my old school hazer does need replacing and with more and more venues concerned on smoke detectors etc being triggered any alternative to still offer an effect is a winner.
OPOAT

FIRST OF ALL based on your link I wish to reply with this link:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chauvet-DJ-...item466e6372a4



FREE Headphones
Honourable Mention to :
Dear holy crap, that thing is trash

[BillESC]

Radiance is $ 1099 with free shipping in the US 48 states.