Fog Fluid Recipe

[shaferboy]

Hello. I'm a high school student and our theatre program, as you can imagine, has a pretty low budget. I was wondering if anyone has a recipe for homemade stage fog fluid. Thanks!

 

[MPowers]

If you use a fluid not approved by the machine's manufacturer, you void any and all warranty on the equipment.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Now is the BEST time of year to hit Target and Wal Mart and stock up on cheap fog juice for your $30 Halloween fogger!

 

[Edrick]

Don't play a chemist, just buy the stuff on sale. You can easily damage the machine or cause illness to people if you do it wrong.

 

[derekleffew]

From Fog Machines - Your Guide to using Fog Machines for Halloween :

CAN I MAKE MY OWN FOG FLUID?
We highly recommend against trying to make your own fog fluid. Manufacturers design the chemical content of the fog producing fluid around the specific fog machine they manufacture.

Water/Glycol based fog machine fluids are usually a mixture of 99.9% pure, pharmaceutical grade propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and distilled water. I have also heard of glycerin and distilled water being used in home-made fog machines (very dangerous), but again we recommend against this.

There are many variables to be considered including the temperature range of the fog machine's heating element and the correct proportions of these chemicals. If not created within the proper range for a specific fog machine, it is possible that the fog fluid could oxidize and produce toxic fumes, including formaldehyde, which is a definite health hazard.

Also, you could damage components in the fog machine, such as the heat exchanger, pump and exit nozzle. Plus, you will most likely void the warranty on the fog machine(s). I know I want the fog produced to be as safe and hazard free as possible for my family and guests. To me one of the most important things is that the company manufactured the machines using scientific research and engineering to produce a machine that is safe as possible.

I don't believe that any home-made fog machine or fluid will be as safe, clean and efficient as a commercial version. It's simply not worth saving a few bucks to take a chance. The risks simply do not out-weigh the price of a commercially designed and manufactured fog machine.

As industry experts have told us many times before,
USE ONLY THE MANUFACTURER'S APPROVED FLUID IN YOUR MACHINE!
It's not (solely) that they want to sell more fluid. There are also health, safety, and performance considerations.