Global SNOW STORM User manual

SNOWSTORM
EVAPORATIVE SNOW
MA CH IN E
T he Snow Storm
ww w.globalspecialeects.com ©2008 Global Special Eects, Inc.

New and Improved Machine
* DMX WILL NOT WORK UNLESS
TERMINATOR IS PLU ED IN

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WELCOME
Important Information About your SNOW STORM Snow Machine
THE SNOW STORM
Congratulations on your purchase of this Global Special Effects snow
machine. With your snow machine you will dazzle and entertain audiences
in large or small venues. Your SNOW STORM snow machine is loaded with
advanced features, but at the same time it is very easy to use.
The SNOW STORM is a modernized design in a family of special effects snow machines used for
years in Movie Productions, Theatres, Malls, and Presentations. This futuristic modeled “work- horse”
sprays evaporative snow from its nozzle section and creates a realistic snowfall effect without residue
or cold air. With its reliable, efficient and low-volume design, the SNOW STORM is a marvel for stage
productions, fancy presentations or unique weddings. The tethered remote and the DMX give the user
control over snow flake size and instant activation.
IMPORTANT PRODUCT AND SAFETY INFORMATION
Failure to follow these instructions can cause serious bodily injury or proper t y damage.
CAUTION: YOU MUST READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE
OPERATING THE SNOW STORM
The SNOW STORM is an Electric Product - not a Toy. To avoid the risk of fire, burns, personal
injury, and electric shock, it should not be played with and should be placed out of the reach of
small children. Adult supervision is continuously necessary to avoid the risk of electric shock or
personal injury. Never remove the covers or open the enclosures.
The SNOW STORM generates evaporative snow™ that normally dissipates completely when
dispensed from the ground to 20-30 ft in the air.. Since the residue is slippery, it is important to
follow all the directions in this manual to avoid this type of problem.
Never operate the SNOW STORM without evaporative snow™ in the solution bottle. Do not run the
SNOW STORM when the Gallon Solution bottle is holding less than a pint of solution. If you do not
follow these directions, the SNOW STORM can be damaged and warranty voided.
Never leave the SNOW STORM unattended while operating. Do not operate it in the rain or near
standing water. Always use an outlet with an earth grounding receptacle and a Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupt (GFCI).
Never use this product for any activity other than for what it is intended.
Never add flammable liquids (oil, gas, alcohol, perfume) to the snow solution.

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SNOW STORM Snow Machine Features and Specifications
Features
The best Evaporative Snow Machine in the world.
 4-channel DMX control
Remote control (rented/sold separately)
 Variable stand alone features
 Lifetime warranty
 24-Hour Technical Service
Repeat Cycle Timer (5 min. and 15 min. cycles)
Specifications
Voltage: 110 60 Hz or 220v 220v 100v
Current: 20 Amps
Size: 22” Wide, 27” Long and 2󰾡5” Tall (without the yoke and “C” Clamp)
Weight: 55 lbs
Materials: Predominately: Polyethylene Exterior with steel covers, bracket and yoke.
Color: Black and White
Snow Solution: Usage Rate of 3 gallons per hour of solution.
Solution Contains: 1 gallon or 4.3 liters
Power Cable
Length: 7 ft
Tether Length
To Remote: 30 ft
Sound: 74 db @ 9.8 feet

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Evaporative Snow™ Solution Mixture
Solution Mixture:
Global Special Effects™ Labs are constantly inventing and reformulating solutions in order to
improve the snow from the SNOW STORM. Please contact Global Special Effects™ at 256-229-
5551 for more information. In order to prevent operation problems and observe the Warranty
guidelines, always use a Global Special Effects™ approved solution. The FG-100 Snow Solution
comes premixed and ready to use. You will have to pour the solution into the plastic bottle that
comes with the SNOW STORM, if the solution bottle does not fit into the well on the SNOW
STORM.
FG-100 Evaporative Snow™ premixed. Recommended
Global Special Effects premixed solutions are designed with the highest grade of available water
based surfactants. The surfactant-based solution is mixed with de-ionized water to leave no residue
when using the snow machine properly. The use of de-ionized water is necessary to create a bright
fluffy snowflake. Global Special Effects Laboratories have researched and developed the driest
available snow solution on the market today. FG-100 premixed weight: 9.8 pounds.
Using Evaporative Snow™ concentrate solution FG-100C
Global Special Effects Labs have designed a concentrated version of FG-100 premixed in an attempt to
save shipping cost to our customers. The ratio mix for this snow solution is 8 oz. of solution per one
gallon of water. It is important to remember that the kind of water used will affect the quality of snow.
The recommended water to use is de-ionized water. This form of water has no minerals, hard
properties or chlorine. De-ionized water is the base ingredient in our formulation, because it makes
the best foam and leaves no water stains. It was originally used for the movie industry, so if the snow
landed on a camera lens, it would not leave a water ring. Since this formulation has no chemical, it
dries and leaves no film. De-ionized water is not available in grocery stores and can only be found at
medical supply companies. If your event does not require the use of a movie camera or will not land
on glass, distilled water may be used. Be aware that if you use tap water, it may have hard agents that
can cause poor looking snow. In this case, order FG-100 premix. The use of tap water, city water or
well water can be used with the following warnings: Certain tap waters contain high mineral content
and will produce a minimal amount of snow. These minerals will not produce a bright white flake. If
de- ionized water is not available, use distilled water.
See chart below (Chart 1) for some examples of common water/solution ratios. Please read before
mixing this product with water. Make sure you adhere to the mixing proportions.
Warning if you mix water with FG-100 premixed (non-concentrate), you will not
be able to generate snow. FG-100C Concentrate 8 oz bottle weight: 0.5 lb.
Chart 1
WATER FG-100 CONCENTRATE
Tablespoons or Pints or Fluid Ounces
½ gallon 8 ¼ 4
1gallon 16 ½ 8
2 gallons 32 1 16
5 gallons 80 2 ½ 40
Lightly Shake or Stir the solution in the container b efore operating the
SNOW STORM.

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General Operating Instructions
Operating Instructions:
The SNOW STORM has some simple instructions that must be carefully followed in order to
create the desired evaporative snowfall, ensure the safety of the operators/participants and to
protect the equipment from damage.
PLEASE FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.
1) Mount the SNOW STORM on a secure, dry and level platform. Since the larger the flake size the
slower it will be to evaporate, Chart 2 recommends Rotary Switch or Remote settings to minimize
residue on the ground. For safety reasons, the SNOW STORM should be unplugged from the
electrical outlet while placing it in your desired location. The Nozzle should be pointed in the
direction you want it to spray snow. Hang or route the 30 ft. tethered remote as required to the
desired operating location without pinching the wire. Do not operate the SNOW STORM in
the rain. The SNOW STORM is not waterproof. If it gets wet, unplug the snow
machine and contact “Global Special Effects™” technical support at 1-256-229-
5551.
Chart 2
Approximate Rotary Switch or Dial Remote Settings
Relative to Mounting Height to Minimize Residue
Rotary Switch
Setting
or Remote
Setting
Snowflake Size
Mounting
Height
900s
880-899 5 1/4 - 1/2 inch 30 ft
879-860 4 3/16 - 3/8 inch 25 ft
859-840 3 1/8 - 1/4 inch 20 ft
839-820 2 1/16 - 3/16 inch 15 ft
819-800 1 0 - 3/16 inch 10 ft*
* 10 ft is probably too low to prevent some residue on the ground.
2) If the snow solution is a concentrate, prepare the snow solution in the empty plastic gallon bottle
provided (located in the SNOW STORM solution bottle well) per the “Solution Mixture” section of
this manual (See Chart 1). If the correct water/concentrate mix is not blended properly, the SNOW
STORM may not create the ideal evaporative snowflakes. Place the clear tube in the container with
the “Solution Mixture” and push it down so that the open end reaches the bottom of the filled
container. The pump in the SNOW STORM is self-priming.
3) In order to start the SNOW STORM, plug the Snow Machine power cord into an outlet with a
3
rd
lead grounded conductor (preferably a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt -GFCI). Next, turn the
power

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General Operating Instructions
Operating Instructions:
switch “ON” in the back of the SNOW STORM. If you are using the DMX features, read the section
on DMX settings to get the proper response. If you are using the remote, set the DMX display on the
back
of the SNOW STORM unit to any number between 900-999. Press the “ON” switch on the tethered
remote to start the snowfall. Adjust the dial on the remote to set the desired snowflake size (See
Chart 2). Rotate the dial clockwise to obtain larger flakes and counterclockwise for smaller flakes. If
the flakes are sticking to the ground during an initial run, adjust the dial counterclockwise, after
drying off the ground surface (snowflakes accumulate more easily on a wet surface). Press “OFF” to
turn off the snow on the tethered remote. Do not operate the SNOW STORM without the
clear tube submerged in the filled solution container.
4) If the solution has drained out of the clear tube during a rest period for
the SNOW STORM, it may take a minute or two for the pump to self-
prime itself from the solution container liquid.
5) On the tethered remote, a blinking light signifies that the Power is “ON”.
A constant light from the LED signifies that the SNOW STORM is
blowing evaporative snow. If the light on the remote is completely off,
the unit is not powered up and cannot be controlled from the remote.
6) To turn the power OFF, push down on the red “O” button on the back of the unit.
DMX Settings SNOW STORM
The DMX settings are key to the operation of the SNOW STORM. The three-digit number on the back of the
SNOW STORM panel determines the operation mode for the SNOW STORM. Warning: there are DMX
settings where the SNOW STORM will appear not to operate, so always review the tables below during
setup and operation.
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9
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RANGE ACTIVITY
DMX Address- Outside Interface
599 Standby- No Activity
600 699 Short Cycles of ON/OFF Activity
700 799 Long Cycles of ON/OFF Activity
800 849 Zero to Minimal Snow-Blower Operates
850 859 Snow Flurry- Lowest Outputs
860 879 Light Snowfall- Smallest Flakes
880 889 Sub-Blizzard- Larger Snow Flakes
890 895 Ideal Range of Operation at 30 ft height
896 899 Maximum Snow Output- Largest Flakes
900 999 Remote Control Activated (Note: 5 Pin DMX
must be disconnected.)
See Chart 2 for Remote Controlled Flake Size

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100
Always On
:
75
74
15 Min Cycle
:
51
50
5 Min Cycle
:
25
24
Off
:
0
A
B
C
Mode
0
0
0
Idle
0
0
1
:
:
:
DMX
5
0
9
5
1
0
:
:
:
Idle
5
9
9
6
X
X
5 Min Cycle
7
X
X
15 Min
Cycle
8
X
X
Always On
9
X
X
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Using the Controller
Snow Machine Controller
The snow machine controller consists of one fan relay, a pump controller and control interface capable
of receiving a DMX signal or a proprietary remote control signal. The DMX address is set via a three digit
rotary switch located on the back of the device. The DMX address is set in a decimal fashion.
*SELECTED START ADDRESS The DMX interface is compliant with DMX-512
standards and electrically isolated to 1000VAC. The
Cycle
Time
Flake
Size
starting address can be set from 1 to 509. The DMX
protocol requires 4 dimmers defined as Mode, Cycle
100 100 100 100
: : : :
0 0 0 0
order.
DMX Mode Channel Level
Time, Duration and Flake Size. The Mode dimmer
defines the overall operation of the snow machine
- Off, On, and Momentary. The Mode dimmer will
correspond to the selected start address, with the Cycle
Time, Duration, and Flake Size channels in the following
When the mode channel is set to one of the Momentary
positions (either 5 or 15 min cycle), the Cycle Time and
Duration channels become active. The cycle time channel
establishes the time it takes for the entire event. Duration
channel is the length of time of snow output. The minimum
time of one cycle is 18 seconds with a ten second ON
time, a four second SNEEZE, and a four second WAIT. A
sneeze is when the blower remains on without the pump
and dries the sock, preventing postnasal drip.
The following tables show all the settings that can be attained with the use of the three digit rotary
switch located on the back of the device. An ‘X’ indicates that the number in that position does not
matter for the required result to be attained. Switch A is in the hundreds position, Switch B is in the
tens position, and Switch C is in the ones position.
Table 1- Mode Settings
Table 1 shows that there are six modes in which
the device may operate: Idle, DMX, 5 minute
cycle, 15 minute cycle, always on, and remote.

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A
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ON Time
WAIT Time
6
0
X
15 Seconds
4 Minutes 45 Seconds
6
1
X
30 Seconds
4 Minutes 30 Seconds
6
2
X
1 Minute
4 Minutes
6
3
X
1 Minute 30 Seconds
3 Minutes 30 Seconds
6
4
X
2 Minutes
3 Minutes
6
5
X
2 Minute 30 Seconds
2 Minutes 30 Seconds
6
6
X
3 Minutes
2 Minutes
6
7
X
3 Minute 30 Seconds
1 Minute 30 Seconds
6
8
X
4 Minutes
1 Minute
6
9
X
4 Minute 30 Seconds
30 Seconds
A
B
C
ON Time
WAIT Time
7
0
X
45 Seconds
14 Minutes 15 Seconds
7
1
X
1 Minute 30 Seconds
13 Minutes 30 Seconds
7
2
X
3 Minutes
12 Minutes
7
3
X
4 Minutes 30 Seconds
10 Minutes 30 Seconds
7
4
X
6 Minutes
9 Minutes
7
5
X
7 Minute 30 Seconds
7 Minutes 30 Seconds
7
6
X
9 Minutes
6 Minutes
7
7
X
10 Minute 30 Seconds
4 Minute 30 Seconds
7
8
X
12 Minutes
3 Minutes
7
9
X
13 Minute 30 Seconds
1 Minute 30 Seconds
A
B
C
Flake Size
6/7
X
0
1
6/7
X
1
2
6/7
X
2
3
6/7
X
3
4
6/7
X
4
5
6/7
X
5
6
6/7
X
6
7
6/7
X
7
8
6/7
X
8
9
6/7
X
9
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Using the Controller
Snow Machine Controller
Table 2 – 5 Minute Cycle
Table 2 displays the settings
for the 5 minute cycle.
Within this mode, the device
cycles are dependent on
the B switch setting. The
cycle time is the total time
of the event, and the “on
time” is the length of time of
snow output, similar to the
duration in the “DMX mode”.
Otherwise, the machine is in
a WAIT state
Table 3 – 15 Minute Cycle
Table 3 displays the settings
for the 15 minute cycle.
Within this mode, the device
cycles are dependent on
the B switch setting. The
cycle time is the total time
of the event, and the “on
time” is the length of time of
snow output, similar to the
duration in the “DMX mode”.
Otherwise, the machine is in
a WAIT state
Table 4 – Flake Size Settings
Table 4 shows the use of
switch C during 5 minute
or 15 minute cycle modes
(Switch A is 6 or 7). Switch C
controls the flake size.

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ABCFlake Size
8 0 0 1%
8 : : :
8 9 9 100%
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Using the Controller and the Remote
Snow Machine Controller
Table 5 shows the use of switches B and C when switch A is set to 8 (Always On state). Switches
B and C work similarly to Switch C when in the 5 minute and 15 minute cycle modes. It controls the
flake size. The user then has 100 choices of flake size.
Table 5 -Always on Flake size setting. The DMX interface is also provided as a pass
through connection. The remote interface
utilizes standard pins 4 and 5 of the 5 pin
XLR connector to supply power to the remote
control. Pins 4 and 5 are pass through when
used in a DMX configuration. Pins 4 and 5
have power applied to them only when the
DMX selector is set to the 900s and this power
is used to power the remote.
Note: The user should avoid configuring the ‘A’ selector to the 9 position while a DMX connection
is being used.
There is a provision on the controller board for an additional fan control relay rated at 10 amps. This
relay has a completely separate power interface.
Remote Control
The remote control provides a tethered remote control connection to the snow machine. The 3
rotary switches must be at 900 or greater for remote function to be enabled. The remote has control
over the on/off and flake size functions. The flake size knob provides variable settings from small (0)
to large (5) flakes. There is also a status LED to inform the user that the unit is on and powered.
When the unit is powered and the power switch on the remote is set to the off position, the red LED
on the remote will slowly pulse to inform the user that the unit is in standby. When the user changes
the switch to on, the LED will go to a solid red.
While in “remote mode”,
Rotary Switch controls the flake
size. The “remote mode” also
allows for the use of a quick
on/off switch located on the
remote con trol.
NOT INCLUDED, SOLD SEPARATELY