PFX PFX1500S User manual

Fog Blaster 1500
PFX1500S Instruction Manual
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If t is product is no longer functional or reac ed t e end of its usable life, please
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User Manual
PFX1500S
Dear Customer,
Thank you for purchas ng the Perform FX PFX1500S. W th decades of exper ence n des gn and product on,
Perform FX are one of the lead ng manufacturers of profess onal effects and l ght ng equ pment. Th s fog
mach ne has been des gned and manufactured to the h ghest of standards, so you can be assured you have
made a good nvestment.
For your safety and to ensure you make full use of all the features ava lable, please make sure you read th s
manual n full.
Important Safety Advice:
• You must read th s manual n full before commenc ng operat on.
• The mach ne should be operated by a respons ble and competent adult only.
• Keep th s manual n a safe place for future reference.
• Heed all warn ngs and nstruct ons, both n th s manual and on the product.
• Carry and transport th s product w th care.
• Impact to th s mach ne or dropp ng may result n ser ous mechan cal fa lure. The mach ne should not be
used f t has been subjected to such nc dent.
• Turn off and unplug th s mach ne from the ma ns supply when not n use.
• Th s mach ne s not water-proof and should not be used outs de.
• In the event of any l qu d enter ng the hous ng, unplug mmed ately & contact a qual f ed eng neer.
• You must not attempt to mod fy th s un t
• The manufacturer accepts no respons b l ty for njury or damage caused as a result of not follow ng the
manual prov ded.
Protection from Electric S ock:
• Only connect th s un t to a ma ns socket w th su table tr p and RCD protect on.
• To d sconnect from the ma ns socket, always remove by the ma ns plug. Do not attempt to remove by
pull ng the ma ns cable.
• D sconnect the un t from the ma ns supply before clean ng. Clean ng should be carr ed out w th a soft, dry
cloth.
• Do not submerge or expose th s mach ne to any l qu d.
• Do not operate near exposed water or n h gh hum d ty.
• Choose a su table route for ma ns cables, ensur ng tr p hazards are avo ded and the ma ns cable s not at
r sk of be ng crushed.
• Do not open th s un t to serv ce. There are no user-serv ceable parts ns de. Any serv c ng or repa rs should
be carr ed out by a qual f ed eng neer only. Any attempt to serv ce or adapt th s un t w ll leave your
warranty vo d and could result n ser ous malfunct on or njury.
Protection from Fire:
• Do not place near sources of heat or gn t on.
• Do not cover or block any vent lat on holes.
• Check your AC wall socket w ll take the power you are apply ng to avo d overload ng the ma ns supply.

Protecting Your Mac ine From Damage:
• Always nstall n a su table locat on where v brat ons to the un t are avo ded.
• Check th s un t matches the ma ns voltage and frequency before plugg ng t n to your ma ns socket.
• In the event that any object or l qu d enters the mach ne sw tch off mmed ately, remove from ma ns and
consult a qual f ed eng neer.
• Should you exper ence any malfunct on or damage to the ma ns cable, d sconnect from the ma ns supply
mmed ately and consult a qual f ed eng neer.
• All parts should be replaced w th genu ne spare parts and carr ed out by a qual f ed eng neer.
• Do not add l qu ds of any k nd, espec ally flammable l qu ds to th s mach ne or ts ntended flu d. Use only
water based flu d, spec f cally des gned for effects mach nes.
• Use h gh qual ty water-based l qu d, recommended by your dealer to reduce clogg ng.
• Dur ng operat on ensure there s suff c ent flu d n the tank. Operat ng w thout flu d w ll damage the pump.
• If your mach ne fa ls to work d sconnect mmed ately, remove all l qu d and return n or g nal pack ng to
your dealer.
• Always dra n the flu d and water tanks before transport ng.
• Follow the clean ng and ma ntenance adv ce n th s manual.
• If your mach ne fa ls to work, d sconnect mmed ately, remove all l qu d and return n or g nal pack ng to
your dealer.
Danger of Injury or Burns:
• For operat on by adults only, ensure nstallat on s away from the reach of ch ldren.
• Never leave the mach ne runn ng unattended.
• Avo d all contact w th the heater.
• Never a m the nozzle d rectly at people.
• Use only n a well vent lated area & do not cover the mach ne vents. In order to guarantee adequate
vent lat on, allow a free a r space of at least 20cm around all s des of the mach ne.
• Effects flu ds can cause rratat on and njury, handle w th care and keep out of the reach of ch ldren. Avo d
contact w th the eyes and sk n, f th s occurs r nse w th warm water. If ngested call a doctor mmed ately.
Before Use:
Before commenc ng setup check the mach ne has not been damaged n trans t. In the event there s any
damage to the hous ng, cable or nternal components contact your dealer mmed ately.
Contents Includes:
PFX1500S
Power Cable
W reless remote and rece ver
Instruct ons
Specifications:
Code: PFX1500S
Ma ns Supply: 240Vac 50Hz
Power: 1500 Watts
Heat Up T me: 5 m n
D mens ons: 560 x 340 x 250mm
We ght: 9.5kg

Features:
• Powerful 1500 watt heater.
• 6L Flu d Tank.
• Uses water based fog flu d.
• W reless Remote Control.
• DMX controllab l ty, 1 channel of control.
Description:
The PFX1500S s a powerful smoke mach ne that can be floor mounted or hung from truss.
1. Heater Nozzle: Smoke output, w ll get very hot do not touc .
2. Fluid Tank: F ll the flu d tank w th standard fog l qu d, do not sp ll the l qu d as th s could damage the electron cs.
3. Hanging Bracket: Used to mount to truss, always use a safety w re.
4. DMX Input: Female 3 p n used to connect from a DMX controller or prev ous DMX f xture
❶
❷
❺
⓮
❹❿⓫⓬ ⓭
❾
❺
❻
❼
❽

5. DMX Output: Male 3 p n used to connect to next DMX f xture n the cha n.
6. Power Switc : To turn the smoke mach ne on and off.
7. Fuse Holder: If th s blows once, replace f the correct s ze fuse, f t blows aga n, there may be a problem
w th the mach ne, seek profess onal help from an eng neer.
8. Mains Lead: Connect th s to a su table ma ns supply (230Vac).
9. Remote Control Socket: For connect on of the w reless rece ver.
10. Menu Button: used to browse the setup menu.
11. Up Button: To adjust sett ng n the menu.
12. Down Button: To adjust sett ng n the menu
13. Enter Button: To enter sub menus n the ma n menu.
14. Eye Bolt: Used to connect a safety w re.
Set Up Menu:
The setup menu s used to adjust the d fferent parameters of the smoke mach ne.
The MENU button s used to nav gate through the menu opt ons.
1. Addr: Press enter, use the up and down buttons to adjust the DMX address, then press enter to save
sett ngs.
2. rENo: Press enter to adjust the sett ngs.
Here you have 5 sett ngs: Gear, CH1, CH2, CH3, CH4, OFF, use the up and down buttons to choose one and
then press enter.
Gear: Allows you to use all 4 buttons, A=25% fog output, B=50% Fog output, C=75% output, D=100% fog
output,
CH1,CH2,CH3,CH4 by choos ng one of these you can choose what button act vates the fog mach ne at full
output, th s mode s useful when controll ng mult ple un ts from one controller. By select ng CH1 th s w ll
mean that the smoke mach ne works from button A, CH2 button from B and so on.
NoFU: Turns the low flu d funct on on and off. When the mach ne s low on flu d the d splay w ll flash. It s a
good deal to leave th s funct on ON (yes) as low flu d n the tank can damage the pump. Press enter and use
the up and down to select yes or no, then press enter aga n.
First Time Operation Panel Control:
• Before you start us ng th s un t, please check there s no transportat on damage, should there be any, please
do not use the dev ce and contact your dealer mmed ately.
• The PFX1500S s des gned to be used w th water based fog l qu d. NEVER OIL BASED.
• Put the smoke mach ne on a flat stable surface or hang from a su table truss, make sure you use a safety
w re. Make sure no one can put any body part close to the heater output.
• Unscrew the L d on the flu d bottle, f ll up w th a su table fog l qu d, do not to overf ll. Screw the plast c cap
back on and ensure the tank never runs dry dur ng operat on.
• Connect the PFX1500S to a su table ma ns supply (230Vac).
• There s a s mple 4 button menu w th an LCD d splay on the back of the un t. The 4 buttons control menu,
up, down and enter. When you f rst turn on the fog mach ne you w ll need to wa t for around 3-5 m nutes for
the heater to warm up, then you w ll get access to the controls.
• Press the menu button to scroll through opt ons and use the up down buttons to make changes.
First Time Operation Wireless Controller:
• Before you start us ng th s un t, please check there s no transportat on damage, should there be any, please
do not use the dev ce and contact your dealer mmed ately.
• The PFX1500S s des gned to be used w th water based fog l qu d. NEVER OIL BASED.
• Put the fog mach ne on a flat stable surface or hang from a su table truss, make sure you use a safety w re.
• Make sure no one can put any body part close to the heater output
• Unscrew the L d on the flu d bottle, f ll up w th a su table fog l qu d, do not to overf ll. Screw the plast c cap
back on and ensure the tank never runs dry dur ng operat on.
• Plug n the w reless rece ver nto the socket on the back labelled remote control.
• Connect the PFX1500S to a su table ma ns supply (230Vac).

• When you f rst turn on the smoke mach ne you w ll need to wa t for around 3-5 m nutes for the heater to
warm up, then you w ll get access to the controls. Adjust the sett ngs n the menu to su t.
• Once heated the smoke mach ne can be controlled v a the w reless remote control.
First Time Operation Wit DMX:
• Before you start us ng th s un t, please check there s no transportat on damage, should there be any, please
do not use the dev ce and contact your dealer mmed ately.
• The PFX1500S s des gned to be used w th water based fog l qu d. NEVER OIL BASED.
• Put the smoke mach ne on a flat stable surface or hang from a su table truss, make sure you use a safety
w re. Make sure no one can put any body part close to the heater output.
• Unscrew the L d on the flu d bottle, f ll up w th a su table fog l qu d, do not to overf ll. Screw the plast c cap
back on and ensure the tank never runs dry dur ng operat on.
• Plug n a su table DMX controller v a the 3 p n DMX socket.
• Connect the PFX1500s to a su table ma ns supply.
• When you f rst turn on the smoke mach ne you w ll need to wa t for around 3-5 m nutes for the heater to
warm up. Then you w ll get access to the controls. Set a DMX address v a the 4 button menu d splay.
• Once heated the smoke mach ne can be controlled by 1 channel of DMX, 1=volume output.
Over ead Rigging:
The nstallat on must be carr ed out by a qual f ed eng neer only. Improper nstallat on can result n njur es or
damage to property. Overhead r gg ng requ res exper ence, work ng loads should be adhered to and cert f ed
mater als should be used. The nstalled dev ce should be regularly nspected for safety.
• Make sure the work ng area s clear from people and obstruct ons dur ng r gg ng, de-r gg ng and serv c ng.
• Locate the smoke mach ne n a well vent lated area away from flammable mater als and l qu ds. The smoke
mach ne needs to be 50cm away from surround ng walls and f xtures.
• The smoke mach ne should be nstalled out of reach of people and not where people are seated, walk ng or stand ng.
• When mount ng make sure the nstallat on po nt can take the we ght.
• Make sure a safety cha n or w re s always used and can take the we ght of the smoke mach ne. The safety
bond should not be used as a pr mary support.
• The mach ne should be well f xed and free from sw ng ng.
• Do not cover any vent lat on holes.
• D sconnect the power when the mach ne s not n use.
• The operator must make sure the smoke mach ne has been nstalled correctly to all the necessary
gu del nes before each use. The nstallat on should be nspected every 6 months.
Maintenance:
• Do not allow l qu d to become contam nated. Always replace the cap on the l qu d conta ner mmed ately
after f ll ng.
• After every 40 hours of operat on, or f the un t s not to be used for one month, It s recommended to run a
clean ng solut on of 20% clear v negar and 80% d st lled water through the system to prevent clogg ng n the
heater. Th s should be carr ed out n a well-vent lated room.
• Always empty the flu d and water tanks after every use. Use a dry cloth to w pe down the outs de of the fog
mach ne. Make sure the power cable s d sconnected from the ma ns supply.
• Make sure the ma ns cable s n mpeccable cond t on and should be replaced when a small defect s
detected.
• All other ma ntenance should be carr ed out by a qual f ed eng neer.

DMX BASICS:
• DMX s short for “d g tal mult plexer”, wh ch s a un versal protocol des gned for the enterta nment ndustry.
It allows control of ntell gent f xtures l ke scanners, mov ng heads, LED par cans, d mmer packs & effects
mach nes etc.
• DMX allows you to control many f xture channels, normally up to 512, w th vary ng channels from 0-255 (0-
100%).
• Th s w ll g ve control of channels such as gobo select on, movement, colours, d mm ng and t m ng to name
just a few.
• DMX s a very good system, as all th s nformat on can be sent down one cable. Used n conjunct on w th a
DMX controller w th memory, all of your channel sett ngs can be saved and recalled eas ly.
• DMX was des gned so that all manufacturers can use the same protocol/language to control the r f xtures,
allow ng the end user to use any make of f xture from the r DMX controller as long as both are DMX
compat ble, and the controller has enough channels to control the f xture that s attached.
• F xtures have an nput and output DMX socket, allow ng you to connect from the controller to the f rst
f xture then from that f xture to the next (th s s often referred to as “da sy cha n ng”).
• Sockets are normally 3 p n XLR but can be 5 p n XLR.
DMX f xtures need to have a DMX address set, th s s so they can then decode the correct nformat on from
the controller. Th s s normally done by a d g tal d splay panel, where the address can be changed by s mple
up and down buttons; the address ranges from 1-512. Alternat vely t may be controlled by a row of small
sw tches, called d p sw tches; on th s type system, the requ red address s then converted to a b nary number.
DMX Connector Wiring
3 P n w r ng s more common, but the 5 p n conf gurat on s often used on larger equ pment. W th the 5 p n
conf gurat on, not all p ns are used, though t s worth check ng the f xture manual, as some equ pment use
the extra p ns for low voltage control. 5 P n connectors are deal so there s no confus on over m xer leads and
DMX leads n larger r gs. Send ng a m xers 48v phantom power down a DMX cable could damage the DMX
l ght or f xture.
If mak ng cables, always use su table DMX cable and do not connect p n 1 GND to the outer cas ng of the
connector as you m ght do w th aud o cables, as th s may cause errat c behav our from your f xture.
Do not make “Y” leads to spl t cables to f xtures; always use the n and out sockets or a DMX spl tter, as aga n
th s may cause errat c behav our from your f xture.
We recommend you to plug a DMX term nator nto any f xture that hasn’t got a DMX lead connected from the
output socket to another f xture; Th s aga n s to reduce unexpected behav our. A DMX term nator s s mply a
male XLR plug w th 120 ohm, ¼ watt res stor soldered across p n 2 & 3.
3 PIN 5 PIN
PIN 1 GND PIN 1 GND
PIN 2 - PIN 2 -
PIN 3 + PIN 3 +
PIN 4 NOT USED
PIN 5 NOT USED

Each f xture takes up 5 DMX Channels (See Above)
You have a cable from the controller to the f rst f xture cable, then from f rst to second and so on. The last
l ght then has a DMX term nator plugged n.
F xture 1 would be set to DMX address 1
F xture 2 would be set to DMX address 6
F xture 3 would be set to DMX address 11
F xture 4 would be set to DMX address 16
When sett ng these addresses, ensure that the f xture addresses dont overlap. You can set two f xtures to the
same address as long as they have the same channel layout, they w ll then perform n the same way.
We recommend you to read manuals for your DMX f xture and controller n full. Some controllers tell you
what each f xture address needs to be, and some equ pment w ll need other sett ngs changed before they w ll
work.