I don’t know what a Variable Dial remote is. Could you please explain it. I’m looking for a 400 W fog machine that has a timer. I have an animatronic that requires a low white fog machine, but I’m not exactly sure how they work. With the regular remote does it just continually produce fog or does it fog when the animatronic goes off or what? Thanks

Great questions! Let us break it down for you:

Variable Dial Remote – This is a wired remote with a dial (knob) that lets you control how much fog the machine outputs. Instead of just ON/OFF, you can “set it and forget it” at a certain intensity. It gives you finer control than a simple push-button remote.

Timer Remote – This remote is designed for applications like yours. You can set how long the machine fogs, how long it pauses, and the output level. That way it will automatically cycle fog without you needing to press a button.

Regular Push-Button Remote – This only activates fog while you hold the button down. Once you release, it stops. It will not automatically sync to an animatronic unless you plug it into a controller that triggers the remote circuit when the animatronic moves.

For Your Setup (Animatronic + Low-Lying Fog) –

• A standard 400W fogger produces fog that rises quickly because it’s lightweight. For a low white fog effect (staying close to the ground), you’d need a chiller or a machine designed specifically for ground fog (where the fog is cooled before release so it “hugs” the floor).
• If your animatronic is meant to “trigger” fog, you’d need to wire it into the controller port so the machine activates only when the animatronic runs. (DMX) (This machine is not capable of DMX connectivity)

So, if you want fog every time your animatronic activates, you’d connect through its control relay. If you just want consistent bursts of fog without holding a button, a timer remote with a 400W unit will be the simplest solution.

Machine Options - 

Titan1500 DMX - Itcan be controlled via a DMX controller, but syncing precise bursts with ananimatronic can be tricky to program.

Simpler timing option - If you want a set-and-forget cycle (e.g., 30 seconds on / 30 seconds off, repeating), an internal timer is easiest. Our 400-watt units do not have a built-in timer.

How to get low-lying (ground-hugging) fog - You need to cool the fog so it stays close to the floor. Two ways to do it:

      1.    Fog machine + chiller (DIY or purchased): uses ice or dry ice to cool the fog.

      2.    Use one of our all-in-one machines:

      •     TitanIce – integrated ice bay to chill the fog.

      •     PoseidonA2 – water-based cooling with standard fog fluid; no ice or dry ice needed.