Eco Fan

[Henz]

Anyone try one of these? I am looking to possibly buy one to be used in my outfitter tent which is 12'x12'

 

[BrotherBart]

I was sorely tempted a few times but every time I am I fire up Google and see the complaints about the engine in the things only lasting two or three years.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

they are cool. they work somewhat, mostly the cool factor is what sells them. They will burn out if the surface temp is to high. To much heat = to much power = sizzle on the electronics. You have to keep the stove temps within the recommended range.

 

[Jfk4th]

I bought mine on Cabelas, used it a couple of times, wasn't too happy unfortunately so I returned it. Some people like it, not enough for me I guess :red:

 

[begreen]

Our's will be going on its 7th?? season this year. I'm losing track. I think most of the failures are from running them on too hot a stove top. If you run the top at 450-650 it seems to do fine, though it saw some higher temps with the Jotul 602 for a year or two. I appreciate its near silent operation and gentle distribution of the heat to other parts of the house during our multiple power outages. This is not a gale force blower, but it works pretty well in our open floorplan at getting heat to the kitchen area.

 

[danking49]

Ours seems to work well. They don't kick up a gale or anything, but seem to move a reasonable amount of air. An interesting conversation piece at the least.

 

[Slow1]

I've been tempted to try one every time I see one or the topic comes up. Then I go and see the price and it surprises me each time. For some reason I am willing to pay thousands to buy a stove (twice it seems) yet spending over $100 for a fan is hard for me. Weird I know. Guess I should have lumped it in with the stove purchase or something (yes dear, the fan is required...).

I'd love to see one in action - or borrow one to try at home, but it would have to work quite well in my house before I could justify buying one. Perhaps I imagine it being more of a toy/decoration than an actual functional improvement in the stove function.

I really can't knock it as I haven't tried it - it sure has that 'geek factor' going for it that keeps drawing me in though.

 

[summit]

they are cool, and do move air. usually they get left on the front of the stove, with the cooling fins unable to draw cooler air past, they burn out. they need to be set where cooler air draws in behind it, and the fan faces the hotter part of the stovetop... like the back of the stove, or the side facing across.

 

[BrotherBart]

What made me run away was a post on the Net from a guy that said a tech at the company told him that the engine lasts about three years. True or not the rest of the board was filled with complaints about them dieing at two or three years so I passed on'em.

Two of them would be perfect on my 30-NC but I chickened out at that price with those reviews.

 

[Frostbit]

I have had one for about a year now. As a "fan", per se, it sucks. There's only so much movement of air a blade can make if its attached to a tiny motor that is fed a tiny voltage producing tiny amperage.

It is a neat conversation piece, looks nice, and appears well made. It turns on and shuts off with the stove. It is what it is, but to call it a fan is stretching it.

It would be best marketed as an Automatic Heat-powered Brass-bladed Thingymajig.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have had one for about a year now. As a "fan", per se, it sucks. There's only so much movement of air a blade can make if its attached to a tiny motor that is fed a tiny voltage producing tiny amperage.

It is a neat conversation piece, looks nice, and appears well made. It turns on and shuts off with the stove. It is what it is, but to call it a fan is stretching it.

It would be best marketed as an Automatic Heat-powered Brass-bladed Thingymajig.

If the darn things will live long and prosper a small amount of air movement is all I would be looking for. My stove is installed inside a fireplace and just enough air movement to simulate it being one of those so beloved free standing stoves out in the room would do the trick.

The blower on my stove does a heck of a job but cleaning it behind the stove is a major, though known when I did it, task.

 

[jeffee]

I bought one when I got my stove, 2 years ago. It sort of 'broke' within a couple of days. What I mean by that is it all of a sudden spun much slower than it had been. I brought it back and the dealer exchanged another one for it. I loved what that fan did! Really silent, and it moved enough air for me. Really excellent. But then, after 1 1/2 winters, it 'broke' too. Same thing as the first.

-Jeff