Stove blowers: what are your thoughts?

[Swedishchef]

Hey guys

My stove has a blower. However, I rarely use it. I find that it blows the air more "up" than across the stove top. Are most stoves like this? Is it normal? I found that whenever I turned the blower on, it would cool down my stove pipe and my flue temp reading would be low (notice how I said reading and not temperature) since it is a probe thermometer.

Therefore, when/if I find my stove top is getting H O T (800+), I turn on a quiet tripod fan that sits beside the stove and I point it just above the stove top. That pushes the warm air from the stove across the room.

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance

Andrew

 

[NordicSplitter]

I have a Jotul F600 with the blower. I have an automatic as well manual setting. Automatic goes on once the stove reaches 250F and will not go off until it falls below 250F. I usually keep it on auto. Blows the warm air at a 45 degree angle over the stove. Like it because even when I call it a night and shut the damper down, the warm air is still circulating until it falls below the set 250 degree mark. Glad I added it. Hope this helps

 

[begreen]

I rarely use our blower, just in the coldest weather or when I want to rapidly cool down the stovetop. Our stove and house layout convect well, so most of the time it isn't needed. The ecofan gently keeps things stirred up enough that it stays warm in the far corner of the 1st floor.

When on, the T6 blower design does a pretty good job of directing the airflow across the top of the stove. I am wondering if you could add a 90 deflector at the top of the rear shield, with a blocked area in the center to shield the flue. That should help to force the airflow across the stove top.

PS: Have you tried the option of letting the stove convect naturally and relocating the fan so that it blows air from the cooler part of the house toward the stove?

 

[smed]

I was going to get a blower for my stove, but found that most people agree with you. I think it boils down to ( ) having a gentle air movement in the room, like a ceiling fan would be best. That would keep the stove hot and stabilize the room temp. Air circulation in the room is essential. Just my thoughts....

 

[Swedishchef]

BeGreen: I have certainly thought of putting the fan in another location. However, it's not a matter of getting the room warmer or moving air, I got into the habit of doing that to prevent my stovetop from getting too hot. I have seen the temps hit 800+ degrees and it's not fun. On a full load of hardwood, I leave my door open for a few minutes and ensure the fire is cranking. BUt when I close it, the infernal gates of H3LL come pouring out of he secondary combustion tubes. I didn't know that I could shut the primary air ALL the way down, I would often leave it at 1/5th or so. Long story short, 750-800 degrees are what my stove top temps indicate (thermometer could be off). I have never come close (to my knowledge) of having it glow red (nor do I want it to).

I got in the habit of using it. This winter I will try a few different configurations with air movers...

Andrew

 

[PapaDave]

I have an older plate steel Ashley with a rear heat shield and blower attached. I didn't use it much until a couple years ago.
It helps regulate stove temp and moves the air out of the stove room pretty well. Auto/manual settings and I usually leave it on auto, and adjust the speed every once in a while.
If the stove starts throwing a tantrum, I have a pedestal fan that gets turned on to bring down stove temps very quickly.
I'm a fan ....of the fan/blower. :coolsmile:

 

[begreen]

BeGreen: I have certainly thought of putting the fan in another location. However, it's not a matter of getting the room warmer or moving air, I got into the habit of doing that to prevent my stovetop from getting too hot. I have seen the temps hit 800+ degrees and it's not fun. On a full load of hardwood, I leave my door open for a few minutes and ensure the fire is cranking. BUt when I close it, the infernal gates of H3LL come pouring out of he secondary combustion tubes. I didn't know that I could shut the primary air ALL the way down, I would often leave it at 1/5th or so. Long story short, 750-800 degrees are what my stove top temps indicate (thermometer could be off). I have never come close (to my knowledge) of having it glow red (nor do I want it to).

I got in the habit of using it. This winter I will try a few different configurations with air movers...

Andrew

Try temporarily clamping on a piece of 1.5" aluminum L metal to the back shield as a deflector to see how that works. Use small, metal c-clamps. If you note a significant improvement, paint it black and bolt it to the rear shield.

 

[rdust]

On my Endeavor it was needed IMO for the stove to work good for us once the temps dipped. The design of the stove and our house layout pretty much required it. The BK hasn't be put through the paces of really cold weather yet so I'm not sure if the stove design will need it or not. I'm guessing in our layout it will need it once the temps drop.

 

[MarkinNC]

I think it is almost a must for our Endeavor since it is a convective stove installed in the far corner of the house. It is pretty quite compared to the fans when I was a kid.

 

[steeltowninwv]

couldnt do without my blower...not sure how most of these blowers on the new epa stoves work.my stove is an older non epa model....but mine has 2 fans that sit below the firebox....those fans suck air in and circulate the air thru the underneath of the stove and behind it then blows it out the top...works great and is a must to heat my house.