Blower for OLD stove???

[Jersey Joe]

Hi... Does anyone know if there is way to hook a blower up to my stove? It's an Alaska Kodiak and the guy I talked to at the company said it's 20+ yrs old. I'm not sure you can tell by the picture but there is an opening on the top and bottom that I assume wraps around the whole insert. Would I try to get a low profile blower that sits on the bottom and blows air thru, up, around, and out the top? Any other options? This isn't installed yet so if I need to do anything behind it it's not a problem.

TIA

--JJ

 

[Gooserider]

Should be possible, after all with enough effort one can do all sorts of things....

This wouldn't even be that hard I don't think. If you can't find an OEM setup, then it will be a bit more effort but not that bad.

I'd look in Grainger's or some equivalent source for an appropriate blower, probably in the 1-200 CFM range would be a good size, and then just make a sheet metal adapter to go from the inlet openings on the stove air jacket to the blower outlet... Make sure the blower is far enough away not to have clearance issues. I'd also put a "snap switch" in the hot lead to the blower so that it will only run when the stove is hot.

If you don't have the skills for it, I'd bet that any good HVAC shop could handle making the adapter w/ no problem.

Gooserider

 

[jabush]

Cool stove!
Are you sure you even need a blower? I bet when that thing is crankin, it naturally sucks cool air from the floor and shoots it out the top.

 

[Jersey Joe]

I guess I'll have to install it and see how she works. My Dad is an 83yr old retired machinist who still an artist with metal(and wood).

I think it's pretty cool also. I wasn't looking to put a woodstove in but saw an ad for this in a local rag, went to see it, and had to have it. I figured for $300 I wouldn't be in too deep. Of course then I find out about the $2000 liner. I just hope it works

Thanks again guys...this board is really fun and very informative.

--JJ

 

[GVA]

I guess I'll have to install it and see how she works. My Dad is an 83yr old retired machinist who still an artist with metal(and wood).

I think it's pretty cool also. I wasn't looking to put a woodstove in but saw an ad for this in a local rag, went to see it, and had to have it. I figured for $300 I wouldn't be in too deep. Of course then I find out about the $2000 liner. I just hope it works

Thanks again guys...this board is really fun and very informative.

--JJ

nice stove but if you read a bit further and you are feeling like a DIY than that liner install is quite a bit less than 2k

 

[Jersey Joe]

GVA... I've got another thread going about this whole situation. Bottom line is...I will probably attempt a DIY after a chimney inspection. Thanks.

 

[hardwood715]

Is that an insert???? It almost looks like that is the mount for the surround, the jacket with the holes in it. Wow looks like a nice stove, but if an insert your gonna need the surround! EDITED
Now from actually reading, you say its an insert DUH< Hello Mcfly Hello! Is there any plate on the sides that look like you could remove to mount a fan???

 

[Gooserider]

Cool stove!
Are you sure you even need a blower? I bet when that thing is crankin, it naturally sucks cool air from the floor and shoots it out the top.

It probably would to some degree, but what I've seen with every stove I've seen is that natural circulation gives a small volume of very hot air that stays near the stove. Putting on a blower gives a lot more air volume that isn't as hot, and tends to circulate better in the room. You probably get about the same total BTU's out over time, but the blower circulated air seems to do a better job of heating a large space.

Gooserider

 

[Jersey Joe]

Unbelievable! I found this on Ebay. Looks like my insert but as a freestanding stove with glass doors. I'd kill for those doors Gives me hop to someday find some that I could install on mine. Anyway, notice the blower? How could you not...it's huge. If that's the way I have to do it I'm not sure I will. It just doesn't look all that good if you ask me.

 

[Gooserider]

Unbelievable! I found this on Ebay. Looks like my insert but as a freestanding stove with glass doors. I'd kill for those doors Gives me hop to someday find some that I could install on mine. Anyway, notice the blower? How could you not...it's huge. If that's the way I have to do it I'm not sure I will. It just doesn't look all that good if you ask me.

The doors are definitely cool looking, but I'd be willing to bet that since the stove looks like it is pre-EPA they'd be a bear to keep clean.

As to the blower, if that is where the air jacket inlets are on your stove, the stock setup would presumably do something similar. It looks like that unit was intended as an insert rather than free standing, so it may be a case of thats the only way they could do it and keep the width narrow enough to get into a normal fireplace. I'd consider whether it might be possible to use some kind of duct to remote mount the blower in a less obvious place. Another option might be to try making some sort of metal cover for it that would at least give you some camoflage.

Gooserider