DC Fan for Power Outages

[cmarc]

We’ve had some interesting weather lately in the Carolinas. With potential for ice and power outages, I wanted to be sure my flush mount insert would still be able pull its weight. So I got some old PC fans that run on 12V DC and rigged a setup that can be run off of a car battery. If my math is right, the current draw is low enough that it could potentially run for days

Doing the initial tests now, but so far it’s moving a decent amount of air and is very quiet compared to the factory blower.

Just wondering if anyone else has done anything similar?

 

[spudman99]

Why not just use a 12v inverter on the battery, then plug in the insert to the inverter and run the regular fans. The internal fan for my BK insert pulls 30 watts. That should run for quite a while off a charged battery.

 

[Whitenuckler]

We’ve had some interesting weather lately in the Carolinas. With potential for ice and power outages, I wanted to be sure my flush mount insert would still be able pull its weight. So I got some old PC fans that run on 12V DC and rigged a setup that can be run off of a car battery. If my math is right, the current draw is low enough that it could potentially run for days

Doing the initial tests now, but so far it’s moving a decent amount of air and is very quiet compared to the factory blower.

Just wondering if anyone else has done anything similar?

If you like the DC fans better, you could run them from a DC power supply. Or, if you had a place to hide the battery, you could add a small battery charger and run it all the time. Then when the power failure hits, it will just keep running and you are free to get more wood..

 

[begreen]

The main concern will be the heat on the fans from 24/7 burning. It might be good to add an extra shield between them and the bottom of the insert.

Why not just use a 12v inverter on the battery, then plug in the insert to the inverter and run the regular fans. The internal fan for my BK insert pulls 30 watts. That should run for quite a while off a charged battery.

Yes, my approach would be to get a UPS that uses 12v internal battery and rig it up so that it can be powered by an external larger AGM battery.

 

[fao1989]

The main concern will be the heat on the fans from 24/7 burning. It might be good to add an extra shield between them and the bottom of the insert.

Yes, my approach would be to get a UPS that uses 12v internal battery and rig it up so that it can be powered by an external larger AGM battery.

We’ve had some interesting weather lately in the Carolinas. With potential for ice and power outages, I wanted to be sure my flush mount insert would still be able pull its weight. So I got some old PC fans that run on 12V DC and rigged a setup that can be run off of a car battery. If my math is right, the current draw is low enough that it could potentially run for days

Doing the initial tests now, but so far it’s moving a decent amount of air and is very quiet compared to the factory blower.

Just wondering if anyone else has done anything similar?

I'm considering how to deal with the same possibility. But in my case the BK A25 fans are all the way in the back of the unit. As opposed to a DC solution, I'm cogitating on buying a 2000 amp hour portable power station. On 2x 15 watt insert fans, I think I could run about 24 hours, and could recharge (albeit slowly) with a solar panel. Your solution is cheaper tho!

 

[EbS-P]

I'm considering how to deal with the same possibility. But in my case the BK A25 fans are all the way in the back of the unit. As opposed to a DC solution, I'm cogitating on buying a 2000 amp hour portable power station. On 2x 15 watt insert fans, I think I could run about 24 hours, and could recharge (albeit slowly) with a solar panel. Your solution is cheaper tho!

Ecoflow delta 2 or 3 is/was my choice. You can then get another cheap 100 amp hour battery and wire that with appropriate fuse to the DC charging port of your choice with appropriate fuse/relay. Or just recharge from a small generator

2000 amp hour! Thats HUGE.

 

[fao1989]

Ecoflow delta 2 or 3 is/was my choice. You can then get another cheap 100 amp hour battery and wire that with appropriate fuse to the DC charging port of your choice with appropriate fuse/relay. Or just recharge from a small generator

2000 amp hour! Thats HUGE.

Ecoflow delta 2 or 3 is exactly what Im looking for. Unfortunately, they cant be had love nor money anywhere near me at the moment. And if I use Amazon, they cant be returned (according to the website) if something is amiss, because of the batteries.
Should have thought about this three months ago! Sigh.

 

[EbS-P]

Ecoflow delta 2 or 3 is exactly what Im looking for. Unfortunately, they cant be had love nor money anywhere near me at the moment. And if I use Amazon, they cant be returned (according to the website) if something is amiss, because of the batteries.
Should have thought about this three months ago! Sigh.

A 12 volt deep cycle and a small car inverter would be my choice today. Any auto parts store should have that and enough wire and connections to make it safe and functional.

My EcoFlow from Amazon came well packaged. I would not hesitate to order from them again. And check the official EcoFlow store on eBay.

 

[begreen]

Marine supply stores often have deepcycle batteries. A good one is going to be heavy due to thicker lead plates. Get an AGM instead of flooded lead acid. They can be depleted to a lower voltage safely. Or if you can afford it, get a lithium ion battery in an automobile size. They can be taken down to almost no volts. If you do, however, be sure that the inverter/charger is capable of properly charging a LioN battery. It will have a different charging profile than a lead acid or AGM battery.

 

[cmarc]

After running for several hours, the fans worked fairly well. The air flow was significantly less, but still far better than running with no fan at all. The house warmed up and is holding as expected. The fans themselves are running cool because I have them angled lower and away from the hot spots on the stove.

I considered the inverter approach initially but was told the run time would be limited with a 180W fan. The 12V fans are drawing roughly 6W so I should theoretically be able to run for a few days.

Overall, it looks like it'll work in a pinch and for around $25 it was a fun little experiment.

 

[fao1989]

After running for several hours, the fans worked fairly well. The air flow was significantly less, but still far better than running with no fan at all. The house warmed up and is holding as expected. The fans themselves are running cool because I have them angled lower and away from the hot spots on the stove.

I considered the inverter approach initially but was told the run time would be limited with a 180W fan. The 12V fans are drawing roughly 6W so I should theoretically be able to run for a few days.

Overall, it looks like it'll work in a pinch and for around $25 it was a fun little experiment.

180W fan! Wow. That's 3 times the wattage of a BK setup. Really curious what a comparison of CFMs would show.
I've got to think that on your stove, pulling that many BTUs off the metal, it has to reduce run time for an equivalent load of wood?

BK has a earned reputation for low and slow, and surmise that is both due to the designs & combustors, plus a lower CFM fan(s) set up.
Although on really cold days like today, I could use more CFMs - and probably better home insulation!

 

[begreen]

180W fan! Wow. That's 3 times the wattage of a BK setup. Really curious what a comparison of CFMs would show.

That does sound high. A largish, 160 cfm, tangental blower will draw 80-90 watts. Still, gotta give cmarc credit for ingenuity and resilience. Even at 60w@120vac, connecting to an inverter powered by a 12v battery is going to have losses of 10-15%. Directly powering a pair of muffin fans at 12w is more efficient. A pair of 12v, 125 cfm fans would be noisier, but would move a fair amount of air.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

But don't leave the battery on the carpet! Put it on a shallow baking pan.

 

[Whitenuckler]

That does sound high. A largish, 160 cfm, tangental blower will draw 80-90 watts. Still, gotta give cmarc credit for ingenuity and resilience. Even at 60w@120vac, connecting to an inverter powered by a 12v battery is going to have losses of 10-15%. Directly powering a pair of muffin fans at 12w is more efficient. A pair of 12v, 125 cfm fans would be noisier, but would move a fair amount of air.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

But don't leave the battery on the carpet! Put it on a shallow baking pan.

You can get the AC version too with ball bearings.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Then you could run it from the wall (with an in line fuse), and switch to a inverter/battery if required.

 

[fao1989]

That does sound high. A largish, 160 cfm, tangental blower will draw 80-90 watts. Still, gotta give cmarc credit for ingenuity and resilience. Even at 60w@120vac, connecting to an inverter powered by a 12v battery is going to have losses of 10-15%. Directly powering a pair of muffin fans at 12w is more efficient. A pair of 12v, 125 cfm fans would be noisier, but would move a fair amount of air.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

But don't leave the battery on the carpet! Put it on a shallow baking pan.

Any clue what the dual 2x30W BK fans push?

 

[Whitenuckler]

Any clue what the dual 2x30W BK fans push?

Blaze King stove convection blower motors, such as the common 150-0719-F, typically feature a capacity of approximately 160 to 180 CFM (cubic feet per minute). These 120V ball-bearing motors are designed for quiet, high-efficiency operation, often running at 3000 RPM, and are used across various Blaze King models, including the 2203, 7009, 8003, and 9703 series.
Key Details on Blaze King Blower Motors:

• CFM (Airflow): 160 - 180 CFM (varies by specific model/manufacturer).
• Replacement Part Numbers: Frequently listed as 150-0719-F or 0719B.
• Motor Specs: 115V-120V, 60 Hz, 1.0A-1.1A, 3000 RPM.
• Features: Ball bearings for longevity, integrated brackets, and usually include a power cord.

Furnace Blower Capacity:

 

[Whitenuckler]

Blaze King stove convection blower motors, such as the common 150-0719-F, typically feature a capacity of approximately 160 to 180 CFM (cubic feet per minute). These 120V ball-bearing motors are designed for quiet, high-efficiency operation, often running at 3000 RPM, and are used across various Blaze King models, including the 2203, 7009, 8003, and 9703 series.
Key Details on Blaze King Blower Motors:

• CFM (Airflow): 160 - 180 CFM (varies by specific model/manufacturer).
• Replacement Part Numbers: Frequently listed as 150-0719-F or 0719B.
• Motor Specs: 115V-120V, 60 Hz, 1.0A-1.1A, 3000 RPM.
• Features: Ball bearings for longevity, integrated brackets, and usually include a power cord.

Furnace Blower Capacity:

I don't know if they would be 30W though. 115VA will give less "watts" but 30W is pretty low.

 

[fao1989]

Just found another specification here by googling the part number. Apparently each respective fan, left and right, is 30W pulling .27 amps, pushing 70 CFM each. So combined 60W, pushing 140CFM, right?
Seems pretty low wattage. Like equivalent to a weak lightbulb.
I like that it is low resistance and low current, but it would be nice if it pushed more CFMs.

Blaze King Wood Stove Crossflow Fan (150-0710-R) | Right-Side

Blaze King 150-0710-R right-side wood stove crossflow blower fan. Genuine OEM Blaze King replacement blower.

fireplaceblowersonline.com

 

[Whitenuckler]

Just found another specification here by googling the part number. Apparently each respective fan, left and right, is 30W pulling .27 amps, pushing 70 CFM each. So combined 60W, pushing 140CFM, right?
Seems pretty low wattage. Like equivalent to a weak lightbulb.
I like that it is low resistance and low current, but it would be nice if it pushed more CFMs.

Blaze King Wood Stove Crossflow Fan (150-0710-R) | Right-Side

Blaze King 150-0710-R right-side wood stove crossflow blower fan. Genuine OEM Blaze King replacement blower.

fireplaceblowersonline.com

That seems reasonable. There are devices to measure CFM. Of course you need to know how it was speced out. When they make fans they don't know how they will be applied, so it could be with no restrictions.