Wood stove fan

[muncybob]

I've been looking at some of these thermodynamic fans. The concept seems to make sense to me, but do they really make a difference? Anybody have experience with them?

 

[GG Woody]

There are quite a few other threads in here on these.
They likely move a bit of air, it would be impossible for them not to.
More importantly they look cool!


I got ours off Amazon, they work amazingly well. The one on the right might be 4 years old and spins a bit slower than the other which is newer, but the older one has been dropped a few times as well...

 

[davargo]

We have one going on 10 years old now, it has developed a bit of a wobble (probably dropped on the fan blade) but works as good as new. It made a very noticeable difference in the temperature stratification in the room, going from probably 10 degrees different from ceiling to floor to essentially zero with the fan. And almost no sound

 

[Turbo89]

Go as big as you can, and add a few of them. I have one, you can feel it within a few ft of the stove, but not much further. That being said it did help distribute some air, but no where near as well as the electric blower I added.

 

[Murray01]

I run a CAT stove, the speed of the blades gives me an indication when to add wood. It moves air but not like a small electric fan I have tucked in behind the stove.

 

[GG Woody]

And almost no sound

^^^ My second favorite feature^^^ (first is look cool)

 

[begreen]

There are lots of old threads on this topic. Search on - thermal fans.

I've tested a few and am surprised at the difference between them. Some move a fair amount of air and others don't seem to move much at all. The original was the EcoFan made in Canada. Unfortately, this has become a large Chinese spinoff market. One of them, the Von Haus worked really well but this favorite is no longer sold in the US, bummer. These fans are sensitive to overheating so try to stay within the manufacturer's rating. Even so, the critcal parts on the knockoffs are cheap. Where the expensive EcoFan lasted us almost 10 years, most of the knockoffs only have lasted 3-4 for us.

Post in thread 'Stove Fan Recommendation'

Mar 28, 2023

A pair of decent thermal fans will move 240 to 300 cfm on a hot stove. That's a respectable amount of air and they do it quietly, generating their own power. I was pretty skeptical based on my several years with the original EcoFan. I think it was rated at 120 cfm, but it didn't seem to move that much air. The cheaper VonHaus I got last year moves much more air. It will blow out a candle at about 18" away. You can feel the airflow. Just be careful where it is placed. I have ours on the front of the stovetop with a thermometer right next to it to keep it from overheating.

• begreen

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