Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Fan With No Visible Power Source

Yesterday we received our new fan in the mail.  There are no batteries and no power cord.  It uses the heat from the stove to generate enough electricity to power the motor that spins the fan.  When the stove reaches about 250 degrees it starts to spin.  The hotter the stove the faster it spins.  When it slows to the point where you can see the fan blade and think you can count the revolutions, it's time to throw another log on the fire.

There are several reasons I like this fan.  It sits on top of the stove and moves the hot air right from the source.  It uses the heat of the stove to work, so doesn't cost anything to run.  Also it only works when the stove is putting out some heat; when the stove cools down, it stops.

How this works had me scratching my ass ever since I first saw one.  Did a quick Google search this morning and came to the conclusion that it is powered by a thermocouple.

The first one I saw had a price tag of $180 and I thought it was a neat idea, but not $180 neat.  This one was a hundred bucks less.

7 comments:

  1. That is very very cool. What a great idea.

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  2. They've been around for years now, the new ones are much improved. I've heard complaints from some that they don't last all that long.

    Back in the good old days I saw a few fans that were driven by blades close to the stoves surface, they worked very well.

    My 16 footer is a Crestliner also, 1963. They made some good boats.

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  3. If you can find a newer used 15hp four cycle motor for that boat it will be easy on gas and push it over 20 MPH.

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  4. Looks like a good thing - I would comment more but I need to go put another long in the woodstove - 23degrees this morning.

    later

    I have a Monitor oil heater that is very efficient - I use about 175 gallons of fuel oil and three cord of wood a year for heat. Our cabin is about 900 sq feet and very efficient to heat in the winter and keep cool in the summer.
    the Ol'Buzzard

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  5. That is a log - not a long i just put in the stove.
    O'B

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  6. A lady sent me an interesting link.

    YOOPER LAND

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  7. BBC, that's over in the next county, about 50 miles from here. They also make records, known as "Da Yoopers". One of their songs gets a lot of air play in Nov. "The Second Week of Deer Camp".

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No Anonymous comments,it's not that hard to think of a nom de plume.