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.
