Wood stove heat powered fans

Anyone using a heat powered wood stove fan? Sits on top of the stove and turns when the temperature reaches a certain level supposedly circulating warm air.

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It may also circulate carbon monoxide and particulates.

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I belong to a FB group - Wood Stoves Australia - saw a post recently with one in situ. If you read the comments, there is a bit more information: it may be worth joining the group & posting your query on it? It seems to be a very supportive, friendly group of people (main passion is restoring, and using, old cast iron stoves/heaters etc). Hope this helps!

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10224004081063193&set=gm.1696829057190477

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We rely on the ceiling fans in the kitchen (reversed for winter). Most of the immediate heating comes from the heat radiated from the top hot plate body of the stove.

For a modern plumbing compliant installation the flue needs to be guarded (mesh or perforated metal). Above a certain height it will have a double enclosed outer for fire safety.

The flue needs to stay hot to create an adequate draft, otherwise there is an increased risk of poor combustion, or back drafting into the kitchen. It would not be wise to try and cool the flue with the fan. We use a Quell brand CO alarming monitor.

Some of the stand alone wood heaters were offered with an option for a built in fan.

Hopefully your neighbours and local geography ensure the smoke is not creating a hazard. There are other ways to heat a home. We use an Esse Colombian with a wet back and circulating pump to heat our lounge and dining area. Old style hydronics with modern radiators and Bosch HW pump.

I have seen them advertised (they advertise them as being highly effective) and was also intrigued until…

We have friends that have one…it was left in the house by the previous owners…I know why …it works as well as placing an owl in the vegetable patch to scare possums and birds. In another words no.

The blade turns, but it pushes about as much air as a feather. You might need say 20, 30 or 40, 100 or more to have any chance of circulating hot air around the room. They are a conversation piece or a gimmick rather than a serious air circulator.

The fans have no chance of overcoming the convection currents. At best they would push these convection currents slightly forward making it hit the ceiling slightly in front of the heater. Does this benefit the heating of the room…no. The advertising is misleading as they aren’t effective in circulating any air around the room.

Would I buy one at around $50 each, no, not unless you want to show others how ineffective it is.

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Precisely. We were given one by my parents in law and I can’t feel any air movement in front of the fan at all, unless I wet my finger, in which case it is only just discernible which way the air is moving. My wife insists we leave it on the heater, otherwise I would have taken it to the recyclers shortly after we received it.

They operate via a Peltier device, the greater the temperature difference between one side of it and the other, the greater the power produced. They are very inefficient devices when operating in ideal conditions, but having the hot and (ideally) cold side sitting on top of a wood fire is not an ideal location!

Don’t waste any money on one.

We use a stand fan to circulate warm air around the house.

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I have one and despite some of the comments I find it useful, but it would depend on the circumstances.
It has a 180 mm diameter blade, some are smaller. Cost $39.90.
My Nectre Bakers Oven is in a smallish kitchen 4m x 4.5m with a low ceiling (2400mm) and does not have a fan but relies on convection to circulate the heat. Unfortunately because of constraint in the layout, the stove position means the heat is pushed toward the ceiling and away from the two doors that lead into the room. By placing the fan in front of the stove vent, hot air can be directed towards either door (they are close to the stove, just over 1m away and the other 1.8m). It is also useful in providing better circulation in the kitchen itself.
The fan heats an adjoining small room 4m x 4m with a 10ft ceiling reasonably well (except on really frosty nights).
A heat transfer kit is probably a better option (I will be installing one) but for $39 it is still worth it in my circumstances.

Or a electric fan on low speed blowing across the woodfired heater. These can push significant amount of air and can help circulate warm air around the room creating more even heating.

Our own woodfired heater has a inbuilt 3 speed fan where air is heated between the fire box and enclosure and blown through an outlet at the front (above the door). To adequately distribute air and creating even heating, a significant amount of air needs to be moved…far more than a novelty type fan sitting on top of a wood fired heater.

The heater has been useful the past few nights which have been getting down to -3 to -4oC. Days have been glorious.

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I’m not sure if the one I have is the same as being discussed but I think it is a brilliant idea, well worth it.

We have the same (different heater though). It works very well if you follow the instructions.

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I assume it’s something like one of these.

As I commented previously we find the ceiling fans in reverse are effective at moving the heat in the same room.

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