Eco Fans

[panji]

We are just wondering whether to buy any eco-fan for our narrowboat. What do you think of these fans and where is the best place to buy them?

[Byeckerslike]

We are just wondering whether to buy any eco-fan for our narrowboat. What do you think of these fans and where is the best place to buy them?

 

Hi! We were wondering exactly the same thing, every boater we talk to, they all confirm that having a Narrowboat without an Ecofan, is much likened to a bread without butter, chips without salt and vinegar etc. We bought one last week-end, from a very decent Chandlers store on the GU (Send me an e-mail and I'll tell you where!), but! we paid less than £70.00 for it. We have also been told that there is no point in buying the 3 blade model, for all you get is an extra blade and little difference in performance.

 

We will try out the Ecofan over the week-end!

[wrigglefingers]

We have one. Keeps the cats amused and lets me know when the fire's going out.

 

Shep

[debbifiggy]

We are just wondering whether to buy any eco-fan for our narrowboat. What do you think of these fans and where is the best place to buy them?

we love ours, well worth the money, just do it. They work very well. We are liveaboard on a 60 foot and it makes a big difference.D

Hi! We were wondering exactly the same thing, every boater we talk to, they all confirm that having a Narrowboat without an Ecofan, is much likened to a bread without butter, chips without salt and vinegar etc. We bought one last week-end, from a very decent Chandlers store on the GU (Send me an e-mail and I'll tell you where!), but! we paid less than £70.00 for it. We have also been told that there is no point in buying the 3 blade model, for all you get is an extra blade and little difference in performance.We will try out the Ecofan over the week-end!

We've only got a two blade. It works fine for us. D

[Tim Lewis]

We are just wondering whether to buy any eco-fan for our narrowboat. What do you think of these fans and where is the best place to buy them?

 

 

Bought one (two bladed) for the girlfriends 50ft NB a few years ago and it made an amazing difference in that it got heat right to the other end of the boat as well down to the feet.

 

Tim

[chris w]

Good prices on Ebay for brand new ones - I picked up a 3 bladed version for £90. The difference in volume of air between the 2 and 3 bladed version is stated to be 50% more for the 3-bladed one. In theory it should be 3^0.5 (ie: x1.7)

 

Chris

Edited November 1, 2007 by chris w

[dor]

Yes they work. People who say they are a con and a waste of money are people who don't actually have one. Everyone I know who has one has been pleased with the result.

[StoneHenge]

Wouldn't be without mine. I have a two bladed one and am thinking of getting the 3 bladed model. Difference between 100cpm, or 150cpm, which gets the warm air there faster.

[Bones]

Wouldn't be without mine. I have a two bladed one and am thinking of getting the 3 bladed model. Difference between 100cpm, or 150cpm, which gets the warm air there faster.

they are great. I have a three bladed one and it makes a big difference.

[Maffi]

Yup agreed. I borrowed Bones' Ecofan to see if there was any benefit. It worked well especially as my boat does not have a very straight run through.

[carlt]

Struggled along for 24 years without one. Probably won't bother now.

[stickleback]

Bought one 'cos of so many people praising them - and found that, for once, praise was actually due. The thermostat for the central heating is at the back of the boat, the solid fuel stove is at the front. The stat turns the radiators off much faster when we light the stove and put the eco fan on it than if we don't....

 

Stickleback

[John Orentas]

Bought one 'cos of so many people praising them - and found that, for once, praise was actually due. The thermostat for the central heating is at the back of the boat, the solid fuel stove is at the front. The stat turns the radiators off much faster when we light the stove and put the eco fan on it than if we don't....

 

 

The stat' works even quicker if you warm it up with a match. 10p per box.

 

I once worked in a drawing office that was at the end of a row of offices, the radiators never seemed to warm up properly on cold mornings.. I went on a 'reccy' to find out why, the general office was somewhere in the middle and that was where the thermostat was, the good ladies in there were in the habit of plugging in a fan heater, yes, right below the stat'.

 

Tried for years to explain the principals involved, failed miserably.

Edited November 2, 2007 by John Orentas

[BlueStringPudding]

The stat' works even quicker if you warm it up with a match. 10p per box.

 

I once worked in a drawing office that was at the end of a row of offices, the radiators never seemed to warm up properly on cold mornings.. I went on a 'reccy' to find out why, the general office was somewhere in the middle and that was where the thermostat was, the good ladies in there were in the habit of plugging in a fan heater, yes, right below the stat'.

 

Tried for years to explain the principals involved, failed miserably.

 

Had the same problem at Laban where I used to work but with the air conditioning (they called it an "air chiller" though, coz they were too cheap to pay for proper air conditioning!). The sensors were daisy-chained throughout the building, through offices, workrooms and dance studios.

 

And being a glass and perspex building, it (and we) suffered hugely from solar gain.

 

 

The dance studios would obviously get very hot very quickly from all the sweaty dancers in there, so the aircon would come on full-blast everywhere. Us in the offices and workrooms meanwhile, would freeze our cockles off!

 

So we'd plug in the electric radiators to warm the place up a bit... and the aircon would of course go beserk and make everything even colder! We never learnt.

[moggyjo]

Why are they so expensive?

[chris w]

Why are they so expensive?

 

Beacause it's the price the market will bear. The first rule of marketing. Price isn't linked to cost (other than one hopes the price is more than the cost in order to make a decent return!!). Price is all to do with what people will pay for an item.

 

Hence the value of a good brand name; we opt to pay a premium for something because (rightly or wrongly) we believe that we are getting a better product.

 

If they had competition, no doubt the price would fall but the market for Eco-fans is probably not large enough to show on most people's radar.

 

Chris

Edited November 2, 2007 by chris w

[BlueStringPudding]

As for Ecofans - I like the idea but I'd be concerned about having to ensure the stove didn't get too hot for it (I've read posts about that on this forum) Seems like a lot of hassle having to monitor the temperature...? What the general consensus on that from Ecofan users out there?

 

And they're not cheap, although I do like the idea that they're don't need electricity to power them. But I wonder if a battery powered fan and a solar powered battery charger might do a similar job and be cheaper, and need no monitoring because it wouldn't have to sit on top of the stove...? And you can use the batteries elsewhere on the boat during the summer months - like on my UV bug zapper! Making it an all-year-round investment too!?

[dor]

As for Ecofans - I like the idea but I'd be concerned about having to ensure the stove didn't get too hot for it (I've read posts about that on this forum) Seems like a lot of hassle having to monitor the temperature...? What the general consensus on that from Ecofan users out there?

 

The Ecofans have a clever little strip on the bottom which slowly lifts the base of the fan off the stove top if it gets too hot. So you don't need to worry about the stove getting too hot.

[SarahB]

Hi there - first post although a long time lurker!

 

I've just got a 3 blade fan from Ebay (but a US seller) for about £75 including postage. It's great and even manages to warm past my engine room to the back of the boat.

 

Best purchase so far for my boat!!

 

Sarah

[debbifiggy]

Bought one 'cos of so many people praising them - and found that, for once, praise was actually due. The thermostat for the central heating is at the back of the boat, the solid fuel stove is at the front. The stat turns the radiators off much faster when we light the stove and put the eco fan on it than if we don't....

 

Stickleback

Central heating and a solid fuel stove ...???? Luxery, blooming luxury .... when I were a lass .... OK where's the rest of the Python squad???????

D

[Byeckerslike]

We are just wondering whether to buy any eco-fan for our narrowboat. What do you think of these fans and where is the best place to buy them?

 

Hi - Just got back into our house after a week-end on water, and we can confirm that Ecofans do work. Our Morso Squirrel is just in front of the dining area and our bed is at the back of the 56' boat - the sleeping area is notably warmer than usual, more to the point, the lounge wasn’t the normal overpowering heat when one stood up. We can confirm that the heat was more even distributed along the boat.

[twoputtyrats]

Yep,

 

 

It's an essential piece of kit for anyones solid fuel stove - heats our 57ft from the arrow by the galley to the bedroom at the bow - if I set the fire properly overnight the heating hardly comes on in the morning...

 

It really extemds our crusiing season...

 

 

Simes.

[saltysplash]

We have one. Keeps the cats amused and lets me know when the fire's going out.

 

Shep

 

 

My sentiments exactlly...ive tried it on evry spare part of the stove and no difference as far as im concerned at all....dont tell swmbo coz she is convinced it warms the room quicker.

 

I know when the fire needs attention as the fan slows down...very expensive indicator...only bought the damn thing coz swmbo felt the fire took a while to warm up....she is now sitting there with her t-shirt on and pointing her finger at me coz ive still got me jumper on....

 

 

ps mines a three blade on a squirell. ..best position is described as at the rear of the stove...no room at the rear of the stove on a squirrel for the fan as the blades hit the stove pipe....im looking at the thing now as i type spinning away like a mad spinning thing spins in a spinny world

[AlanH]

My sentiments exactlly...ive tried it on evry spare part of the stove and no difference as far as im concerned at all....dont tell swmbo coz she is convinced it warms the room quicker.

 

I know when the fire needs attention as the fan slows down...very expensive indicator...only bought the damn thing coz swmbo felt the fire took a while to warm up....she is now sitting there with her t-shirt on and pointing her finger at me coz ive still got me jumper on....

I've got one and I honestly don't think it makes any difference. I

tried holding a joss stick in front of the thing and the smoke went straight up even though it was spinning like mad. I also dropped mine and bent the shaft and Ecofan refused to supply me with a new motor. They wanted me to send it back to Canada for them to service. Found one on the net however.

[ChrisPy]

I've got one and I honestly don't think it makes any difference. I

tried holding a joss stick in front of the thing and the smoke went straight up even though it was spinning like mad. I also dropped mine and bent the shaft and Ecofan refused to supply me with a new motor. They wanted me to send it back to Canada for them to service. Found one on the net however.

if it didn't 'make any difference' then why did you replace it ?