Paul & Julia Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 Hi, I am thinking of buying an Ecofan unit for use on a multifuel stove on a 63' narrowboat. Does anybody have experience of these units, good or bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 I strongly suggest you use the forums search facility, looking for 'EcoFan'. You will find loads on the topic, rather than everybody repeating themselves. Best wishes, Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahB Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 (edited) I strongly suggest you use the forums search facility, looking for 'EcoFan'. You will find loads on the topic, rather than everybody repeating themselves. Best wishes, Alan I wouldn't be without mine - got mine from Ebay from the States. Worth every penny! Sarah (edited because it wasn't only me seeing double!) Edited August 8, 2008 by SarahB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Gunkel Posted August 8, 2008 Report Share Posted August 8, 2008 Those that have bought them seem to think they are a worthwhile buy. I did consider one for the same reason as yourself, but rather than spending that sort of money, I first tried a 4 inch computer fan on the ceiling where the warmest air collects, directing it down the corridor. I made it run at half speed for silent running ,with a simple step down transformer set at 5 volts. The transformer is the sort that plugs into a car lighter socket and cost £3. The Fan was £4 from PC world. It has been very successful for 2 seasons, running 24 hours a day during the coldest times. Power consumtion is tiny, about 0.1 amps. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltysplash Posted August 9, 2008 Report Share Posted August 9, 2008 (edited) We have a three blader. The fan is a fantastic way of showing how hot the stove is working depending on the speed of rotation. Other than that...IMO not noticed a great deal of difference......that may be because our Rads work off the back boiler so once the stove is up and running the rest of the bost if also warmed by the in line rads edited to check that i didnt say "we have a three Bladder" Edited August 9, 2008 by saltysplash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg & Jax Posted August 9, 2008 Report Share Posted August 9, 2008 Hi all , We also had misgivings about the eco fans and borrowed one from a friend and used theirs, we did feel the differance in temperature down the bottom of our boat with it being the bedroom , we decided to buy the large three bladed one ! We would now not be without our fan and would swear by them. the differance between the front where we have our stove and the bedroom in the rear of the boat is lots better . Greg Jax . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whale Posted August 10, 2008 Report Share Posted August 10, 2008 Hi all ,We also had misgivings about the eco fans and borrowed one from a friend and used theirs, we did feel the differance in temperature down the bottom of our boat with it being the bedroom , we decided to buy the large three bladed one ! We would now not be without our fan and would swear by them. the differance between the front where we have our stove and the bedroom in the rear of the boat is lots better . Greg Jax . We got one last year too - makes an astonishing difference to the bedroom at the back of the boat in winter. Definitely worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Angel Posted August 10, 2008 Report Share Posted August 10, 2008 We bought the 3 bladed fan over the internet from a company trading as "Bob's Apple Orchard" in the States (or Canada) about 3 years ago for around 57 pounds including postage. It works well on our morso squirrel stove and we can soon tell if we have forgotten to put it on the stove when we go to bed (by which time it is too late !!) I have tried looking for "Bob" again on Google but after scanning 20 pages I gave up. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazy bones Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi, I am thinking of buying an Ecofan unit for use on a multifuel stove on a 63' narrowboat. Does anybody have experience of these units, good or bad? they work well i have used one and the difference it makes don't hesitate buy one you won't regret it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lingwood Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I was more surprised than anyone when we got ours (a present). It does spread the heat better, on ours better than most as we have no bulkheads (apart from the bathroom). I think all it really does is nudge the convection current a little so it disperses the heat better of its own accord. What you can't deny though its the frankly outrageous price! A couple of quid for the motor and blades and perhaps £10 for the peltier (retail!) and a couple of heatsinks! You could make the same thing for about £15-20 with some judicious economising. I'm mostly surprised there are no copy cats. I guess there's a patent or three. But it does do what it says it does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pav Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Hi Everyone, A bit off topic but this particular question shows, by the replies that have been given, that not everyone gets miffed if a question is asked, and rather than bothering to simply reply with 'Use the search facility', most folk are in fact quite happy to reply with up to date opinions. I agree the search facility is a useful tool, but to all of you who jump straight in with 'use the search' type of reply, I really don't feel you add anything at all........IMHO! Regards, Pav. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Hi Everyone, A bit off topic but this particular question shows, by the replies that have been given, that not everyone gets miffed if a question is asked, and rather than bothering to simply reply with 'Use the search facility', most folk are in fact quite happy to reply with up to date opinions. I agree the search facility is a useful tool, but to all of you who jump straight in with 'use the search' type of reply, I really don't feel you add anything at all........IMHO! Regards, Pav. Yes, but this is one of thoise topics where the answer doesn't change. So far as I know the Ecofan design has not changed, nor has the layout of a typical boat, so an answer given one or two years ago will be just as valid now as it was then. There have been huge numbers of replies to Ecofan questions in the past. Many posters seem genuinely unaware that there is a search facility that would avoid any need to ask a repeat question. I spend a lot of time trying to help people with questions asked, but feel my time is more productively spent answering questions I've not replied to at least once previously. (Also IMO !) Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Is there some reason why the same power source that drives the fan motor can't be used to drive a small impeller? Because it would greatly improve gravity radiator systems which must surely be better than an Ecofan? Err, wait a minute... Patent pending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 I would imagine the power produced in the Ecofan is incredibly small. It has a well balanced fan, on a very minimal electric motor, that will spin very easily. I think the amount of power you would need to generate to circulate water in a meaningful way would be at least orders of magnitude higher. Perhaps not impossible, but instead of the small "magic sandwich" in an Ecofan, you might need something both very large and very expensive. (I don't know numbers, so this is a gut feeling, rather than scientifically proven!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Gunkel Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Alan is quite right, the ammount of power needed to drive even a small water pump/impeller would be considerable more than an ecofan can produce. The Peltier modules that drives the Ecofan is a very clever application of quite old technology, but it's ability to convert heat into power is at the bottom end of the efficiency market when looking for alternative energy. A number of companies are trying to improve the efficiency, but it is still nowhere near conventional solar panels. It would be more practical to have a solar panel and battery linked to a small circulation pump to help gravity fed rads. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnetman Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Alan is quite right, the ammount of power needed to drive even a small water pump/impeller would be considerable more than an ecofan can produce. The Peltier modules that drives the Ecofan is a very clever application of quite old technology, but it's ability to convert heat into power is at the bottom end of the efficiency market when looking for alternative energy. A number of companies are trying to improve the efficiency, but it is still nowhere near conventional solar panels. It would be more practical to have a solar panel and battery linked to a small circulation pump to help gravity fed rads. Roger THere is a sterling engine stove-top fan available as well http://www.mealtimestoves.on.ca/heatwave.html don't know if they are available in the UK I'm just going to use a couple of these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=006 0.18A at 12v they do blue ones and even multicoloured ones too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisPy Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 yeah, the same sterling stove fans are available for 109squid at http://www.gyroscope.com/catalog.asp?catalog=1014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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