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Ecofans


Frankieboy

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Hi,

Am looking to get an ecofan when we get our boat and was wondering, how good they are.

Do they need any power source? Also, can you get ones that rotate on their base to blow the air in different directions?

Thanks

Frank

 

I have a 3 blade one, when it stops working, i wont buy another. I will instead buy a little 12 volt fan from maplins, box it fit it, and i am sure it will be more productive than the 3 bladed peice of junk i have sat on my stove :lol:

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Hi,

Am looking to get an ecofan when we get our boat and was wondering, how good they are.

Do they need any power source? Also, can you get ones that rotate on their base to blow the air in different directions?

Thanks

Frank

 

Much debate about these

 

Here

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Hi,

Am looking to get an ecofan when we get our boat and was wondering, how good they are.

Do they need any power source? Also, can you get ones that rotate on their base to blow the air in different directions?

Thanks

Frank

 

I have the opposite opinion to Jenlyn, suggest you take MJG's advice and read the thread then form your own opinion.

 

Phil

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I have a 3 blade one, when it stops working, i wont buy another. I will instead buy a little 12 volt fan from maplins, box it fit it, and i am sure it will be more productive than the 3 bladed peice of junk i have sat on my stove :lol:

 

I agree, I have also read somewhere in here you can wire up an old computer fan

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Hi,

Am looking to get an ecofan when we get our boat and was wondering, how good they are.

Do they need any power source? Also, can you get ones that rotate on their base to blow the air in different directions?

Thanks

Frank

 

 

We have one and are very pleased with it. Seems to blow the hot air around. no they don't need power source, hot ait rotates it.

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Item number: 280435145417

 

In case anyone has hung on to a non-working one. I chucked one of mine that had fried and the wife had me replace it. The EBay item above is for a replacement TEG module for it priced at 11.25 + 3.75 p&p from the US IIRC; A lot cheaper than a new fan if the motor's OK!

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The wattage of the motor will dictate how much air can be moved. What is the wattage of an ecofan motor?

Well it's free wattage whatever it is and that's one of the points. It disturbs the air rather than projects it since the blades are not, at least on mine, feathered to do so. They work in that they give a fair indication when enough experience is gained of them as to how well the fire is generating heat and so helping aid knowing when more combustible stuff needs adding. I'm not much into ornements but if you like you can consider it a working ornement that creates a fair bit of interest in it from visitors. In my view, a bit more useful than a Toby Jug.

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if the blades go round then they move air, end of.

 

Not "end of" if it's the rising hot air from the stove that is making the blades turn. I've put my hand in front of a turning one and can say it wasn't really doing anything. For £70 odd I would want more..

Casp'

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Rising hot air would turn a horizontal fan but these are vertically mounted.

 

Yes they are a con at £70. I'd want more too! :cheers: thats alot of beer money :cheers:

 

I though they were even worse value at nearer £100 - even more beer money :cheers:

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I have one, to be honest I'm not convinced. Maybe if you use it as a power source for a fan mounted higher were the heat ends up. (Hmm, a little project maybe?)

I have wired it to small solar panel stuck in the window during those hot still summer days to get some are movement. Marginally more effective than its intended purpose.

Occupies the cats attention either way.

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No, they don't work.. waste of money and it's alot of money too..

Casp'

:cheers:

With you on this one casp, they are a waste of money and of no use whatsoever............but so are lots of things on boats that people waste their money on two prime examples being Pumpout bogs and bowthrusters !!! Think how much beer money is collectively wasted yearly on such rubbish...... :rolleyes:

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:cheers:

With you on this one casp, they are a waste of money and of no use whatsoever............but so are lots of things on boats that people waste their money on two prime examples being Pumpout bogs and bowthrusters !!! Think how much beer money is collectively wasted yearly on such rubbish...... :rolleyes:

 

why pumpout bogs?

And even though bow trusters are OTT I still want one lol

 

On the fan side I too use PC fans (2x 120mm low rpm) mainly in the summer though :wacko:

Edited by Pretty Funked Up
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We use an eco fan and a maplins special. We do this because the ecofan is silent (as near dammit), this runs through the night (free wattage). Early mornings/shoreline/cruising time Mr Maplin operates.

 

I agree that the ecofan is weak but at night its enough to get to the back of the boat, just. The last thing I want in the middle of the night is excessive heat (my preference) so our solution works well for us including the children who get the closest heat, I reckon is keeps em drowsy longer!

 

(spelling edits)

Edited by NB Lola
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Occupies the cats attention either way.

 

Oh I agree with that, they are great entertainment when there's nowt on the telly.

 

We have one too - it came with the boat, but will I buy one when it falls off the stove again and finally breaks.....?

 

NO...

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Oh I agree with that, they are great entertainment when there's nowt on the telly.

 

We have one too - it came with the boat, but will I buy one when it falls off the stove again and finally breaks.....?

 

NO...

 

I agree with Martin. Ours came with the boat too - if it cost a tenner to replace we might be tempted.

 

Ours has taken numerous tumbles from the stove and now clatters instead of it's previously silent operation - it's just starting to move from "mildly irritating" to "right, time to bin it"!

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I have the XXXL version that sits on top of the burner and the fan goes through a hole in the roof.

 

On a cold winter's day, with the stove roaring away at full blast, the Ecofan pushes the boat along at a steady 4 mph.

 

you just gave me an idea, messy but, if you had loads of them and broke em down to rearrange the parts you could make wind heat or cool your boat for free. Not an install i'm going to bother with tho lol :banghead:

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I agree with Martin. Ours came with the boat too - if it cost a tenner to replace we might be tempted.

 

Ours has taken numerous tumbles from the stove and now clatters instead of it's previously silent operation - it's just starting to move from "mildly irritating" to "right, time to bin it"!

 

Now funny thing you should mention this, ours this week started an irritating 'wiggle and rattle' one night.

 

It was indeed irritating but on picking it up with the 'cleverly designed handle for lifting an ecofan when it's hot' device and setting it back down on the stove all was fine.

 

Normal service restored...

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