If you thought an Eco fan was expensive....

[FadeToScarlet]

...have a look at this.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-Vintage-Hot-Air-Stirling-Engine-Fan-not-electric-German-La-Teutonia-/290833371499?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b705116b

 

In all seriousness, though, I'm thinking about making a Stirling engine (from a kit) to power a fan- a much more Steampunk style stove top fan!

[MtB]

I have one of these: http://www.stirlingengine.co.uk/d.asp?product=VULCANSTOVEFAN

 

Far cheaper and equally steampunk

 

 

MtB

P.S. And yes, it came as a kit

[FadeToScarlet]

I saw that, too. I prefer the look of it over the boring Peltier chips and motors, and it's pretty much the same price.

 

Hmmmmm........

[MtB]

Indeed, and mine makes a brilliant 'chuffy engine' sound when running.

 

(Whatever happened to her?)

 

 

MtB

[FadeToScarlet]

If it sounds like Ivor the Engine, I'm sold.

[MtB]

Nip over to Maidenhead and visit the factory. The guv'nor is 'willing to negotiate' the price to visitors. Well he was for me anyway, and it's a fascinating place, to see all the parts being manufactured. The packaging and presentation is half the work!

 

MtB

[luctor et emergo]

Snake oil.$.

[Biggles]

I have a Stirling Engine (you will no doubt probably expect this). I love it, it will work off the heat of my hand, or even off sunlight. If I put it on a tub of ice cream it runs backwards.

 

It does make a gentle puff puff steam engine sort of noise, but is nearly silent.

 

If I remember I will bring it to Cambridge next time I squat on MSC.

[luctor et emergo]

O why are we still burning diesel?

[MtB]

Snake oil.$.

 

Don't demonstrate such a closed mind Luc, it isn't pretty. I suspect you've never lived with an Ecofan through a winter. Have you?

 

Although they don't really shift much air they work as a most excellent indicator of the state of the stove. The fan slows slightly as the stove begins to cool and need stoking, more fuel etc and draws your attention long before you would otherwise notice. It makes you feel a lot more in tune with and in better control of your stove. You always know the condition of your stove by listening, and without having to actively go to it and look.

 

Many Ecofan users mention this as the best reason for having one.

 

MtB

[luctor et emergo]

Fair enough. No I havn't. I suppose your use is more realistic then hoping that the eco-fan will shift warm air to the other end of a boat. Which it claims, and why so many people are dissapointed by them. On the other hand, if someone 'thinks' it works..

[MtB]

Fair enough. No I havn't. I suppose your use is more realistic then hoping that the eco-fan will shift warm air to the other end of a boat. Which it claims, and why so many people are dissapointed by them. On the other hand, if someone 'thinks' it works..

 

I have to say, there IS a slight effect of moving warm air further up the boat. Paradoxically the improvement in comfort is more than you'd expect from the physical effect the fan is capable of creating and can be demonstrated.

 

Testing an Ecofan with the smoke trail from my boiler flue-testing 'smoke pen' reveals the warm air being pushed no further than about six feet away from the fan, upwards, at an angle of about 45 degrees, so I'm flummoxed about how it makes the boat so much more 'comfortable'. I think it must be because it disturbs the 'stratification' of the atmosphere in the boat when it isn't running.

 

 

MtB

[sassan]

I was planning on building myself a little stirling engine fan for the winter. Wonder how I'll manage to build it for less than £1500 though!

[mark99]

I have one of these: http://www.stirlingengine.co.uk/d.asp?product=VULCANSTOVEFAN

 

Far cheaper and equally steampunk

 

 

MtB

P.S. And yes, it came as a kit

 

I like it. Mesmerising.

 

Might have to score one.

[DHutch]

I like it.

[silverbuttocks]

 

I have to say, there IS a slight effect of moving warm air further up the boat. Paradoxically the improvement in comfort is more than you'd expect from the physical effect the fan is capable of creating and can be demonstrated.

 

Testing an Ecofan with the smoke trail from my boiler flue-testing 'smoke pen' reveals the warm air being pushed no further than about six feet away from the fan, upwards, at an angle of about 45 degrees, so I'm flummoxed about how it makes the boat so much more 'comfortable'. I think it must be because it disturbs the 'stratification' of the atmosphere in the boat when it isn't running.

 

 

MtB

 

hi. this is an old thread i know, but i have been thinking about buying an ecofan to blow hot air to the colder end of the boat (as mentioned in another thread). reading this post by MtB has made me realise the probably blindingly obvious. an ecofan doesn't have to blow hot air away from the stove all the way to area of the boat that's cold. all it needs to do is to move the hot air away from the source of heat, the stove. this being the case you will start a cycle of air circulation, not unlike wind circulation around the planet. presumably if hot air is blown from point a (above stove) to point b (6 feet away, say), then this will start a reaction of movements of hot and cold air circulating and mixing that will potentially result in a much more far-reaching effect.

 

it is simply impossible that these things don't work, at all. i understand the 'emperor's new clothes' effect, but i just don't think there would be so many sales if they simply didn't work. it's far more likely that some people who are expecting a hurricane of warm air blowing 10 metres down their boat are disappointed and therefore presume they don't work. i'm pretty sure that MtB is right and that the ecofan starts a chain reaction of air circulation as colder air rushes in to take the place of moving warm air, that then has a knock-on effect...

[Phil Ambrose]

That's exactly how I believe it works, I've used one for years and have never had a cold boat, in fact we only ever have a 4 tog duvet on the bed during the winter.

 

Phil

[steven wilkinson]

I knew I had seen an 'infra red' photo of the heat distribution somewhere! A before and after sort of thing! With and without an ecofan! However - its on the ecofan website, so it might not be totally independent (but there again, it could well be!)

 

Quick question! Can you get different crank sets for the sterling engine - to make different running sounds? You might get a Harley sounding one!

[BlueStringPudding]

 

I have to say, there IS a slight effect of moving warm air further up the boat. Paradoxically the improvement in comfort is more than you'd expect from the physical effect the fan is capable of creating and can be demonstrated.

 

Testing an Ecofan with the smoke trail from my boiler flue-testing 'smoke pen' reveals the warm air being pushed no further than about six feet away from the fan, upwards, at an angle of about 45 degrees, so I'm flummoxed about how it makes the boat so much more 'comfortable'. I think it must be because it disturbs the 'stratification' of the atmosphere in the boat when it isn't running.

 

 

MtB

 

The heat from my stove already moves more than 6ft from the stove

[mrsmelly]

That's exactly how I believe it works, I've used one for years and have never had a cold boat, in fact we only ever have a 4 tog duvet on the bed during the winter.

 

Phil

Hi Phil

 

I have no fans whatsoever and lo and behold my boat is warm without one ......................

 

Tim

[Mac of Cygnet]

If you search for 'stove fan' on Google, Amazon or eBay a whole lot come up at around £50. I don't think there would be much to choose between them, and I have one working beside me now at home. I think it makes a difference to the comfort of the room. Ecofans are about £40 more than this at least.

 

I don't see the point of paying more for a Stirling engine version, however interesting and ingenious the technology. A word of warning about Stirling engine kits - make sure they don't have any plastic or perspex parts. My son bought me one last Christmas, and it ended as a twisted lump on top of the stove.

[Phil Ambrose]

Hi Phil

 

I have no fans whatsoever and lo and behold my boat is warm without one ......................

 

Tim

Tim it might be unbearable with one LOL

 

Phil

[bobbingabout]

Hi all new member here.

 

Love the sterling engine stove fans don't own one yet but it's on the wish list even though we shall be fitting a new stove with a back boiler in spring to take advantage or the rads and calorifier that are already fitted.

We shall be getting the sterling fan even if it's for the fascination factor rather then for any practical use for a system with rads.

 

I did do an experiment one evening when it was freezing to try and blow the warm air down the boat using a normal fan to get the bedroom warm. After tinkering about I found the best area to place the fan was actually on the floor next to the bed pointing back down the boat towards the stove. The effect this had was incredible as this was the coldest part of the boat it pushed the very cold air along the bottom of the boat and sucked the warm air across the roof towards the bed I used smoke so I could see the way the warm air was reacting. After less then ten mins the back of the boat was noticeably warmer then the front with the stove there in fact it was bloody cold up there and the bedroom was toasty. The fan I used was a standard 240 volt desk fan so not the most economical fan to use but it was an experiment. If I was going to use this as a permanent solution I would use a 12 volt fan with a thermostat on so it could cut in and out when desired temps are reached.

[Grace and Favour]

Hi all new member here.

 

Love the sterling engine stove fans don't own one yet but it's on the wish list even though we shall be fitting a new stove with a back boiler in spring to take advantage or the rads and calorifier that are already fitted.

We shall be getting the sterling fan even if it's for the fascination factor rather then for any practical use for a system with rads.

 

I did do an experiment one evening when it was freezing to try and blow the warm air down the boat using a normal fan to get the bedroom warm. After tinkering about I found the best area to place the fan was actually on the floor next to the bed pointing back down the boat towards the stove. The effect this had was incredible as this was the coldest part of the boat it pushed the very cold air along the bottom of the boat and sucked the warm air across the roof towards the bed I used smoke so I could see the way the warm air was reacting. After less then ten mins the back of the boat was noticeably warmer then the front with the stove there in fact it was bloody cold up there and the bedroom was toasty. The fan I used was a standard 240 volt desk fan so not the most economical fan to use but it was an experiment. If I was going to use this as a permanent solution I would use a 12 volt fan with a thermostat on so it could cut in and out when desired temps are reached.

A good example of 'out of the box' thinking.......

 

(I might well try that with a 12v pc fan just for the sake of trying it!)

 

(BTW - it's a Stirling engine)

[bobbingabout]

I don't get out of my box very often so have to make the most of it when I do :-)