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Ecofan repair


MtB

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Right, there's been a disaster. My Ecofan has stopped working.

 

A brief bit of fault tracing reveals the Peltier cell has died. The motor is fine.

 

Surprisingly there seems to be no such thing as a replacement cell on the market to buy, in fact the manufacturer's website states they don't sell them "as its replacement is a controlled procedure involving strict torque settings etc..."

 

This sounds a right load of bollux to me so off to ebay expecting a load of third party cells to buy, but no, to my surprise nothing except a couple of USA sellers.

 

Plenty of Peltier cells there but none that I can find small enough (30mm x 30mm) to fit. Also, they all seem to be sold as heating/cooling units powered by leccy. Now I'm fairly sure they work backwards but I thought I'd ask here first. Has anyone replaced the Peltier cell on theirs? Which cell did you buy?

 

 

MtB

 

 

 

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Right, there's been a disaster. My Ecofan has stopped working.

 

A brief bit of fault tracing reveals the Peltier cell has died. The motor is fine.

 

Surprisingly there seems to be no such thing as a replacement cell on the market to buy, in fact the manufacturer's website states they don't sell them "as its replacement is a controlled procedure involving strict torque settings etc..."

 

This sounds a right load of bollux to me so off to ebay expecting a load of third party cells to buy, but no, to my surprise nothing except a couple of USA sellers.

 

Plenty of Peltier cells there but none that I can find small enough (30mm x 30mm) to fit. Also, they all seem to be sold as heating/cooling units powered by leccy. Now I'm fairly sure they work backwards but I thought I'd ask here first. Has anyone replaced the Peltier cell on theirs? Which cell did you buy?

 

 

MtB

 

 

 

Simply drive it with a belt from your Stirling engine?

Or,mount it horizontally above the stove,it will work equally well!

CT

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Fanx Leo, but the Calfire website you mention is the one that says the Peltier cell can't be replaced*, hence this thread.

 

 

MtB

 

 

*Other than by sending the whole unit back to them to provide a quotation for repair, 'if possible'.


However, just found one on ebay for £12.99, an insane amount of money given other sizes seem to be about £2.50!


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PELTIER-THERMOELECTRIC-COOLER-ELEMENT-30MM-IDEAL-FOR-WOOD-STOVE-BURNER-FAN-/361123022502?pt=UK_HG_FireplacesMantelpieces_RL&hash=item54149c06a6


HOW did you break an Ecofan?!

 

Boys!

 

I agree this is a disaster though, I mean you've only got three of them and two of those £200 tat Sterling engines...

HAY take the cell out of one of the tat engines and use that!

 

I reckon YOU broke it, from over there!

 

:)

 

MtB

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Fanx Leo, but the Calfire website you mention is the one that says the Peltier cell can't be replaced*, hence this thread.

 

 

MtB

 

 

*Other than by sending the whole unit back to them to provide a quotation for repair, 'if possible'.

However, just found one on ebay for £12.99, an insane amount of money given other sizes seem to be about £2.50!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PELTIER-THERMOELECTRIC-COOLER-ELEMENT-30MM-IDEAL-FOR-WOOD-STOVE-BURNER-FAN-/361123022502?pt=UK_HG_FireplacesMantelpieces_RL&hash=item54149c06a6

 

MtB

 

As they generate a voltage, you could daisy chain several of the smaller ones together. No idea if five cheap ones will be as good as one big one

 

Richard

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As they generate a voltage, you could daisy chain several of the smaller ones together. No idea if five cheap ones will be as good as one big one

 

Richard

 

No, the problem is finding one SMALL enough to fit into the space available in the Ecofan. The dead cell is 30mm x 30mm. All the cheap cells on the market are 40mm x 40mm or bigger.

 

I'll buy the £12.99 one as no-one seems to have run into this problem before...

 

MtB

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However, just found one on ebay for £12.99, an insane amount of money given other sizes seem to be about £2.50!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PELTIER-THERMOELECTRIC-COOLER-ELEMENT-30MM-IDEAL-FOR-WOOD-STOVE-BURNER-FAN-/361123022502?pt=UK_HG_FireplacesMantelpieces_RL&hash=item54149c06a6

 

 

2 for £7.12 here. Same seller has 5 for £15.63 or 10 for £30.35.

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2 for £7.12 here. Same seller has 5 for £15.63 or 10 for £30.35.

 

Excellent, thank you! How did you find that??!

 

Just bought a pair, I'll report back about how well they work, or not, when they arrive.

 

MtB

There may be a part number printed on the Peltier device if you take it apart?

 

Good suggestion thanks, but no cigar. Took it out earlier to inspect closely for that exact reason!

 

MtB

(No identifying marks on it anywhere)

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Lets not get into a discussion as to whether Ecofans work or not and are useful or not. Hope that the OP gets his working again!

 

Agreed. A simple search for ecofan will reveal them all in their multiplicity

 

But I suspect SS knew that

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Agreed. A simple search for ecofan will reveal them all in their multiplicity

 

But I suspect SS knew that

No, I don't. That's why I asked. If you aren't prepared to give a simple answer to a simple question, can I respectfully request that you "go do one" and leave it to more intelligent people to provide a reply?

  • Greenie 1
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No, I don't. That's why I asked. If you aren't prepared to give a simple answer to a simple question, can I respectfully request that you "go do one" and leave it to more intelligent people to provide a reply?

 

Sorry to butt in but Bazza2 is not unintelligent by any means and you are somewhat rude and are not "respectful" at all, IMHO

 

I take it you have not met Bazza2 in person? If you had you would be more respectful.

Edited by Ray T
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