Greetings all. We have just had a new wood-stove and chimney installed installed. Installation done by a local professional. I think I screwed up when I bought an Englander stove but will likely have to live with that decision for a while. The problem is that the fan (which mounts to a circular hole in the back of the stove is very noisy to the point where we could not have a conversation or watch tv in peace. We really need to run the blower to distribute the heat. The blower we have is the one that came with the stove Can I get some help here in selecting a decent quiet reliable blower. I would also ask if there is an alternate location to mount the blower and if so where that might be. Basically any help and suggestions would be helpful from what appears to be a great source of knowlege and experience. Thanks Andy
I have seen quite a few people use a small desk fan or a tower fan. Other people like the fan that works off the heat of the stove and sits on top of the stove. I bought a blower with my new stove and haven't used it too much because we have an air purifier near by that seems to be doing the job. Occasionally I will turn it on when the stove is good and hot, but for the most part I haven't needed it too much yet. Edit: and also.... WELCOME TO FHC!
Welcome to the FHC . One of our esteemed members will tell you that a small fan on low blowing cold air towards the stove will redistribute heat more effectively than trying to blow warm air around. Due to the laws of thermodynamics and cold air having a higher density.
Welcome to FHC!!! As Sinngetreu mentioned many folks with a free standing stove use a small fan on top or a free standing fan which can be really quiet. Most blowers tend to be noisy on high speeds. The blower on my insert is fairly noisy on high as well as my brother in laws fan on his Jotul insert. I don't mind it much because it helps creates white noise that blocks out traffic in my area. I'll usually lower it to half way when watching TV or have company but I always crank it up before heading to bed to help heat the house.
Welcome to FHC Andy. Can you add a few pics of your stove setup? Including the blower. As mentioned let us know what model you have as well.
Install this, and never look back. It is a great improvement on my 30-NC. (Verify it fits your stove first.) Large Wood Stove Blower (Complete) | Part Number: AC-30 It is cheaper at Home Depot, probably a few other places as well. Englander Large Room Air Blower for Englander Wood Stoves-AC-30 - The Home Depot
If the OP’s stove is an nc30 and he wants a real blower instead of the ridiculously lame standard issue hair dryer looking blower that comes with it then yeah, the ac30 upgrade blower is a big improvement. I went aftermarket and adapted a cheap, powerful fan onto my nc30 and it’s great but the oem version is easier. If it is the nc30 then the stove is great. The other new Englander models are less great.
I have an England Stove Works stove as well (The Madison) with the hairdryer blower. You are correct, it is quite noisy and it did little to move any air. You can upgrade to the square fan that bushpilot mentioned. I use a small floor pedestal fan to push cold air towards the stove out of the corner of the room. To help the air circulate into my little office; which is around the corner from the lounge where the stove is located; I have a fan pulling air out of the office. Cold air is denser and thus you can pull/push cold air easier than hot air.
Yes, as said in a few posts above, use a small fan to move the cold air out of where you want to heat. We can move colder air with a fan but it's useless to try to blow warm air to the desired area. Tried and tested.
I made a heat shield with a blower for my stove and used a small fan like used in a computer , it is very quiet and works perfect. Some are nosier than others but I was fortunate to have a box full at work I could pick and choose from until I found the one that was best.
Many variables involved but blowing hot air across the stove has worked great for me for over 40 years, small fan blowing cool air toward stove does work for me (tried it). Some things don't work the same in every application.
Yes, I have thought about that as well. The blower that came with my stove just doesn't move the air; with the heat shields it is suppose to blow the air up and around the stove and through the holes in the side heat shields. I tested with my hand and could not feel air from the holes; that fan is noisy but it is not moving enough air to force it up and around the sides of the stove. A higher CFM fan might actually work.
Welcome aboard Andy Cruickshank I understand that you have the NC-30 model...is this correct? You will find that stove to be a great asset! I have the NC-13 and the NC-30 and love them both. Both models have the "hair dryer" type fan mounted on them. Yes they are noisy but I do not understand the comments about them not moving air around as when I do use them, there is a huge difference in heat distribution. Agree fully with the comments about moving cooler air to the stove rather than moving (trying to) warm air from the stove. You probably have noticed this yourself already. If it is a quieter fan you need, go with bushpilot recommendation. I also have a drolet with the same type of blower (the same as bushpilot recommends) and it is noticeably quieter. To move even more heat, consider a convection deck that many have added and enjoyed the results. Your nc30 needs a convection deck | Firewood Hoarders Club You chose an excellent stove (nc30) and once you learn it completely will be thoroughly satisfied! Be sure to search the other threads regarding the nc 30 on this site.
I ended up putting a pedestal fan behind the stove, i had the room. It has made life easier for me, i can control the stove a little better and it helps heat the house up quicker. The fan setup on my Drolet was anemic, probably a redneck solution but it works.
