Giving extra life to exhaust blower bearings with additional cooling?

Hello
The heat build up around exhaust blowers does vary greatly from one brand of pellet stove to another. After talking to a pellet stove motor expert, one thing is very clear. The heat from the stove destroys the bearings even in the best of motors! Therefore keeping the heat around the blower down in any stove may greatly increase the life of the blower motor.
So I got an axial 3.6” x 3.6” AC cooling fan and wires it up to the exhaust blower using spade lugs just clip it in, Then mounted the blower onto the back panel. In this way, the cooling fan goes on and off with the exhaust blower. The fan is a good quality double ball bearing with an aluminum case.
So how does it look? Comments?
I took some initial measurements and with the stove set on heat level 3 with the fan on, I get about 145 Degrees F on the magnetic plates. With the cooling fan off the heat goes up between 10 - 15 Degrees.

 

are you using it in push, or pull configuration? Ive set up a few computers with liquid cooling, which usually consists of a couple fans cooling the radiator....usually one fan pulling air in, the other pushing it out......your setup either pulls the air out of the case, or pushes it in, on the bearings......

 

Curious we didn't see before & after motor temps from Don......

 

Yes, this pushes cooler air in on the exhaust blower’s bearings.
The other day I replaced an exhaust blower and an Auger Motor on a Harman Advance with the Metal hopper lid and both parts the bearings were shot and were approx 20 years old! I did not see a chain tensioner? Did these older units not have one?
That stove was really taken care of very well and not run on higher heat levels much.
A cooling fan could still help and these 120 volt 3.6” square fans fit in well. What do u think?

 

I think the fans are a good idea. I get the same effect by leaving my stove's side doors open a bit, so it's much cooler back there.

 

Hello
In the same spot, Stove is On Heat level 2
Pic 1 - 130 Deg F with cooling fan
Pic 2 - 146 Deg F without cooling Fan

 

Can't argue with the facts. I would expect longer life from all the components in there, as well.

 

New kit
See pics and orange hookup wires

 

I like your theory,but,if was efficient,and cost worthy,would have been implemented.Pellet stoves are manufactured on a cost/profit ratio.Your idea is good,but,for the time and money involved to do this,would raise the price,Improvements can be made on almost anything,cost is the factor.Stoves are usually made to the minimum standards.Please bring this up on future posts,as this is not a new thing, only the fact you just now discovered this.

 

It is the new top mounted control panel on the Ashley AP5660L.
Do you know if you can put a T-Stat on it?

 

Yes the 80631 Circuit Board, This Stove really socks out the heat! Do you like it?
Can you put a T-Stat on it?

 

Not sure about programming. There must be more info on this somewhere???
It says hopper here is 25lb but the manual says 20lb?? Does it really hold half a bag?

It says T-Stat ready??
https://www.ruralking.com/ashley-mini-pellet-stove.html
The AP5710 is a fully automated pellet stove with automatic ignition and easy access top mounted controls. This simple design and close clearance tolerances make this model easy to install and a welcomed addition to any home. It comes with a Remote control and is Ready for hookup to a wall mounted thermostat. The digital control panel has a easy to read digital temperature read out and soft touch buttons.

• Up to 35,000 BTU’s
• 25 lb. hopper
• Small compact footprint
• Remote Control Included
• Thermostat Ready
• Heats up to 1,200 Sq. Ft.
• LED Display with thermostat
• Blower included
• 3" exhaust
• Air washed glass keeps door clean
• Slim design is perfect for smaller rooms
• Top loading hopper
• Heavy Duty Steel design

 

You could probably hook up the T-Stat to one leg of the room probe just like the Harman stoves but maybe much harder to get at the wire?
20 lb hopper?

 

Usually you can leave the damper out 1/4 and it should be fine.