Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => Electronics => Topic started by: ironwood on September 20, 2010, 11:06:52 AM

Title: induction fan blower
Post by: ironwood on September 20, 2010, 11:06:52 AM

Anyone tried running an AquaTherm with either a rheostat to slow the induction motor speed or just the trap door for air?  Seems that one could burn less wood that way.

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: MattyNH on September 20, 2010, 01:30:07 PM

Aqua-Therm user here..Never thought to try to slow the fan down or anything.. I dont know any furnace that has fan speeds..Just pump speeds..How much you burn in a season?

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: willieG on September 20, 2010, 07:40:31 PM

i have never seen one of these stoves u p close...does the trap door determine how much air gets blown in or how much air is let in when the fan is off (to keep the fire from going out?)

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: parkinspot on September 21, 2010, 05:29:56 AM

An AC motor speed controller like this should do the trick.

http://www.amazon.com/Electronics-Variable-Speed-Control-K177-1002/dp/B000F9B712 (http://www.amazon.com/Electronics-Variable-Speed-Control-K177-1002/dp/B000F9B712)

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: MattyNH on September 21, 2010, 06:05:17 PM

willieG no air is let in until the fan turns on.. There is a lower baffle under the grates..The baffel stops air at a certain point..Being a furnace user.. Really not sure why you would wanna slow the fan down..

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: ironwood on September 22, 2010, 08:27:06 AM

the aquastat opens a flap on the induction fan and energizes the fan.  I wanna know if the flap open would be enough to satisfy aquastat (obviously over a longer timeframe) or slowing down the fan.  Guess I'll have to try it.

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: Scott7m on September 22, 2010, 01:52:42 PM

all this type of stuff has been tested by different manufacturers and designers many times.  from what I've read your best efficiency comes from a fan to get the fire going and then close back off.  I would think the longer you keep the fan running whether it be at a low speed or not will just burn more wood.  The more time the flap on your stove stays closed is the less wood you are going to burn if your stove is sealed properly.

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: yoderheating on September 22, 2010, 05:58:42 PM

 I agree with Scott7m, everything I have read seems to say that a hot fire burns most efficiently.  I would thing the best thing would be to have a very hot fire and then some down time with very little burning. This of course would depend on how well the furnace is designed to capture the heat that is produced.

Title: Re: induction fan blower
Post by: MattyNH on September 23, 2010, 07:23:24 PM

I would think that forced air is more efficient than natural draft..Instant fire..