Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum of
a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to decide if
this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing the heat from
my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of it defeats the
purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck

On Dec 3, 9:34*pm, "C & E" wrote:
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum of
a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? *I'm trying to decide if
this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing the heat from
my wood stove. *I have always contended that every use of it defeats the
purpose of burning wood. *TIA Chuck

I get my wood for free this year so I'm using the fan to distribute
the heat from my heatolator fireplace in the family room thruout the
house.

"C & E" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to decide
if this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing the heat
from my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of it defeats
the purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck

In my 5-ton A/C, 100,000 btu heating system, the blower is about 10 A, mebbe
a little more.
But this is a big-azz blower, ballpark about 1 foot long by about 1 foot
diam squirrel cage.

10 A, at a power factor of 1.0 (purely resistive) is 1200 watts, a good
sized heater in itself.
Which is something you should consider, that technically, this electric cost
is "returned" in the form of heat, altho not "free" heat, as in chopped
wood.
Of course, this "return" of heat is undesirable in the A/C mode.

I'd guess that the blower suitable for a wood burning stove would be much
much smaller. For example, the blowers in kitchen hoods are considerably
less than 5 A, some less than 2 A, gleaned from a GE Profile sheet on their
designer hoods.

I think a current draw of 2-3 amps would increase the effective heat
distribution of a wood stove so as to be well worth the electric cost.
Ceiling fans also do well along these lines, and draw very low power.
--
EA

"C & E" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of
a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to decide if
this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing the heat
from
my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of it defeats the
purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck


You probably have a dual speed fan. Low speed for circulating hot air and
high speed for circulating cool air. The current draw is listed on your
specific models motor data plate, or you can just use an ammeter.

--

Roger Shoaf

About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then
they come up with this striped stuff.

"C & E" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to decide
if this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing the heat
from my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of it defeats
the purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck

Look at the nameplate on the motor and it will give the amps for running.

The biggest drawback of a wood stove is the lack of air circulation. To be
effective in the entire house, you must move the air somehow. If you don't
use the blower from the heating system, run a box fan to blow the heat out
of the room to the rest of the house. You can get some natural convection,
but in 99% of houses, it is not adequate.

C & E wrote:
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to
decide if this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing
the heat from my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of
it defeats the purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck

Won't running that fan draw some smoke into the house that might
otherwise exit via the chimney?

Lou

Yes, very possibly. Some heat systems run a duct (4 inch
dryer vent tube would be good) from the return air to
outdoors. So, the system pulls in some outdoor air. Helps
pressurize the building, too. Push the smoke out.

I remember the one time I was helping install a furnace. The
family decided it was a good day to kindle a fire in the
fireplace. The house was airtight enought, that the
fireplace was sucking air down the chimney (flue) for the
furnace. The smoke started to fill the cellar. Really
bitter, and miserable smoke, too. I took a plastic bag and
taped it over the open flue. And then opened a cellar window
to let fresh air in.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"LouB" wrote in message
...

Won't running that fan draw some smoke into the house that
might
otherwise exit via the chimney?

Lou

Well.... a typical furnace blower is 1/4 to 1/3 HP, some are
larger. A HP is 748 watts, or maybe 746. Can't remember.

My prediction is that using the furnace fan helps keep the
other rooms much more comfortable. Cuts down on complaining.
And helps filter ash and dust out of the air. All of those,
are valuable.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"C & E" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan
in the plenum of
a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying
to decide if
this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for
distributing the heat from
my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of it
defeats the
purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck

I have a Trane XR 80 furnace for my house. Looks like a standard size
furnace. I remember when I borrowed a friends Amprobe, I saw about 5.5
amps for the blower.

On Dec 4, 6:47*am, LouB wrote:
C & E wrote:
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? *I'm trying to
decide if this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing
the heat from my wood stove. *I have always contended that every use of
it defeats the purpose of burning wood. *TIA Chuck

Won't running that fan draw some smoke into the house that might
otherwise exit via the chimney?

Lou

if the stove has a air input from outside the house there is no
problem. My fireplace, which is a heatolator type, draws air into the
firebox thru a 4 inch diameter hose which goes directly to the outside
through a dryer exhaust like pipe and hood and screen on the side of
the house. The heat exchanger is a blower that blows air around the
outside of the fire box itself. There is no air interchange between
the outside air being drawn in for combustion and the air blowing
around the fire box.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
Well.... a typical furnace blower is 1/4 to 1/3 HP, some are
larger. A HP is 748 watts, or maybe 746. Can't remember.

My prediction is that using the furnace fan helps keep the
other rooms much more comfortable. Cuts down on complaining.
And helps filter ash and dust out of the air. All of those,
are valuable.

My furnace fan has surprisingly little effect on circulating heat from my
insert. Run for a couple hours when the living room is up to 70, the other rooms
might rise from 60 to 62. It probably depends a lot on where you cold air
returns are. If they are right next to the stove, it'll probably work better.

hr(bob) wrote:
On Dec 4, 6:47 am, LouB wrote:
C & E wrote:
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to
decide if this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing
the heat from my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of
it defeats the purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck
Won't running that fan draw some smoke into the house that might
otherwise exit via the chimney?

Lou

if the stove has a air input from outside the house there is no
problem. My fireplace, which is a heatolator type, draws air into the
firebox thru a 4 inch diameter hose which goes directly to the outside
through a dryer exhaust like pipe and hood and screen on the side of
the house. The heat exchanger is a blower that blows air around the
outside of the fire box itself. There is no air interchange between
the outside air being drawn in for combustion and the air blowing
around the fire box.

I see said the blind man to his deaf wife!

"C & E" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to decide
if this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing the heat
from my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of it defeats
the purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck

Just looked at the plate of my old dual blower for kitchen vent, hellified
blower.
1/20 hp!! mebbe 1/2 A? wow....
--
EA

"C & E" wrote in message
...
Can anyone tell me the general draw of a squirrel cage fan in the plenum
of a heating/ cooling system in one or both speeds? I'm trying to decide
if this fan is cost effective (I'll do the math) for distributing the
heat from my wood stove. I have always contended that every use of it
defeats the purpose of burning wood. TIA Chuck

Thanks folks. I live in a 68' rancher and the heat does a fairly good job
of distribution since we're empty nesters not using 3 of the 4 bedrooms. In
the early winter (now) when the temps are only slightly below freezing and
up to the mid 40s during the day the stove wants to drive us out of the
house. We like a hot box in order to abate creosote and it has been working
well. We have learned to open up the other rooms to bleed off some of the
heat. But, when the temps get to be in the teens and twenties I would like
to bump some of the heat to the BR since it's at the far reaches of the
house. Ironically, our family room is behind the firebox with exposed
brick. We have to sit in there in summer attire - whew. Oh yes, I haven't
looked on the motor plate because I can't get to it without standing on my
head and twisting around. My back won't take that. That's my story and I'm
sticking to it!! Thanks again! Chuck