Date: Wed, 16 Nov 2022 13:54:26 -0500
Reply-To: Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Improve comfort of Buddy Heater
In-Reply-To: <269432533.633538.1668623931187@mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Hi folks,
I owned one of these fans for about 3 years. I used it at home on a wood stove. I purchased a good quality unit made in Canada and having good ratings. It was about $80.00.
It worked well for two years then started to fail. By the third year it rattled and went much slower. I tried lubrication and it helped a bit but then I read up and it seemed that many folks had them fail.
They are attractive, quiet and interesting. But for long term use I’m not sure they are a practical value. Of course mine got a lot more use then in a van for now and then trips.
They don’t move a lot of air but don’t require a power source.
Frankly, having had one I would now use another option.
In my home I installed a ceiling fan in the wood stove room and on low it circulates the heat nicely for the entire home. So no cute stove top fan needed.
And for the van. I have a USB rechargable clip on fan. It is quiet, adjustable speed, adjustable angles much more powerful and lasts all night on a charge and more. It can also be a emergency power source to charge my phone. I think I payed about $15.00 for mine. I like it so much I purchased three. One has been stolen by my wife for hot flash use.
So, though I love the idea, and beauty of the devices I think for van life the rechargable small light, fans are the way to go. They are also useful in hot weather and can keep a breeze on you all night. There are many versions on Amazon but the one I have was discontinued last year. You can find them sometimes as accessories for baby strollers or desk use. But for camping and hot or cold air moving they rock.
Eric Caron
85 and 84 Westfalia
> On Nov 16, 2022, at 1:38 PM, Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> I was concerned too. So I stuck my finger in it! No blood. Yes, the fan assembly is made of black anodized aluminum; actually, you will be quite impressed on the quality for such a low cost device.
>
> On Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at 10:30:01 AM PST, David McNeely <davmcneely40@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Just looked these up on Amazon. A great range of devices (and prices). I
> noticed that none of them have a safety screen. Is that because the fan
> speed is so low that they can't injure, or because the fan blades are of a
> soft material that will not cause injury, or both? I have just never seen
> a modern fan for air flow comfort that did not have a screen to prevent
> inadvertent contact with the blades.
>
> On Wed, Nov 16, 2022 at 10:20 AM Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> thanks Pete,
>>
>> Could you please post a link of the device?
>>
>> dan
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 16, 2022 at 8:34 AM Pete Sicilia <pete@coffeepot.org> wrote:
>>
>>> I just discovered this mod/upgrade too! In fact, I've been visiting some
>>> friends with a wood stove and I bought them a fan as a gift (and as a
>> proof
>>> of concept).
>>>
>>> I got one for less than $20 on Amazon and it was money well spent.
>>>
>>> Warmly,
>>> Pete
>>>
>>> On Tue, Nov 15, 2022, 4:25 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I know all you guys are familiar with Mr Heater Buddy propane heaters.
>>> If
>>>> you live in a humid environment, you probably detest them. If you use
>>> this
>>>> propane heater in winter desert or mountain conditions (like me), you
>>>> probably love them. A pretty clever contraption I recently discovered
>>> and
>>>> bought for around $30 is what is known as a "wood stove fan". Uses the
>>>> Seebeck principle: bottom end gets hot, top end is cold, in between is
>>>> sort of a giant thermocouple (different metals) which produces
>>> electricity
>>>> which drives a little motor which turns a fan blade. Buddy Heaters
>>> produce
>>>> radiant heat. But a lot of heat rises above ceramic plate and just
>>> floats
>>>> up to ceiling; here is where the "wood stove fan" works; it takes that
>>>> rising heat, and blows most of it forward! So clever YouTube folks
>>> mounted
>>>> one of these units on top of Buddy Heater (I mounted mine with bent
>>>> coathanger pieces); and yes...it really works! Kinda magical! No
>>> external
>>>> electricity source; totally quiet; you can feel a breeze at 2.5 feet
>> and
>>> it
>>>> disappears at 3 feet. But that's OK, moves a lot of air...now a means
>> of
>>>> providing convection heating in addition to radiant heating. Will give
>>> it
>>>> a good test in winter desert Thanksgiving weekend. (And no....the
>>>> electrical usage and the noise and hassle of Chinese Diesel Heaters is
>>> not
>>>> for me.)
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
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