# Recommendations for a quiet squirrel-cage type blower



## uggabugga (Dec 2, 2011)

hi all, i have a timberline insert with a fasco blower, that feeds into a manifold-type arrangement. it works ok, but has no on/off switch and is VERY noisy, almost like a hair dryer. i know there must be somethng powerful and quiet out there that won't cost and arm and a leg - can someone recommend something?

this is similar to the one i have now, minus the feeder tube and manifold:


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## coaly (Dec 3, 2011)

I put a variable speed control on all of them, and rarely run them full speed. Since you run the stove at different BTU outputs, you need to vary the fan along with it. 1/2 to 3/4 rpm moves enough air unless your stove is really cooking. A drop of oil each year on the shaft at the bearing and keep it clean to avoid unbalance. Make sure you don't get any drone or resonance through sheet metal mounting. Sometimes a felt gasket between a mounting flange or motor mounts deadens the sound. Mines double wheel, so they can probably run a lot slower blowing the same amount of air. Speed and decibels are related, find the sweet spot where it's quietest and moves the most air.
And a control is cheaper than another fan. If there is a plug on the end of the cord, there are fan controls that simply plug into the receptacle and you plug the fan into it.


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## Bone1099 (Dec 3, 2011)

If youre kinda handy you can find these type blowers in many discared appliances. They usually have at least a hi and low setting. 
You can probably scrounge a good working blower for less than $30 maybe free.  Check out my recent post in this forum.  Fisher blower.  I used an over the stove microwave for my blower.  It was the blower for the range vent that was built into the microwave. Dual squirrel cage has a hi and low.  It is very quiet on low and makes a little noise on high but really the only time i think i will need hi is firing up to a cold house.  in this situation it will only need to be on hi for a short time and if youre cold you find the noise of something warm is comforting.  BTW if you rob a blower from an appliance be sure you get the start capacitor.  Otherwise it will never run correctly.  Learned the hard way.


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## uggabugga (Dec 8, 2011)

coaly said:
			
		

> I put a variable speed control on all of them, and rarely run them full speed. Since you run the stove at different BTU outputs, you need to vary the fan along with it. 1/2 to 3/4 rpm moves enough air unless your stove is really cooking. A drop of oil each year on the shaft at the bearing and keep it clean to avoid unbalance. Make sure you don't get any drone or resonance through sheet metal mounting. Sometimes a felt gasket between a mounting flange or motor mounts deadens the sound. Mines double wheel, so they can probably run a lot slower blowing the same amount of air. Speed and decibels are related, find the sweet spot where it's quietest and moves the most air.
> And a control is cheaper than another fan. If there is a plug on the end of the cord, there are fan controls that simply plug into the receptacle and you plug the fan into it.



a felt gasket just might help, along with a speed control. something like this, maybe?

http://www.northlineexpress.com/item/5SA-4008/Dial-A-Temp-Rheostat


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## uggabugga (Dec 8, 2011)

Bone1099 said:
			
		

> If youre kinda handy you can find these type blowers in many discared appliances. They usually have at least a hi and low setting.
> You can probably scrounge a good working blower for less than $30 maybe free.  Check out my recent post in this forum.  Fisher blower.  I used an over the stove microwave for my blower.  It was the blower for the range vent that was built into the microwave. Dual squirrel cage has a hi and low.  It is very quiet on low and makes a little noise on high but really the only time i think i will need hi is firing up to a cold house.  in this situation it will only need to be on hi for a short time and if youre cold you find the noise of something warm is comforting.  BTW if you rob a blower from an appliance be sure you get the start capacitor.  Otherwise it will never run correctly.  Learned the hard way.



thanks for the reply, but i'm probably not patient enough/handy enough to adapt an existing blower from some other appliance. there doesn't seem to be anything really wrong with my existing blower so hopefully just tuning the speed down a notch will bring the noise down to where i don't have to crank the volume on the TV any more.


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