Anyone have experience/thoughts with sticking an inline booster fan into the system to help a poorly drawing coal forge chimney? Something like this:

Remove commercial link per TOS.

Edited April 2, 20215 yr by Mod30
Remove commercial link per TOS

Just the 140°F max temp:

Maybe show a picture of your setup?

It will probably help, but I would be concerned about the temperature of the flue gasses burning out the motor prematurely. It says max operating temp is 140F which, all things considered, isn't really that hot. You may want to address why your chimney isn't drawing well in the first place. Do you have any pictures?

The forge on the left functions fine- no smoke in the shop. The new one is on the right- still yet to be finished. Unfortunately there's no way around all the bends in the chimney and I understand this is my main problem. Fortunately I have about 25 feet of vertical height outside the building which offsets this mostly . I'm just pushing it a bit far with the new side blast forge I think. Most of the smoke goes up the chimney, but I'd like a little more 'suck' for those moments when it's a bit more smoky. 

Do you 100% close off the intake from the back forge when you are using the front forge?  That would be the biggest help although it's going to be harder to get the up draft going with the gases cooling off in the horizontal run before making it to the vertical run.

What about using an inducer fan to keep the fan out of the heat and soot?

Yes, I have baffles and can close off either forge if not in use. I'm not familiar with the use of inducer fans for a forge. Would it be mounted somewhere inside the chimney?

Snagged from google.

 

NO as I said to avoid exposing the fan to heat and soot.  It would come in at an angle to the chimney and induce a stronger draft---would help starting out too when the chimney effect was not strong too.

Ah, I understand. I'll look more into that. Thanks. 

Well, I made the opening smaller via a temporary plate and some bricks to block the bottom and it pulls way better than before. I guess that extra velocity was a good thing. Still some kinks to figure out, but it is better. May still look into the fan idea.

Easiest thing first right? Nice shop by the way.

Off topic but does the tuyere last fairly well in that forge? Is the end covered in clay or something?

Also nice looking shop!

It is a copper tuyere and lasts a very long time as long as air is running through it.