Help, what was this part of an electric fire

twopenny

Spent an hour or more last night using a picture hook, frame clip, paper clip and the pin.

I bent the picture hook and paper clip numerous times that should have worked but didn't - finally I've got the fan sitting straight but not turning so at least it looks prettier.

The space is less than 2cm high, between two metal prongs and the process it excedingly trying so I had to give up.

I've lost the original pin again

I;ll give it another go when I gather some more patience/enthusiasm.

Thank you for all your ideas

WIAWSNB

twopenny said:

Spent an hour or more last night using a picture hook, frame clip, paper clip and the pin.

I bent the picture hook and paper clip numerous times that should have worked but didn't - finally I've got the fan sitting straight but not turning so at least it looks prettier.

The space is less than 2cm high, between two metal prongs and the process it excedingly trying so I had to give up.

I've lost the original pin again

I;ll give it another go when I gather some more patience/enthusiasm.

Thank you for all your ideas

Photos of your attempts!

Bear in mind that the pin/hook/clip tip must be sharp, or else there will be too much friction for the fan to turn. 

How far did you get? The fan sat on, wobbled nicely, but didn't spin under bulb heat? Did it spin with a push? If so, did it keep going for a good while, as if free from friction? 

If the pin tip is blunt or rough, it ain't going to spin. 

twopenny

You are right. Lost the pin and just used the paper clip. When I got that mess to fit eventually I hadn't got the patience for another hour/attempt.

The weekend when there's daylight I'll give it another go. Find the pin, dig out some electrical tape and do another mashup.

twopenny

So I've got the fan spinning - paperclip with spike top squeezed with pliers.
Thank you.

Though now it's spinning too fast which isn't very relaxing.

Do you think the pin is too short, too close to the bulb so the heat is making it fast and if I try again making it longer it might go slower?
Or any other reasons you can think of. 
There is very little space between the two bits of metal.
I can do some interesting disco effects.😲

WIAWSNB

twopenny said:

So I've got the fan spinning - paperclip with spike top squeezed with pliers.
Thank you.

Though now it's spinning too fast which isn't very relaxing.

Do you think the pin is too short, too close to the bulb so the heat is making it fast and if I try again making it longer it might go slower?
Or any other reasons you can think of. 
There is very little space between the two bits of metal.
I can do some interesting disco effects.😲

Ha-ha - I didn't expect that :-)
I can't see being fractionally closer to the bulb making the difference.
You haven't increased the bulb wattage, have you? What is it 60W? Do they make a smaller version, say 40?
Or, what you can do is slightly tweak the blades more flat, perhaps just a few to begin with. If you do a few randomly, the flicker effect should be more 'random' too.
Gently, slightly.

Section62

twopenny said:

So I've got the fan spinning - paperclip with spike top squeezed with pliers.
Thank you.

Though now it's spinning too fast which isn't very relaxing.

Do you think the pin is too short, too close to the bulb so the heat is making it fast and if I try again making it longer it might go slower?
Or any other reasons you can think of. 
There is very little space between the two bits of metal.
I can do some interesting disco effects.😲

I'd previously wondered whether there was also a missing part which fitted above the fan to hold it down onto the spike - otherwise if you move the fire around it is likely the fan would come off the spike unless you carried the fire gently and level.

So possibly there was, and some of the function of this missing upper part was to apply (adjustable) drag on the fan's rotation to keep it spinning at a relaxing speed?

twopenny

Wiawsnb, I tried straightening the sections of fan as they had got a bit bent in my efforts but under heat they've reverted to a slight angle that lets the 'thermals' through.

Same bulb and wattage. I researched led ones for economy but those have to be fitted sideways and this is straight up.
Also they wouldn't generate heat for the fan.

Section that's a thought. I did wonder if the centre red cone should rest gently against the top prong in the fire to keep it stable. It's a thought that passed through my head a couple of times otherwise why have the top one.
I did check that it shouldn't sit up top, wouldn't fit under the fake coals.

WIAWSNB

Considering the fan relies fully on the slight thermal from a bulb, it needs to be as friction-free as possible. I'm nigh on certain there won't be a part touching it from above.
I have a recollection from my childhood of fixing one of these - I'm talking the best part of 60 years ago...
Yes, there was a horizontal metal plate above the fan to prevent it falling off if the heater was turned upside down, but - no - it didn't touch. I think I recall having to prise it upwards slightly against springy pressure, enough to allow the fan to be extracted sideways.
That fact you refitted the fan without having to resort to this suggests your new 'pin' is shorter than the original, that's all. It shouldn't touch, tho'.
Yes, you need a gap in the blades to allow the light to flicker through, and also to make it act as a driven fan - if you bend these blades, even just some of them, either more flat or more obtuse, it will reduce the fan speed, ultimately to zero. 
Seriously, that's the solution. Don't mess with the pin now it's working (bleedin' miracle...), and just don't turn your heater upside down