fireplace fix

Kiko

Member
To deal with the excessive heat coming off of the electric fireplace in the 3200RL, I'm going to put a strip of the air pocket foil covered solar insulation along the bottom of the front mantle to keep the heat off of the mantle trim. Then I'll add two 12v computer fans to the inside to the cabinet dead space above the fireplace to redirect the heat to the living room instead of the DVD player and cabinet above. The small 4" x 4" computer fans are quiet and only cost about $5.00 each. You can buy fans with a built in thermostat if you don't want to bother with a switch. The fans are small and black and can easily be concealed in the cabinet for a neat installation. There is a 12v socket already installed in the DVD cabinet.
 

christianson

Active Member
install a small vent inside your knee space of your fire place cabinet helps to there isn't enough intacke to keep it cool
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Kiko,
Your fan idea was exactly my next step on my 3600RL. On my post a few days ago I explained my fireplace fix and so far it seems to work much better raised off the carpet and with the heat deflector under the oak mantel. If not, then I will install the fans behind the tv to force air into the fireplace compartment. This overheating the mantel and oak surround can be very dangerous (as in fire) if not attended to. I don't know if the factory has corrected this problem on the later units.
 

Kiko

Member
FP update

I stuck on some aluminum tape on the bottom of the wood mantel triim piece and then slid a foil covered bubble wrap window solar block (about 24" x 24") between the top of the fireplace and the wood mantel. I then screwed an aluminum trim plate up on this so you did not see the foil wrap or aluminum tape and to give a neat appearance. Ran the fireplace full heat for about 3 hours and the DVD cab did not heat up. I think the fans would surely recycle the fireplace heat and make it more efficient but it does not seem necessary at this time.

Another side story just for grins : In June I was riding a dirt bike up Hwy 57 to Matehuala, Mex coming back from a trip to El Cielo rain forest in Tamaulipas. I got lost in Matehuala, SLP looking for a hotel on the plaza. The dirt bike did not have a radiator fan and the bike overheated until finally the plastic coolant resevoir tank popped a hole. After some emergency repairs by a Mex Moto mechanic with baking soda and crazy glue, I was back on the road the next day. After I got back to Texas, I zip tied a couple of those computer fans onto the radiator and switched them to the light switch. Presto!! No more overheating problems.

Taking the Bighorn to Lake Chapala area in 3 weeks!! I'l post pics if I can figure out how to do it.
 
Top