FIXED: Smoking Fireplace (dust and burned out bulb)

Birchwood

Well-known member
We have a 4 year old Dimplex electric fireplace that started smoking shortly after start up this morning.Filled RV with smoke and the origin appeared to be at the right inside base of unit.Turned off unit and cut power supply.We never leave fireplace on when unattended or at night while sleeping
and was a good thing.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

Have you cleaned the flue? :)
Looks like you will need to pull the fireplace and see where the problem is.
I think that a call to Dimplex will get you the parts you need.

Peace
Dave
 

dbbls59

Well-known member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

Wow, a smoking fireplace! That is a little too realistic. Mine makes more noise that it did when new. Did yours get noisy?
 

stevenssr

Well-known member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

We have a 4 year old Dimplex electric fireplace that started smoking shortly after start up this morning.Filled RV with smoke and the origin appeared to be at the right inside base of unit.Turned off unit and cut power supply.We never leave fireplace on when unattended or at night while sleeping
and was a good thing.

We often sleep with it on, but I'm going to think twice about that now.

Scott
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

When you take it apart to repair, or replace, please circle back around to let us know if it was a component on the electronics board that fried, or if the smoke was caused by the heating element, or if the blower failed, leading to smoke followed by an overtemp shutdown.
 

Birchwood

Well-known member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

When you take it apart to repair, or replace, please circle back around to let us know if it was a component on the electronics board that fried, or if the smoke was caused by the heating element, or if the blower failed, leading to smoke followed by an overtemp shutdown.

Will do.Taking to the Dimplex dealer later this week.I will not be attempting any repairs!
 

Birchwood

Well-known member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

Had our fireplace serviced at an authorized Dimplex repair company.The only problem was a burned out bulb and some dust on the inside of unit.
They were unsure why the unit smoked.After 5 days and $28 our fireplace is now working fine and we have peace of mind.
 

Bobby A

Well-known member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

Had our fireplace serviced at an authorized Dimplex repair company.The only problem was a burned out bulb and some dust on the inside of unit.
They were unsure why the unit smoked.After 5 days and $28 our fireplace is now working fine and we have peace of mind.

That's a small price to pay for repair/peace of mind. Glad it all worked out, ours is 5 models years old and still going strong (knock on wood). When we do turn it on after a long absence I can smell that dust smell for a minute or so and then it goes away.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Re: Smoking Fireplace

I just finished completely going through my Dimplex fireplace. I had an existing problem with the dimmer control potentiometer shaft being broken, but what finally happened was that the last of the 4 bulbs burned out. Here is how you take it out/apart: (Before starting unplug the fireplace from it's outlet and/or turn off the circuit breaker)
1. Remove the 4 wood plugs on the trim panel, and remove the screws (a square bit driver is best). Remove the trim panel.
2. Remove the front glass retainer screw at the top middle of the glass, then tip the glass pane forward and lift up to remove.
3. There are 2 mounting screws on each side behind where the glass panel normally sits. Remove these 4 screws.
4. The entire fireplace should now pull forward out of the fireplace wood enclosure.
5. The "Fake wood" firelogs should lift and pull out easily
5. There are 6 60 watt mini base "candelabra" light bulbs in the fireplace - 2 on the upper side of the fireplace (the dimmable ones) and 4 on the bottom below where the fake wood sits. The bottom 4 lamps provide the illumination for the jumping fire licks effect caused by the motorized wheel assembly in the back. I replaced all 6 bulbs although some were still good based on the idea that lamps are rated on hours of use, and the other ones are likely to fail soon.
Besides, they were $2.99 for a 4 pack!
6. The heater and circuit boards for the dimming and effects motor speed are at the top of the unit behind the control knobs. You can access this area and get good access to vacuum the unit out by removing the 6 small black screws around the top panel. Note: I would think that anything that "smoked" would be in this area, most likely some debris getting sucked into the heater and fan).
Additional note: I went to the local Radio Shack and got a 1 Megohm potentiometer to replace the broken one in the fireplace. I had to hacksaw the shaft down to the correct length and file the end of the shaft into a "D" shape to connect with the existing knob. I then mounted it in the hole and soldered the wires to it.

I cleaned, vacuumed, and re-assembled the fireplace, and now it is good as new (after 6 years)!!
 

Birchwood

Well-known member
Had a recurrence of fireplace malfunction.Turned on fireplace early this morning and within 15 minutes I heard the fan stop.Within 3 minutes the entire unit became extremely hot .Turned off unit(happy I was present) and switched off the circuit.Removed fireplace and returned it to Dimplex dealer for repairs.This time they noticed the fan failing and determined it required a new heating element and fan(I guess one unit) and ordered a new part.Asked them about a cut off of power when the fan stopped but they said it was all one part.The part will cost $200 an not sure about installation cost.A WORD OF CAUTION HERE......DON"T LEAVE WITH YOUR FIREPLACE ON AND NEVER LEAVE IT GOING WHEN YOU GO TO BED.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
This is only my opinion, but the heating element and fan are totally enclosed in their own inner metal box, and that is totally enclosed in the upper metal cabinet of the fireplace. ANY electric heater can have a fan malfunction, and most of the regular electric heaters do not have the fan and heating element double enclosed. Yes, a simple thermal fuse might be desirable to add to the heater circuit.

I think we have heard much, much, more on RV forums about refrigerator fires than about electric fireplace fires. In fact, I haven't heard of one electric fireplace fire. But I am concerned enough about RV fires to have spent $270 and installed a self-deploying halon fire extinguisher in my refrigerator compartment, along with re-enforcing the rubber propane flex line connecting the kitchen slide against road debris breakage. I have also rebuilt replaced every insulation displacement 120 volt electrical outlet in my rig with standard screw connector types, as a protection against fire, and electrical bad connection problems. I also have an (apartment-type) escape chain ladder in the bedroom in case of fire.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Had a recurrence of fireplace malfunction.Turned on fireplace early this morning and within 15 minutes I heard the fan stop.Within 3 minutes the entire unit became extremely hot .Turned off unit(happy I was present) and switched off the circuit.Removed fireplace and returned it to Dimplex dealer for repairs.This time they noticed the fan failing and determined it required a new heating element and fan(I guess one unit) and ordered a new part.Asked them about a cut off of power when the fan stopped but they said it was all one part.The part will cost $200 an not sure about installation cost.A WORD OF CAUTION HERE......DON"T LEAVE WITH YOUR FIREPLACE ON AND NEVER LEAVE IT GOING WHEN YOU GO TO BED.

If this is a Dimplex BF8000, the service manual says it has an overtemperature shutdown. Maybe you have more than one problem with your fireplace.
 
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