Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Faulty Thermo Snap Switch?
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den110
03-01-06, 12:42 PM
Hello,
I just installed a blower for my Superior B-800 gas fireplace. It is the Lennox FBK-250. I installed it as instructed and placed the thermo snap switch( or thermo element sensing disk) up to touch the bottom of the firebox floor. I started my gas fireplace as instructed. The instructions stated the blower should turn on in about 20 minutes. Well.. after 2 hours the blower never turned on. I thought maybe the sensor is not getting hot enough so I moved it to different areas- touching different parts of the firebox floor. Still nothing. I called the company I purchased it from online. They stated that it is very rare that a thermo sensor would go bad. They told me to put a bic lighter flame to it and see if it will go on. Well, I am at work and haven't tried that yet. I was wondering if a sensor could go bad. Also I was wondering how hot the firebox floor needs to get before the sensor closes the circuit and turns on the blower. It seems when I put my hands on the firebox floor it is very warm, but not so hot that I have to take my hands off- thats after being on for 1 to 2 hrs. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated
I just installed a blower for my Superior B-800 gas fireplace. It is the Lennox FBK-250. I installed it as instructed and placed the thermo snap switch( or thermo element sensing disk) up to touch the bottom of the firebox floor. I started my gas fireplace as instructed. The instructions stated the blower should turn on in about 20 minutes. Well.. after 2 hours the blower never turned on. I thought maybe the sensor is not getting hot enough so I moved it to different areas- touching different parts of the firebox floor. Still nothing. I called the company I purchased it from online. They stated that it is very rare that a thermo sensor would go bad. They told me to put a bic lighter flame to it and see if it will go on. Well, I am at work and haven't tried that yet. I was wondering if a sensor could go bad. Also I was wondering how hot the firebox floor needs to get before the sensor closes the circuit and turns on the blower. It seems when I put my hands on the firebox floor it is very warm, but not so hot that I have to take my hands off- thats after being on for 1 to 2 hrs. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated
hankhill6018
03-01-06, 05:32 PM
Chances are, if the bottom of the firebox is only warm to touch, it will not trip the switch. One way to rule out the switch is to see if you have voltage going to the switch (Note, I would only recommend doing this if you are comfortable with electronics.). You should get 120VAC to the switch at all times. If you don't get voltage at the switch, there's another problem (outlet not energized, rheostat not on, etc).
den110
03-01-06, 05:45 PM
hankhill6018
thanks for your reply, I just tested the thermo snap switch with a lighter flame and it did go on. So I felt the bottom of my firebox and it is warm to touch but not hot. This blower kit with the thermo snap switch is made for my gas fireplace. I am wondering why the bottom of the firebox is not hot enough. Can it be that the gas fireplace needs some type of adjustment, such as the pilot light? The flame pattern seems to conform to the picture in the manual.....
thanks for your reply, I just tested the thermo snap switch with a lighter flame and it did go on. So I felt the bottom of my firebox and it is warm to touch but not hot. This blower kit with the thermo snap switch is made for my gas fireplace. I am wondering why the bottom of the firebox is not hot enough. Can it be that the gas fireplace needs some type of adjustment, such as the pilot light? The flame pattern seems to conform to the picture in the manual.....