Fireplace Charring the Wood Cabinet

RickO · 12-17-2007, 01:07 PM

I've searched and only found vague references to this problem. We use the electric fireplace in our 40FD a great deal and I've noticed that the wood cabinet between the fireplace and TV has begun to char in about a 6" area right in the middle. We're currently spending the winter in our coach in Palm Springs and I plan to contact Winnie about this but wanted to see if anyone else has dealt with this issue.

Your insights are appreciated.

RickO · 12-17-2007, 01:07 PM

I've searched and only found vague references to this problem. We use the electric fireplace in our 40FD a great deal and I've noticed that the wood cabinet between the fireplace and TV has begun to char in about a 6" area right in the middle. We're currently spending the winter in our coach in Palm Springs and I plan to contact Winnie about this but wanted to see if anyone else has dealt with this issue.

Your insights are appreciated.

gunny · 12-17-2007, 01:37 PM

That doesn't sound good.

Get with them right away and see if this is an issue. Don't burn it down.

Paul T · 12-17-2007, 03:36 PM

We used our fireplace quite a bit over a 2 plus month period last winter and did not have any problems such as yours but now you have me worried. I assume you have a sliding pull out mini desk above the fireplace. My mini desk has an interconnect with the fireplace that disables the fireplace when the desktop is pulled out. If you have a similar unit but the cutout switch is not working I could see that creating a problem. I also assume your fan is working properly which should expel the warmed air forward from the fireplace. I suspect if the fan were not working the unit could put out a lot of heat that would go straight up instead of out which would be undesirable.

Please keep us all advised as to the solution you eventually come up with. Charred anything in an RV sounds a bit scary.

RickO · 12-17-2007, 04:28 PM

I agree that this is scary.

I don't have a pull out desk but rather the 27" CRT Sony TV is mounted only 2" above the fireplace in the same cabinet and on the same vertical plane. The fan is working properly it seems. This is especially disconcerting since I'm wanting to replace the TV with a 37" LCD but this puts all of that on hold.

I will advise with what I hear from Winnie. It does seem that some sort of heat deflector would be appropriate for this application. There's a lot of heat that rises directly upward from the fireplace unit and that Sony has to be a heat generator as well.

glenda1908 · 12-18-2007, 06:45 AM

I would be interested as well since we just ordered an 08 40FD Vectra with the fireplace. Let us know what they say. We will be going to GNR this July and I will certainly ask if this is a problem before we start using the fireplace very much.

Fakrwee · 12-20-2007, 08:41 AM

Hi Ricko, any answer from Winne yet. That sure is a beautiful unit you have and Winne should take good care of you. I hope to work my way up to one by the time I retire as a retirement gift.

Good luck, even though good luck should have nothing to do with them fixing the problem.

Tom

RickO · 12-21-2007, 12:28 PM

Thanks Tom, and I couldn't think of a better retirement gift!

Giving Winnie the benefit of the doubt, I guess they're working with a minimal crew this week. I've called four times. The first two times I hung up after 30 minutes waiting for a rep to pick up. The second two times, after punching "1" to speak to a service rep, the phone just rang endlessly.

In the spirit of the holiday season, I'll just wait and try them after the holidays and reserve judgement on their customer service.

Richard 34A · 12-21-2007, 12:53 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RickO:

I don't have a pull out desk but rather the 27" CRT Sony TV is mounted only 2" above the fireplace in the same cabinet and on the same vertical plane. The fan is working properly it seems. This is especially disconcerting since I'm wanting to replace the TV with a 37" LCD but this puts all of that on hold. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't have anything that fancy, but have seen this set-up in motorhomes. I've never been convinced that having a T.V. directly above a fireplace is a great idea. Heat does rise; I've seen this in home displays that sell high-end T.V. and have asked the salespeople about it. Their response is usually that they wouldn't do that set-up in THEIR home, and the extended warranty that they push on electronics doesn't cover heat damage.

RickO · 12-21-2007, 02:05 PM

Agreed Richard. It sure isn't the design I would come up with. The heat which comes directly up from the center of the fireplace is significant and I'm surprised they don't all have more problems. I think once I get this worked out, I'm going to both extend the fireplace out from the cabenet a few inches, and install some sort of heat deflector to further route the hot air more toward the center of the room and away from the TV.

Jeeperrmartin · 12-21-2007, 04:26 PM

I have seen these fireplaces. I would think they would have a number of vents with a blower fan circulating the air away from the fireplace.

RickO · 12-21-2007, 04:59 PM

Mine draws cool air from the bottom and there is a thermostat and fan which does blow the air out a vent in the top but the heat which rises straight up toward the TV is still cause for concern. I think a small deflector should help but need to talk to Winnie when they start answering their phones again.

Paul T · 12-22-2007, 08:31 AM

I never remember using our fireplace when the general coach and outside air temperature did not act a big deterrent to any type of overheating. I've been inside the fireplace replacing bulbs and have reviewed the installation literature supplied with the coach fireplace but don't have access to that literature now. I can not imagine WINNI ignoring the manufacturer's recommendation. That said; if the install in not in accordance with the recommendations or the fireplace overheats items directly above it when so installed there is either one or two parties responsible.

As said in an earlier post, I have a mini desk that we can extend out between the fireplace and the TV which restricts turning on the fireplace when extended. In that all we have ever noticed is forced warm air flowing our perpendicularly out the front top about two inched below the actual top edge, I still await WINNIs answer to the "charred area above".

ichn2go · 12-22-2007, 11:07 AM

Wonder if a hot vent could be causing the problem? Might just need moreinsulation.
Seems it would take really hot air to char the wood. Scarey...A big HO HO HO to all

RickO · 12-22-2007, 11:48 AM

I've been all through the fireplace manual as well and it seems that the application/installation is to spec... although I haven't checked the TV's operating temp range and taken any measurements... but at least the fireplace installation seems to meet spec.

The reason I am thinking about modifying the installation is that I'm contemplating replacing the 27" CRT Sony with a 37" LCD and it might have to protrude an inch or two farther toward the center of the coach than the Sony does.

C Zimm · 12-22-2007, 12:51 PM

I had the fireplace added and never experience the type of heat you're seeing. Mine however, is not a Winnebago installation. I did have the Heatillator unit (Winnebago) installed and replaced the Sony 27" CRT with a Sony 26' Bravia.
From time to time I check the warmth at the base of the TV; so far, no excessive heat and all appears to be okay.
I wonder if your blower (fan) is pushing enough air. I'll be following your posts on this.
Merry Christmas to you and family.

Kyle241 · 01-06-2008, 05:38 AM

Our fireplace is in operation most of the winter months here in VA (we're fulltiming). We used it last year and so far this year and no problems with heat affecting the wood surround. It sounds like yours is not installed correctly or possibly a fan issue (blowing up instead of out) as our wood is barely warm directly above the fireplace. The only issue we have experienced is the heating element died and was replaced on warranty.

Granted we do have a different model coach but I guessing the fireplace is the same.

Kyle

RickO · 01-11-2008, 01:20 PM

Ok, I finally got a tech from Winnie on the phone today and sent him these pictures.

He said he hadn't seen anything like it but would pass them along to engineering. He called back today to say that engineering had advised him there had been a "design change" and they were applying it to coaches which had this problem. The change was simply to switch from a laminated wood strip to one of solid wood. It seems that, I guess depending on how well the lamination held on a particular batch, the heat would cause a delamination due to the glue burning. They said they didn't believe it was a safety issue but that I still might want to refrain from using it until I can get it back to my dealer. They also said to make sure the dealer called them before ordering the part so they could ensure that I got the new part and not the same thing they're taking out.

I still don't like the design and will probably modify it when I swap out the TV to a 37" LCD to ensure that the heat is routed more into the room and away from directly under the TV.

Sorry if these pictures don't display properly. I've been trying to following the posting instructions but folling directions has never been my strong suit!

Route 66 · 01-11-2008, 01:43 PM

In the Photo section, right click on the enlarged picture in the center of the page, not the thumbnails across the top.

Click on properties.

Copy the Address (URL).

Paste that URL in the "Image URL" box after clicking on the picture icon, second from the right above the box where you type your message.

Click OK.

That's it.

RickO · 01-11-2008, 02:18 PM

Thanks. Let's see if this works.

http://www.irv2.com/photopost/data/5...placepost2.jpg

http://www.irv2.com/photopost/data/5...placepost1.jpg