Sequoia EWF36-A installation and usage help

[yurij]

Hi - I purchased this unit and had a local contractor install it. I just used it for the first time and have a few issues with it. I am hoping someone on this forum has some experience with it.
1) blower installation - the manual really does not say how to install it. It looks like there is a piece missing that should connect the blower to the firebox air manfiolds that surround the firebox and carry the heated air to the top vents. But I have no such a piece. I am attaching a photo of the underside of the firebox where the blower is currently.
2) damper control barely moves - the left control handle which controls the amount of air barely moves. before i had a fire in the unit it would roate about 50 degrees, but after i ahd a fire, it does not move now. i can't believe i had the fire that hot to warp any metal and the manual says only if part of the firebox starts glowing is it too hot.
I am going to work with the dealer I bought it from, but I this forum is collectively more knowledgable and I would llike to have some insight into these issues.
And does anyone know what the issue is with Vermonr Castings. Thier web site basically say you need to call the dealer you bought the stove from. Are those guys going out of business (also). thx -yurij

 

[DiscoInferno]

If I'm looking at that picture correctly, you have the blower pointing the wrong way. Those rectangular blower outlets should point up into those two vertical air channels. Flip it end-for-end and put the face that's currently on the floor up against the back wall.

My Majestic fireplace has a similar blower setup underneath, and the factory blower mounting was just velcro, believe it or not.

 

[yurij]

Thx for the reply. I will try that (this weekend since its a vacation house). But it does not look like the blower face will cover/seal off the air-channels intake completely, so some of the air that is blown will not make it into the channel. Wasted blowing air. Shoudn't there be some cover plate so that all the air coming out of the blower goes through the air channel? -Yurij

 

[DiscoInferno]

It seems like it, but my Majestic doesn't have such a plate and most of the air still makes it up and out the top louvres. But the way it is currently it's all going to blow right out the bottom louvres.

 

[yurij]

Could very well be. And since it does work for you, it will probably work for me. And yes, I noticed little air coming out the top vents and alot from the bottom. The manual should be a littel clearer. There is also a speed control that has no obvious place to attach. it seems that I will have to remove the bottom grill to access the speed control, even though the manual says i should optimize the speed for the amount of heat i want, which would seem to be something that you changfe. some days you want alot of fire, others you don't. Whatever. Now to figure out what is the story with that damper. thx -yurij

 

[DiscoInferno]

The way mine was set up was that a standard outlet box was mounted in the bottom of the fireplace, which the blower plugged into. This outlet was wired through a switch box on the wall next to the fireplace, which holds the speed control. Since the speed control usually doubles as the on-off switch you don't want it underneath. To me it's not really a matter of how much heat you want as it is one of noise; my Majestic blower is so quiet I just always run it on high (it's not an efficient heater though). But on my Ultima it's pretty loud on high so I turn it down when I'm in the room.

The damper is certainly nothing like the Majestic, so I can't help there.

 

[yurij]

I should've wired the speed control to the wall outlet. I do have switch there to turn it on/off, but the speed is something i need to muck around in the bottom of the unit. Let me first get this thing working. thx for all your help.

 

[yurij]

DiscoInferno - I tried to move the fan, but the wire to the temperature sensor is just short to place the fan up against the air vent. my sensor is on the left (you can jsut see it in the picture). But, i could not get the fan to go on. I had power to the wire (the fan is pluugged into an outlet and the outlet has power. I turned the speed on control to various positions (all the way produces an audible click which i assume is off), but no fan. the fire i had in the unit was on the low side, but still. when does the temperature sensor kick in? thx -yurij

 

[DiscoInferno]

The on temp depends on the sensor, but with that sensor placement (effectively on the "leg" of the stove) it might take quite a while to get warm enough. On my Ultima I have the sensor mounted on the side of the box near the bottom, and it still can take 30-45 minutes of hard burning for the blower to kick in. Unfortunately it looks to be attached with screws, rather than a magnet. You could solve both problems by moving the sensor to the bottom of the stove just above the blower, but I'd be hesitant to drill holes there. Perhaps glue on a couple magnets instead.

 

[yurij]

DiscoInferno - thx, i feel better ( though only slightly). why is this so difficult? i was thinking/hoping it would just work. btw, do you know what has happened to vermnt castings? i go to the website now and they say all inquiries should go to the dealers. last year i was able to speak with someone there about the triple wall chimney pipe. now i can't even find a phone number. -yurij

 

[yurij]

Resolution: the dealers technical guy came by and fixed it all.
1) blower just lays up against that manifold and is held by velcro. go figure.
2) the installer (not the dealer), put the temperature sensor in the wrong place. it should be attached to the underneath of the firebox.
3) the very stiff primary air control needed some "lubricant". high temperature, but now it works like a charm.
as usual, experience trumps manuals. -yurij