Clydesdale fan problem - installed too deep?

[jriderNH]

I just had a new Clydesdale installed into our preexisting fireplace on 12/22/23. Everything looks great and seems to function well except for the fan and ultimately heat output. I am wondering if it was installed too far into the fireplace and blocking the fan exit point. When the fan is on full blast, we barely feel much air moving away from the stove. I have tried to find a fan air pathway diagram but can't seem to find one. I just keep finding a diagram for the airflow inside the stove itself. Does the air come from the "grate" slots?

The stove seems to stick out about 1.75" from the surround at the top corners and about 2.25" at the top middle. There is about a 1/2" gap between the top of the stove and the surround. I can barely see 1 row of the "grate."

I have a feeling the stove is too far in making the fan blow the air inside the fire place behind the surround or maybe the surround is too low and still blocking the fan air?

Does anyone know more about this? Thank you!

 

[Andrew V]

I had mine installed yesterday and have a majority of the top grate sticking out. From what I saw during the install is the fan blows air underneath then it travels up the back and exits on the right and left of the flue. looking at your pictures it appears that the air is hitting the surround as you suggested. The surround should lift off and you can see where the air exits.

 

[Narsil487]

Mine only sticks out about a 1/2" more than yours, maybe. I can definitely feel air blowing out directly above the stove. You should also feel an air intake directly below the stove. I assume you're hearing the fan turn on? It will only come on once your cats are active.

 

[Narsil487]

Mine only sticks out about a 1/2" more than yours, maybe. I can definitely feel air blowing out directly above the stove. You should also feel an air intake directly below the stove. I assume you're hearing the fan turn on? It will only come on once your cats are active.

Meant to post some pics

 

[Scott from Akron]

Mine is projected out as far as it goes and has about a full inch of space from the top of the grate to the surround. The exit port is about the same 1" height and needs that much clearance to get out from under the surround. Otherwise the surround would indeed be a portion of the hot air blowing out. Perhaps yours, being further in, would need the surround raised even more than mine. Mine has substantial air flow out into the room.

 

[Narsil487]

I meant to also suggest, you can totally remove your surround (while the stove is running will work, just put on some gloves and be careful), and see if the air flow improves. If you do this while the stove is running, you have the added ability of comparing before and after back-to-back.

 

[Narsil487]

Mine is projected out as far as it goes and has about a full inch of space from the top of the grate to the surround. The exit port is about the same 1" height and needs that much clearance to get out from under the surround. Otherwise the surround would indeed be a portion of the hot air blowing out. Perhaps yours, being further in, would need the surround raised even more than mine. Mine has substantial air flow out into the room.

Scott, my clearance above my grill looks to be about the same as @jriderNH, but looking at the mounting bracket, and the ducting for the fan airflow, it looks like the air flow is coming out directly below the surround, so I don't see how (with my clearance) the air could be hitting the back of the surround. Which version of the Clydesdale do you have? Mine is a 8492. Maybe they changed the clearance some?

 

[Scott from Akron]

Mine is the latest 8492 with the cats, I remember now that I actually had to buy longer bolts that act as leveling feet for the surround. Part of that was due to me having the front feet of the stove sitting on an aluminum yard stick that I cut to fit. I didn't want the feet sitting on my fresh stone hearth. I'm not certain whether my surround is sitting higher than "stock" or not.

Update: I reached in under the lip of the surround and, behind that, felt the sheet metal of the top of the duct about 1/8" above the surround. So, my air flow is being blocked a bit by the surround. From the top of the grill to the bottom of the surround is currently 7/8". I'll attempt to raise it to 1" and see if there's a noticeable difference.

 

[Scott from Akron]

As an ongoing thing, remember to vac the screen under the ash lip where the fan inlet is. It get's clogged and prevents airflow. Not the issue here due to being new, but something to keep an eye on moving forward.

 

[Scott from Akron]

Mine is the latest 8492 with the cats, I remember now that I actually had to buy longer bolts that act as leveling feet for the surround. Part of that was due to me having the front feet of the stove sitting on an aluminum yard stick that I cut to fit. I didn't want the feet sitting on my fresh stone hearth. I'm not certain whether my surround is sitting higher than "stock" or not.

Update: I reached in under the lip of the surround and, behind that, felt the sheet metal of the top of the duct about 1/8" above the surround. So, my air flow is being blocked a bit by the surround. From the top of the grill to the bottom of the surround is currently 7/8". I'll attempt to raise it to 1" and see if there's a noticeable difference.

Update: I did raise the aftermarket extended feet) on my Clydesdale until the duct was not impeded by the surround face. I do notice a difference in air output into the room.

 

[Narsil487]

Nice to know! Got any details on where you acquired said aftermarket feet?

 

[Scott from Akron]

Nice to know! Got any details on where you acquired said aftermarket feet?

I took an original to the hardware store and matched up the threads on a longer version. Possibly, the manual states the size/thread.