Refurbished Quadrafire Project

[tkramer76]

We installed a used Quadrafire 5100 a few years ago and it has been working great so I kept an eye out and picked up another one off craigslist. Petty much identical except I paid a little more for this one ($375). Needed painted and bricks but It did come with a nice surround so I won't have to buy that separate this time.

I got the fireplace all cleaned out and poured some self leveling concrete to bring it up to hearth height. Anyway I figured I'd post some pics. Any install suggestions are much appreciated. Next up I'm planning on drilling a 1/2 hole through the hearth so I can run hidden electric line from basement. Then I still have to cut out some damper frame and bricks to make way for steel liner.

 

[begreen]

That looks great. Very nice job. There's a lot of firepower in the house.
FYI, running the cord through a hole to the basement is against code.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/extention-cord-down-ash-dump-hearthstone-clydesdale.142119/

 

[Oldman47]

BeGreen, the way I read that reference is that you cannot run a cord through any place that is not out in the open. If you want to do it legally, run Romex to a receptacle in an area outside the combustibles clearance area and then plug into that receptacle. That way you meet fire codes and also meet NEC codes. Instead of a direct wire to the blower you end up with a legal receptacle and then a cord to the blower that is no more at risk than a cord to a nearby receptacle in the room's wall. The difference is that it is out of sight. If you want to be able to shut it off in the same room, install a switch and make the receptacle a switched receptacle. That means run power to a switch and run from the switch to the receptacle you want to plug into. It is no tougher than installing a new lighting circuit.

 

[begreen]

I'm not a licensed electrician. That's why I referred the thread to a posting that has electrician's perspective. Besides the remote plugin there is a question of the heat under the insert.

 

[tkramer76]

Begreen, Thanks for the info. I really want to run the electric down through the hearth because this fireplace is an "island" and I can't imagine any other feasible options to power the insert. I have a friend who is a union electrician and helps me out from time to time. Definitely gonna touch base with him but I'm thinking it will end up hardwired through the hearth to a disconnect in the basement. Seems like the only way to comply with that code would be a surface mount receptacle or switch on the fireplace that would still be powered through the hearth. The difference being I would be able to disconnect the power in the same room.

 

[tkramer76]

Oldman, There are no receptacles on the fireplace so I think my only option would be to install a surface mount which I don't think I want in my dining room if I can help it. Hopefully there is a good solution that is not an eyesore.