Too little clearance to install blower

[jkosmo]

I just got my gas fireplace going in a new home and would like to install a blower, but because there is a hearth in front and the fireplace rests slightly lower than floor level, I don't have enough clearance to install the blower. It's a direct vent Lennox propane fireplace and I have about 2 1/4 inch top to bottom clearance with the service panel off. The blower that I bought seems to need about 2 3/4 inch. I don't think removing the glass bought me much space either. There is power running in there so the install should be easy once I get it in...

I figure I have a few options like find a slim blower (can't find one) or install some other type of mini-fan (only found computer case fans that might work) - but there must be a way to do this without removing the hearth. I'll post a picture tomorrow since that will make it clear.

Any ideas?

 

[DAKSY]

You may be SOL. Most installation instructions indicate that the hearth
must be lower than the bottom of the opening of the unit. Even if
you maintain the correct hearth height, some units barely leave
you enough room to get a new blower in or an old one out.
My neighbors have this issue & they can't even open the valve access door.
They have to remove the entire front in order to get to the valve cavity.

 

[jkosmo]

I just got my gas fireplace going in a new home and would like to install a blower, but because there is a hearth in front and the fireplace rests slightly lower than floor level, I don't have enough clearance to install the blower.
Any ideas?

Pic is worth a thousand words... here you go!

 

[DAKSY]

If you rotate the blower 90 degrees so that the chute is pointed UP
(which is the install position), does it fit in?
If not, how much more room do you need?

 

[jkosmo]

I have two and a half inches of clearance. So I'm about 1 inch short. I need a low profile blower.

 

[jkosmo]

Woo hoo! Found a 2 inch square tangential blower used to cool amps. It may not be as directional as a fireplace blower but if it fits and moves the air around it will be better than nothing. Here's the Amazon link. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[jkosmo]

Here's the final installation. This blower is intended for cooling amps and electronics but works great in my fireplace given the lack of clearance. It's $20 on Amazon and runs off 12V so I ran a power supply. I'll be adding a second one for the other side and enjoying the warm breeze!

 

[redwood78]

Here's the final installation. This blower is intended for cooling amps and electronics but works great in my fireplace given the lack of clearance. It's $20 on Amazon and runs off 12V so I ran a power supply. I'll be adding a second one for the other side and enjoying the warm breeze!

Good work. Out of curiosity what do mean when you say you ran a power supply?

 

[jkosmo]

Good work. Out of curiosity what do mean when you say you ran a power supply?

The blower runs on 12V current so I bought a small power supply that I plugged into the outlet under the fireplace. Wired the blower to the adapter which turned out to be extremely easy with the included adapter. Didn't even need to splice the wire. Here's the link for the power supply. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015GRCCIO

 

[redwood78]

The blower runs on 12V current so I bought a small power supply that I plugged into the outlet under the fireplace. Wired the blower to the adapter which turned out to be extremely easy with the included adapter. Didn't even need to splice the wire. Here's the link for the power supply. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015GRCCIO

Thanks. I may go down a similar road to get a second fan in my new Regency. I'm a little disappointed that for whatever reason the fan is installed in my fireplace all the way on the left, resulting in a significant disparity in exterior temperatures of the unit. I'm still testing things out but there is a pretty noticeable hot spot on the upper right. Seems like a questionable design.. but I think I can fix it with a second fan.