Natural gas heater fireplace insert ?

[sweetk30]

I have a fireplace insert ( LOPI pile of ) and the electronics on it **** *** and are not worth it .

Can i bypass and make it old school with a pilot light and wall t-stat ? Or what type of regulator valve to make it stupid simple .

Paid over 4k for this and its been nothing but problems . Do NOT buy the brand LOPI they wont talk to you or stand behind there product . So now i am out of warranty i want to make it just work .

 

[BurtEggley]

12521 Harbour Reach Dr
Mukilteo, WA 98275
425-609-2761​

ask for customer service

 

[fitter30]

Just Google natural gas logs with controls. Look into a fireplace shop. Lots of options.

 

[sweetk30]

12521 Harbour Reach Dr​

Mukilteo, WA 98275​

425-609-2761​

ask for customer service

I have tried to chat with them and they will not deal with me directly . Always pass me off to the dealer who sold it to me . I am tired of wasting this dealers time for a sh!t product .

 

[BurtEggley]

my next trick is to get the contact info for the CEO. They just love to have their day ******* with pissy clients. Then I figure out who the customer service dept manager is. Then I start my calls. When the first guy tells me to call my dealer, I tell him no problem, I see where this is going so I guess I will have to call the next guy on my list. I ask to be transferred, they usually don't and send me to someone else who is probably playing manager but is really a co worker. I ask again to be transferred to the next guy by name, and if they say he is busy, it's no problem I can call back. If they don't come to their senses I call the next guy. Usually they will just parrot the policy, to which I say no problem, guess I will have to call whomever the CEO is. They laugh, then I say, "You laugh, I went over people to get to you, what makes you think I won't go over you and call him - and mention that you said you couldn't help me." Then I shut up and after a few seconds, suddenly it is a new conversation like it should have been all along. Ya know we had a window that was out of warranty, I tried to buy some parts. They fixed it for free as a good will gesture. Proto sent me a case for a torque wrench that I bought. Since they were not selling it at the time, they sent it on their dime even though I offered to pay. I bought a couple new torque wrenches from them as a result. Used one today as a matter of fact. Some companies do the right thing, some do not. Not to sound strange, but have you considered asking your wife or son, daughter to call the dealer and try to handle it if you are worn out from it?

 

[PoorUB]

I worked for a contractor wand we installed a LPG fireplace insert abut 50 miles away. We had to convert the gas orifices from natural gas. Anther tech did start up on it and right away it sooted up terribly. The tech that installed it went out and looked it over and adjusted a couple things and it sooted up again. He went back a third time and then checked orifice sizes with the wholesaler we bought it from and they said the orifices were wrong and got us something else and the tech installed those, and it sooted up!

Lucky me, I got sent out to look at it. I got there and found all the parts laying in a baggie under the fireplace, looked through everything, and said the heck with it and called the manufacturer. I got to tech support and they tried to tell me to go to the wholesaler and I told them we have and it still doesn't work and this was our last chance, as the customer told us one more try, or rip it out and install something else. The tech helped me sort it out and none of the orifices we had were correct. They sent a new set, I got them installed and it worked fine after that.

Lots of profit on that install down the drain!

 

[Jackfre]

Call the manuf and get the name of the Manuf Rep for Lopi in your area. Basically the chains is Manuf, Rep, Distributor, dealer, you. If the dealer can’t help and you don’t like what you are hearing from the manuf the rep should be able to get involved to get a satisfactory solution for you. What exactl is driiving you crazy with the electronics?

 

[sweetk30]

This whole unit has been a sh!t show of quality problems from day 1 . .

I skipped a whole season with it cause i was so frustrated with it . And now i just want 1970's basic reliability and no bull **** .

 

[LSU]

I’m going to follow up on this thread And hijack it a bit.

I have an existing wood burning fireplace. I’d like to convert it to gas logs.

When I bought the house 30 years ago there was a gas starter in the fireplace. Open the exterior valve and natural gas goes to the horizontal pipe under the wood logs.

Never thought about this but my 3 kids and my grandkids could have turned the gas on - no safety value.

I figure when I go to sell my house I’m going to have change the gas pipe.

Anyway, I’ve got natural gas plumbed into the fireplace.

I have access to 110v.

Any suggestions on a brand?

Who normally installs these?

Can I do this myself?

 

[lilredex]

If I was in this position, I'd watch for a furnace at the curb and remove the gas valve from it, and use that. Something like the one shown, from my furnace. It uses a thermopile to monitor the pilot light and has been reliably chugging along since '58 when it was new.

Back a few years while visiting my father in Edmonton, he suggested a thermostat added to his small greenhouse would be convenient, as he was using a small hand valve to control the gas flow. We went to a supplier, bought the valve and installed it, worked like a charm.

Just be careful when plumbing gas and do a thorough leak check. Not illegal here, as you can purchase a gas water heater and install it yourself.

 

[LSU]

Thanks for the suggestion but that is way about my skill level.