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Old 10-24-2012, 12:06 PM   #1
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Fireplace woes

We bought the Georgetown with visions of sitting on the couch, watching TV and staying warm with the fireplace. From day 1 it seems the fireplace has had issues. With it getting colder, I decided to try the fireplace one last time to see if I could get it to work. It did ..... for about 5 minutes. Then while watching TV and working on the computer, I suddenly watched the TV and computer shutdown. It blew a breaker.

What good is the fireplace is I have to treat it with kid gloves. Should I really have to keep everything else shut down if I want to use the fireplace? Is there any good solution? Has anyone else on here fixed this problem?

Thanks in advance.
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Old 10-24-2012, 12:56 PM   #2
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I'm guessing your complaints are with the OEM fireplace (usually a Dimplex) found in the Georgetown 378.

I have a 2010 330TS, and our model did NOT have a fireplace. I installed one myself and we love it. It takes the chill off when the temps dip, does the job when the furnace is NOT needed, and gives a nice ambience. However, the space I had to install dictated a much smaller unit than the one you probably have, along with the fact that it is only 1250 watts maximum, compared to yours, which may be 1500 watts. Our unit is also plugged into the same outlet as our 32 inch TV and we have no problems ever.

Have you tried JUST having the fireplace on to see if your breaker still trips. ALSO, it takes a little playing around, but, do you know for SURE what other electrical outlets may be on the same breaker.........could even be another outlet in another room somewhere.

Just a thought.
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Old 10-24-2012, 03:18 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kenandterry View Post
I'm guessing your complaints are with the OEM fireplace (usually a Dimplex) found in the Georgetown 378.

I have a 2010 330TS, and our model did NOT have a fireplace. I installed one myself and we love it. It takes the chill off when the temps dip, does the job when the furnace is NOT needed, and gives a nice ambience. However, the space I had to install dictated a much smaller unit than the one you probably have, along with the fact that it is only 1250 watts maximum, compared to yours, which may be 1500 watts. Our unit is also plugged into the same outlet as our 32 inch TV and we have no problems ever.

Have you tried JUST having the fireplace on to see if your breaker still trips. ALSO, it takes a little playing around, but, do you know for SURE what other electrical outlets may be on the same breaker.........could even be another outlet in another room somewhere.

Just a thought.
Agree....Check to see what else is on that circuit. We have a 2011 378 and run the fireplace all the time with the tv on and never had a problem. Could be a bad breaker.
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Old 10-24-2012, 03:50 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by georgetown50 View Post
We bought the Georgetown with visions of sitting on the couch, watching TV and staying warm with the fireplace. From day 1 it seems the fireplace has had issues. With it getting colder, I decided to try the fireplace one last time to see if I could get it to work. It did ..... for about 5 minutes. Then while watching TV and working on the computer, I suddenly watched the TV and computer shutdown. It blew a breaker.

What good is the fireplace is I have to treat it with kid gloves. Should I really have to keep everything else shut down if I want to use the fireplace? Is there any good solution? Has anyone else on here fixed this problem?

Thanks in advance.
What year and model is your rig?
I have a 378TS and I don't get tripped breakers.
I would take it back to the dealer if it is still under warranty.
It just may be the element in the fireplace is having some issues and raising the amerage beyond the C/B limits which usually is 150% . So the 15 amp breaker will trip at 22.5 amps which means some thing is making it exceed the normal amperage.
I suspect the heating element in the heater is the problem
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Old 10-24-2012, 09:34 PM   #5
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My year and model is a 2007 378.
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Old 10-24-2012, 09:51 PM   #6
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My year and model is a 2007 378.
Just a thought, but I also have a 378 with a similar fireplace. I've got a small lamp, the TV, the fireplace and a laptop computer all connected on the same circuit, 3 outlets. I keep the fireplace lights low, they are 75 watt each in top and40 in bottom, thats a bunch of wattage with the heater on. Probably 15 amps with the table lamp and comp. Anyway dim them and cut back the load. The next place I'd look is cut out the shore power, then swap two 15 amp breakers in the panel. Sounds as if yours is tripping 1-3 amps early.
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Old 10-25-2012, 12:16 PM   #7
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georgetown50

Sounds like you have to find out a few facts.
1. What is the voltage you are plugged into? If it is low like 100 -110 volts can make the circuit breaker trip because low voltage make amperage go up.

2. If you can you need to check how many amps are on that circuit that trips. This way you can find out what is overloading the circuit.
I would first start by reducing the bulb size in the fireplace to a smaller amount. That is the easiest way to reduce the amperage on the circuit.

3. Do you have any idea what else is on the circuit? TV, Fireplace and ?
If the circuit is the same as the one with your coffee pot that may take it over the top.

So what you need to do is a little more work if this problem continues. You may need some help from an electrician if you are not familiar with electricity.
Good luck
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Old 10-25-2012, 02:44 PM   #8
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I'l have to try to lamp trick. I'm not sure how many amps are on it. I noticed I also have the printer on that circuit. I'll test again after unplugging the printer.
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Old 10-26-2012, 01:07 AM   #9
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I replaced mine 6 months after i got it home.i took it out and put on bench in shop and found a problem with control board hitting fire place logs and shutting it down.forest river sent me a new one and i checked it and controlled board was away from log set works good now.don't let these guys play games with you. Pete
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Old 10-29-2012, 10:03 AM   #10
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Try switching your water heater to propane instead of electric when you use the fireplace. Seems to have resolved my issue. You wouldn't think they would put both on the same circuit, but the way they build these things, you never know...
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Old 10-29-2012, 11:37 PM   #11
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fireplace woos

Quote:
Originally Posted by georgetown50 View Post
We bought the Georgetown with visions of sitting on the couch, watching TV and staying warm with the fireplace. From day 1 it seems the fireplace has had issues. With it getting colder, I decided to try the fireplace one last time to see if I could get it to work. It did ..... for about 5 minutes. Then while watching TV and working on the computer, I suddenly watched the TV and computer shutdown. It blew a breaker.

What good is the fireplace is I have to treat it with kid gloves. Should I really have to keep everything else shut down if I want to use the fireplace? Is there any good solution? Has anyone else on here fixed this problem?

Thanks in advance.
check that the fire log set isn't touching control board,like mine did,and blowing breakers.i got this one to work by holding up fire log set,even thou i sent it back to fr. and they replaced it.before i installed new one i put on the bench and let it run for 3 hours.fire log set did not touch control board. Pete
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Old 11-05-2012, 03:29 PM   #12
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Just thought I'd re-post and tell everyone my fix. Somehow the fireplace was plugged into where the TV should have gone and vice versa. Once the switch was done the fix was complete. The fireplace no longer trips the breaker.
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Old 11-05-2012, 04:17 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by georgetown50 View Post
Just thought I'd re-post and tell everyone my fix. Somehow the fireplace was plugged into where the TV should have gone and vice versa. Once the switch was done the fix was complete. The fireplace no longer trips the breaker.
Great! So it was a "draw" problem eh? Glad to hear ya got it back, is nice feature.
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Old 11-05-2012, 05:41 PM   #14
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But if you are running a electric fireplace or heater one must realize if you are plugged into shore power at 30 amps. One needs to watch what they have turned on or they will go over the amp limit. That is why so many rv plugs are burned when they get hot. One needs to do the math on everything they plug in. Keeps your amps under 30 amps.
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Old 11-13-2012, 12:45 PM   #15
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I have a 2013 XL 378 and have no issues with the fireplace. Works great with other electric being used. I would take it back to the dealer or at least check with them.
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Old 02-09-2016, 10:49 AM   #16
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Dimples

We have a 2012 forest river 378 and had problems with fireplace
it would run for about 5 minutes and then heater would shut off
so I pulled unit out and took the screw out that held the top on and for some reason I flipped just the top over and turned it on and it ran for several hours
so I thought it was the thermostat "called dimplex and oreded thermostat got put it in and the same thing happened all over
So I ordered new heating unit and same rusult
so finally I realized that on bottom of unit there are two small vent's they were clean but when forestriver installed the set right on floor "carpet" wich covered these vents
I pulled unit back out and cut 2 blocks of wood 2" wide 10" long and 1/2" thick.
put them under unit and turned it on and runs perfect.
I had to cut opening 1/2" taller bet all is working as it should
Dimplex has been getting flack for Forest rivers miss install
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Old 02-10-2016, 01:14 AM   #17
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U had the same thing happen to us. FR installed directly on the carpet and went thru 2 heating elements before I cut the opening a bit bigger and installed blocks under the fireplace and removed the carpet. Have not had an issue. Need to insure that you have a min of 1/4 opening under the fireplace. The more the better. Glad you got it figured out and the tv and fireplace plugs were switched.
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Old 02-10-2016, 01:04 PM   #18
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I'l have to try to lamp trick. I'm not sure how many amps are on it. I noticed I also have the printer on that circuit. I'll test again after unplugging the printer.
Is that printer laser or inkjet? A laser printer uses heat to fuse the ink and can draw a lot of current even in standby mode
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