Desa VGC18NR User manual

For more information, visit www.desatech.com
WARNING: If the information in this manual is not


         


— WHAT TO DO IF YOU SMELL GAS
 
 

 

 

 -

      

UNVENTED (VENT-FREE) GAS LOG HEATER
OWNER’S OPERATION AND INSTALLATION MANUAL
REMOTE-READy MODELS VGC18NR/PR, VGC24NR/PR,
VGC30NR/PR, EC18NR/PR, EC24NR/PR, EC30NR/PR,
VCC18NR/PR, VCC24NR/PR AND VCC30NR/PR



www.desatech.com 122526-01B2
SAFETy
 
 
alteration, service or main-
   

to this manual for correct
-
   -
tance or additional infor-

  

  -
   

masonry or UL127 fac-

-
   -

in accordance with ANSI
  
   
   
that includes instructions
-
     

WARNING: This is an
  -
    
from the room in which


and ventilation air must
Air
for Combustion and Ven-
tilation

-
stalled in an aftermarket,*
 
 
-


     
   
   
   



TAbLE OF CONTENTS
Safety .................................................................. 2
Product Identication........................................... 5
Local Codes......................................................... 5
Optional Remote Control Accessories................. 5
Unpacking............................................................ 5
Product Features................................................. 6
Air For Combustion and Ventilation ..................... 6
Installation ........................................................... 8
Operation........................................................... 23
Inspecting Burners............................................. 26
Cleaning and Maintenance................................ 27
Troubleshooting................................................. 28
Parts .................................................................. 32
Specications .................................................... 36
Wiring Diagram.................................................. 36
Replacement Parts............................................ 37
Service Hints ..................................................... 37
Technical Service............................................... 37
Accessories ....................................................... 38
Warranty ..............................................Back Cover

www.desatech.com
122526-01B 3
WARNING: Do not allow fans



    
   

    



    
    



    


   
will remain hot for a time after


-
dren when they are in the room

-



    
    
     -
     

    
-
-

-

known to the state of California




    -
    
    
    
    -




Early signs of
carbon monoxide poisoning resemble the u,
with headaches, dizziness or nausea. If you
have these signs, the replace may not be
working properly.  Have
replace serviced. Some people are more af-
fected by carbon monoxide than others. These
include pregnant women, people with heart or
lung disease or anemia, those under the inu-
ence of alcohol and those at high altitudes.
Natural and Propane/LP gases are odorless. An
odor-making agent is added to these gases.
The odor helps you detect a gas leak. How-
ever, the odor added to the gas can fade. Gas
may be present even though no odor exists.
Make certain you read and understand all
warnings. Keep this manual for reference. It
is your guide to safe and proper operation of
this replace.
    
this heater or its controls can

WARNING: Do not use a
   
-

SAFETy
Continued

www.desatech.com 122526-01B4
SAFETy
Continued
1. This appliance is only for use with the type
of gas indicated on the rating plate. This
appliance is not convertible for use with
other gases.
2. Do not place propane/LP supply tank(s)
inside any structure. Locate propane/LP
supply tank(s) outdoors (propane/LP units
only).
3. If you smell gas
• shut off gas supply
• do not try to light any appliance
• do not touch any electrical switch; do not
use any phone in your building
• immediately call your gas supplier from
a neighbor’s phone. Follow the gas
supplier’s instructions
• if you cannot reach your gas supplier,
call the re department
4. This heater shall not be installed in a bed-
room or bathroom, unless installed as a
vented appliance. See Installing Damper
Clamp Accessory for Vented Operation,
page 12. This gas log set may not be
installed as a vented appliance in a bed-
room or bathroom in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
5. Before installing in a solid fuel burning re-
place, the chimney ue and rebox must
be cleaned of soot, creosote, ashes and
loose paint by a qualied chimney cleaner.
Creosote will ignite if highly heated. A dirty
chimney ue may create and distribute
soot within the house. Inspect chimney
ue for damage. If damaged, repair ue
and rebox before operating heater.
6. Do not burn solid-fuel in a masonry or
UL127 factory-built replace in which a
vent-free room heater is installed.
7. If replace has glass doors, never operate
this heater with glass doors closed. If you
operate heater with doors closed, heat
buildup inside replace will cause glass to
burst. Make sure there are no obstructions
across openings of replace.
8. To prevent the creation of soot, follow the
instructions in Cleaning and Maintenance,
page 27.
9. Before using furniture polish, wax, carpet
cleaner or similar products, turn heater off. If
heated, the vapors from these products may
create a white powder residue within burner
box or on adjacent walls and furniture.
10. This heater needs fresh, outside air ven-
tilation to run properly. This heater has an
Oxygen Depletion Sensing (ODS) safety
shutoff system. The ODS shuts down the
heater if enough fresh air is not available.
See Air for Combustion and Ventilation,
page 6. If heater keeps shutting off, see
Troubleshooting, page 28.
11. Do not run heater
• where ammable liquids or vapors are
used or stored
• under dusty conditions
12. Do not use this heater to cook food or burn
paper or other objects.
13. Do not use heater if any part has been ex-
posed to or under water. Immediately call
a qualied service technician to inspect
the room heater and to replace any part
of the control system and any gas control
which has been under water.
14. Do not operate heater if any log is broken.
Do not operate heater if a log is chipped
(dime-sized or larger).
15. Turn heater off and let cool before servic-
ing, installing or repairing. Make sure the
selector switch is in the OFF position. Only
a qualied service person should install,
service or repair heater.
16. Make sure the selector switch is in the
OFF position when you are away from
home for long periods of time.
17. Remote-ready heaters must not be con-
nected to any external electrical source.
18. Operating heater above elevations of
4,500 feet may cause pilot outage.
19. To prevent performance problems, do
not use propane/LP fuel tank of less than
100 lb. capacity (propane/LP units only).
20. Provide adequate clearances around air
openings.

www.desatech.com
122526-01B 5
PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
Figure 1 - Product Identication
AUTO/OFF/
ON Switch
Chassis
LOCAL CODES
Glowing
Embers
Electronic
Ignitor
Control
Knob
Remote
Control
(Optional)
Flame
Adjustment
Knob
AUTO/OFF/
ON Switch
Remote
Control
(Optional)
Glowing
Embers
Chassis
Control
Knob
Flame
Adjustment
Knob
State of Massachusetts: The installa-
tion must be made by a licensed plumber
or gas fitter in the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
Sellers of unvented propane or natural
gas-red supplemental room heaters shall
provide to each purchaser a copy of 527
CMR 30 upon sale of the unit.
Vent-free gas products are prohibited for
bedroom and bathroom installation in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
VCC Model Series
VGC and EC Model Series
OPTIONAL REMOTE
CONTROL ACCESSORIES
There are four optional remote controls that
can be purchased separately for Remote-
Ready Models Only:
• wall switch
• hand-held ON/OFF remote
• wall thermostat
• hand-held thermostat remote
See Accessories, page 38.
The wall thermostat or hand-held thermostat
may not be used where vented decorative list-
ing is required.
UNPACkING
CAUTION: Do not remove the
     -

   

1. Remove logs and heater base assembly
from carton.
Note: Do not pick up heater base assem-
bly by burners. This could damage heater.
Always handle base assembly by grate.
2. Remove all protective packaging applied
to logs and heater for shipment.
3. Check heater for any shipping damage. If
heater is damaged call DESA Heating, LLC
at 1-866-672-6040 for replacement parts
before returning to dealer.
Install and use heater with care. Follow all
local codes. In the absence of local codes,
use the latest edition of The National Fuel
Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54*.
*Available from:
American National Standards Institute, Inc.
1430 Broadway
New York, NY 10018
National Fire Protection Association, Inc.
Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02269

www.desatech.com 122526-01B6
OpERATION
This heater is clean burning. It requires no
outside venting. There is no heat loss out a
vent or up a chimney. Heat is generated by
both realistic ames and glowing coals. This
heater is designed for vent-free operation
with ue damper closed. It has been tested
and approved to ANSI Z21.11.2 standard for
unvented heaters. State and local codes in
some areas prohibit the use of vent-free heat-
ers. This heater may also be operated as a
vented decorative (ANSI Z21.60) product by
opening the ue damper.
PRODUCT FEATURES

This heater has a pilot with an Oxygen Deple-
tion Sensing (ODS) safety shutoff system. The
ODS/pilot is a required feature for vent-free
room heaters. The ODS/pilot shuts off the
heater if there is not enough fresh air.
ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM
This heater has an electronic ignitor to light
heater fuel supply.
AIR FOR COMbUSTION AND VENTILATION
WARNING: This heater shall

    

 
National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI
Z223.1/NFPA 54, the International
Fuel Gas Code,  
  



Today’s homes are built more energy efcient
than ever. New materials, increased insulation
and new construction methods help reduce
heat loss in homes. Home owners weather
strip and caulk around windows and doors to
keep the cold air out and the warm air in. Dur-
ing heating months, home owners want their
homes as airtight as possible.
While it is good to make your home energy
efcient, your home needs to breathe. Fresh
air must enter your home. All fuel-burning ap-
pliances need fresh air for proper combustion
and ventilation.
Exhaust fans, replaces, clothes dryers and
fuel burning appliances draw air from the house
to operate. You must provide adequate fresh
air for these appliances. This will insure proper
venting of vented fuel-burning appliances.


The following are excerpts from National Fuel
Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54, Air for
Combustion and Ventilation.
All spaces in homes fall into one of the three
following ventilation classications:
1. Unusually Tight Construction
2. Unconned Space
3. Conned Space
The information on pages 6 through 8 will help
you classify your space and provide adequate
ventilation.

The air that leaks around doors and windows
may provide enough fresh air for combustion
and ventilation. However, in buildings of un-
usually tight construction, you must provide
additional fresh air.

construction where:
 -
    
      
-112

and
 
and
      
     


    


If your home meets all of the three criteria
above, you must provide additional fresh air.
See Ventilation Air From Outdoors, page 8.
If your home does not meet all of the three
criteria above, proceed to Determining Fresh-
Air Flow For Heater Location, page 7.

www.desatech.com
122526-01B 7
AIR FOR COMbUSTION AND VENTILATION
Continued

The National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1/
NFPA 54 denes a conned space as a space
whose volume is less than 50 cubic feet per
1,000 Btu/hr (4.8 m3per kw) of the aggregate
input rating of all appliances installed in that
space and an unconned space as a space
whose volume is not less than 50 cubic feet
per 1,000 Btu/hr (4.8 m3per kw) of the ag-
gregate input rating of all appliances installed
in that space. Rooms communicating directly
with the space in which the appliances are
installed*, through openings not furnished
with doors, are considered a part of the un-
conned space.
* Adjoining rooms are communicating only if
there are doorless passageways or ventilation
grills between them.
DETERMINING FRESH-AIR FLOW
FOR HEATER LOCATION


Use this work sheet to determine if you have
a conned or unconned space.
Includes the room in which you will install
replace plus any adjoining rooms with door-
less passageways or ventilation grills between
the rooms.
1. Determine the volume of the space (length
x width x height).
Length x Width x Height =__________cu. ft.
(volume of space)
Example: Space size 20 ft. (length) x 16 ft.
(width) x 8 ft. (ceiling height) = 2560 cu. ft.
(volume of space)
If additional ventilation to adjoining room
is supplied with grills or openings, add the
volume of these rooms to the total volume
of the space.
2. Multiply the space volume by 20 to determine
the maximum Btu/Hr the space can support.
________ (volume of space) x 20 = (Maxi-
mum Btu/Hr the space can support)
Example: 2560 cu. ft. (volume of space) x 20
= 51,200 (maximum Btu/Hr the space can
support)
3. Add the Btu/Hr of all fuel burning appliances
in the space.
Vent-free replace __________ Btu/Hr
Gas water heater* __________ Btu/Hr
Gas furnace __________ Btu/Hr
Vented gas heater __________ Btu/Hr
Gas replace logs __________ Btu/Hr
Other gas appliances* + _________ Btu/Hr
Total = _________ Btu/Hr
* Do not include direct-vent gas appliances.
Direct-vent draws combustion air from the
outdoors and vents to the outdoors.
Example:
Gas water heater __________ Btu/Hr
Vent-free replace + _________ Btu/Hr
Total = _________ Btu/Hr
4. Compare the maximum Btu/Hr the space
can support with the actual amount of Btu/
Hr used.
______Btu/Hr (maximum the space can
support)
______Btu/Hr (actual amount used)
Example: 51,200 Btu/Hr (maximum the
space can support)
73,000 Btu/Hr (actual amount of
Btu/Hr used)
The space in the above example is a conned
space because the actual Btu/Hr used is more
than the maximum Btu/Hr the space can sup-
port. You must provide additional fresh air. Your
options are as follows:
A. Rework worksheet, adding the space of an
adjoining room. If the extra space provides
an unconned space, remove door to adjoin-
ing room or add ventilation grills between
rooms. See Ventilation Air From Inside
Building, page 8.
B. Vent room directly to the outdoors. See
Ventilation Air From Outdoors, page 8.
C. Install a lower Btu/Hr replace, if lower Btu/Hr
size makes room unconned.
If the actual Btu/Hr used is less than the maxi-
mum Btu/Hr the space can support, the space is
an unconned space. You will need no additional
fresh air ventilation.
WARNING:If the areainwhich


-


   National Fuel
Gas Code,ANSI Z223.1/NFPA54,
the International Fuel Gas Code,

40,000
33,000
73,000

www.desatech.com 122526-01B8
AIR FOR COMbUSTION AND VENTILATION
Continued

Provide extra fresh air by using ventilation
grills or ducts. You must provide two perma-
nent openings: one within 12" of the ceiling
and one within 12" of the oor. Connect these
items directly to the outdoors or spaces open
to the outdoors. These spaces include attics
and crawl spaces. Follow the National Fuel
Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54, Air for
Combustion and Ventilation for required size
of ventilation grills or ducts.
IMPORTANT: Do not provide openings for
inlet or outlet air into attic if attic has a thermo-
stat-controlled power vent. Heated air entering
the attic will activate the power vent.
Figure 3 - Ventilation Air from Outdoors
Outlet
Air
V e ntilated
Attic
Outlet
A
ir
Inlet
Air
Inlet Air V e ntilated
Crawl Space
T o
Crawl
Space
T o Attic
INSTALLATION


This fresh air would come from an adjoining
unconned space. When ventilating to an
adjoining unconned space, you must provide
two permanent openings: one within 12" of the
ceiling and one within 12" of the oor on the
wall connecting the two spaces (see options
1 and 2, Figure 2). You can also remove door
into adjoining room (see option 3, Figure 2).
Follow the National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI
Z223.1/NFPA 54, Air for Combustion and
Ventilation for required size of ventilation
grills or ducts.
Figure 2 - Ventilation Air from Inside Building
Or
Remove
Door into
Adjoining
Room,
Option
3
Ve ntilation Grills
Into Adjoining Room,
Option 2
Ve ntilation
Grills Into
Adjoining
Room,
Option 1
12"
12"
NOTICE: This heater is intended
    


     -








-


NOTICE: State or local codes

-


WARNING: Make sure the
-

WARNING: Seal any fresh
air vents or ash clean-out doors
-

     
   


www.desatech.com
122526-01B 9


Size

  Front
Width
Rear*
Width
18" 19" 14" 28" 20"
24" 19" 14" 32" 22"
30" 19" 14" 40" 30"
*Measured at 14" depth


    
-

   
    



-
    

WARNING: Never install the
heater
     
unless installed as a vented

 
 where curtains, furniture, cloth-


-

 
 
CAUTION: This heater creates

move heat to wall surfaces next
    


      -

    


IMPORTANT:Vent-free heaters add moisture
to the air. Although this is benecial, installing
heater in rooms without enough ventilation
air may cause mildew to form from too much
moisture. See Air for Combustion and Ventila-
tion, page 6.
CHECK GAS TYpE
Use the correct type of gas (natural or propane/
LP). If your gas supply is not the correct gas
type, do not install heater. Call dealer where
you bought heater for proper type heater.



-


INSTALLATION AND CLEARANCES

WARNING: Maintain the



MINIMUM FIREpLACE CLEARANCE TO

Side Wall 16", Ceiling 42"
Floor 5", Front: 36"
Carefully follow the instructions below. This
will ensure safe installation into a masonry,
UL127-listed manufactured replace or listed
vent-free rebox.


A. Clearances from the side of the replace
cabinet to any combustible material and
wall should follow diagram in Figure 4,
page 10.
Example: The face of a mantel, bookshelf,
etc. is made of combustible material
and protrudes 3 1/2" from the wall. This
combustible material must be 4" from the
side of the replace cabinet (see Figure
4, page 10).
INSTALLATION
Continued

www.desatech.com 122526-01B10
INSTALLATION
Continued
Note: When installing your gas logs into
a manufactured rebox, follow rebox
manufacturer’s instructions for minimum
clearances to combustible materials.
B. Clearances from the top of the replace
opening to the ceiling should not be less
than 42".
NOTICE: Manual control heaters

If so, you must always run heater

    
  
    
 Installing Damper
Clamp Accessory for Vented
Operation
Heat Resistant
Material
(A)
Figure 5 - Heat Resistant Material (Slate,
Marble, Tile, etc.) Above Fireplace

Material Distance


Safe Installation
1 2" or more Noncombustible mate-
rial OK.
Between 8" and 12" 24" or 30" Models:
Install replace hood
accessory (GA6050,
GA6052 or GA6053 see
Accessories, page 38).
18" Model: Noncom-
bustible material OK.
Less than 8"
Noncombustible mate-
rial must be extended
to at least 8". See
Between 8" and 12",
above. If you cannot
extend material, you
must operate heater
with ue damper open.
Figure 4 - Minimum Clearance for
Combustible to Wall
*Minimum 16" from Side Wall
*
Example

Clearances

Note: If using a mantel proceed to If Using
Mantel. If not using a mantel, follow these
instructions.
You must have noncombustible material(s)
above the replace opening. Noncombustible
materials (such as slate, marble, tile, etc.) must
be at least 1/2" thick. With sheet metal, you
must have noncombustible material behind
it. Noncombustible material must extend at
least 8" up (for all models). If noncombustible
material is less than 12", you must install
the replace hood accessory (24" and 30"
Models Only). See Figure 5 for minimum
clearances.

You must have noncombustible material(s)
above the replace opening. Noncombustible
materials (such as slate, marble, tile, etc.)
must be at least 1/2" thick. With sheet metal,
you must have noncombustible material be-
hind it. Noncombustible material must extend
at least 8" up (for all models). If noncombus-
tible material is less than 12", you must install
the replace hood accessory (24" and 30"
Models Only). Even if noncombustible mate-
rial is more than 12", you may need the hood
accessory to deect heat away from your
mantel shelf. See Figure 5 and Figures 6 and
7, page 11, for minimum clearances.
IMPORTANT: If you cannot meet these mini-
mum clearances, you must operate heater
with chimney ue damper open. Go to Install-
ing Damper Clamp Accessory for Vented
Operation, page 12.