Desa VSGF36NR Quick start guide

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WARNING: If the information in this manual is not fol-
lowed exactly, a fire or explosion may result causing
property damage, personal injury or loss of life.
— Do not store or use gasoline or other flammable
vapors and liquids in the vicinity of this or any other
appliance.
— WHAT TO DO IF YOU SMELL GAS
• 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 fire
department.
— Installation and service must be performed by a quali-
fied installer, service agency or the gas supplier.
MODELS
VSGF36NT, VSGF36PT, VSGF36NR AND VSGF36PR
UNVENTED (VENT-FREE) UNIVERSAL FIREBOX
OWNER’S OPERATION AND INSTALLATION MANUAL

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WARNING: Improper installation, adjustment, altera-
tion, service or maintenance can cause injury or prop-
erty damage. Refer to this manual for correct installation
and operational procedures. For assistance or addi-
tional information consult a qualified installer, service
agency or the gas supplier.
WARNING: This is an unvented gas-fired heater. It uses
air (oxygen) from the room in which it is installed. Provi-
sions for adequate combustion and ventilation air must
be provided. Refer to Air for Combustion and Ventilation
section on page 7 of this manual.
WARNING: For use only with a listed decorative type
unvented room heater. Do not build a wood fire.
This firebox has been tested and approved by CSA Inter-
national under Z21.91-2001 for use with approved ANSI
Z21.11.2 decorative type unvented room heater.
This appliance may be installed in an aftermarket*, per-
manently located, manufactured (mobile) home, where
not prohibited by local codes.
This appliance is only for use with the type of gas indi-
cated on the rating plate. This appliance is not convert-
ible for use with other gases.
*Aftermarket: Completion of sale, not for purpose of resale, from the manufacturer
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Safety Information ............................................... 3
Local Codes ........................................................ 4
Product Identification ........................................... 5
Unpacking ........................................................... 5
Product Features ................................................. 5
Locating Firebox .................................................. 6
Product Specifications ......................................... 6
Air For Combustion and Ventilation ..................... 7
Installation ........................................................... 9
Operating Fireplace ........................................... 19
Inspecting Burners ........................................... 24
Cleaning and Maintenance ................................ 25
Wiring Diagram .................................................. 26
Specifications .................................................... 26
Replacement Parts ............................................ 26
Technical Service .............................................. 26
Service Hints ..................................................... 26
Troubleshooting ................................................. 27
Accessories ....................................................... 31
Illustrated Parts Breakdown and Parts List ....... 32
Warranty Information ...........................Back Cover

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113192-01B 3
SAFETY INFORMATION
WARNING: This product con-
tains and/or generates chemicals
known to the state of California
to cause cancer or birth defects
or other reproductive harm.
IMPORTANT: Read this owner’s
manual carefully and completely
before trying to assemble,
operate or service this heater.
Improper use of this heater can
cause serious injury or death
from burns, fire, explosion,
electrical shock and carbon
monoxide poisoning.
DANGER: Carbon monoxide
poisoning may lead to death!
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: Early signs of
carbon monoxide poisoning resemble the flu, with
headaches, dizziness or nausea. If you have these
signs, the heater may not be working properly. Get
fresh air at once! Have heater serviced. Some
people are more affected by carbon monoxide than
others. These include pregnant women, people with
heart or lung disease or anemia, those under the
influence of alcohol and those at high altitudes.
Natural and Propane/LP Gas: Natural and pro-
pane/LP gases are odorless. An odor-making agent
is added to the gas. The odor helps you detect a gas
leak. However, 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 heater.
WARNING: Any change to
this heater or its controls can
be dangerous.
WARNING: Do not use a
blower insert, heat exchanger
insert or other accessory not ap-
proved for use with this heater.
WARNING: Do not allow fans
to blow directly into the fireplace.
Avoid any drafts that alter burner
flame patterns. Ceiling fans can
create drafts that alter burner
flame patterns. Altered burner
patterns can cause sooting.
Due to high temperatures, the
appliance should be located out
of traffic and away from furniture
and draperies.
Do not place clothing or other
flammable material on or near
the appliance. Never place any
objects on the heater.
Fireplace front and screen be-
come very hot when running fire-
place. Keep children and adults
away from hot surfaces to avoid
burns or clothing ignition. Fire-
place will remain hot for a time
after shutdown. Allow surfaces
to cool before touching.
Carefully supervise young chil-
dren when they are in the room
with fireplace. When using the
optional hand-held remote ac-
cessory, keep selector switch
in the OFF position to prevent
children from turning on burners
with remote.
You must operate this fireplace
with the fireplace screen and
hood in place. Make sure fire-
place screen and hood are in
place before running heater.
Keep the appliance area clear
and free from combustible ma-
terials, gasoline and other flam-
mable vapors and liquids.

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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) in-
side 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
neighborʼs phone. Follow the gas supplierʼs
instructions
• if you cannot reach your gas supplier, call
the fire department
4. This fireplace shall not be installed in a bed-
room or bathroom.
5. Do not use this fireplace as a wood-burning
fireplace. Use only the logs provided with the
fireplace.
6. Do not add extra logs or ornaments such as
pine cones, vermiculite or rock wool. Using
these added items can cause sooting. Do not
add lava rock around base. Rock and debris
could fall into the control area of fireplace.
7. To prevent the creation of soot, follow the
instructions in Cleaning and maintenance,
page 25.
8. 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 or furniture.
9. This fireplace needs fresh air ventilation to run
properly. This fireplace has an Oxygen Deple-
tion Sensing (ODS) safety shutoff system. The
ODS shuts down the fireplace if enough fresh
air is not available. See Air for Combustion
and Ventilation, page 7. If fireplace keeps
shutting off, see Troubleshooting, page 27.
10. Do not run fireplace
• where flammable liquids or vapors are used
or stored
• under dusty conditions
11. Do not use this fireplace to cook food or burn
paper or other objects.
SAFETY INFORMATION
Continued
12. Do not use fireplace if any part has been
exposed to or under water. Immediately call
a qualified service technician to inspect the
fireplace and to replace any part of the control
system and any gas control which has been
under water.
13. Do not operate fireplace if any log is broken.
Do not operate fireplace if a log is chipped
(dime-sized or larger).
14. Turn fireplace off and let cool before servicing.
Only a qualified service person should service
and repair fireplace.
15. Operating fireplace above elevations of 4,500
feet could cause pilot outage.
16. To prevent performance problems in propane/LP
units, do not use propane/LP fuel tanks of less
than 100 lbs. capacity (propane/LP units only).
17. Provide adequate clearances around air
openings.
LOCAL CODES
Install and use fireplace with care. Follow all local
codes. In the absence of local codes, use the lat-
est 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
Note: Where listed vented decorative logs are
required, thermostat operation is not permitted.
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-fired 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.

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113192-01B 5
Optional
Remote Control
PRODUCT
IDENTIFICATION
Figure 1 - Log Base Assembly
(VSGF36NR Shown)
Log Set
Base
Assembly
Front
Burner
Piezo
Ignitor
Rear
Burner
Top Louver
Assembly
Fireplace
Hood
Bottom Louver
Assembly
Screen
Assembly
Top Outer
Casing
Figure 2 - Fireplace (VSGF36NR Shown)
UNPACKING
CAUTION: Do not remove
the data plates attached to the
heater base assembly. The data
plates contain
1. With utility knife, cut the carton all the way
around above the staples on the bottom tray.
Lift the carton off the heater. Remove packing.
Note: The hood is located on top of fireplace
in a carton.
2.
Locate one screw above top left corner of the
fireplace screen. Remove and discard screw. Lift
fireplace screen up and pull out to remove.
3. Remove protective packaging applied to logs,
log base assembly and fireplace.
4. Check all items for any shipping damage. If
damaged, promptly inform dealer where you
bought fireplace.
PRODUCT FEATURES
OPERATION
This vent-free fireplace 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
flames and glowing embers. When used without the
blower, the fireplace requires no electricity making
it ideal for emergency backup heat.
SAFETY DEVICE
This fireplace has a pilot with an Oxygen Depletion
Sensing (ODS) safety shutoff system. The ODS/
pilot is a required feature for vent-free room heat-
ers. The ODS/pilot system shuts off the fireplace
if there is not enough fresh air.
PIEZO IGNITION SYSTEM
This fireplace has a piezo ignitor. This system
requires no matches, batteries or other sources to
light fireplace.
OPTIONAL REMOTE CONTROL
ACCESSORY
There are four optional remote controls (not
included) that can be purchased separately for
this log heater:
• wall switch
• wall thermostat
• hand-held ON/OFF remote
• hand-held thermostat remote
See Accessories, page 31.