Lennox Hearth Products ELITE ME43BK SP User manual

43" Wood Burning Fireplaces
P/N 850,027M REV. E 12/2007
ME43BK SP
RETAIN THESE INSTRUCTIONS
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
This installation manual will enable you to obtain a safe, efficient and
dependable installation of your fireplace system. Please read and
understand these instructions before beginning your installation.
Do not alter or modify the fireplace or its components under any circum-
stances. Any modificationoralteration ofthefireplacesystem,including
but not limited to the fireplace, chimney components and accessories,
may void the warranty, listings and approvals of this system and could
result in an unsafe and potentially dangerous installation.
Lennox™ wood-burning fireplaces are designed for use as a supple-
mental heater. They are not intended for continuous use as a primary
heat source.
INSTALLATION AND
OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS
WARNINGS
• Hot! Do not touch! The glass and
surfaces of this appliance will be hot
during operation and will retain heat
for a while after shutting off the appli-
ance. Severe burns may result.
• Carefully supervise children in the
same room as appliance.
ME43
MODEL
WARNINGS
• The fireplace cannot be operated without a door.
Consult your dealer to select the correct door
model.
• Important! To assure proper alignment of glass
doors: Install this fireplace in a square and
plumb condition, using shims as necessary at
sides and/or bottom.
• Install the fireplace only as described in these
instructions.
Listed to standards:
ULC-S610 & UL-127
Report No. 192-5166
PIME43-F REV. 3

2
WARNING
To avoid the risk of damaging
fireplace materials and increas-
ing the risk of fire, do not use the
fireplace to cook or warm food.
CAUTION
NEVER use gasoline, gasoline-
type lantern fuel, kerosene,
charcoal lighter fluid, naphtha,
engine oil or similar liquids to
start or “freshen up” a fire in this
fireplace. Keep any flammable
liquids a safe distance from the
fireplace at all times.
WARNING
Never modify or alter your fire-
place system in any way. To do
so may create a potential fire
hazard and void the warranty,
listings and approvals of this
system.
WARNING
Be careful adding wood fuel to the
fireorhandlingfireplacetoolssuch
as shovels, tongs or pokers.
WARNING
The bottom refractory can be
crackedbyexcessiveabuse such
as tossing heavy logs onto the
grate or gouging with fireplace
tools. Exercise caution when
adding wood to your fireplace.
WARNING
Alwaysensurethatthe airinletto
the fireplace is free from debris
and any other obstructions that
can block the entrance of air.
WARNING
Neither the manufacturer nor the
seller warrants “smoke free”
operationnorareweresponsible
for inadequate system draft
caused by mechanical systems,
general construction conditions,
inadequate chimney heights,
adverse wind conditions and/or
unusualenvironmentalfactorsor
conditions beyond our control.
WARNING
This fireplace has NOT been
tested with an unvented gas
log set. To reduce risk of fire or
injury, do not install an unvented
gas log set into this fireplace.
WARNING
The fireplace must be operated
with the doors fully opened or fully
closed. If the doors are left partly
opened, gas and flame may be
drawn out of the fireplace open-
ing, creating risks of both fire and
smoke.
CAUTION
Usecarewhenselectingwindow
treatments for windows located
near the fireplace. Avoid using
combustible flowing window
treatments such as curtains
on nearby windows that are of
sufficient length to be blown in
front of an open flame when the
window is opened.
Keep any combustible furniture,
materials or decorative pillows
at least 48" (1219 mm) from the
front fireplace opening.
WARNING
An outside air kit must be
installed on the ME43 fire-
place.
WARNING
Neverleavechildren unattended
when there is a fire burning in
the fireplace.
WARNING
Never leave your fireplace unat-
tended while it is burning.
IMPORTANT
When burning wood, use SOLID
NATURAL DRY WELL-SEASONED
WOOD ONLY. Hardwoods are
recommended (soft woods tend
to burn very quickly).
• DO NOT burn treated wood,
charcoal, coal, trash, card-
board, driftwood, woods dipped
in tar, Christmas tree greens,
pitch, pine tar, creosote, chemi-
cal chimney cleaners, flame
colorants, polystyrene packag-
ing,woodproductswithsynthetic
binders(i.e.plywood). Plywood,
lumber and other misc. materi-
als can produce abnormally high
temperatures, sputtering and
smoking fires and may contain
hazardous chemicals to treat
insects and fungus.
• Burning unapproved fuels can
produce excessive tempera-
tures, beyond the design capa-
bilities of the fireplace and may
produce excess sparks or may
contain hazardous chemicals.
Burning unapproved fuels can
result in a chimney fire, a house
fire, personal injury, death or
loss of property.
IMPORTANT! GENERAL SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS. READ AND
UNDERSTAND THESE SAFETY
RULES BEFORE YOUR FIRST FIRE.

3
CAUTION
This appliance is designed for
use with wood or certified pro-
cessed solid fuel fire logs. Do
not poke or stir the logs while
they are burning. Use only fire
logs that have been evaluated
for the application in fireplace
and refer to fire log warnings and
caution markings on packaging
prior to use.
SAFETY RULES FOR OPERATING
YOUR FIREPLACE
•Thisfireplacemust beinstalledwith Security
Chimneys™ASHT+,S-2100+or AC(8"inside
diameter) chimney System only. These sys-
tems are intended for use in any application
where a traditional masonry type fireplace
would apply. The chimney system must
always vent to the outside of the building.
•This fireplace has been tested for installa-
tion in Canada to CAN/ULC S610-M87 and
ANSI/UL 127-1996 under report number
192-5166. For installations in Canada, the
chimney clearance to combustibles must
be 2 inches and the Cold Climate Kit must
be installed.
•The minimum installed height of the
completed fireplace system is 15' 0". The
maximum height is 60' 0".
PARTS REQUIRED
Fireplace Model ME43BK SP
•8" diameter chimney - Model SecureTemp™
(ASHT1"),SecureTemp (S-2100+) or ACmanu-
factured by Security Chimneys International
only, including:
- Chimney lengths
- Elbows (where necessary)
- Associated components as per these
Installation Instructions
•Door (included)
•Outside Air Kit (included)
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT
Additional Equipment (optional)
- Trim Kit and Door Capping available in
Nickel and Gold
- UZY5 blower
- VRUW Blower motor speed control
- Forced Air Heating Kit
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Safety Rules.......................................Page 2
Parts Required ...................................Page 3
Optional Equipment............................Page 3
Fireplace Maintenance
Creosote ............................................Page 4
Chimney maintenance........................Page 4
Chimney fires.....................................Page 4
Door Frame Care................................Page 4
Glass cleaning....................................Page 4
Doors adjustment ..............................Page 4
Glass replacement..............................Page 4
Removal of ashes...............................Page 4
Fireplace Operation
Fuel ....................................................Page 5
First fires............................................Page 5
Building a fire.....................................Page 5
Using the retractable
doors and firescreens ......................Page 5
How to use the outside air kit.............Page 5
Fireplace Installation
Pre-installation...................................Page 5
Tools and building supplies................Page 6
Precautions........................................Page 6
Installation procedure ........................Page 6
Locating the fireplace.........................Page 6
Adjacent walls....................................Page 6
Enclosure...........................................Page 6
Facing and mantel..............................Page 7
Hearth extension................................Page 8
Outside air installation .......................Page 8
UZY3 fan kit installation ....................Page 9
Framing Dimensions..........................Page 10
Central forced air kit...........................Page 11
Chase Enclosure ................................Page 11
Chimney System ...............................Page 12
Installing the Chimney System...........Page 13
Offset Chimney Installation ................Page 16
Chimney Component Chart ................Page 17
Angled Wall Radiation Shield .............Page 18
Universal Roof Support Installation ...Page 19
Multiple Terminations.........................Page 19
Parts and Components.......................Page 20
Replacement Parts.............................Page 22
Specifications.....................................Page 22
Clearances .........................................Page 22
Product Reference Information..........Page 24
CONGRATULATIONS!
In selecting this LENNOX™ wood-burning appliance you have chosen one of the fin-
est fireplaces available. The ME43 wood fireplace is a clean burning fireplace that is
designed to provide you dependable service as well as warmth and enjoyment for many
years to come.
Please carefully read and follow all of the instructions found in this manual. Please pay
special attention to the safety instructions provided in this manual. This information
will be useful to you now and in years to come, so keep the manual handy and refer to
it as needed.
•Use only Lennox Fireplace glass doors,
specifically designed for ME43 fireplace.
(See Page 22 for part numbers).
•Do not operate the fireplace with both
firescreens and doors closed at the same
time. Use the firescreen when doors are
fully opened.
•Always keep the fire screen or the doors
closed and the damper opened when using
the fireplace. Keep the damper closed when
the fireplace is not in use.
•The ME43 fireplace is sold with a steel log
grate. If you have to replace it, we recom-
mend for optimum efficiency, to replace it
with an identical or similar Lennox model
grate.
•Afireplaceinsertheatingunitmaybeinstalled
in the fireplace only if this unit has been
certified with the ME43 fireplace.

NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS ARE NOT TO SCALE.
4
FIREPLACE MAINTENANCE
CREOSOTE
When wood is burned slowly, it produces tar
and other organic vapors which combine with
expelled moisture to form a black deposit called
creosote. The creosote vapors condense in the
relatively cool chimney flue of a slow burning
fire. As a result, creosote residue accumulates
on the flue lining. When ignited, this creosote
makes an extremely hot fire. If the creosote
accumulation is large, a creosote fire in the
chimney can damage the chimney and over-
heat the surrounding wood framing. Creosote
formation in a chimney can be minimized by
makingsmall hot firesratherthan slowburning,
smouldering fires.
CHIMNEY MAINTENANCE
Regular chimney inspection and maintenance
combined with proper operation will help pre-
vent chimney fires. Keep your chimney clean.
Donotallowmorethana1/16" (1.6mm)build-up
of creosote in your chimney. The amount of
creosote will depend on variables such as fre-
quency of use and type of fire. We recommend
that you follow the instructions below:
1. Initially, inspect the chimney system weekly.
By doing this, you will learn how often it will be
necessary to clean your chimney.
2. Have your chimney cleaned by a qualified
chimney sweep. Chimney maintenance should
only be conducted by a qualified technical or
chimney sweep company.
3. Do not expect chemical cleaners to keep your
chimney clean.
The raincap can be removed for inspection
and/or cleaning of the chimney. Unscrew the
braces which attach the raincap to the chimney.
Using gloves, firmly grip the upper portion of
the rain cap. Turn the cap and lift it off the
chimney.
CHIMNEY FIRES
If you are having a chimney fire, follow these
steps:
1. Close the glass doors and the air inlet.
2. Close the chimney outside air register.
3. Alert your family of the possible danger.
4. If you require assistance, alert your fire
department.
5. If possible, use a dry chemical fire extin-
guisher, baking soda or sand to control the fire.
Do not use water as it may cause dangerous
steam explosions.
6. Watchforsmoulderingorfireoncombustibles
next to the fireplace and chimney. Check outside
to ensure that sparks and hot embers coming out
of the chimney are not igniting the roof.
7. Do not use the fireplace again until your
chimney and fireplace have been inspected by
a qualified chimney sweep or a fire department
inspector.
Door Frame Care
Use a glass cleaner and a soft cloth to polish
the frame. Do not use abrasives such as steel
wool or steel pads for they may scratch the
door frame finish.
Glass Cleaning
The ME43 fireplace is designed to keep the
glass clean under normal operating condi-
tions. To clean the glass there are a number of
specially designed cleaners. Your authorized
LHP Dealer can recommend a suitable cleaner.
Regular household glass cleaners will not clean
creosote. Do not use abrasives such as steel
pads, steel wool or oven cleaner as they will
scratch the glass.
Doors Adjustment
Glass doors may lose their adjustment during
transportation or installation of the fireplace.
A wrong adjustment may cause a loss in
combustion’s efficiency and control. The glass
doors must be parallel, at the same height and
must almost touch each other when closed.
Maximum spacing between the doors is one
sixteenth of an inch (1/16’’).
Figure 1
The glass doors can be adjusted by loosening
the three (3) screws of the hinges’ supports
(see fastening screws in Figure 1). If a minor
angular adjustment is needed, you may loosen
only two (2) of the three (3) screws using the
other as a pivot point.
Glass Replacement
The glass used for the ME43 fireplace doors is
a high temperature ceramic glass. If the glass
breaks, it must be replaced with a ceramic glass
such as Neoceram. Tempered or ordinary glass
will not withstand the high temperatures of
the ELITE ME43 fireplace. Replacement glass
should bepurchasedfromyour localLHPdealer.
Do not operate the unit with cracked or broken
glass. To remove the glass panel, unscrew the
frame screws, remove the interior frame and
the glass panel.
Removal Of Ashes
Remove ashes only when the fire is out and the
ashes are cold. Lift the front of the log grate
until it rests against the rear refractory; then
remove the ashes. Ashes should be placed in
a metal container with a tight-fitting lid. The
closed container of ashes should be placed on
a non-combustible floor or on the ground, well
away from all combustible materials, pending
final disposal. If the ashes are disposed of by
burialin soilorotherwise locallydispersed,they
should be retained in the closed container until
allcinders havethoroughlycooled. Do not leave
the ashes in the house as they give off carbon
monoxide and other toxic gases.
Fastening
Screws
Interior Frame
Frame
Screws

NOTE: DIAGRAMS & ILLUSTRATIONS ARE NOT TO SCALE. 5
OPERATING THE FIREPLACE
Fuel
The ME43 fireplace is designed to work best
when fueled with seasoned cordwood. Hard-
woods are preferred to softwoods since the
energy content of wood is relative to its density.
Hardwoods will result in a longer burning fire
and less frequent refueling. A moisture con-
tent of 15% to 20% (seasoned) is preferred.
Excessively wet wood will be difficult to burn
and will result in lower efficiency and increased
creosoting.
Do not burn scrap or garbage, treated wood or
wood such as driftwood from the ocean which
has been exposed to salt or other chemicals.
Salt or chemicals can corrode the firebox and
chimney. Do not abuse the unit by burning
large amounts of paper, cardboard, Christmas
tree branches or building construction materi-
als such as pressed wood, plywood or lumber.
Intense firing with these may overheat the
fireplace, causing damage to the unit, a fire,
or even possibly igniting a chimney fire, if the
chimney is creosoted.
First Fires
The first 5 or 6 fires should be small fires of
short duration (about 30-60 minutes). The first
fire should be especially short. This will help
cure the refractory bricks. The first fires may
produce slight smoking and some odor due
to drying of the paint and steel and any dust
accumulated on the fireplace will be burn off at
this time. For this reason the room should be
well ventilated during the first few fires.
Building A Fire
To start a fire, place several crumpled up balls of
newspaper inthe firebox. Place smalldry pieces
ofkindlingon top ofthepaper,crisscrossing the
kindling so that there is airspaces in between.
Place the larger pieces of kindling on top of the
pile. Keep the fuel far back enough so that air
can get underneath. Open the air control fully
and light the newspaper. Once the kindling fire
is well established, cordwood can be added.
The unit will burn best with a minimum of two
pieces of cordwood spaced 1" to 2" apart and al-
lowingairtoget underthe fuel. Crisscrossingor
arranging thefuelsothataircangetunderneath,
will help the fire to get started easily.
Figure 2
HOW TO USE THE RETRACTABLE DOORS
AND FIRESCREENS
The Lennox ME43 fireplace features retractable
doors and firescreens in order to allow a wider
view of the fire and save space when the doors
are opened. To retract the doors, simply open
them at 90° and push them into the opening
on the side of the firebox. The same procedure
applies for the retractable firescreens. (see
Figure 2).
Note : Donotoperatethefireplacewithbothfire-
screen and doors closed at the same time.
HOWTOUSETHEOUTSIDE AIRREGISTER
(FIREPLACE)
The outside air register is located on the upper
part of the top louver. The outside air register
supplies oxygen to the fire and allows control
of the fire when the doors are closed. The fresh
air must come from outside the house (the
air intake must not draw air from inside the
house). This will minimize negative pressure
in the house. The more you slide the register
to the left, the more fresh air into the firebox
and the more accelerated combustion you will
get (see Figure 3). When starting a fire, the
register should always be fully opened.
FIREPLACE INSTALLATION
Preinstallation
Please Read Before Installing:
1. Before beginning the installation of your
fireplace, read these safety tips and instal-
lation instructions carefully to be sure you
understand them completely. Failure to
follow them could cause a fireplace malfunc-
tion resulting in serious bodily injury and/or
property damage.
2. TheME43 fireplacehasbeentestedand listed
to UL and ULC standards by Warnock Hersey
International Inc. These instructions were
written to give you an outline for a fast and
safe installation and trouble-free operation.
PUSH TO
OPEN
PUSH TO OPEN
Figure 3