Dimplex Fire - Montana Owners Club

embraceatrend · 02-01-2010, 07:14 AM

We were watching TV, and then our Dimplex Fireplace went out, we could see some sparking and then a small fire which went out on its own. Upon removing the unit, I found that cord that goes into the unit had started fire and melted for some reason. Phoned the Dimplex people and they are sending us a new cord, a plug terminal and a switch, but because it is out of warranty, I or someone else will have to install it. I thank them for there consideration, but my worry is why did the cord melt and start on fire. Has anyone else experienced the same problem or was this just a exception.

H. John Kohl · 02-01-2010, 07:35 AM

Yes I had the same thing (more or less) happen.
Here is my post with pictures.

What I think happened is the screw because loose and only a couple of wires was carying all the current which caused them to get hot like a toaster or heating element and burned.

It is easy to gain access and replace the bad parts.

Good luck and let us know if you need help.

radioattic · 02-01-2010, 08:13 AM

I'd be real suspicious of the fireplace itself. In John's post's thread, there were several mentions of the possibility of melting the connector without popping the circuit breaker, but while loose connections can become heated, the heat itself in a short lead like on the fireplace is a reflection of increased current. That much heat is not normal and not (IMO) a result of a loose connection.

If the fireplace has a fault that generates enough heat to melt a connection without popping a circuit breaker, that seems to me to be a serious design flaw (too much current, mismatched circuit beaker) that needs either immediate attention or replacement of the fireplace with a bookshelf. Dimplex's offer of a replacement of the parts sounds to me like a Band-Aid fix offered without consulting the company's attorneys.

I would think that whatever caused enough current flow in Larry & Gloria's fireplace to melt the connector is likely to re-occur. Just my two cents.

BB_TX · 02-01-2010, 08:25 AM

Very likely a loose or bad connection. A loose or bad connection results in an increase of resistance at that isolated spot. And the equation for heat dissipated (or watts) is the current squared times the resistance. So if there were only one ohm of resistance and 10 amps current passing thru it, there would be 100 watts of heat generated. Think how hot a 100 amp light bulb gets.

HamRad · 02-01-2010, 08:33 AM

Larry and Gloria,
Sorry to hear of your experience with a fire in your fireplace! That's about the last thing one wants to hear.

We did not have a fire but the unit quit working. Took it out and did some trouble shooting. Didn't find anything obvious. We did have a wire that looked 'pinched'. We did some manipulating of the wire and tested the unit to see if it would work. It did. The unit was very dusty so we cleaned it very well. We oiled anything that looked like it moved that we could get to. Put the unit back in its spot and it has worked fine since.

We did notice that the wire that they used was very small. If we have to operate on it again we'll replace the wires with at least one size larger.

Thankfully you were there and watching so that there was no further damage. It could have been much worse!

Later,
Dennis and Mary Kay

Crossthread · 02-01-2010, 08:38 AM

Mine did the same thing as Johns. I was lucky, it set off the smoke alarm..............Bill

49merc · 02-01-2010, 10:29 AM

All good reasons to NEVER leave the fireplace on when no one is there.
Bob

bushmill · 02-01-2010, 02:52 PM

Many thanks to H.J. Kohl and his pictures and slideshow of the fireplace removal. Excellent information, one more item for the maintenance list. Thanks MOC !!

Leaseit · 02-01-2010, 04:03 PM

Thanks John Kolh for that slide show on the fireplace, how to get in behind it, and to checking the wiring before i smell something and just think its DW making dinner. Ok ok,, before i get clawed from the other DW's on the forum, i was only kidding.
Thanks john K.

Randy

Tom S. · 02-02-2010, 03:09 AM

OK John, one more thing added to my list of things to do when the Ice Age leaves! BTW, how do you remove the plugs to get at the screws to pull the fire place?

H. John Kohl · 02-02-2010, 03:12 AM

Wood plug removal. I just drilled and pried them out. Lowe's had a bag of 10 for small price. Never got around to replacing and have pulled it out about twice a year.

Tom S. · 02-03-2010, 01:14 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by H. John Kohl

Wood plug removal. I just drilled and pried them out. Lowe's had a bag of 10 for small price. Never got around to replacing and have pulled it out about twice a year.

Dang, I was hopping for some "Norm trick" (Yankee Workshop) where you put ice on them and they shrunk and fell out or something!

Or maybe I'm thinking of Martha Stewart?

embraceatrend · 02-09-2010, 03:08 PM

Thanks for the opinions expressed re Dimplex fire, will install the new terminal block and cord, make sure all the terminal screws are tight and will monitor, we have left it on unattended, but will revisit that practice.

HamRad · 02-09-2010, 05:08 PM

Larry and Gloria,
Hey! Where is a picture or two of Little Miss Yuma? I'll bet she's grown a foot or more since I last saw her!

Hope you guys are still having fun. Sure was great seeing you at Q.

Travel safely,
Dennis and Mary Kay

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