Contents General Info & Rules.................................................................................................................................................... 2 Two Ways to Transfer Heat ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Transferring heat to a specific location .......................................................................................................... 4 Tying into a central furnace............................................................................................................................ 4 Controlling the Central Heat Kit Manually .................................................................................................................. 5 Which options are required?.......................................................................................................................... 5 What’s included with the Central Heat Kit? ................................................................................................... 5 How it Works .................................................................................................................................................. 5 Controlling the Central Heat Kit with a Thermostat .................................................................................................... 5 Which options are required?.......................................................................................................................... 5 What’s included with the Central Heating Control? ...................................................................................... 5 How it Works .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Creating a Zone Heating System ................................................................................................................................. 7 Which options are required?.......................................................................................................................... 7 What’s included with the Zone Controller? ................................................................................................... 7 What’s included with the Zone Definition Kit? .............................................................................................. 7 How it Works: ................................................................................................................................................. 7 Central Heat Kit Installations for Clean Face Fireplaces .............................................................................................. 8 RSF Option Wiring Diagrams ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Legend: ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 Wiring for the Central Heat System with Central Heating Control: ............................................................. 10 Wiring for Multiple Systems Combined: ...................................................................................................... 11 Wiring for the Thermostat Kit (FO-FDHC4): ................................................................................................. 12 Wiring for the Internal Blower (FO-FDHB5-N):............................................................................................. 13 Wiring for Multiple Systems Combined with Zone Heating: ........................................................................ 14
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Central Heat Kit for Dummies The central Heat Kit is available for the Opel, Delta and Onyx fireplaces by RSF. This guide is written as a response to frequently asked questions about the Central Heat Kit. Some of the information contained within is present in the installation instructions and some is not. This guide is not a suitable replacement for the installation instructions of any RSF option. Thoroughly consult the installation instructions of all RSF options prior to installation. The Central Heat Kit is the most powerful blower option available for any factory built fireplace on the market today. It is ideal for homeowners that want to customize the way they heat their home using their RSF fireplace.
General Info & Rules Blower Specs - 635 CFM, 160 Watts, 1.45 Amps, 60 decibels on high It can only be connected to the knockout on the top left side of the fireplace - Installing it on the right will cause the air to pass the bi-metallic damper, causing it to operate incorrectly. - One Central Heat Blower per fireplace max. Keep the length of the duct work to a minimum - Every foot of additional duct will reduce the heat output at the end of the system. - Eliminate elbows whenever possible, straight ductwork will work best - If tying into the furnace, consider the total distance. If the furnace is 50 feet away and then the heat has to be re-distributed again, will it still be warm at the register? Ducting Info & Clearance - Ductwork is not included with the Central Heat Kit - 8” diameter duct rated to 200°F is required (metal duct required up to the blower). Ducting does not have to be insulated unless it is exposed to cold temperatures (like in an attic or crawl space). - Recommended 50’ maximum length, including all branches due to reduced heat output. Significant air flow will still be felt with longer runs though. - Zero clearance to ducting whether insulated or un-insulated - Decreasing the duct size is possible if multiple ducts are used (except a Zone System). Minimum 50 square inches required at all times, e.g. 2x6” or 3x5” ducts. For calculating surface area of a round duct, use A=πr2. Transition can be made to square or rectangular ducts if the surface area remains the same.
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Blower Location - The blower can be installed anywhere between the fireplace and the outlet - Mounting the blower directly above the fireplace is acceptable but not recommended because the thermal switch in the blower will cut out at 180°F - Typically mounted in the basement, preferably in the mechanical room where noise is normal Acoustic Ducting Info - 5’ length is included with the Central Heat Kit - Developed to reduce the noise created by air flow through the ductwork. - Flexible to reduce noise from reverberation in ducts - Normally installed between the fireplace and the blower, often attached to the blower itself Backdraft Damper - A “Butterfly” style damper that opens automatically whenever the Central Heat Blower turns on - Springs keep the damper closed when the blower is off, suction from the blower opens it - Designed to prevent heat from accumulating in the ducts when the Central Heat Blower is off - Must be installed directly on top of the fireplace in all cases except when the Central Heat Tee is used (see “Central Heat Installations for Clean Face Fireplaces” section) Wiring and Electrical - The Central Heat Kit requires 110V power wired directly to # 5 & 6 on the terminal block of the fireplace. - Detailed wiring diagrams can be found at the back of this guide How much of the heat will it move? - The Central Heat Kit can effectively cool a room and will draw between 50% and 80% of the heat away from the room depending on the size of the fire - The radiant heat created by the fireplace will remain in the room with the appliance - All of the convective heat will be drawn towards the Central Blower Using the Internal Blower in conjunction with Central Heat - The Central Heat Blower will overpower the Internal Blower if they are running simultaneously - If the Central Heat Blower is set up for manual on/off, the homeowner can use the wall mounted controls to determine which blower they want running. Internal blower will heat the room with the fireplace; central heat will draw heat away. Positioning the controls close to each other makes switching easier. Using the Heat Dump in conjunction with Central Heat - The Central heat blower will overpower the Heat Dump if they are running simultaneously - Using a Heat Dump in conjunction allows the homeowner to heat a smaller space that is close by without having to divert the ducts of the central heat blower. However, no heat will go in that direction if they run simultaneously. What is the Thermostat Kit (FO-FDHC4)? - The Thermostat Kit is a completely separate option from the Central Heat Kit - It is a motor controlled lever that adjusts the damper position based on a wall mounted thermostat - It is not recommended to have both the Central Heat Kit and Thermostat Kit installed on the same fireplace as they will often be trying to perform the same task or will try to perform opposing tasks `
Two Ways to Transfer Heat Transferring heat to a specific location The Central Heat Kit can be used to send heat created by the firepalce to another location within the home. Place the end of the ducting at the desired location and leave access to the blower in case of any issues. Multiple ducts can be used in this setup. When using multiple ducts, ensure that all requirements for duct size are met (50 in2 total minimum). If using a Zone Heating System, all ducts must remain 8” diameter. The final destination for the heated air must be within the home. Heat cannot be dumped to the outside or to a separate structure, including a garage.
Tying into a central furnace These images show the fireplace beside the furnace. In most cases it will be on the floor above.
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The Central Heat Kit can be connected to the existing central heating system of the home. In Alberta & Ontario, the kit cannot be connected to a natural gas furnace, but you may still connect it to a propane furnace*, an electric furnace, an oil furnace or a heat pump. The ideal location of the fireplace is directly beside or above the forced air system. This is because the shorter the run of ducting is, the more heat will be pushed into the system. The kit must be ducted into the supply side of the furnace (warm, outward bound air). The best location is the hot air plenum where the ducts throughout the home converge. The heat cannot be ducted into the return side because the temperature may be hot enough to damage the furnace. The backdraft damper will prevent the furnace fan from blowing air back towards the fireplace regardless of the strength of the furnace fan. Connecting the ductwork on an angle or installing a deflector as shown in the images above will ensure that the hot air moves in the desired direction. Running the furnace fan will help circulate air, but will dilute the feeling of heat at the registers.. Connecting to the furnace ductwork is often performed by a HVAC professional.
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*TSSA has, in some cases rejected the installation of a Central Heat Kit in connection with a propane furnace. These cases are rare, but it is best to ensure the installation will be approved in advance.
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Controlling the Central Heat Kit Manually Which RSF options are required? 1. Central Heat Kit (FO-FDHB6-1)
What’s included with the Central Heat Kit? -
Central Heat Blower with mounting brackets 5’ length of Acoustic Ducting for noise reduction Backdraft Damper Wall mounted speed control for the blower
How it Works The homeowner controls the blower using the wall mounted speed control (on, off, hi-low). Whenever the wall mounted speed control is turned on, the blower will run. The blower will stop only when the switch is turned off. To slow the blower down (and reduce noise), simply continue turning the knob until the desired speed is reached. Pros -
Keeps cost down
Cons -
Blower must be manually turned on and off at the manual switch Difficult to maintain a steady temperature unless homeowner regularly adjusts the blower Blower will run all night if left on, even after the fire is out
Controlling the Central Heat Kit with a Thermostat Which options are required? 1. Central Heat Kit (FO-FDHB6-1) 2. Central Heating Control (FO-FDHC6)
What’s included with the Central Heating Control? -
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Thermal Assembly Wall Mounted Thermostat Relay Control Center
How it Works A wall mounted thermostat sends a signal to the Central Heat Blower. If the thermostat calls for the blower to activate (to either heat or cool a room) the blower will run until the thermostat is satisfied. Only one thermostat can be used per system. The Thermal Assembly is included with the Central Heating Control and ensures that the Central Heat Blower will only run when the fireplace is hot. The Thermal Assembly should be mounted underneath the fireplace and spaced approximately 1/8” from the bottom of the firebox. This is the same assembly that is included with the Internal Blower FO-FDHB5-N.
Thermal Assembly
The thermostat can be wired to turn on the blower in two ways via the Relay Control Center. Relay Control Center
Heating thermostat - The blower will heat a specific location. Place the thermostat in the room to be heated. The blower will turn on whenever the temperature at the thermostat drops below the desired level (and the fireplace is burning). -
Use the heating thermostat setup when there is a specific portion of the home that the owner would like to keep warm.
Cooling thermostat - The blower will cool the room with the fireplace. Place the thermostat in the room with the fireplace. The blower will turn on whenever the temperature at the thermostat exceeds the desired level (and the fireplace is burning), pulling the heat away. - Use the cooling thermostat setup when there is concern about the room with the fireplace overheating or if the central heat kit is tied into the furnace ductwork. Terminal Block setup for Central Heating Control
Pros -
Cons -
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No hassle operation Keeps room temperature uniform Can be wired for heating or cooling depending on homeowner’s preferences
Additional cost and wiring required
Creating a Zone Heating System Which options are required?
Zone Damper
1. Central Heat Kit (FO-FDHB6-1) 2. Zone Controller (FO-FDHCZ1) 3. Zone Definition Kit (FO-FDHCZ2)… one kit required per zone.
What’s included with the Zone Controller? -
Zone Controller Thermal Assembly
What’s included with the Zone Definition Kit? -
Zone Damper Thermostat
How it Works: A Zone Heating System will create 2-4 separate zones that are each controlled by their own thermostat. This works very well when there are spaces in the home that are used more frequently than others. Particularly in the case of guest bedrooms or office areas that don’t have to be heated at all times. When any of the zones call for heat (temp in room is below the temp on thermostat), the blower will turn on and the damper that leads to that area will open. If multiple zones call for heat, then the blower will run until all zones are satisfied. When all zones are at an adequate temperature, the blower will stop running. The Thermal Assembly is included with the Central Heating Control and ensures that the Central Heat Blower will only turn on when the fireplace is hot. The Thermal Assembly is mounted underneath the fireplace and should be approximately 1/8” from the bottom of the firebox. Zone Controller All ducting has to remain 8” in diameter up to the zone dampers when installing a Zone Heating System. This is because the zone dampers are 8” diameter and if only one zone calls for heat, that individual duct has to be large enough to handle the full volume of air. Reductions are allowed after the damper. The Zone Controller is the brain of the system. It determines which thermostats are calling for heat and which dampers to open accordingly. It also tells the blower whether it should or should not be running. Connecting the correct thermostats to the correct dampers is crucial during installation. The Zone Definition Kit’s damper has a default setting of “open” when there is no power. This must be reversed by the installer prior to installation. Once installed as part of the Zone Heating System, the damper will remain closed when there is no power. This way it will only open when the thermostat calls for heat. `
Pros -
Simulates the operation of a central furnace for homes without ducting No hassle operation, simply set each thermostat at the desired temperature
Cons -
Wiring can be a challenge if the wiring diagrams are not properly consulted Expensive
Central Heat Kit Installations for Clean Face Fireplaces The Opel, Onyx and Delta fireplaces can be “clean faced”. This implies that the top and bottom louvers are hidden behind the decorative facing of the fireplace. Standard
Clean Face
When a RSF fireplace is “Clean Face”, it is required to have two Gravity Vents (FO-V2) in order for the convective air to circulate (required to cool the fireplace). An air intake is also required for a full clean face (included with Clean Face Kit FO-F2). One of the two Gravity Vents will be installed in the left side knockout where the Central Heat Kit is designed to be mounted. The Central Heat Tee option (FO-T) allows you to divide the duct for both of the applications. The tee must be installed directly on top of the fireplace in the left knockout only. The Backdraft Damper is installed on the horizontal mouth of the tee which will go towards the Central Heat Blower. The Backdraft Damper vertical portion of the tee will be attached to the Gravity Vent. Note: When the system is set up in this manner, it is possible that the central heat kit will draw air from the gravity vent rather than the Central Heat Tee fireplace. This results in lower temperatures in the ducts. Clean Face with Central Heat `
RSF Option Wiring Diagrams________________________________________________________ Legend:
Ground White wire Black wire Single wire with white and black leads
Connection point of two or more wires
Internal blower
Thermal assembly
Central heat blower
Relay and Transformer
Motor and transformer for Thermostat Kit
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Wiring for the Central Heat System with Central Heating Control: (FO-FDHB6-1, FO-FDHC6)
Wire Not being used
This wire connects to the red of black at Relay
Represents the base of the fireplace Use Red for Warming Thermostat Use Black for Cooling Thermostat
RED
• 1 •
YELLOW
• 2 • • 3 • BLUE BLUE
• 4 • • 5 • • 6 • Ground (bare)
110V
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Implies it is a single wire
Not to Scale
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Wiring for Multiple Systems Combined: (FO-FDHB5-N, FO-FDHC4, FO-FDHB6-1, and FO-FDHC6) Box represents the base of the fireplace
Draft Damper Thermostat
Internal Blower Speed Control
Wire Not being used
Central Heat Thermostat This wire connects to the red or black at Relay Use Red for Warming Thermostat Use Black for Cooling Thermostat
• 1 •
RED
• 2 • • 3 •
Rear View
YELLOW
• 4 • • 5 • • 6 •
R G
Ground (bare)
110V
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Implies it is a single wire
Not to Scale Ground (bare)
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Wiring for the Thermostat Kit (FO-FDHC4):
Draft damper thermostat Represents the base of the fireplace
• 1 • • 2 • • 3 • • 4 • • 5 • • 6 • Ground (bare)
110V - Implies it is a single wire
Not to Scale
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Wiring for the Internal Blower (FO-FDHB5-N):
Thermal switch bypass (optional) Represents the base of the fireplace
• 1 • • 2 • • 3 • • 4 • • 5 • • 6 • Ground (bare)
110V - Implies it is a single wire
Not to Scale
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Blower speed control
Wiring for Multiple Systems Combined with Zone Heating: (FO-FDHB5-N, FO-FDHC4, FO-FDHB6-1, FO-FDHZ1 and FO-FDHCZ2) Box represents the base of the fireplace
Not to Scale
Internal Blower Speed Control
RED
Draft Damper Thermostat
• 1 • YELLOW
• 2 • • 3 • • 4 •
Rear View
R G
• 5 • • 6 • Ground (bare)
zone 4
110V
zone 4
zone 3
zone 3 zone 2 zone 2 Bottom View
Ground (bare)
zone 1 zone 1 `
Wiring for Basic Central Heating Kit: (FO-FDHB6-1)
Represents the base of the fireplace
• 1 • • 2 • • 3 • • 4 • • 5 • • 6 • Ground (bare)
110V
- Implies it is a single Wire
Ground (bare)
Not to Scale
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