Fireplace of doom

My friend moved into a new apartment with a 1920s era electric fireplace. It's in bad shape and I advised her not to use it...some wiseguy apparently replaced the bulbs with neon flicker flame bulbs as well. Any suggestions for restoring a piece like this?

formatting link
qa?dl=0

That outlet doesn't look too safe...apparently the original tenants had pulled out the fireplace and were running a flst panel tv from the socket!

Reply to
bitrex
Loading thread data ...

Dont forget the "

Reply to
Rheilly Phoull

I don't think it's from the 1920's. An overall photo would have been nice. Those look like common ceramic candelabra base sockets as used in a fake electric fireplace, or an infrared fake electric heater:

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Error 404...

Reply to
Robert Baer

The LInk is tooo long Just add "qa?dl=0" and it works. :-Z

--
John G Sydney.
Reply to
John G

Replace the ceramic sockets as Jeff L. suggested. There are a wide variety of these still available; you should be able to find one that will fit in the existing holes.

If you want to shop locally, find a hardware store that a) isn't Home Depot, Lowes, etc and b) offers repair of household lamps. These places tend to stock a wide variety of sockets, and most of them will sell you just the sockets.

Replace the wire with something rated for higher temperatures. I think technically you need something rated "AWM", or possibly "TEW" - ratings of 90 C are easy to get, 105 C if you look around a little.

Be careful when removing the old wire. It might have asbestos in the insulation. The simple version is to work outside, wear gloves, maybe wet down the wire before disturbing it, and stow it in a plastic bag when you get done. This can be extended all the way up to wearing a full-pressure bunny suit if you want.

There appears to be a pushbutton light switch at the top right, near the molded face. I think you can still get these new. In modern times you probably need some kind of enclosure around it on the back; a standard steel electrical box may work.

Put a three-wire cord on it, something like SJO that can stand the heat.

You might consider adding a thermal fuse, probably at the top center of the reflector. Digi-Key has some at either $1 each (Cantherm SDF series) or $13 each (Cantherm L50). The $13 ones have an insulated case and wires, which is probably closer to what you want. Your pick on the temperature.

You could also add a thermostat. A fixed-temperature one would be easier - something like Cantherm CS-7, $7 at Digi-Key. You could probably also adapt something meant to switch line voltage; HVAC suppliers have "generic" thermostats that are meant to control 120 V and 240 V heaters.

To do any good, that fireplace probably originally had 4 60 W lamps, and possibly up to 4 300 W or so. Even a big flat-panel TV probably draws less current than that.

If the wiring in the rest of the apartment is the same vintage, you may or may not be able to depend on it having a ground wire.

Standard disclaimers apply; I don't currently get money or other consideration from any companies mentioned.

Matt Roberds

Reply to
mroberds

Is this actually intended to produce some real heat or just a visual effect ?

If some real heat, at least in Europe, there are stove lamps available rated for 300 C, I have no idea what those neon lamps can withstand.

With old electric/electronics equipment, I would suggest using an isolation transformation (apparently 120:120 V in this case) or at least a local RCB.

If this is just a fake fireplace with just a few neon lamps, the isolation transformer ratings would be well below 5 VA.

For something less fake, replace the neon bulbs with low to medium power halogens and run them with a dimmer controlled by a photocell looking at one of those neon lamps and of course, run the whole system through an isolation transformer.

For an even more realistic effect, use two neon lamps (or other randomizing source) to control two separate dimmers and connect every other lamp to dimmer1 and the other half to dimmer2..

In a well insulated apartment, even 100-200 W (total) halogens would create a cosy environment for winter evenings.

Reply to
upsidedown

Those wire types are suitable (listed) for premise wiring, not appliance wiring. Appliances containing heating elements pretty much always use high temperature appliance wire rated at least 140 C. For example:

Reply to
Glen Walpert

Thanks.

Reply to
Robert Baer

ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.