# fireplace receptacle?



## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

Friend of mine says he needs a receptacle in his fireplace, I am guessing as an igniter for a gas unit. Just got an email on it, have not talked to him yet. 

I imagined these units were hard wired, so the receptacle surprises me, but knowing this guy it is not some crazy idea of his own creation. Anyone seen something like this? How are the gas inserts normaly wired?


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## electricmanscott (Feb 11, 2010)

I have wired many receptacles in fireplaces. Inserts usually plug in to a receptacle located on the back wall of the fireplace.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

s.kelly said:


> Friend of mine says he needs a receptacle in his fireplace, I am guessing as an igniter for a gas unit. Just got an email on it, have not talked to him yet.
> 
> I imagined these units were hard wired, so the receptacle surprises me, but knowing this guy it is not some crazy idea of his own creation. Anyone seen something like this? How are the gas inserts normaly wired?


All the prefab ones I have done are hard wired however, you hardwire to a jb provided in the FP that has a receptacle. I hope you get to wire it before the FP goes in.


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Lots of them are plug in.


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

special receptacle for the heat or just a standard 120v receptacle?


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

Hard wire to a 'patch cord/panel' - low volt up to a switch for the fan.\

Same as a gas boiler. I presume. the switch is the T-stat.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

s.kelly said:


> special receptacle for the heat or just a standard 120v receptacle?


Check the unit as I stated most come with the jb and 120v receptacle in the FP. Most have remotes but usually you install a low voltage sw for the igniter. Some have blowers in them also. Or is this a regular fp with gas logs going in?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

s.kelly said:


> special receptacle for the heat or just a standard 120v receptacle?



Standard recep.

Some FPs require a switched power, some require constant power, some require both. I always run 14/3, black = hot / red = switched, plus an additional 14/2 for low voltage from the switch box to the FP.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

Dennis Alwon said:


> Check the unit as I stated most come with the jb and 120v receptacle in the FP. Most have remotes but usually you install a low voltage sw for the igniter. Some have blowers in them also.



All the ones I have done were this way. I usually use a regular snap switch for the blower on wall beside fireplace.


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## mdfriday (May 14, 2007)

Dennis Alwon said:


> Check the unit as I stated most come with the jb and 120v receptacle in the FP. Most have remotes but usually you install a low voltage sw for the igniter. Some have blowers in them also.


Yup, I have installed many with a handy box receptacle in the bottom of the unit. It is for the blower option.


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## aarons600rr (Apr 7, 2007)

The builder we work for always had battery powered ignitors , now they have a blower option which needs 120


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## tates1882 (Sep 3, 2010)

s.kelly said:


> Friend of mine says he needs a receptacle in his fireplace, I am guessing as an igniter for a gas unit. Just got an email on it, have not talked to him yet.
> 
> I imagined these units were hard wired, so the receptacle surprises me, but knowing this guy it is not some crazy idea of his own creation. Anyone seen something like this? How are the gas inserts normaly wired?


 I have done a rec with handy box for the ones that have a pigtail on them. But the last few had a jbox inside the unit that required a constant hot for the blower and I used 18/3 bell wire for the low volt ignitor. If you switch the blower remember a fan speed control makes it nice so they don't have to mess around with the unit to adjust blower speed.


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## Malaking_TT (Dec 17, 2010)

Lets say you're dealing with a massive brick fireplace and you want to add a pellet insert. Would you drill a hole thru the brick into the crawlspace under the house and fish a wire up or just run the cord that comes with the stove out across the brick and plug it into the nearest receptacle?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Justin2366 said:


> Lets say you're dealing with a massive brick fireplace and you want to add a pellet insert. Would you drill a hole thru the brick into the crawlspace under the house and fish a wire up or just run the cord that comes with the stove out across the brick and plug it into the nearest receptacle?


If this is a real brick fireplace then drilling down wont help as the foundation for the fireplace will be there-- no crawl under that. 

I did one like this a month ago. The fireplace stuck outside the house so I went thru the fireplace box to the outside right next to the house and then into the crawlspace. If they decide to go back to a regular fireplace they can fill the 3/4" hole with concrete. Otherwise you could do as you said.


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## Malaking_TT (Dec 17, 2010)

Dennis Alwon said:


> If this is a real brick fireplace then drilling down wont help as the foundation for the fireplace will be there-- no crawl under that.
> 
> I did one like this a month ago. The fireplace stuck outside the house so I went thru the fireplace box to the outside right next to the house and then into the crawlspace. If they decide to go back to a regular fireplace they can fill the 3/4" hole with concrete. Otherwise you could do as you said.


Thanks. It's a double fireplace, 8' wide, one fire box on each 4' side, one facing into the house and one for an exterior fireplace. (in the driveway, don't know why) I was thinking I could make it if I drilled at an angle to get to the crawl space or probably horizontally right into the adjacent wall and hit the receptacle right next to the bricks to pick up power. My house. Also considering knocking the entire POS out of there and patching the wall floor and roof.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I would be careful trying to get that angle as the foundation may be larger than the box. If you can why not if you just use it for gas logs.


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