TROUBLESHOOTING & FAQs

SERVICING UNDER WARRANTY

Before servicing, read the terms and conditions of the Archgard warranty at the back of the manual. Contact the authorized Archgard dealer where you purchased the appliance from and provide them with details of the problem, together with the initial installation information (from the back of this manual).

WARNING: Servicing of this appliance must be conducted by a qualified service technician. Improper servicing, adjustment or alteration of this appliance may cause property damage, personal injury or loss of life. All servicing should be conducted with the appliance cold. All replacement parts must be authorized by Archgard for suitability.  

ADJUSTING PRIMARY AIR

1. Open the lower grills.

2. Unscrew the 2 screws holding the control panel and remove the panel.

3. The primary air adjustment wing nut is located behind and to the left of the control valve.

4. Loosen the wing nut and slide the primary air shutter to the right to increase primary air and to left to reduce primary air.

5.Tighten the wing nut after adjustment

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Listed below are some frequently asked questions regarding Archgard Gas Fireplaces. If you have questions that are not listed below, or are not answered in this manual, please contact your Authorized Archgard Dealer.

Question: Can I burn wood and other materials in my gas fireplace?

Answer: No! Burning anything other than natural or LP gas in a gas fireplace or stove will create a potential fire hazard and present a danger to your home and its occupants. Only burn the gas fuel for which the unit was originally designed.

Question: Can I position my gas logs in a different fashion or use a different log set?

Answer: No.Your gas fireplace is an engineered system that includes the firebox, burner, logs, venting and options which are tested and listed by CSA. Changing any specifications or placement of the logs could void your manufacturer's warranty, and possible even your homeowner's warranty.

Question: Can I shut my pilot off in the summer?

Answer: You will save energy by turning off the pilot light if you are not using your appliance for the hot summer months. Remember to relight it before you want to use the appliance for the first time in the fall. Refer to your owners manual for lighting instructions.

Question: How do I care for my gold-plated trims?

Answer: Archgard recommends cleaning with a damp cloth. DO NOT use chemical cleaners as they may harm the finish, and void your warranty. NOTE: If the top louvers, or top overlay starts to discolor, check the door gasket seal and replace if necessary.

Question: What is Dynamic Start Advantage?

Answer: The most reliable, user-friendly, and safest ignition system ever produced!

Our engineers teamed up with the industry’s leading electronics producer to develop Dynamic Start Advantage. This control system is absolutely the most reliable, user-friendly, and safest ignition system ever produced.

How it works:
Similar to building a campfire, this system will start the fire with a small flame that builds after a draft has been established.
When you press the “ON” key on your standard remote control, the burner will light on low. After two minutes the system will increase the flame to the high setting or the setting previously established on the remote.

What does it do?
Benefits of this system include:

• It helps to ensure a more reliable start
• It promotes smoother carry-over ignition (the flames carry over the burner instead of lighting at once)
• It reduces the likelihood of flame ghosting (the lifting of flames off the burner)
• It reduces the likelihood of a pilot outage
• It helps to reduce condensation on the glass door
• It helps to reduce the pinging and clanging sounds that are common to other gas fireplaces on startup

This leaves you with a clear and natural fire that you can enjoy with your loved ones.

Question: I have a white “film” on my glass. What is the best way to clean the inside of the glass?

Answer: Frequent cleaning of your glass is recommended. Archgard recommends using a good quality “gas fireplace” glass cleaner that is available at all authorized dealers. Do not use abrasive materials, and do not clean the glass or the appliance when the unit is hot.

Question: When my appliance is OFF and my pilot light is lit, I hear a “whisper” sound. What is it?
Answer: The lit pilot can make a small noise. Sometimes in extreme wind conditions you may be able to hear air entering into the firebox chamber.

Question: Why does my fan/blower makes a “whirring” or “humming” noise?
Answer: Your Archgard gas appliance uses a powerful fan to push heated air into your room. It is not unusual to hear a “humming” noise when your fan is running. Note: the sound will change depending on the set-ting that your fan speed control is set at.

Question: Why does my glass have a condensation “fog” when the appliance is first lit?
Answer: Condensation is normal and will disappear in a few minutes after the glass is heated. Archgard's exclusive Dynamic Start Advantage, which is available on most electronic ignition fireplaces and fireplace inserts, reduces the amount of condensation on the glass and the amount of time it takes for the condensation to disappear.

Question: Why do I hear a “click” when my fan system activates?
Answer: When your appliance reaches temperature, it will activate the THERMODISC “fan switch”. The switch closes the electrical circuit that allows the fan to turn on. This is a normal sound

Question: Why do I hear a “click" when my main burner turns ON or OFF?
Answer: Your Gas Control Valve will make a clicking sound when it opens to allow gas to flow to the main burner. This is a normal part of the operating system.

Question: Why do I hear a “ticking”, “cracking” or “pinging” sound when my fireplace is running, and after it is turned off?
Answer: The different gauges of steel used to manufacture your fireplace will expand and contract at different rates when your fireplace is on, and will continued as your fireplace completes its heating function. You will likely hear these same sounds more on start up and shut down. This is normal for steel fireplaces.

Question: Why is there a little light blinking on the control board? What does it mean?

Answer: Depending on how many blinks you see and the sequence, it could mean different things:

• 1 Blink = The backup battery is low and should be replaced.
• 2 Blinks = The control board is receiving a pilot error. Please contact your local Archgard dealer to have a qualified Archgard service technician troubleshoot the problem - Archgard Dealer Locator
• 3 Blinks = The system has been locked out. Please contact your local Archgard dealer to have a qualified Archgard service technician troubleshoot the problem - Archgard Dealer Locator
• 4 Blinks = Your fireplace is equipped with Archgard's exclusive Dynamic Start Advantage. The light will stop blinking when the 2-minute startup sequence has completed.

Troubleshooting:

1. When lighting the appliance for the first time after installation or after servicing, there is air in the gas line. It takes a while for all of the air to purge out of the pilot before gas can reach the pilot and ignite. Remove the glass door and try lighting the pilot many times to purge the air.

2. Check to make sure the gas supply to the appliance is turned on and there is adequate gas supply pressure to the appliance.

3. Check for sparks between the spark electrode and the pilot head when the sparker is pressed. If there are no sparks:

a. Check for broken or poor connection from the sparker to the electrode.

b. Check for the spark shorting or arcing at other locations.

c. Check for defective sparker.

d. Check for defective spark electrode.

4. With the door removed, try lighting the pilot with a match.

a. If air is blowing on the flame of the match, hold the control knob in at the ‘PILOT’ setting until all the air is purged out of the line.

b. If there is no gas or air coming out of the pilot and there is gas pressure to the appliance, the pilot orifice may be blocked or the gas valve may be defective.

Troubleshooting:

1. Press the control knob all the way in (at the “pilot” indicator).

2. Hold the control knob in for a longer period of time.

3. If you are trying to re-light the pilot immediately after you have shut-off the pilot, you have to wait 5 minutes for the valve to reset. (safety sys-tem built into the valve)

4. Check to see if the pilot flame is large enough to reach and surround the thermocouple. If the flame is too small, check for correct gas supply pressure. If pressure is good, adjust the pilot flame size with the adjustment screw on the valve. If the flame cannot be adjusted, there might be some debris obstructing the pilot orifice, or a wrong size pilot orifice.

5. Check for poor connection of the thermocouple to the valve.

6. Check for proper millivolts of the thermocouple. The thermocouple should generate at least 20 mV or it is defective.

7. Check for defective gas valve. 

Troubleshooting:

1. Too much primary air. Reduce primary air by closing the primary air shutter. During cold temperatures, some flame lifting may occur during start-up. 

Troubleshooting:

1. If the flame is yellow and lazy, check for lint etc. around primary air shutter. Increase primary air by opening the primary air shutter if necessary.

2. Check for proper placement of the logs and branches. Ensure logs and burner are clean. See that section in the instruction manual.

3. Check for proper venting and blockage of the vent termination.

4. Check manifold pressure and clock input rating for over-firing. 

Troubleshooting:

1. The convection fan is thermostatically controlled. It will only turn on when the appliance is warmed-up. This may take up to 15 minutes with the appliance on high.

2. Check for 120 VAC electrical supply to the appliance. (Is the cord plugged in?)

3. Check for proper mounting of the thermal snap disc.

4. Check electrical connections.

5. Check for defective thermal snap disc.

6. Check for defective convection blower speed controller.

7. Check for defective convection blower. 

Troubleshooting:

1. Check to make sure the control knob is turned to the ‘ON’ position.

2. Allow enough time for the pilot to heat up the thermopile to generate sufficient voltage to activate the valve.

3. Check to make sure the thermostat is set high enough to turn on the appliance.

4. Check that the remote switch or the thermostat is turned on.

5. Check for weak pilot flame. If the flame is weak, check gas supply, check pilot flame adjustment and check for blockage of pilot orifice.

6. Check all connections to the valve for tight electrical contact.

7. Check for 400-500 mV from the thermopile with the burner off and 185-250 mV with the burner on. If the voltages are lower, the thermopile is defective.

8. Check for defective gas valve 

Troubleshooting:

1. This may be the normal operation of a wall thermostat installed to appliances.

2. Check for good pilot flames on the thermopile.

3. Check for good voltage from the thermopile.

4. Check for proper functioning of venting system (blocked)

5. If venting is suspected, refer to the venting section of this manual for proper venting practices.

6. Check wire connections. Expansion from heat affects a loose connection.