New electric fire blows out COLD air!

unholyangel

DoaM wrote: »

The part in bold would only be relevant if that intention was clear to the seller at the point of sale.

Poor choice of wording on my part! What I actually meant is (for example) a heater that doesn't heat (some of the comments on the fire said they were sitting right in front of it and still werent getting a heat) - ie goods not being good at the job they were designed to do.

It does totally come across as how you've interpreted it though so I apologise lol

societys_child

Every blown air/ fan heater type thing I've ever had blew cold air if the heating part was switched off. A cool breeze in hot weather.

It doesn't sound faulty, its the way they work.
As the moulded plug has been replaced, it would probably be illegal for the retailer to resell it, due to all the consumer rights/ health and safety regulations . . blah blah

[Deleted User]

I think any refund would be goodwill on the part of the retailer.

It's a heater meant to be used as a heater. The air produced when the heating element is switched off will certainly feel cool, but it won't be doing anything it isn't supposed to do.

It's sad that the OP cannot afford to use it as a heater (and resorting to using candles to make the cool air warm would seem to indicate true financial distress), but I can't see that the fire fails to do exactly what it was designed to do.

Shrimply

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

It's a heater meant to be used as a heater.

So why does the first button on the remote switch on just the fire effect? While the second button switches on heat and the fire effect.

The fact is that this, and most other fires in this type, are designed to offer atmospheric lighting even when no heating is needed. Otherwise the lighting would only be able to operate when the device was providing heat.

If it was me and my new (very overpriced) atmospheric lighting, which was intended to make my room feel cosy and warm, was blowing cold air at me I would be wanting to send it back too.

Manxman_in_exile

OP - I'm not familiar with your fire but over the years we've had several Dimplex electric fires which are basically fan heaters encased in what looks like a wood-burning stove body. They've all had three switches. The first turns the fire and the "opti-flame" effect on, but the fan remains off. The second turns the fan on and throws out 1kw of heat; the third switch ups the heat output to 2kw. Is there anything in the instruction manual that explains how to turn the flame effect on without activating the fan/heater?


I suppose it's possible your fire has been designed so that the flame effect can only be turned on together with the fan, but without the heating being turned on. But that seems a bad design to me as I'm sure many people would want a flame effect without the fan necessarily being activated - I know we would! But that doesn't means it's faulty. You may have bought the wrong product.


I read your original post to mean that you checked that it worked before changing the plug. Did you check that the flame effect worked without the fan?

[Deleted User]

Shrimply wrote: »

So why does the first button on the remote switch on just the fire effect?

The idea is that the fire effect can still be enjoyed when the unit is used in conjunction with central heating or on warmer days when full heat is not required.

I suspect that the OP may be of senior age and is therefore more susceptible to discomfort caused by the "cool" air when the heating element is switched off.

Manxman_in_exile

Hi Shrimply - are you saying it is possible to operate the flame effect without engaging both the fan and heater - as I suggested above? That certainly makes sense to me as otherwise I can't see the point of having one.


So is the OP simply not pushing the right remote button or manual switch? I'm (easily) confused.

Shrimply

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

Hi Shrimply - are you saying it is possible to operate the flame effect without engaging both the fan and heater - as I suggested above? That certainly makes sense to me as otherwise I can't see the point of having one.

I have no idea to be honest, I was just making the point that the product is not designed just to be a heater as several posters have stated. It is there for aesthetic purposes as well.

The manual I downloaded shows a remote with 3 buttons. The first is just the fire effect, the second is the fire effect plus heat and the third is fire effect plus more heat.

They way the OP describes it I'd say if the product is not faulty it is badly designed.

[Deleted User]

Shrimply wrote: »

I was just making the point that the product is not designed just to be a heater as several posters have stated. It is there for aesthetic purposes as well.

I actually never said otherwise, if you re-read what I posted.

I just think the OP may be exaggerating the cold "blast" felt when the unit is in display mode, but ( just like you) I've no way of knowing for certain.

The retailer has already refused to accept a return as unsuitable due to her modification, but I can't see her successfully arguing that the item is faulty.

Manxman_in_exile

Thank you. The remote you describe sounds like the one we have for our Dimplex electric stove and it is definitely possible to turn on just the flame effect without the fan and heater. Which is why we've owned three of them.


If it's not faulty then it either is badly designed or the OP is pressing more buttons or switches than they need to. (Or possibly there's some sort of "residual" air movement with just the flame effect on - which again would be bad design)