Review: Fahrenheit Technologies Endurance 50F
Reviewed September 29, 2009 by
Frank
Overall Performance:
Efficiency:
Ease of Use:
Fahrenheit Technologies Endurance 50F
My advice for the above review dated September 24, 2009:
(I have two more postings above.)
I solved every issues in a timely manner with the F-50 tech Mark Graham at MGraham@edmarmfg.com. Granted it's not fun when something doesn't work properly but getting it working feels great in the end especially with great F-50 tech assistance.
My own experience, to address your issues:
1) Look for any leaks around the exhaust pipes, from the exit of the F-50 to the wall. My installer forgot to seal one joint and the fumes would be sucked in the air intake and distributed in the house. I bought a metalic tape at Home Depot to seal it.
2) If you were out of electricity even for one second, the F-50 was turned off automatically, including the exhaust fan though the fire is still burning inside and therefore the fumes are not pushed out doors but in your house. When that happens, I turn back on the F-50 so the exhaust fan kicks in; you have to vent the house for a while for the existing smoke. What I did to prevent this is I bought a $200 battery operated generator at Future Shop which keeps it going during electrical outages for up to a couple of hours... if the outage only last a second or so, no problem as it kicks in automatically... if they last longer I turn the F-50 off before the electric generator runs low on batteries (but the exhaust fan is still running), providing enough time for the fumes to exit until there are no more fumes. Further, I already have a gas powered generator outside for prolonged outages just in case. What I also did this summer is install a sealed 3 inch pipe for the air intake for outside fresh air... should there be a power outage, the fumes that usually exit through the air intake now exit outside instead of inside.
3) My exhaust fan assembly wasn't properly sealed. After I took it apart (I took pictures to remember how to put it back together and this is part of the annual maintenance anyway) I could see some black sute creeping along the inside assembly walls towards the outside (and being sucked in the air intake and distributed in the house). What happened is that the middle hole (3 or 4 inches wide I think) that was manufacture bored had a small metal lip that wasn't sanded flat and that created the leak when the metal plates were put together. I sanded it in a few minutes and sealed the external joints with the metallic tape and never had another smoke issue in the house.
4) I also started using my F-50 in fall 2008... and what happened then with that model when an electrical outage occured was that it fried the control panel: it's not obvious at first because it still seems to "work" but the timing of the automatic cleaning, the burning, etc. is erratic and contributed to many issues such as smoke in the house, inproper cleaning, cleaning every 10 minutes, pellet accumulation, weak fire, wrong door seal impediment diagnostics, etc. The solution is to receive an upgraded control board which is not affected by power surges, and it's easy to install. Send an e-mail to Mark to receive one and if you haven't received a resized push plate you should ask to have one of those as well as the 2008 ones were made too wide and eventually seized. It is also "fairly easy" to replace yourself.
5) For smoke outside your house that hits your wall... What I did was add a 7 foot extension with the end supported by a big brick, sealed with the metallic tape. I simply take the extension off during the summer. I also tried aiming the nozzle at different directions until the smoke was best dispersed.
My F-50 works very well since and thanks in great part to their tech Mark who works as a team and, of course, my willingness to work as a team also. They have since made the necessary corrections on their latest F-50's for new buyers. Once you have the corrections made, it will work very well and be totally rewarding. All I do now is add pellets in the hopper now and clean the ash pan every 12-15 burned bags.
Hope this helps!
Frank