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[dave w]

I took a look at the unit last night and the only marking on it is the manufacturer, Majestic. It's built into the corner of the living room with a large mantle surrounding it and vents directly outside. There are some fake logs inside with a pilot light constantly on and the glass is very warm to the touch, even when it's off. The pilot light alone makes it uncomfortable warm to stand near it when it's warm out like today.

What if I turned off all the power to the house at the breaker panel and then tried to turn it on. Would that confirm it's not 120?

A pilot light makes me think it might be all low voltage based on pilot light thermocouple. Yes, shutting off house power and flipping the fireplace switch will tell you if it depends on house power (likely not). If the fireplace still lights with home power off, then using a Universal Module output contacts in series with the existing wall switch is a possible solution. I would only use a series connection rather than a parallel connection with the wall switch.

Series would mean you would leave the wall switch in the ON position when ready to use the fireplace, and you would always light and extinguish the fireplace through X10. But this allows you to quickly switch OFF the fireplace at the wall switch in the event of an emergency. Also switching the wall switch off would disable any accidental control by X10. You should leave the switch OFF until ready to use the fireplace.

A parallel connection across the switch would require you to turn off the fireplace with X10 if it was turned on through X10 initially. This would be a serious safety hazard especially if you lost power after lighting fireplace.

I would recommend a professional like a local fireplace vendor do this for you.

[Deemar]

I'm familiar with series and parallel wiring from my experience with car audio installs. Would this mean I would have the UM506 in the outlet next to the switch and wires running into the switch? I'm picturing it and it doesn't look pretty with random wires running inside the switch in the wall, do I understand this right?

[dave w]

I'm familiar with series and parallel wiring from my experience with car audio installs. Would this mean I would have the UM506 in the outlet next to the switch and wires running into the switch? I'm picturing it and it doesn't look pretty with random wires running inside the switch in the wall, do I understand this right?

Well....unless you can figure a way of getting at the switch wires at the gas logs, AND/OR pulling new wires either from the switch or from the control in the fireplace, and pulling the wires to a different location where you can hide UM506...then yes, you understand this correctly.

BUT make sure the fireplace switch does indeed operate with low voltage from the fireplace.

[Deemar]

Nuts. Ya, I'll cut the power at the breaker tonight and see if the fireplace still works. I won't actually get to the install for a while yet, I've had these units for a year or more so far and just haven't had time to figure out how to wire them. Now I know how to hook them to my fireplace and garage so eventually I'll get them installed.

Any idea how the UM506 gets wired with the 3 wires in the wall but only 2 contacts on the module? I believe there's a hot, ground and neutral in the wall if I remember correctly from swapping out the toggle light switch for a paddle light switch.

[Brian H]

If there is only three wires in the switch box and one was ground.
Where the other two both on the switch?
If they where you have NO neutral just a switch loop.
White is no guarantee it is neutral if a switch loop is involved.

[dave w]

Deemar,
Brian brings up good point which made one of my remaining neurons fire.

Turning off master breaker for house and checking fireplace operation *should* tell you if fireplace is getting 120V from somewhere.

Also if you pull the plate off the switch and carefully slip the switch out of the wall box, if it is low voltage from fireplace like a UM506 can control, I would expect to see very small gauge wires like you would find on your HVAC thermostat or like telephone wiring in the walls. 24 gauge

IF however you find large gauge wire like normal power wires (14 or 12 gauge), then the switch may be controlling 120V and you do not want to use a UM506 for that!

[Deemar]

Terribly sorry guys, it is only 2 wires on the switch and they're small. Plus I flipped the main breaker to the house which cut the entire house power and the switch still turned the fireplace on.





The CM11A is plugged into the CM17A which is plugged into a serial card on back of the desktop there and the CM11A is plugged into the wall just in front of the desktop.

[Deemar]

Just set it up, works perfect. Thanks guys! Now I just have to figure out how to wire it so it doesn't look ugly. Maybe some sort of box on the wall to hide the wiring.

[Deemar]

I hope all the information I gave was correct!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBUJsjlUbiY&feature=player_embedded