# blower noise on Empire Innsbrook



## mydogspot (Dec 22, 2010)

We are trying to decide between a Regency U32 and an Innsbrook insert. The salesman recommended the Innsbrook because he said that the window area was larger - but I've seen some reports that the blower on the Innsbrook is really noisy? Can anyone comment on this?


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## DAKSY (Dec 22, 2010)

ALL blowers make noise, some louder than others. 
Go to a hearth shop & listen to one. 
I have two gas units with blowers, & I leave them BOTH on High all the time...
They make noise but it just becomes part of the background...   
I suppose if it were dead quiet in the house, I might notice it more,
but with the TV on I don't even notice...
YMMV


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## mydogspot (Jan 18, 2011)

So it turns out that the innsbrook does have a really loud and rattly blower. We went ahead and got it because the salesman had convinced my husband that it had the biggest viewing window and he wouldn't budge once he'd heard that. We had a repair guy out yesterday to try to remedy the loud rattling and he mentioned that everyone who buys one of these ends up complaining because the blower is so loud and rattly, and that they often replace the blowers but it doesn't make any difference. Repair guy said he would have recommended a regency. I guess in the future I'll make sure that we talk to repair guys rather than sales droids.


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## Fsappo (Jan 18, 2011)

Yup, or ask more questions from buyers first I guess.  Sorry you ended up with a noisy fan.  If the dealer cant fix the fan, I would ask them to swap out the insert for a Regency.


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## dave11 (Jan 21, 2011)

I don't follow you. I have one, and the fan is only loud when I turn it up full blast. I can turn it off, or low enough that no one can hear it. Is yours not the same?

A loud fan means it's moving a lot of air, which is what you want. Are you comparing CFM of the two different models?


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## mydogspot (Jan 21, 2011)

dave11 said:
			
		

> I don't follow you. I have one, and the fan is only loud when I turn it up full blast. I can turn it off, or low enough that no one can hear it. Is yours not the same?
> 
> A loud fan means it's moving a lot of air, which is what you want. Are you comparing CFM of the two different models?



With the fan at it's lowest setting, there is a loud buzzing sound that seems to be from the fan motor. The installers tried taking things apart and tightening things up (they put some cement backerboard under the unit to try to keep it from vibrating) but the hum is still very loud. Louder than the tv. My kids are cranking the tv up almost as high as it will go so they can hear it over the blower, although the blower itself isn't that loud. If we cranked up the blower to its highest setting then that would drown out the hum.


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## DAKSY (Jan 21, 2011)

If you have access to a different electrical circuit, try plugging the fan into it. 
It could be a voltage problem. If it doesn't make noise hooked to a different 
power source, then check to see what voltage is present at the original source.
If it still makes noise, replace the blower.


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## dave11 (Jan 22, 2011)

Oh. It sounds like you mean there is a vibration in the sheet metal, not that the fan itself is too loud. 

You might need to bring it out of the fireplace and take off the front glass and access the sheet metal enclosure, though I can't remember now if its from the top or the front. You (or the tech) should be able to locate the metal part by putting pressure on different places, with the blower running, but the gas off, of course. When you find it, if there's no screw to tighten, you'd need to attach a weight or brace of some kind to the metal surface, with screws etc., to dampen the vibration.

Did you email Empire and ask them? It may have come up on other units, and they might know just where to have you look. 

Hard to know why a repair person wouldn't know how to fix this.


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## kbaker13 (Feb 1, 2011)

dave11 said:
			
		

> Oh. It sounds like you mean there is a vibration in the sheet metal, not that the fan itself is too loud.
> 
> You might need to bring it out of the fireplace and take off the front glass and access the sheet metal enclosure, though I can't remember now if its from the top or the front. You (or the tech) should be able to locate the metal part by putting pressure on different places, with the blower running, but the gas off, of course. When you find it, if there's no screw to tighten, you'd need to attach a weight or brace of some kind to the metal surface, with screws etc., to dampen the vibration.
> 
> ...



I agree, it sounds like you may have some metal on metal vibration.  Prep the installation area as much as you can with a noise reduction padding, ensuring there is no metal on metal contact  This often reduces the noise quite a bit.  I like using a sound dampening material used in car audio installations to line the area around the blower.  This often has a dramatic impact on noise.


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## wth727 (Feb 10, 2012)

mydogspot said:
			
		

> dave11 said:
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I have EXACTLY this VERY FRUSTRATING problem with my Empire Innsbrook insert.  I am on my 3rd fan replacement -- earlier fans had vibration which varied with fan speed, but ALL have had the loud BUZZ, like a huge outdoor power transformer, which starts as soon as the fan speed controller is switched above "off" and changes little with fan speed.  I can feel the floor of the insert vibrating, and slightly reduce the sound by damping, though removing the legs and putting the insert on mortarboard only helped a little.

I suspect the fan speed controller is putting a nasty waveform into the fan motor's laminations, creating a magnetic field which makes the surrounding metal vibrate.  I wonder whether my control is defective, and so replacing it can cure the problem?  My dealer does not know of this noise issue and apparently discussed it with Empire.  Maybe it is worth buying an external speed control to try, and install if it fixes the problem?


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## mydogspot (Feb 12, 2012)

wth727 said:
			
		

> mydogspot said:
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Well we found a solution to the problem. The contact for the blower won't stay connected. We've had the installer come out and try to fix it but it won't stay connected, and my husband nearly electrocuted himself one time reaching in to reconnect it again. So we just don't have the blower running. So nice and quiet. On the other hand, it puts out so much heat even without the blower running that we've found we don't miss it.


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## central_scrutinizer (Feb 25, 2012)

I work in a fireside shop and we stock the Innsbrook.  I sold one to a customer and they returned it a week later because the blower was so noisy.  We contacted the manufacturer and i think the just recommended we try to dampen the noise by shimming this, that and the other.  I'm not sure what ever became of it.  

I personally own a Regency U32 and I love it!!  I was able to get about 2 years out of the blower before it became too noisy and I had to replace it.  Just did it three days ago.  Now it runs as smooth as silk.  The heat it puts out for a 30,000 BTU unit is incredible.  Looks good too.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.  We had taken it in on trade and I was able to get it for $300.  Deal of the century!!  I just had to buy a trim kit and new blower for it.

I get blowers at cost, so no big deal buying one every two years.  The only real pain is installing it.  You have to take everything out of the unit to access the blower.  Takes about 2 hours.  My back was killing me.  So what I'm saying is, you should have gone with the Regency!!  lol


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## wth727 (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks to all who commented.  

We continue to have VERY loud buzzing noise whenever the blower switch is on, even at minimum with no fan movement.
After comments here, we realized that the insert can run safely without the fan.  We would prefer to be able to use the fan!


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## arbartlett (Sep 22, 2013)

We have a new Regency Liberty L390-E, which has considerable fan buzz.  The buzz is constant (60 Hz) regardless of the fan speed. The dealer/factory has thus far not offered a solution.  Had I known it would have been noisy, I would have selected a different gas fireplace insert.  I'm believe the noise is a result of the _speed controller type_, not a defective fan nor loose panels.  The buzz makes running the fan unpleasant.


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## Heatsource (Oct 2, 2013)

i've sold a few of these units, and only had one bad blower so far, i believe they have worked out the bugs? my display model is not noisy...


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## Sir_Lancelot (Oct 23, 2013)

A1Stoves.com said:


> i've sold a few of these units, and only had one bad blower so far, i believe they have worked out the bugs? my display model is not noisy...


Are you talking about the Empire or the Regency Liberty L390-E that arbartlett mentioned?


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## Heatsource (Oct 23, 2013)

Sir_Lancelot said:


> Are you talking about the Empire or the Regency Liberty L390-E that arbartlett mentioned?



the empire dv33 insert


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## Sir_Lancelot (Oct 29, 2013)

Thanks A1Stoves.com.  When the pellet stove in my basement finally dies, I'm thinking of switching over to the Empire Mantis (propane).  I like the efficiency and the ease of direct venting the unit with pvc.  However, my only concern would be if the blower is extremely noisy or not.  The reason for my concern is that I've read one or two posts from a couple individuals (can't remember what forum) that the blowers on this unit are extremely noisy.  Of course, that's only from two people, so that's hardly enough info to make a definitive conclusion.  Anyway, do you have any experience with the Empire Mantis?  Your thoughts?  Thanks.


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