# Regency L390E has noisy blower



## arbartlett (Sep 22, 2013)

Newly installed Regency L390E gas fireplace insert has a buzz whenever the blower is on, regardless of the speed.  The noise is a constant frequency (60Hz) and varies very little with fan speed.  Dealer/factory has offered no solution.  Anyone else suffer this?


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## DAKSY (Sep 22, 2013)

arbartlett said:


> Newly installed Regency L390E gas fireplace insert has a buzz whenever the blower is on, regardless of the speed.  The noise is a constant frequency (60Hz) and varies very little with fan speed.  Dealer/factory has offered no solution.  Anyone else suffer this?


 
Coupla thoughts...How is the blower mounted? Is it metal-on-metal & creating a harmonic? Have you checked the actual AC voltage at the blower? Sometimes a voltage drop will cause the motors to make noise...


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## arbartlett (Sep 23, 2013)

I tried rubber mounting the blower to the bracket and rubber mounting the bracket to the panel.  There was little or no change in the buzz.  I suspect the noise is a result of the SCR type speed control (that varies the motor voltage) and may be made worse by the open frame blower motor.


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## PMA (Oct 24, 2013)

Thinking of buying the same unit other than the buzz do you like it? Dealer was charging me 2,550.00 is that fair?


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## arbartlett (Oct 25, 2013)

PMA said:


> Thinking of buying the same unit other than the buzz do you like it? Dealer was charging me 2,550.00 is that fair?


If it is the L390EB-NG with 397-924 faceplate, it sounds right on target.
Re:fan buzz.  Dealer verified buzz but has yet to find a solution.  Supposed to ship a fan "comfort kit".  The fan is silent when not attached to the insert.  I'm sure it can be silenced if the right solution is found.


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## arbartlett (Nov 3, 2013)

arbartlett said:


> Newly installed Regency L390E gas fireplace insert has a buzz whenever the blower is on, regardless of the speed.  The noise is a constant frequency (60Hz) and varies very little with fan speed.  Dealer/factory has offered no solution.  Anyone else suffer this?


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## arbartlett (Nov 3, 2013)

Blower buzz solved.  After installing a new reinforced top rear panel supplied by Regency.  The buzz remained.  Finally, I took some steel banding strap and cut 3 pieces.  Two are attached between a bottom panel screw to a top mounting screw, separating the panel into thirds.  The third strap was run from the bottom of one vertical strap to the top of the other.  These straps were drilled to fit as tight to the rear panel as possible.  Once the straps were mounted in an "N" configuration, I shimmed them out against the panel using pieces of 3/4" wood.  By tightening the straps against the panel, the buzz was _eliminated_.  Regency also supplied a new blower panel complete with blower but it was slotted to allow air to be taken in from the fireplace and chimney enclosure.  I'm not fond of the smell of creosote so I didn't install that panel.


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## arbartlett (Nov 23, 2013)

DAKSY said:


> Coupla thoughts...How is the blower mounted? Is it metal-on-metal & creating a harmonic? Have you checked the actual AC voltage at the blower? Sometimes a voltage drop will cause the motors to make noise...



I've learned that if the blower is mounted on aluminum, rather than steel, the buzz is considerably lessened.  Seems like the open frame motor is the cuprit by magnetically coupling into adjacent steel panels.  Any experience with this?


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