gas fireplace remote problem

[blakjak888]

I have a gas fireplace that works almost perfectly ( for 10 years). The only problem is using the remote to turn "ON" the fireplace. Remote turns it off properly. Wall switches are in their usual positions and it turns on and off at the fireplace switch as it should. The remote is a simple on/off type. It has a new battery which I checked with volt meter and the red indicator lights when button is pressed. The receiver is plugged in inside the fireplace and has 110 volts at receiver. The receiver makes its normal "click" sound when the remote button is pressed. The receiver is a Heat N Glo RCH-09a . It appears to me (just the homeowner...not a tech ) that it may be a connection from the receiver to the "manual" switch. There are 4 wires there. Two wires from the receiver to the switch and the two wires to the valve controls. Do the receivers have anything inside I need to check? Any ideas?

[hearthman]

You have a very old style remote. It uses a radio frequency signal, which makes it prone to false signals. The transmitter has 4 sliding DIP switches that must be coded the same as the 4 printed circuits inside the receiver. These printed circuits must be cut to corresond to the DIP switches in the transmitter. If you slide switch 1, you cut circuit 1 and so on.

There is a little red button on the receiver that actuates the on/off manually. Over time this remote will simply wear out, esp. from the heat. These receivers are usually found melted and distorted.

This remote requires 120vac power to work. Most new remotes rely on battery power for both the transmitter and receiver so it will work even with the power off.

You should Not have both a wall switch and a remote wired in---too much voltage drop. Choose one or the other. You should still have the factory supplied rocker switch on the unit itself. I routinely replace all the solderless connectors with genuine Thomas & Betts Sta-Kon crimp on connectors, which seems to prevent operational problems with low voltage circuits.

HTH,

[blakjak888]

Thanks for all the information! It is a very simple task to install a new receiver so I believe I will just do that. BTW...I found the original paperwork for the fireplace and it is ALL original from 1974. I guess the remotes out of warranty? Thanks again!!! Merry Christmas!!

[jortman1]

I have a gas fireplace that works almost perfectly ( for 10 years). The only problem is using the remote to turn "ON" the fireplace. Remote turns it off properly. Wall switches are in their usual positions and it turns on and off at the fireplace switch as it should. The remote is a simple on/off type. It has a new battery which I checked with volt meter and the red indicator lights when button is pressed. The receiver is plugged in inside the fireplace and has 110 volts at receiver. The receiver makes its normal "click" sound when the remote button is pressed. The receiver is a Heat N Glo RCH-09a . It appears to me (just the homeowner...not a tech ) that it may be a connection from the receiver to the "manual" switch. There are 4 wires there. Two wires from the receiver to the switch and the two wires to the valve controls. Do the receivers have anything inside I need to check? Any ideas?

[hearthman]

Everybody has gone to battery remotes nowadays. On a millivolt valve system or an IPI, its easy to connect. See the insert that comes with the remote.

[Nightowl75]

Hello. My first reply. I am new to this site, so if I am not replying right, in the right forum, please let me know. So, how does a remote work with dip switches? There are switches in the transmitter, but not on the receiver. It is a gas technologies RCH-09A. I know it’s old technology, but if it ran before, and doesn’t now, how on earth did they work? I read something about cutting? I am not sure what that means. All 9 dip switches are in the on position. On the receiver, there are 9 soldered places, but no dip switches. Thanks.

[hearthman]

The switches in the handheld transmitter must match the printed circuits in the receiver. A cut circuit is matched by moving the corresponding dip switch 'off'. This remote works by radio frequency. It can be actuated accidentally by a transmitter such as a garage door opener or VHF radio. If this happens just change the code. It plugs into a 110 vac power source under the firebox. Over the years these receivers tend to melt or quit due to heat.

[Nightowl75]

The switches in the handheld transmitter must match the printed circuits in the receiver. A cut circuit is matched by moving the corresponding dip switch 'off'. This remote works by radio frequency. It can be actuated accidentally by a transmitter such as a garage door opener or VHF radio. If this happens just change the code. It plugs into a 110 vac power source under the firebox. Over the years these receivers tend to melt or quit due to heat.

What I find puzzling, is there are no dip switches on the receiver. I would show a pic, but I have to post a few more times, as to site restrictions. There is only a printed circuit board that has soldered points. There are the 9 numbers, but that is it. On other older devices, I see a set of dip switches on the transmitter and the receiver. I just was wondering how this one works when the transmitter have the on and off switches and the receiver, doesn’t.

[hearthman]

DIP= Dual in-line package
Just a series of on/ off switches that can be changed. They are more expensive than a printed circuit. If you run into coding issues as I discussed its easy change. However, cutting a printed circuit is permanent for all but the micro sparkies.

In this case, the printed circuits can handle excessive heat better than the DIPs

[Nightowl75]

I guess I don’t understand how you can change the code?

[Nightowl75]

I guess I don’t understand how you can change the code?

Thank you very much. Looking at the circuit board on the transmitter, one of the dip switches was not set to on. This may have happened when the remote was dropped way back when. Works great now. Thanks a bunch.

Richard

[4jime]

The receiver should have batteries too, at least mine does. Weak batteries will not have enough power to activate the solenoid.

[hluong]

I have a gas fireplace that works almost perfectly ( for 10 years). The only problem is using the remote to turn "ON" the fireplace. Remote turns it off properly. Wall switches are in their usual positions and it turns on and off at the fireplace switch as it should. The remote is a simple on/off type. It has a new battery which I checked with volt meter and the red indicator lights when button is pressed. The receiver is plugged in inside the fireplace and has 110 volts at receiver. The receiver makes its normal "click" sound when the remote button is pressed. The receiver is a Heat N Glo RCH-09a . It appears to me (just the homeowner...not a tech ) that it may be a connection from the receiver to the "manual" switch. There are 4 wires there. Two wires from the receiver to the switch and the two wires to the valve controls. Do the receivers have anything inside I need to check? Any ideas?

Hi, I happened to have the same receiver but without the handheld remote. I also noticed that the receiver receives 120VAC from a wall switch. Is it possible to somehow change the code in the receiver to activate a signal to the gas valve when 120VAC is present without the use of a handheld remote? This way, I still can turn on the fireplace by flipping on the wall switch? Sounds like the receiver just wait for a signal from the handheld remote to activate a signal to energize the solenoid and send signal to activate the gas valve.

Unfortunately, I am not the original home owner thus without manuals.