Empire BF-10-1, BF-30-1, BF-20-1 Installation Instructions And Owner's Manual

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

AND

OWNER'S MANUAL

UNVENTED

ROOM HEATER

MODEL

BF-10-1
BF-20-1
BF-30-1

WARNING: If the information in
this manual is not followed exactly , a
fire or explosion may result causing
property damage, personal injury or
loss of life.

— Do not store or use gasoline or other

flammable vapors and liquids in the
vicinity of this or any other appliance.

— WHA T T O DO IF YOU SMELL GAS

• Do not try to light any appliance.

• Do not touch any electrical switch;
do not use any phone in your
building.

• Immediately call your gas supplier
from a neighbor's phone. Follow
the gas supplier's instructions.

• If you cannot reach your gas
supplier, call the fir e department.

— Installation and service must be

performed by a qualified installer,
service agency or the gas supplier.

EFFECTIVE DATE

AUGUST, 2000

This is an unvented gas-fired heater. It
uses air (oxygen) from the room in which
it is installed. Provisions for adequate com­bustion and ventilation air must be pro­vided. Refer to page 4.

W ARNING: If not installed, operated and
maintained in accordance with the manu­facturer's instructions, this product could
expose you to substances in fuel or from
fuel combustion which can cause death or
serious illness.

WATER VAPOR: A BY-PRODUCT OF
UNVENTED ROOM HEATERS
Water vapor is a by-product of gas
combustion. An unvented room heater
produces approximately one (1) ounce
(30ml) of water for every 1,000 BTU's
(.3KW's) of gas input per hour. Refer to
page 4.

R-4973 Page 1

Introduction

Always consult your local Building Department regarding regulations,
codes or ordinances which apply to the installation of an unvented room
heater.

This appliance may be installed in an aftermarket* permanently located,
manufactured (mobile) home, where not prohibited by state or local
codes.

*Aftermarket: Completion of sale, not for purpose of resale, from the

manufacturer.

This appliance is only for use with the type of gas indicated on the rating
plate. This appliance is not convertible for use with other gases.

Instructions to Installer

1. Installer must leave instruction manual with owner after installation.

2. Installer must have owner fill out and mail warranty card supplied
with unvented room heater.

3. Installer should show owner how to start and operate unvented room
heater.

WARNING: ANY CHANGE TO THIS HEATER OR ITS
CONTROLS CAN BE DANGEROUS.

Any safety screen or guard removed for servicing an appliance
must be replaced prior to operating the heater.

General Information

This BF-10, BF-20 and BF-30 are design certified in accordance with
American National Standards Institute Z21.11.2b-1998 by the Canadian
Standards Association as an Unvented Room Heater and should be
installed according to these instructions.

THIS IS A HEATING APPLIANCE

DO NOT OPERATE THIS APPLIANCE WITHOUT FRONT PANEL INSTALLED.

• An unvented room heater having an input rating of more than
6,000 Btu per hour shall not be installed in a bathroom.

• An unvented room heater having an input rating of more than
10,000 Btu per hour shall not be installed in a bedroom or
bathroom.

• Due to high temperatures, the appliance should be located out
of traffic and away from furniture and draperies.

• Children and adults should be alerted to the hazard of high
surface temperature and should stay away to avoid burns or
clothing ignition.

• Young children should be carefully supervised when they are in
the same room with the appliance.

• Do not place clothing or other flammable material on or near
the appliance.

Any alteration of the original design, installed other than as shown
in these instructions or use with a type of gas not shown on the rating
plate is the responsibility of the person and company making the
change.

Important

All correspondence should refer to complete Model Number, Serial
Number and type of gas.

Specifications

Model BF-10 BF-20 BF-30
Input BTU/HR (KW/H) (LP) 10,000 (2.9) 20,000 (5.8) 30,000 (8.8)
Input BTU/HR (KW/H) (NAT) 10,000 (2.9) 18,000 (5.3) 30,000 (8.8)
Height 22" (559mm) 22" (559mm) 22" (559mm)
Width 18" (457mm) 18" (457mm) 24 1/8" (536mm)
Depth 6 1/2" (165mm) 6 1/2" (165mm) 61/2" (165mm)
Gas Inlet 3/8" (10mm) 3/8" (10mm) 3/8" (10mm)

Accessories

Blower SRB-18T SRB-18T SRB-30T
Floor Stand* SRS-18 SRS-18 SRS-30

*SRS-18 floor stand can not be used in a bedroom installation.
BF-10 must be wall mounted in a bedroom installation.

The bedroom must be an unconfined space. ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54
defines an unconfined ppace as "a space whose volume is not less than
50 cubic feet per 1,000 Btu per hour (4.8m3 per kw) of the aggregate
input rating of all appliances installed in that space."

Well Head Gas Installations

Some natural gas utilities use "well head" gas. This may affect the Btu
output of the unit. Contact the gas company for the heating value.
Contact the manufacturer or your gas company before changing spud/
orifice size.

• Installation and repair should be done by a QUALIFIED SER­VICE PERSON. The appliance should be inspected before use
and at least annually by a professional service person. More
frequent cleaning may be required due to excessive lint from
carpeting, bedding materials, etc. It is imperative that control
compartments, burners and circulating air passageways of the
appliance be kept clean.

• DO NOT use this room heater if any part has been under water.
Immediately call a qualified service technician to inspect the room
heater and to replace any part of the control system and any gas
control which has been under water.

• Due to high surface temperatures, keep children, clothing and
furniture away.

When used without adequate combustion and ventilation air,
heater may give off CARBON MONOXIDE, an odorless, poison­ous gas.

Do not install heater until all necessary provisions are made
for combustion and ventilation air. Consult the written
instructions provided with the heater for information con­cerning combustion and ventilation air. In the absence of
instructions, refer to the National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI
Z223.1, Section 5.3 or applicable local codes.

This heater is equipped with a PILOT LIGHT SAFETY SYS­TEM designed to turn off the heater if not enough fresh air is
available.

DO NOT TAMPER WITH PILOT LIGHT SAFETY SYS­TEM!

If heater shuts off, do not relight until you provide fresh air.
If heater keeps shutting off, have it serviced. Keep burner and

control compartment clean.

Page 2 R-4973

WARNING

CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING MAY LEAD TO
DEATH.

Early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning resemble the flu, with
headache, dizziness and/or nausea. If you have these signs, heater
may not be working properly.
serviced.

Some people — pregnant women, persons with heart or lung
disease, anemia, those under the influence of alcohol , those at high
altitudes — are more affected by carbon monoxide than others.

The pilot light safety system senses the depletion of oxygen at its
location. If this heater is installed in a structure having a high
vertical dimension, the possibility exists that the oxygen supply at
the higher levels will be less than that at the heater. In this type of
application, a fan to circulate the structure air will minimize this
effect. The use of this fan will also improve the comfort level in the
structure. When a fan is used to circulate air, it should be located
so that the air flow is not directed at the burner.

Get fresh air at once! Have heater

SAFETY INFORMATION FOR USERS OF LP-GAS

Propane (LP-Gas) is a flammable gas which can cause fires
and explosions. In its natural state, propane is odorless and
colorless. You may not know all the following safety precau­tions which can protect both you and your family from an
accident. Read them carefully now, then review them point

LP-GAS WARNING ODOR

If a gas leak happens, you should be able to smell the gas because of the odorant put in the LP-Gas.

That's your signal to go into immediate action!

by point with the members of your household. Someday
when there may not be a minute to lose, everyone's safety will
depend on knowing exactly what to do. If, after reading the
following information, you feel you still need more informa­tion, please contact your gas supplier.

• Do not operate electric switches, light matches, use your
phone. Do not do anything that could ignite the gas.

• Get everyone out of the building, vehicle, trailer, or area. Do
that IMMEDIATELY.

• Close all gas tank or cylinder supply valves.

• LP-Gas is heavier than air and may settle in low areas such
as basements. When you have reason to suspect a gas leak,
keep out of basements and other low areas. Stay out until

NO ODOR DETECTED - ODOR FADE

Some people cannot smell well. Some people cannot smell
the odor of the chemical stench put into the gas. You must
find out if you can smell the odorant in propane. Smoking can

decrease your ability to smell. Being around an odor for a time
can affect your sensitivity or ability to detect that odor. Some­times other odors in the area mask the gas odor. People may not
smell the gas odor or their minds are on something else. Think­ing about smelling a gas odor can make it easier to smell.

The odorant in LP-gas is colorless, and it can fade under
some circumstances. For example, if there is an underground

leak, the movement of the gas through soil can filter the odorant.
Odorants in LP-Gas also are subject to oxidation. This fading

firefighters declare them to be safe.

• Use your neighbor's phone and call a trained LP-Gas service
person and the fire department. Even though you may not
continue to smell gas, do not turn on the gas again. Do not
re-enter the building, vehicle, trailer, or area.

• Finally, let the service man and firefighters check for
escaped gas. Have them air out the area before you return.
Properly trained LP-Gas service people should repair the
leak, then check and relight the gas appliance for you.

can occur if there is rust inside the storage tank or in iron gas
pipes.

The odorant in escaped gas can adsorb or absorb onto or into
walls, masonry and other materials and fabrics in a room. That
will take some of the odorant out of the gas, reducing its odor
intensity.

LP-Gas may stratify in a closed area, and the odor intensity could
vary at different levels. Since it is heavier than air, there may be
more odor at lower levels. Always be sensitive to the slightest
gas odor. If you detect any odor, treat it as a serious leak.
Immediately go into action as instructed earlier.

• Learn to recognize the odor of LP-gas. Your local LP-Gas

Dealer can give you a "Scratch and Sniff" pamphlet. Use it
to find out what the propane odor smells like. If you suspect
that your LP-Gas has a weak or abnormal odor, call your LP­Gas Dealer.

• If you are not qualified, do not light pilot lights, perform
service, or make adjustments to appliances on the LP-Gas
system. If you are qualified, consciously think about the odor
of LP-Gas prior to and while lighting pilot lights or perform­ing service or making adjustments.

• Sometimes a basement or a closed-up house has a musty
smell that can cover up the LP-Gas odor. Do not try to light
pilot lights, perform service, or make adjustments in an area
where the conditions are such that you may not detect the
odor if there has been a leak of LP-Gas.

• Odor fade, due to oxidation by rust or adsorption on walls of
new cylinders and tanks, is possible. Therefore, people
should be particularly alert and careful when new tanks or
cylinders are placed in service. Odor fade can occur in new
tanks, or reinstalled old tanks, if they are filled and allowed

R-4973 Page 3

SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER

to set too long before refilling. Cylinders and tanks which
have been out of service for a time may develop internal rust
which will cause odor fade. If such conditions are suspected
to exist, a periodic sniff test of the gas is advisable. If you

have any question about the gas odor, call your LP-gas
dealer. A periodic sniff test of the LP-gas is a good safety
measure under any condition.

• If, at any time, you do not smell the LP-Gas odorant and you
think you should, assume you have a leak. Then take the
same immediate action recommended above for the occasion
when you do detect the odorized LP-Gas.

• If you experience a complete "gas out," (the container is
under no vapor pressure), turn the tank valve off immedi­ately. If the container valve is left on, the container may draw
in some air through openings such as pilot light orifices. If
this occurs, some new internal rusting could occur. If the
valve is left open, then treat the container as a new tank.
Always be sure your container is under vapor pressure by
turning it off at the container before it goes completely empty
or having it refilled before it is completely empty.

Qualified Installing Agency

Installation and replacement of gas piping, gas utilization equipment or
accessories and repair and servicing of equipment shall be performed only
by a qualified agency. The term "qualified agency" means any individual,
firm, corporation, or company that either in person or through a represen­tative is engaged in and is responsible for (a) the installation, testing, or
replacement of gas piping or (b) the connection, installation, testing,
repair, or servicing of equipment; that is experienced in such work; that
is familiar with all precautions required, and that has complied with all the
requirements of the authority having jurisdiction.

The installation must conform with local codes or, in the absence of local
codes, with the National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1 (latest edition).*

*Available from the American National Standards Institute, Inc., 11 West 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10036.

Water Vapor: A By-Product of Unvented Room Heaters

Water vapor is a by-product of gas combustion. An unvented room heater
produces approximately one (1) ounce (30ml) of water for every 1,000
BTU's (.3KW's) of gas input per hour.

Unvented room heaters are recommended as supplemental heat (a room)
rather than a primary heat source (an entire house). In most supplemental
heat applications, the water vapor does not create a problem. In most
applications, the water vapor enhances the low humidity atmosphere
experienced during cold weather.

The following steps will help insure that water vapor does not become a
problem.

1. Be sure the heater is sized properly for the application, including
ample combustion air and circulation air.

2. If high humidity is experienced, a dehumidifier may be used to help
lower the water vapor content of the air.

3. Do not use an unvented room heater as the primary heat source.

Provisions for Adequate Combustion and Ventilation Air

This heater shall not be installed in a confined space or unusually tight
construction unless provisions are provided for adequate combustion and
ventilation air.

The National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1 defines a confined space as a
space whose volume is less than 50 cubic feet per 1,000 Btu per hour

3

per kw) of the aggregate input rating of all appliances installed in

(4.8m
that space and an unconfined space as a space whose volume is not less
than 50 cubic feet per 1,000 Btu per hour (4.8m

3

per kw) of the aggregate
input rating of all appliances installed in that space. Rooms communicat­ing directly with the space in which the appliances are installed, through
openings not furnished with doors, are considered a part of the unconfined
space.

The following example is for determining the volume of a typical area in
which the BF-20 may be located and for determining if this area fits the
definition of an unconfined space.

The input of the BF-20 is 20,000 Btu per hour. Based on the 50 cubic feet
per 1,000 Btu per hour formula, the minimum area that is an unconfined
space for installation of the BF-20 is 1,000 cubic feet, 50 cubic feet x 20
= 1,000 cubic feet. To determine the cubic feet of the area in which the BF­20 is to be installed, measure the length, width and height of the area.
Example: The area measures 16 feet in length, 8 feet in width and 8 feet
in height, the area is 1,024 cubic feet. The BF-20 can be installed in this
unconfined space with no requirement to provide additional combustion
and ventilation air.

Warning: If the area in which the heater may be operated is smaller than
that defined as an unconfined space or if the building is of unusually tight
construction, provide adequate combustion and ventilation air by one of
the methods described in the National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1,
Section 5.3 or applicable local codes.

Unusually Tight Construction

The air that leaks around doors and windows may provide enough fresh
air for combustion and ventilation. However, in buildings of unusually
tight construction, you must provide additional fresh air.

Unusually tight construction is defined as construction where:

a. Walls and ceilings exposed to the outside atmosphere have a

continuous water vapor retarder with a rating of one perm or less
with openings gasketed or sealed, and

b. Weatherstripping has been added on openable windows and

doors, and

c. Caulking or sealants are applied to areas such as joints around

window and door frames, between sole plates and floors, be­tween wall-ceiling joints, between wall panels, at penetrations
for plumbing, electrical, and gas lines, and at other openings.

If the heater is installed in a building of unusually tight construction,
adequate air for combustion, ventilation and dilution of flue gases shall
be provided in accordance with ANSI Z223.1/NFPA54.

Clearances (Figure 1)

When facing the front of the appliance the following minimum clear­ances to combustible construction must be maintained.

Left side 5 inches (127mm). Right side 5 inches (127mm).
Do not install in alcove or closet.
Rear wall 0 inches (0mm). Ceiling 36 inches (914mm).
Minimum vertical clearance from a projection above the appliance
(shelves, window sills, etc.) 36 inches (914mm).

Floor (top surface of carpeting, tile, etc.) 2 inches. (51mm)
Provide adequate clearances around air openings.
Adequate accessibility clearances for purposes of servicing and proper

operation must be provided.

Figure 1

Locating Gas Supply

The gas line can be routed either through the floor or wall. The gas line
opening should be made at this time. Location of the opening will be
determined by the position of floor joists and the valve and union used
for servicing.

Wall Mount Installation (Figure 2)

Refer to Figure 2 for measurements in order to locate (4) mounting holes
on wall. Figure 2 is the front view of the heater.

1. Remove lower louver from casing assembly (2 screws).

2. Remove reflector from casing assembly (2 screws).

3. Remove upper louver from casing assembly (2 screws).

On Solid Wall

1. After locating mounting holes, attach (4) #10 x 1" (25mm) screws
provided into the wall. Do not completely tighten screwheads to the
wall, leave a 1/8" (3mm) gap between screwheads and wall.

2. Mount heater onto the (4) screwheads and complete tightening
screwheads into the wall.
Attention! Use the following steps to properly align the upper
louver and the reflector with the heat shield.
a. When replacing upper louver, be sure the bottom lip of upper

louver goes behind the heat shield.

b. When replacing reflector, be sure the top lip of reflector goes in

front of the heat shield.

3. Connect the gas line.

On Sheet Rock Wall

1. After locating mounting holes, drill (4) 5/16" (8mm) diameter
holes into the wall.

Page 4 R-4973