FBK-200 Fireplace Blower Kit for Astria, Lennox, Superior, Rotom | Ball Bearing, Quiet, High Air Flow, Energy Efficient

I was looking for a blower for my Lennox gas insert fireplace that already had a switch for the flame and a separate switch for the outlet underneath the firebox. Read up on all the other cheap ones and compared parts and gauge of material and bearings. This one is best and quality made with real ball bearings on both sides and not sleeve bearings. It was crazy seeing copycats steal the specs and instructions from this quality built one. These guys stand behind their product and aren't just some reseller getting a cheap copy from China. Blower was able to easily fit on it's back in the 4-1/8" opening right below my firebox and was a perfect cut fit to rotate upright and sit at the tabs on the metal floor. This kit came with a white 1-gang wallplate for the included rheostat and white dial. I needed a different wallplate for my 2-gang switchbox which had the decora (rocker) switch on one side and the new knob hole (.406" diameter) on the other side. Found "Leviton 80479-W" was the exact plate needed and sold for about $5-6 on amazon, home depot or supply warehouse. Everything worked perfect and it only took 10 minutes to place the blower, plug it in, and replace my old outlet rocker switch with the new rheostat dial.

This blower is made for my fireplace, so it was easy to install using the tabs that were already under the firebox. I'm glad I waited to write a review, because initially I had a problem with the control, which would not turn the blower off, but would only turn it down to a low level. I had planned to call customer service, but had worried that I had bought the wrong model, despite the fact that my fireplace has two switches, one to turn the fireplace on and the other to turn on the electrical outlet under the firebox, into which the blower cord is plugged. That issue resolved itself, however, so I think it was just an issue of something sticking. The blower is a bit loud at its highest level, but probably less so than a floor fan, and is barely audible at lower levels, so I am happy. The only suggestion I would make is that the seller supply a white or off-white control knob with the blower, rather than the black one that was supplied, to go with the light-colored switchplates that are found in most homes, but that is a minor issue, since such knobs are inexpensive and readily available at home-improvement stores.

The unit fit my fireplace just fine and it even went in without having to disconnect the gas line. The documentation is a bit light; it took a few minutes to figure out the orientation of the blower. Probably took all of 15 minutes to mount it, and wire it into the switch, which I replaced with the speed control. The unit is quiet at low to medium speed and not too noisy at full speed.

I needed a blower to move warm air into the room, but more importantly to direct air out, not up, so as not to damage a picture (which got warm from the heat of the fireplace) above the fireplace. The blower redirects the hot air- find I need it at top speed to be effective- and although you can hear it, I didn’t find it distracting. Had a friend install the switch (I don’t do electrical!), which was easy and it works great.

This blower was a little more expensive than some others on the internet which should make you do a little more research (ya get what ya pay for). Found video that compared the quality of this one with others which made me feel comfortable with making this purchase. When blower arrived, it was well packed, had instructions, and matched up quality-wise to the one shown in the company's video (e.g. shaft wasn't loose, electrical connections were already wired together, ect...). Installation was pretty easy. I do feel the instructions concerning the mounting of the variable speed control could have been better written but it was overall an easy install. Once powered on, the fan is super quiet at low speeds and, as expected, it becomes less quiet as the speed is increased (but never to unacceptable levels IMHO). Overall, I'm very pleased with this blower and recommend it!

True statement about instructions being confusing, however unit fits correctly and works well. Unit comes with all parts needed to install by a DIY electrical background strongly encouraged. Do your homework and go to fireplacebloweronline.com to read about unit here they clearly state wall switch is required this is the difference between 200 and 250 modelFBK-200 fan kit is designed to fit a number of popular Lennox and Superior gas and wood fireplaces. The FBK-200 is a variable speed blower kit that includes a rheostat variable speed controller, but DOES NOT include a thermostat. The FBK-200's rheostat is designed to replace an existing wall switch. The wall switch operates the electrical outlet below your fireplace.If no designated wall switch for the blower is present, the FBK-250 blower kit must be used.Another feature added to our FBK-200 kit is a galvanized mounting bracket. Over time, common steel brackets have a tendency to rust. Our galvanized brackets are treated with a zinc protective coating to inhibit rust and ensure your blower's bracket continues to look and function like the day you purchased it.I really like the unit

The add is misleading. It suggest the more expensive blower is for those fire places with a switch, when infact this blower has the switch included. If you have light switch ajacent to your fire place, all that you need is the least expensive blower. 380sl

Installation for this product is ridiculous. The variable control comes as a separate piece that has to be manually wired in. The directions for doing so are TERRIBLE. I wouldn’t recommend anyone purchasing this that hasn’t installed a dozen. I blew up the variable speed control. So now I have a useless unit