EMPIRE Mantis Power Vent High Efficiency Fireplace Owner’s Manual

: July 5, 2024
: Empire

Table of Contents

EMPIRE Mantis Power Vent High Efficiency Fireplace
Product Usage Instructions
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Operating the Heater
Service and Maintenance
References
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EMPIRE Mantis Power Vent High Efficiency Fireplace

Specifications

Brand: EMPIRE
Model: FI28BMN-2
Type: Power-Vent High-Efficiency Fireplace
Compatible Fuel Type: Gas

Product Usage Instructions

Safety Information
Safety is of utmost importance when using the EMPIRE FI28BMN-2 fireplace. Always follow the safety guidelines provided in the manual to prevent accidents and ensure safe operation.

Installation
Installation of this fireplace should be carried out by a qualified installer or service agency. Make sure to adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions during installation to prevent any mishaps.

Operation
Once installed, ensure that the fireplace is operated according to the instructions provided in the manual. Only use the type of gas indicated on the rating plate and do not attempt to convert it for use with other gases without a certified kit.

Maintenance
Regular maintenance is essential for the proper functioning of the fireplace. Have a qualified service person inspect the appliance before use and at least annually. Keep control compartments, burners, and air passageways clean to prevent any issues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can this fireplace be used with other types of gas?
A: No, this appliance is only for use with the type of gas indicated on the rating plate. It should not be used with other gases unless a certified kit is used for conversion.
Q: How often should the fireplace be inspected?
A: The fireplace should be inspected before use and at least annually by a qualified service person. More frequent cleaning may be necessary depending on lint accumulation.

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WARNING
HOT GLASS
DO NOT TOUCH
NEVER WILL CAUSE BURNS. GLASS UNTIL COOLED. ALLOW CHILDREN TO TOUCH GLASS.

WARNING: 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.

Installer: Leave this manual with the appliance.
Consumer: Retain this manual for future reference.

WARNING: If the information in these instructions are 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.
WHAT TO 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 ﬁre department.
Installation and service must be performed by a qualiﬁed installer, service agency or the gas sup-plier.

POWER-VENT
HIGH-EFFICIENCY FIREPLACE
BAY WINDOW MANTIS MODELS BF28(B,C,G)M(K)(N,P)-4
BP28(B,C,G)M(K)(N,P)-4
FIREPLACE MANTIS MODELS FF28BM(K)(N,P)-2
FW28BM(K)(N,P)-2

Young children should be carefully supervised when they are in the same room as the appliance. Toddlers, young children and others may be susceptible to accidental contact burns. A physical barrier is recommended if there are at risk individuals in the house. To restrict access to a ﬁreplace or stove, install an adjustable safety gate to keep toddlers, young children and other at risk individuals out of the room and away from hot surfaces.

This appliance may be installed in an aftermarket, permanently located, manufactured home (USA only) or mobile home, where not prohibited by state or local codes.
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, unless a certiﬁed kit is used.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

THIS IS A HEATING APPLIANCE
Safety markings are frequently used in this manual to designate a degree or level of serious-ness and should not be ignored.
WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation that if not avoided, could result in personal injury or death.
CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation that if not avoided, may result in mi-nor or moderate injury or property damage.

WARNING
This appliance must be installed and repaired by a qualiﬁed service person who is familiar with the proper installation and operation of the Mantis Pow-er- Vent High Efﬁciency Fireplace. Installers who are not familiar with the installation of the Mantis and have questions, should contact Empire Comfort Sys-tems, Inc. prior to installing the appliance to avoid creating a hazardous operating condition.

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 haz-ards of high surface temperatures and should stay away to avoid burns or clothing ignition.
Young children should be carefully supervised when they are in the same room as the appliance. Toddlers, young children and others may be sus-ceptible to accidental contact burns. A physical barrier is recommended if there are at risk individuals in the house. To restrict access to a ﬁre-place or stove, install an adjustable safety gate to keep away toddlers, young children and other at risk individuals out of the room and away from hot surfaces.
Clothing or other ﬂammable material should not be placed on or near the appliance.
Any safety screen or guard removed for servicing an appliance, must be replaced prior to operating the appliance.
Keep burner and control compartment clean.
For manufactured home (USA only) or mobile home or residential installation convertible for use with natural gas and liqueﬁed petroleum gases when provision is made for the simple conversion from one gas to the other.

WARNING
Installation and repair should be done by a QUALI-FIED SERVICE PERSON. The appliance should be inspected before use and at least annually by a qualiﬁed 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 put anything around the heater that will obstruct the ﬂow of combustion and ventilation air.
DO keep the appliance area clear and free from combustible material, gasoline and other ﬂammable vapors and liquids.
Do examine venting system periodically and replace damaged parts.
Do make a periodic visual check of burner. Clean and replace damaged parts.
DO NOT use this heater if any part has been under water. Immediately call a qualiﬁed service technician to inspect the heater and to replace any part of the control system and any gas control which has been under water.
DO NOT operate this appliance without the front panel installed.

SAFETY INFORMATION FOR USERS OF LP-GAS
LP-Gas (Propane) 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 by point with the members of your household. Someday, there may not be a minute to lose, everyone’s safety will depend on knowing ex-actly what to do. If, after reading the following information, you feel you still need more information, please contact your gas supplier.

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!

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 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 es-caped 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.

NO ODOR DETECTED – ODOR FADE
Some people cannot smell well. Some people cannot smell the odor of the chemical 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 odor-ant. Odorants in LP-Gas also are subject to oxidation. This fading 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.

SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER

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 sus-pect that your LP-Gas has a weak or abnormal odor, call your LP-Gas 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 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.

Operating the Heater

Before you start

Verify there is electrical power to the unit.
If electrical power is present, the Power light on the front control panel will be illuminated. If the Power light is not illuminated, verify the heater is plugged in and the breaker and the main power switch are on.
Verify the main gas supply to the unit is on. The shutoff valve should be in the “OPEN” position.

How to Start the Heater – Both Burners Operating

Turn both Front and Rear burner switches to the “ON” position and adjust the thermostat to the desired tem-perature (if equipped). Both the Front and Rear lights should be illuminated, and the rear burner light will ﬂash.
The light for the Exhaust Fan will illuminate as the heat-er prepares to ignite.
In 15 to 20 seconds, the rear igniter will glow red, and the burner will light.
After the rear burner is lit, the front light will ﬂash and the igniter will start to glow red and the front burner will light.
The Blower light will illuminate after 3 to 5 minutes. The blower will automatically advance to a higher speed if it is needed. The blower speed will be indicated on the front control panel.

How to Start the Heater – One Burner Only

Turn either the Rear or Front burner switch to the “ON” position. If the Rear burner is powered, the Rear display light will be illuminated. If the Front burner is powered, the Front display light will be illuminated.
The light for the Exhaust Fan will illuminate as the heater pre-pares to ignite.
In 15 to 20 seconds, the appropriate igniter will glow red, and the burner will light.
The Blower light will become illuminated after 3 to 5 minutes. The blower will automatically advance to a higher speed if it is needed. The blower speed will be indicated on front control panel.

How to Change Burners – Switching Burners
If the heater is being operated on one burner, and it is desired to change and operate the other burner, ﬁrst turn the other burner “ON” before turning the original burner “OFF”.
The table below outlines the input rate of both front and rear burners.

Model| Front Burner

Input (BTUH)

| Rear Burner

Input (BTUH)

---|---|---
Bay Window Mantis| 9,000| 19,000
Fireplace Mantis| 13,000| 15,000

Example: If the front burner is operating and then you would like more heat in the room and would like to change to the rear burner, ﬁrst turn the rear burner switch “ON”, wait a second, then turn the front burner switch “OFF”. If this sequence is not followed, the control in the heater will lock up, and will need to be reset.

How to Reset the Heater
If for any reason the heater needs to be reset, remove the front louvered cover from the heater, then turn the Main Power Switch to the “OFF” position. The heater must remain off for 5 minutes.
After waiting 5 minutes, the Main Power Switch can be moved to the “ON” position. Burner operation will resume.

Humidiﬁer Operation
The Mantis Power-Vent High-Efﬁciency Fireplace has an auto-matic humidiﬁer designed into the heater. As the heater operates, condensate is created and collected inside the heater. The con-densate is then transferred to a pan where it evaporates into the air stream. The humidiﬁer does not operate with every cycle.
While the condensate is being transferred to the pan, it is normal to hear a slight hissing sound. The Humidiﬁer light will be illumi-nated while the condensate is being transferred.

How to Turn the Heater Off
To turn the heater off, simply switch the burner switch or switches to the “OFF” position, turn the thermostat off, or adjust the temperature down. The burners will instantly go off, but the circulating blower will still operate until the heater cools off. It is normal for the blower to turn on and off while it is cooling down.

How to Operate Economy Mode
To use the economy mode, the heater must be installed with a programmable control or two stage thermostat (model numbers FRBTP or TMV2).
Verify the burner switches are in the “OFF” position, and have been for at least 5 minutes. Press and release the red button that is located next to the burner switches. The but-ton will illuminate. Next, turn both burner switches to the “ON” position.
The front burner will operate and will remain on. The rear burner will cycle with the thermostat.

How to Deactivate Economy Mode
To deactivate the Economy Mode, press and release the red button. If desirable, the burner switches can be turned “OFF” or the thermostat will control the heat.

How to Clean the Glass Door

WARNING
Do not operated this appliance without the glass door in place. Do not operate if the glass front is broken or damaged. Do not use the glass door if the gasket is missing or damaged.

Over time, the glass door will need to be cleaned. For best results, it is recommended to clean the glass with ﬁreplace glass cleaner.
If the glass needs to be replaced, contact a qualiﬁed service person. Only glass approved by Empire Comfort Systems Inc. can be used, any other product will void the warranty.
To clean inside the glass door, the door will need to be re-moved.

CAUTION
Do not attempt to clean the glass when it is hot. Do not strike or hit the glass.

CAUTION
Be certain the glass is cool before handling.

How to Clean the Glass Door – Bay Window Mantis Models
First, remove the top of the cabinet by holding it on the sides and lifting off.

Second, open the panels on the right and left sides. Next, release the two door latches on the left and the two door latches on the right side of the ﬁrebox. Carefully hold the glass frame and pull the glass door to-wards you. DO NOT damage or remove the gasket from the door.

How to Clean the Glass Door – Fireplace Mantis Models
First, remove the lower louvered panel by lifting up, then pulling out.

Second, release the two door latches on the underside of the ﬁrebox. Next, hold the bottom of the glass door and lift, keeping a ﬁrm grip on the door. Keep the glass angled to the ﬁrebox, then gently pull the glass door away from the heater. DO NOT damage or re-move the gasket from the door.

Removing the Filter – Bay Window Mantis Models
The ﬁlter is located in the front of the heater, and this should be cleaned and checked once a month.
To remove the ﬁlter from the heater, remove the louvered panel. The ﬁlter is secured to the panel by a ﬁlter rod. Remove the ﬁlter rod, then remove the ﬁlter. The ﬁlter can be rinsed with water to remove any dirt and debris. The ﬁlter can be dried with a soft towel and inserted back into the heater.
To reinstall the ﬁlter, place ﬁlter into louvered panel, reinsert the ﬁlter rod, then reattach the louvered panel to the heater.

Removing the Filter – Fireplace Mantis Models
The ﬁlter is located in the front of the heater, and this should be cleaned and checked once a month.
To remove the ﬁlter from the heater, remove the lower louvered panel by lifting up, then pulling out.

The ﬁlter is secured to the panel by a ﬁlter rod. Remove the ﬁlter rod, then remove the ﬁlter.

The ﬁlter can be rinsed with water to remove any dirt and debris. The ﬁlter can be dried with a soft towel and inserted back into the heater.
To reinstall the ﬁlter, place ﬁlter into the louvered panel, reinsert
the ﬁlter rod, then reattach the louvered panel to the heater.

Service and Maintenance

Although most service should be conducted by a qualiﬁed service person, there are several things that can be checked to ensure safe and comfortable operation.
The area surrounding the heater should be free from any types of combustible materials, and the ﬁlter should be checked and cleaned on a monthly basis. All other mainte-nance should be conducted by a qualiﬁed service person.

RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE

MAINTENANCE ITEM

| FREQUENCY OF MAINTENANCE
MONTHLY

CHECK BY

HOMEOWNER

| ANNUALLY

CHECK BY A

SERVICE PERSON

Verify the area is free from combustible materials.| X| X
Verify the combustion and ventilation air is not restricted.| | X
Verify the flue and inlet pipes do not have any cracks or holes.| | X
Verify burner flame.| | X
Clean or replace the filter.| X| X
Clean the blower compartment| | X
Clean the burners.| | X
Verify the condensate system is clean and leak free.| | X
APPLIANCE SERVICE HISTORY

| | |

Empire Comfort Systems Inc.
918 Freeburg Ave. Belleville, IL 62220
If you have a general question about our products, please e-mail us at info@empirecomfort.com.
If you have a service or repair question, please contact your dealer.

www.empirecomfort.com