Superior VRL3045 45" Linear Contemporary Vent-Free Fireplace With Electronic Ignition

Superior VRL3045 45" Linear Contemporary Vent-Free Fireplace With Electronic Ignition

The Superior VRL3045 is the 45" size of Superior's VRL3000 linear vent-free gas fireplaces. It needs no chimney or vent pipe: it burns room air and keeps its heat in the room, with an oxygen depletion sensor on the pilot that shuts it off if the air runs low. The flame rises through platinum crushed glass under floor lighting with six settings, inside a black painted firebox with a black bezel and screen barrier.

It comes as the VRL3045ZEN for natural gas (23,000 Btu/hr high, 18,000 low) or the VRL3045ZEP for propane (21,000 high, 17,000 low); it can't be converted from one gas to the other. The electronic IPI/CPI ignition runs on 120 V, and four AA batteries keep the fire going in a power outage while the lights and blower wait for power. A multi-function remote is included.

Nothing else is required. You can add a blower or a HeatFlo kit (not both), a black porcelain liner, a black or stainless surround, other glass colors, a driftwood log set or river rock. The VRL3000 also comes in 55" (VRL3055). It can't be installed in a bedroom or bathroom, and the room has to be large enough or ventilated; see Installation Requirements.

Key Features

• 45-1/2" wide linear fireplace, 17" deep, framed in a 29" high opening
• Natural gas: 18,000 to 23,000 Btu/hr; propane: 17,000 to 21,000 Btu/hr
• Vent-free: no chimney or vent pipe; Superior rates it 99.9% efficient
• Oxygen depletion sensing (ODS) pilot
• Platinum crushed glass included; reflective black and reflective blue also available
• Floor lighting with six settings
• Multi-function remote included: IPI/CPI, thermostat, flame height, blower and lighting
• Electronic IPI/CPI ignition with four AA battery backup (blower and lights excluded)
• Black bezel with screen barrier; black painted interior, porcelain liner optional
• Optional blower or HeatFlo kit, not both
• Driftwood log set and river rock available
• Approved for aftermarket, permanently located manufactured homes
• 20 year limited warranty on the body, firebox and barrier

What's Included

• Black bezel with screen barrier
• One 5 lb bag of platinum crushed glass (the 45" uses no more than 4 lb)
• Two-piece media tray, burner glass panel and mounting brackets
• Floor lighting with six settings
• Multi-function remote and receiver/switch box, with three AAA batteries for the remote and four AA batteries for the receiver
• 8" non-combustible fireboard with two side brackets and one center bracket
• Flexible gas connector and 1/2" shutoff valve

What to Order With It

Optional – Heat circulation (blower or HeatFlo kit, not both):

• HeatFlo Convection Air Circulation Kit (HTFLO-VF45)
• HeatFlo Flex Extension Kit, 60" (HTFLO-EK-4.5)
• Standard Blower (FBK-100)

Optional – Surround (the fireplace must sit at least 6" off the floor):

• Decorative Surround, Black Matte (DS-BLK-RNCL45)
• Decorative Surround, Stainless (DS-SS-RNCL45)

Optional – Liner:

• Porcelain Liner Kit, Black (PLK-BLK-RNCL45)

Optional – Media and logs:

• Glass Media, 5 lb, Platinum (CRSHGL-P)
• Glass Media, 5 lb, Reflective Black (CRSHGL-RBLK)
• Glass Media, 5 lb, Reflective Blue (CRSHGL-RBLU)
• Driftwood Log Set (DWLS-VFL45)
• River Rock, 25 Piece Kit (RIVROCK-1PK)

Optional – Touch-up paint:

• Touch-Up Paint, Firebox Interior (SCITPSAB)
• Touch-Up Paint, Powder Coat Exterior (SCTPSAB)

Specifications

A vent-free fireplace sends no heat up a chimney, which is why Superior rates it 99.9% efficient. It uses the room's air, so the room size and ventilation rules under Installation Requirements apply.

Dimensions and Framing

Fireplace dimensions

Letters match the drawing above.

Standard framing

Framing with the HeatFlo kit

Framing is 2x4 or larger. If the fireplace sits above the floor, build a solid continuous platform under it, and it must sit at least 6" off the floor to use the optional surround. Flush framing needs a field-supplied non-combustible board.

Installation Requirements

• Room air: a vent-free fireplace uses the air in the room. The space must hold at least 50 cubic feet for every 1,000 Btu/hr of all the gas appliances in it, counting adjoining rooms without doors. For the VRL3045 alone on natural gas, that is 1,150 cubic feet. A smaller space needs ventilation openings to another room or to the outdoors, as set out in the manual and NFPA 54.
• Bedrooms and bathrooms: the fireplace can't be installed in a bedroom or bathroom.
• Clearances to combustibles: 1/2" to the outer wrapper at the back and sides, 0" at the spacers, the top standoffs and the floor (6" off the floor if the surround is used).
• Ceiling: at least 52" from the bottom of the fireplace to the ceiling, or 81-1/2" with the HeatFlo kit.
• Header: a header can touch the bent-up 4" top standoffs but can't rest on them or be notched around them. All framing above the fireplace must support itself.
• Front: keep 36" clear in front of the viewing area.
• Side walls: the fireplace can't be recessed into a wall. If one side is flush with a wall, the wall on the other side can't extend past the front edge. A combustible side wall 6" or more from the side of the fireplace can run any length; mantel legs and side trim must stay inside the 45 degree safe zone shown in the manual.
• Mantel: a 12" deep combustible mantel needs to be at least 28" above the fireplace opening and a 2" deep one at least 18". With the HeatFlo kit, those drop to 14" and 4". Non-combustible mantels can go at any height, but nothing may hang below the hood.
• Wall finish: combustible materials can't cover the black front face. Non-combustible trim can go on the face as long as it doesn't get in the way of removing the bezel. Fit the 8" non-combustible fireboard that ships with the fireplace; flush framing needs a field-supplied non-combustible board at least 9-5/8" tall on the hood instead.
• Shelf or TV above: a combustible shelf must be at least 33" above the base of the fireplace, with no combustibles or insulation between the fireplace and the shelf. A TV above must stay within its maker's temperature rating; the manual gives separate TV dimensions for HeatFlo installations.
• Floor: set the fireplace on a fully supported base the full width and depth of the unit. On carpet, vinyl or any combustible floor other than wood, use a metal or wood panel under it. No hearth extension is required; one used for looks must not block the screen barrier.
• Gas: run a 1/2" gas line to the left side of the fireplace; a sediment trap is recommended. Inlet pressure must be 5" to 10.5" WC on natural gas or 11" to 13" WC on propane. Propane tanks must be outdoors and at least 100 lb.
• Power: a 3-wire 120 VAC supply to the junction box is required. Mount the battery/switch box on the wall near the fireplace. The batteries run the burner, without the lights and blower, in a power outage.
• Media: use only the supplied media and listed accessories. Don't add other logs or ornaments such as pine cones, vermiculite, glowing embers, rockwool or volcanic stone. Use no more than 4 lb of glass in the 45".
• Drafts: don't let fans, including ceiling fans, blow into the fireplace; drafts change the flame and can cause soot.
• Altitude: approved for 0 to 4,500 ft; above that the pilot can go out.
• Massachusetts: installation and repair must be done by a licensed plumber or gas fitter, following 527 CMR 30. The flexible gas connector can't be longer than 36", the shutoff must be a T-handle valve, the fireplace can't go in a bedroom or bathroom, and a working smoke detector is required in the area where it is installed.
• Manufactured homes: allowed in aftermarket, permanently located manufactured homes (USA only) where local codes allow. Ground the fireplace to the chassis and don't cut or weaken the cross members.
• Installation: must be installed by a qualified installer following the installation manual and local codes. Superior calls for an inspection by a professional service person before first use and once a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a vent-free fireplace need a chimney?
No. The VRL3045 burns room air and keeps its heat in the room, so there is no vent pipe to run. In exchange, the room has to be big enough or ventilated (at least 1,150 cubic feet for this fireplace alone on natural gas), and an oxygen depletion sensor shuts it off if the air runs low.

Can it go in a bedroom or bathroom?
No. It can't be installed in a bedroom or bathroom.

Can I put a TV above it?
Yes, if the shelf or mount is at least 33" above the base of the fireplace and the TV stays within its maker's temperature rating. With the HeatFlo kit, the manual sets out separate TV clearances around the HeatFlo vent opening. Our guide to fireplace heat management explains other ways to keep the wall above cooler.

Should I add the blower or the HeatFlo kit?
One or the other, not both. The FBK-100 blower pushes warm air out the front. The HeatFlo kit carries warm air through a flex duct to a vent opening higher on the wall, which lowers the mantel clearances but needs its own framing and at least 81-1/2" from the base of the fireplace to the ceiling.

Will it work during a power outage?
Yes. Four AA batteries in the receiver run the ignition and burner when the power is out. The lights and blower won't run until power returns.

Can I change it from natural gas to propane?
No. It isn't convertible, so order the VRL3045ZEN for natural gas or the VRL3045ZEP for propane.

Can I add logs or rocks?
Yes, the DWLS-VFL45 driftwood log set and the RIVROCK-1PK river rock kit are made for it. Don't add anything else, such as pine cones, embers or volcanic stone.

Warranty

Superior's 20 Year Limited Warranty covers the VRL3045 against defects in materials and workmanship:

• Fireplace body, firebox and barrier: 20 years
• Burner, gas components and gaskets: 1 year
• Optional blowers and remote controls: 1 year
• Parts not listed: 90 days
• Labor: paid at IHP rates for the covered part's warranty period, up to five years

Trim and paint are not covered. The warranty is for the original owner of a fireplace installed in the US or Canada. Full terms are in the warranty certificate.

Documents and Downloads

• Installation and Operation Manual
• Specification Sheet
• Smart Sheet
• Brochure
• Warranty Certificate