Fake Fire?

[Minkeycat]

Hi All

We're about to restart work on re-opening an old fireplace. It's an inglenook that has been reduced in size several times in its life and the chimney above it has been removed and blocked up. We're thatched too so we're not interested in reinstating the chimney nor ever lighting an actual fire in there because we're not zillionaires but we would like an occasional heat source in there. Does anyone know of a flueless, gas-bottle fuelled fire that looks like it could suit a C16/C17 inglenook or, if my wife gets her way, an electric fire that does similar. The only ones I can find look too recent and have brass surrounds or something like "Dimplex" emblazoned across the front. I just want a basic looking fire that's not a fire. In my head there's something out there that isn't ghastly but I may have dreamed it!

Any recommendations/info gratefully received.

All the best

 

[88v8]

Flueless gas? Dunno.

Electric... well,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIQUE-AND-RARE-ORNATE-BRASS-FIRE-SCREEN-ELECTRICAL-HEATER-BY-BELLING-OF-ENGLAND-/311957447161?hash=item48a21ce1f9:g:tr0AAOSw8TBZdj9F
and easier to find
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Adam-belling-elegant-electric-fire-antique-style-/152704584708?hash=item238de70c04:g:2nsAAOSwsE5ZlCrX
or
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fire-electric-wonderful-effect/272847860587?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D46150%26meid%3Dc0a703b6f95f428e88def6ea4fcb0a18%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D152704584708&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
perhaps more modern
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KLARSTEIN-ANTIQUE-ELECTRIC-FIRE-PLACE-METAL-GLASS-HALOGEN-LIVING-ROOM-SHOP-/201984140121?hash=item2f07316359:g:WX0AAOSwmgJY5PSi

EBay is your friend.
If the wiring is old and brittle, just replace it. The fabric covered flex used for irons looks olde. Or heat-resist as used for immersions.

The problem I found with an antique electric fire before we had ch in our previous house, is that one sees it glowing, and it's hard not to think of the electric meter whizzing round. Mind you, bottled gas isn't exactly cheap.

Have you the possibility to make a hole through the back of the fireplace? Although I know little of ths subject, I believe this would give you many options in the way of gas.

Ivor

 

[Feltwell]

I've yet to see an electric fake flame-effect fire that looks anything less than hideous and obviously fake.

Gas, on the other hand, can be quite convincing - not always, but can be - we've got a gas tray in our lounge fireplace (installed by PO) and it's good, but it does need the original flue.

There are quite a few gas "log burning stoves" out there that work on a balanced flue - as Ivor says, can go you go through the back of the fireplace? Or there are flueless, but less choice, here's some though:-

http://www.stovesareus.co.uk/all-stoves/flueless-gas-stoves.html

As to running on bottled gas - this firm reckons they can run on LPG (propane - which is what red bottled gas is) - so I reckon others will as well if you ask:-

https://www.fireplaceproducts.co.uk/flueless-gas-stoves/

I don't know about fires, but for cookers to run on propane as opposed to piped natural gas you just change the jets, which is an easy enough job.

 

[Andys]

We cobbled together our own electric attempt utilising a firebasket harvested locally on Gumtree:

The firebasket has some real logs on top including a few ones carefully singed in the barbecue. The light comes from an upturned ash-coated tupperware box containing a length of orange light-strip in the centre of the log pile; a garden-centre fairy-lights-on-twigs arrangement underneath and a couple of upward-pointing 7W Amber MR16 spotlight bulbs on a home-made mounting out of sight at the rear.
I'm not sure I'd go as far as suggesting it's realistic but I have caught visitors gazing into it thoughtfully, which might be a good sign.

Edit: Ah, you want an actual source of heat too? Erm, hmm, mumble...
Our POs left us with electric flame effect wood-burning stoves, which amount to very expensive fan heaters. They were effective though.
Andy

 

[Minkeycat]

Many thanks for the suggestions. Having now looked at stylish old leccy versions on eBay I've realised I'm paranoid about the ticking meter and the gas bottle ones just look a bit well, cheap, unless you spend hundreds of pounds. So seeing what you've done with your fireplace Andy, I think we're going to go down that route especially as we have some lovely medieval fire dogs etc. and we can fill them with candles for a flame and the heat thing will just have to come from the CH or the woodburner in the other room!

I was convinced I once sat with friends round a very authentic looking fire in a pub in the early 1990s that we were informed was actually gas fire (after a friend chucked a crisp packet into it! ) I thought they might have come on a bit since then too.

Never mind, we'll mock something up and hopefully will achieve a similar effect to yours Andy. Anyone else got a similar feature for inspiration?

Ciao!

 

[Me!]

Have you seen the range of Opti-myst electric fires? They are by far the most realistic electric fires that I have ever seen -


I can't find a video that really does justice to how good they look, but try this one for a start -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhR_SPiVxKk

I've seen them running at a local showroom, and they had a separate insert version as well that I thought would be perfect to add to an existing old lo fire basket or to something like your old fire dogs.

More details here - https://www.dimplex.co.uk/opti-myst

 

[Owain]

If you want bottled gas there are stove style heaters like
http://chorleybottlegas.co.uk/shop/lpg-equipment/thurcroft-portable-gas-heater/

any flueless gas heater needs good room ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, and they also chuck out lots of water vapour.

If you just want something flame-effect electric to hide under a pile of logs (perhaps inside a real stove) try
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LTFLUBC.html