Greystone Fireplace - Replacement Circuit Board

RV designed Fireplace units are so cheap the OEM just replaces the complete Fireplace when a component fails. A few years ago we replaced about 15 fireplaces on new units(Jayco) and ones under warranty due to a defect in the control boards. We then cut the power cable and threw in the trash per Jayco. Doug

PS, we do the same with the cheaper Microwaves

Is it that EC5 capacitor?? If so, if you can find the numbers on it, you can order one and replace it for almost nothing. The soldering iron was like $15, and the capacitors were like $2
I had a Samsung TV that I did that with, and it worked for another 5-6 years.

Nothing really to lose trying it.

Replacement unit is $250-300. I'm hoping to find a replacement control board. If not I'll just replace the entire unit, but these aren't what I would consider cheap.

I will take a closer look at the capacitor. Already have soldering irons. Hadn't considered just replacing that.

dougrainer wrote:
RV designed Fireplace units are so cheap the OEM just replaces the complete Fireplace when a component fails. A few years ago we replaced about 15 fireplaces on new units(Jayco) and ones under warranty due to a defect in the control boards. We then cut the power cable and threw in the trash per Jayco. Doug

PS, we do the same with the cheaper Microwaves

I would have to agree with Doug on this.

Modern day electronics and other consumer devices are designed to be throw away devices, been that way since the late 1990s. Stuff like these fireplaces, microwaves, TVs especially destined to be used in a RV are even more throwaway.

Designed and built cheap and nearly zero trace back to the OEM that made the device along with zero parts support. The design model is build it cheap, if it fails within the warranty period return back to maker for repair or maker will just send another unit to you and you have to trash the old unit.

Most device manufacturers now days are simply not setup to sell repair parts, they only buy for what they are building and once that model has been put out to pasture any leftover parts are scrapped.

Not like the golden oldie days when you could walk into a corner drug store, test your radio and TV tubes and possibly buy a replacement tube in that store.

Sad but true.

I tend to attempt to repair things when possible, I have rebuilt burned up circuit boards worse looking than that for myself. But I have many yrs under my belt as a electronics repair tech often working without schematics.. I would not recommend DIYing repairing the board unless you have some good mad repair skills.

Buy a new fireplace and be done with it. Should be able to find plenty of replacements at your local Home Depot, Lowes, Amazon, Ebay or even Big lots..

wowens79 wrote:
Is it that EC5 capacitor?? If so, if you can find the numbers on it, you can order one and replace it for almost nothing. The soldering iron was like $15, and the capacitors were like $2
I had a Samsung TV that I did that with, and it worked for another 5-6 years.

Nothing really to lose trying it.

ZR1 blew out..

Most likely shorted out in the process of blowing out which have a chain effect of burning up the circuit board foil pattern under it until the fuse blew out.

ZR1 is a "MOV" which is for surge protection.

Fair chance the unit took a voltage spike, MOV gave it's life but the process could have damaged other items while doing so.

Yeah all things being equal I'd like to just find an entirely new control board. If I can't I might upgrade to one that has a temperature thermostat. The one that broke only has "low" and "high" on/off function.

ForestRiverTT wrote:
Yeah all things being equal I'd like to just find an entirely new control board. If I can't I might upgrade to one that has a temperature thermostat. The one that broke only has "low" and "high" on/off function.

Consider a replacement as a nice upgrade feature and don't look back.

If you want to go down the rabbit hole, you will have to figure out who exactly made the fire place and contact them for parts. Greystone is most likely nothing more than a importer name.

Typically most companies are fairly proud of their devices so they will at a minimum put their contact info in the manual somewhere. The Greystone manuals I have found so far there is no company name or contact info which sort of forces you to go back to the RV manufacturer and see if they can provide some contact info.

I found THIS blog about replacing circuit boards in Greystones but they did not give any contact info or where you can buy boards. You could of course try to contact the blogger and see if they will give you some info.

I did find THIS post which mentions..

"Greystone fireplaces are made in China and imported by Way Interglobal, 3002 Coast Court, Elkhart IN, 46514. (574)-971-4491. "

So, you will have to contact Way Interglobal which is an importer to see if there are replacement boards..

Gdetrailer wrote:

wowens79 wrote:
Is it that EC5 capacitor?? If so, if you can find the numbers on it, you can order one and replace it for almost nothing. The soldering iron was like $15, and the capacitors were like $2
I had a Samsung TV that I did that with, and it worked for another 5-6 years.

Nothing really to lose trying it.

ZR1 blew out..

Most likely shorted out in the process of blowing out which have a chain effect of burning up the circuit board foil pattern under it until the fuse blew out.

ZR1 is a "MOV" which is for surge protection.

Fair chance the unit took a voltage spike, MOV gave it's life but the process could have damaged other items while doing so.

Another possible culprit for taking out ZR1 is a generator that has poor voltage regulation, or is producing power with voltage spikes in it.

Skibane wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

wowens79 wrote:
Is it that EC5 capacitor?? If so, if you can find the numbers on it, you can order one and replace it for almost nothing. The soldering iron was like $15, and the capacitors were like $2
I had a Samsung TV that I did that with, and it worked for another 5-6 years.

Nothing really to lose trying it.

ZR1 blew out..

Most likely shorted out in the process of blowing out which have a chain effect of burning up the circuit board foil pattern under it until the fuse blew out.

ZR1 is a "MOV" which is for surge protection.

Fair chance the unit took a voltage spike, MOV gave it's life but the process could have damaged other items while doing so.

Another possible culprit for taking out ZR1 is a generator that has poor voltage regulation, or is producing power with voltage spikes in it.

True..

But, thinking outside the box I looked up the specs on some I have laying around for 120V applications..

271KD14, is rated max allowable of 175V

Chart HERE

If I were to guess, if OP has a 50A 120/240 shore connection they may have temporarily lost neutral for a second.. That can happen while plugging in or unplugging or if they have ATS between shore power and gen.

In either case I would have thought that there would have been other collateral damage like converter, microwave and other 120V devices..

We could guess all day and never find the answer as to why it blew out.

Curious that the MOV didn't take out the fuse earlier...