Pellet heads!! What's up today?

My cats go outside, but right now, they get to the garage, turn around and come back in...they aint dumb. I am taking care of the neighbors dogs while they are away-I go over and let them out in the morning while another friend does the same at night. This morning I did not have to call them to come back in from the woods...not dumb either

 

Terrible picture of the vac switch disconnected, just disconnect the rubber hose that was attached to the nipple on the vac switch.

Then I just took the termination cap off on the outside and hooked the leaf blower to the end of the stack.

It worked very well. There was still some ash in the firebox but behind the baffles and through all the exhaust pathways there was no ash to be found really.

The vent run goes like so: 3" adapter, 3" 45* elbow, 2x 3" 90* elbows, 3" x 12" vent section, 3"-4" tee, then ~5' of 4" venting, a 4" 90* elbow then the termination cap. Lots of venting for ash to get caught up in.

 

Let's see if that worked

 

Video worked and so did the leaf blower trick!! Excellent!!

 

Honestly I didn't open up the exhaust passages before I did this so I can't tell you if this is an "average" amount or otherwise. I do know it's been one year since she did the vent and probably the exhaust chamber. I'm pretty sure she knows well enough to remove the baffles and clean out the heat exchanger area. After this video we did keep going and probably could have kept going but I wanted to see what 5 minutes or so worth made the stove look like.

I would say the majority of what came out was definitely in the first 30 seconds to a minute. The video really does not do it justice. I FILLED her neighborhood with ash and when you see me turn the blower up into the sky that's because my partner was choking on ash lol.

I'm a fan of this trick and will be using it at customers houses.

 

I turn the blower off and on, never going longer than a minute on. Seems to loosen stuff off better for me. Currently burning blazers. Got just one bucket of ash with the last ton. Only a fine coating in the flue.

 

I'll have to give that a try Save! Thank you.

 

Most effective way to do the LBT is to do your normal 1 ton cleaning, THEN do the LBT.....the firebox and the rest of the stove exhaust passages, ash traps, and exhaust pipe should be as "sqeaky clean" as you can get them WAY before any thought of LBT. It's not supposed to be the only cleaning, but the "final touch".

If the firebox back wall is steel, banging with a mallet or small hammer on it will dislodge a LOT of crud the LBT won't get by itself. Also, having someone indoors opening & closing the stove front door while the LB is running helps too.

 

Solved this by having a cheap remote control swithch so I can turn it on and off while inside with the stove so I can open and close the door.
I have to admit that I do just a vacuuming to the accessible parts of the stove prior to the leaf blower. I only do the squeeky clean thing mid and end of the burning season.

 

Thanks for the tip! In no way is this going to eliminate cleaning the combustion fan etc. but it was an experiment on a stove I am familiar with just to see what it could do.

Next time I'll have my buddy open and close the door inside rather than stand outside and video me lol.

 

It is amazing the amount of fine crud that becomes dislodged with the mallet on the back wall.....

 

Nice idea on the remote switch Larry. But only doing a complete cleaning at mid and end of burning season isn't really enough. Both of my pellet stoves, The Avalon and Englander recommended full cleanings MUCH sooner than that if stove was burning pretty much continuously. (Every month or two.....max.) I DO realize your & the missus physical limitations these days.....I make the cleaning statement just as a general observation. As you well know, a clean stove is a (good burning) and happy stove.

 

I try to do a full every ton except the final ton of the season...I tend to drag that one out longer then do the full cleaning when the weather turns....or the end of Summer if I'm lazy.....lol

 

Yup....amazing. No way any LBT is going to get that out. Too many people think the LBT gets everything by itself.....it doesn't. I also observed large chunks of burned ash falling down.

 

Temps here dropped from 18 to 10 in the last 2 hours and the wind is starting to howl. My stove is seeing heat settings it's never seen before.

 

I get a fine almost powder like behind there and you're right, NO WAY that comes out without a good whoopin'!

 

The final month or so of most seasons is kind of hit or miss shoulder burning......... I did the same thing.

 

Same here sub....stove is full bore right now....