Do you hate your Ash Pan + Poll

[BrowningBAR]

Use the ash pans in the PH and the Firelight exclusively - both are well designed (both are "grate" types), easy to use, effective and create less dust in the house. The Jotul has about 4 days of 24/7 capacity and the PH at least 5 days.

Wait a minute. You have a 36" Vermont Elm, Jotul Firelight, Woodstock PH, AND a NC 30?!

Please tell me that is all at the same time and in one house.

 

[Slow1]

Why do you want a bucket of ash in the house? The touch it once and it's gone nature of the ash pan is my favorite part!

Not so much a desire to have the bucket in the house; rather the realization that the best time to empty the ashes from the stove (morning when stove is lowest heat after overnight burn) is likely to be about the worst time for me to go outside for any reason (i.e. I'm in my PJs and it tends to be cold out there ya know?). So, I have gotten used to shoveling the FV out into the bucket and then taking it outside at my convenience.

I'm considering a second ash pan to swap out for this very reason... remove full one and replace with empty, then take full one outside when I'm ready... Sounds good in theory anyway.

 

[Pallet Pete]

Honestly I am too freaked out to leave the ash bucket in the house. The can outside occasionally sets off and smokes for a while with a lid on it. I would hate for the little bucket to do that too !

Pete

 

[walpoledan]

I'm considering a second ash pan to swap out for this very reason... remove full one and replace with empty, then take full one outside when I'm ready... Sounds good in theory anyway.

That's exactly what I do. I have a Keystone and two ash pans. One is cooling with the cover on before getting dumped into the ash bucket while the other is in the stove. Works pretty well for me...

 

[chipsoflyin]

I emptied the ash pan from my PH for the first time yesterday. All in all I found it to be a very good experience. Faster than shoveling and I'm sure there was less dust/mess in the house.

Process was 'dirt' simple - Raked the coals about so the ash from the day's burn fell through the grate (would have done that anyway), then open the ash door, slip the ash pan cover in over the pan; then remove the pan (with cover on it) and close as pan door. I then took the covered pan out back and dumped into my outside ash can. Returning to stove replacement was trivial - open ash door, slide pan (with lid) into stove, then pull lid out leaving pan in place. All done. At no time was the actual pan uncovered outside of the stove while in the house. Even a klutz like me is unlikely to spill and dump ashes into the air with this system. By time I returned the coals were hot and ready for a reload (even though I didn't really need it at that point).

I think I am going to like this... Much faster than shoveling and the grate made it easy to sort out coals from ash. Only down side is that I do have to actually take the ashes out of the house right away instead of shoveling into a bucket I leave on the hearth - will have to work up a solution to that on. Now to figure out how to know when the pan is full without opening the door to check. Hmmm...

I've noticed that the middle of the ash pan fills up faster than the edges(east/west). When raking once the slots in middle of the the grate fill with ash, then open ash pan door give a little east/west shake and your good to go without spilling ash all over the inside of the housing.

 

[rideau]

I emptied the ash pan from my PH for the first time yesterday. All in all I found it to be a very good experience. Faster than shoveling and I'm sure there was less dust/mess in the house.

Process was 'dirt' simple - Raked the coals about so the ash from the day's burn fell through the grate (would have done that anyway), then open the ash door, slip the ash pan cover in over the pan; then remove the pan (with cover on it) and close as pan door. I then took the covered pan out back and dumped into my outside ash can. Returning to stove replacement was trivial - open ash door, slide pan (with lid) into stove, then pull lid out leaving pan in place. All done. At no time was the actual pan uncovered outside of the stove while in the house. Even a klutz like me is unlikely to spill and dump ashes into the air with this system. By time I returned the coals were hot and ready for a reload (even though I didn't really need it at that point).

I think I am going to like this... Much faster than shoveling and the grate made it easy to sort out coals from ash. Only down side is that I do have to actually take the ashes out of the house right away instead of shoveling into a bucket I leave on the hearth - will have to work up a solution to that on. Now to figure out how to know when the pan is full without opening the door to check. Hmmm...

I elected not to get an ashpan, but also keep my ashes in a stainless bucket on the eharth pad until they are cold. Don't know if the ashpan is too big for the following, but if not as easy solution (and what I would do If I had an ashpan, and IF there was room on the hearth):
Order a spare ashpan, and interchange them every time you remove the ash pan.

Edit: Sorry, I responded to your post, without reading further through the thread. ..anyway, I concur, as above.

 

[rideau]

Honestly I am too freaked out to leave the ash bucket in the house. The can outside occasionally sets off and smokes for a while with a lid on it. I would hate for the little bucket to do that too !

Pete

I keep my ashes in covered stainless steel compost buckets from Lee Valley. Have never had any issue with smoking in the house. No air gets in the buckets. I leave the buket on the eharth until the next time I am ready to remove ash. That way I am certain the ash is cold before I take it outside.

 

[Highbeam]

I always thought it was a big no-no to keep that ash bucket loaded with ash and coals in your home. Something about CO poisoning or perhaps the fire hazard.

I immediately haul the full ash container out to the outdoor firepit and dump it in the pit. Makes a big cloud of ash which is fun but I need to note the wind direction. If it is pouring down raining cats and dogs I might leave the ash bucket outside under roof overhang. My ash bucket is also my storage vessel for lighter, hand broom, gloves, and poker so I need to dump the ashes right away to tidy up.

 

[Slow1]

I know that CO is a potential issue, however given the volume of airflow in the house and the very small number of coals in the ash bucket as well as the fact that the bucket is very well closed up I really can't imagine that much escapes - certainly not enough to cause real harm. I've never seen any numbers register on any of the CO alarms spread throughout the house since installing the wood stove at any rate (and I do periodically check the "peak" readings) - I did have an issue a few years ago with our oil burner but that is a different story...

IF I had a smaller room/less air flow or was shoveling a significant amount of coals then I would be more concerned. As it is all I've shoveled is generally white fluffy ash with the occasional cinder in there (impossible to avoid I imagine). Now this may all change with the ash pan and the grate - perhaps more cinders/coals will fall through, will have to monitor that.

 

[Huntindog1]

Going back to ash pan size, you can always make 2 trips, have a bigger metal bucket just out side the door.

My ash pan on my Vogelzang Performer is pretty good size. Will hold 3-4 full wood loads of left over ashes.

 

[BrotherBart]

I find that pic truly blinding. Now I gotta have my eyes drycleaned.

 

[bag of hammers]

I declined to consider stoves that require you to rake the ashes into some opening to then fall into the ash pan. In such a design I suspect it would be easier just to shovel the things out directly into a pail and skip the ash pan step.

That's my stove - ashpan is fine, but the little square hole and metal plug, and the warnings from the manufacturer to only sweep cold ash, render the ash system pretty much useless. I think others also mentioned same "tiny drop hole" issue with PE Summit and Englander 30-NC? Sometimes an add'l steel ash bucket is a given.

 

[dznam]

Wait a minute. You have a 36" Vermont Elm, Jotul Firelight, Woodstock PH, AND a NC 30?!

Please tell me that is all at the same time and in one house.

Well, that'd have to be one VERY large house (maybe castle) to run all those stoves simultaneously ;-)

Home has the Firelight at one end and the PH at the other (long, 2 story rectangle). Burn them both 24/7 through the winter.

The 30 and Elm are at camp up in cold country in Western Maine. Not Alaska, but hit -49* year before last. The Elm (with secondariy air tubes) is in the basement so that I can use it while puttering - it's not suitable for a 24/7 burner (for me) as it eats wood like my old Fisher - and put out the heat like it, too. Lovely stove - with all the nickel plating we call it "the locomotive". The 30 is on the 1st floor with a tall cathedral ceiling and does a nice job for a 2ndary burn stove ;-)

 

[BrowningBAR]

Well, that'd have to be one VERY large house (maybe castle) to run all those stoves simultaneously ;-)

Home has the Firelight at one end and the PH at the other (long, 2 story rectangle). Burn them both 24/7 through the winter.

The 30 and Elm are at camp up in cold country in Western Maine. Not Alaska, but hit -49* year before last. The Elm (with secondariy air tubes) is in the basement so that I can use it while puttering - it's not suitable for a 24/7 burner (for me) as it eats wood like my old Fisher - and put out the heat like it, too. Lovely stove - with all the nickel plating we call it "the locomotive". The 30 is on the 1st floor with a tall cathedral ceiling and does a nice job for a 2ndary burn stove ;-)

Neat. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Huntindog1]

That's my stove - ashpan is fine, but the little square hole and metal plug, and the warnings from the manufacturer to only sweep cold ash, render the ash system pretty much useless. I think others also mentioned same "tiny drop hole" issue with PE Summit and Englander 30-NC? Sometimes an add'l steel ash bucket is a given.

You should really keep the hot coals and just rake the ash into the ash pan as no need to throw away good heat.

I mentioned in an earlier post the drop holes work great as the nature of the stove is such that the draw of the stove keeps the ash dust from coming out of the stove while your raking the ash thru the drop hole. Even if the stove isnt that hot there is still some suction pulling stuff up the flue, especially light weight ash dust. The size of the drop hole shouldnt be an issue unless your trying to shove big chunks of coals down it.

I have tried to shovel out ash to a bucket, the speed at which I have to do it, to not get the ash a flying around is so slow it makes the process take for ever. I could make two trips out side and dump a small ash pan and still save time from slowly shoveling out 1 shovel full at a time very slowly not to cause a big dust cloud as then I am dusting the whole place to keep my wife from getting PO'ed.

 

[bag of hammers]

You should really keep the hot coals and just rake the ash into the ash pan as no need to throw away good heat.

I mentioned in an earlier post the drop holes work great as the nature of the stove is such that the draw of the stove keeps the ash dust from coming out of the stove while your raking the ash thru the drop hole. Even if the stove isnt that hot there is still some suction pulling stuff up the flue, especially light weight ash dust. The size of the drop hole shouldnt be an issue unless your trying to shove big chunks of coals down it.

I have tried to shovel out ash to a bucket, the speed at which I have to do it, to not get the ash a flying around is so slow it makes the process take for ever. I could make two trips out side and dump a small ash pan and still save time from slowly shoveling out 1 shovel full at a time very slowly not to cause a big dust cloud as then I am dusting the whole place to keep my wife from getting PO'ed.

thanks Huntingdog - yeah I do try to keep all the coals in the stove regardless - even when shoveling out the ash into a bucket. It still just seems like such a PITA to me, trying to work the ash into that little opening at the far back. I suppose when I finally get through my never-ending renovations and house becomes less like camp and more like "home", the dust issue will come around to bite me harder too. For now I get a bit of a free ride but that is a fair point and no doubt my better half will let me know if / when it gets to be too much of a problem.

I never gave this a ton of consideration when I bought the stove, but this thread has put the ash pan consideration on the list for the next time around (whenever that might be). Also see the "don't like it" guys like me taking a beating in the poll.

 

[Huntindog1]

Not trying to pick on your post , when i post I try and point out as if someone is reading this who has never used a wood stove, I may over simplify things but I am trying to help out the newbies not offend the experienced users. I do tend to step on peoples toes.

 

[bag of hammers]

Not trying to pick on your post , when i post I try and point out as if someone is reading this who has never used a wood stove, I may over simplify things but I am trying to help out the newbies not offend the experienced users. I do tend to step on peoples toes.

no worries - my bad - I didn't read your post that way at all. The "fair point" comment was referring to what you had noted - probably didn't read that way. I have "some" experience but certainly learning more and more from others such as yourself here. All the feedback is much appreciated - it's all good!

 

[Pallet Pete]

thanks Huntingdog - yeah I do try to keep all the coals in the stove regardless - even when shoveling out the ash into a bucket. It still just seems like such a PITA to me, trying to work the ash into that little opening at the far back. I suppose when I finally get through my never-ending renovations and house becomes less like camp and more like "home", the dust issue will come around to bite me harder too. For now I get a bit of a free ride but that is a fair point and no doubt my better half will let me know if / when it gets to be too much of a problem.

I never gave this a ton of consideration when I bought the stove, but this thread has put the ash pan consideration on the list for the next time around (whenever that might be). Also see the "don't like it" guys like me taking a beating in the poll.

That poll did surprise me I thought for sure that little hole would drive the majority nuts !

Pete

 

[Pallet Pete]

What's not to like? It moves a lot of ash by opening the door, pulling it out and dumping in the metal can outside. Can't say I ever tryed using a little shovel and can next to the stove, 20 shovel fulls later you have it cleaned out. Could it be bigger, yes, but it would look ugly under the stove. Should the ash not get behind the pan, yes. Because we aren't 24 / 7 I keep the ash level down and the stove clean. So maybe that's why it workes for me. I'm sure there not all the same so what are the issues?















.

It only takes me about 3 or 4 scoops from the sides and thats about it. We try to keep it going 24/7 but I am not always able to do that . Actually I have been considering an ash vacuum bucket but have not purchased one yet.

Pete

 

[Pallet Pete]

I have given it some thought and I think the issue is the size of the grate openings. They are large enough that chunks of hot coal fall in and then tend to go out filing it rather quickly. I welded a steel plate over it but it did not hold it warped and popped out. I could weld it again but I think may try some kind of wire mesh to help it hold coals longer first.

Pete

 

[BrowningBAR]

I have given it some thought and I think the issue is the size of the grate openings. They are large enough that chunks of hot coal fall in and then tend to go out filing it rather quickly. I welded a steel plate over it but it did not hold it warped and popped out. I could weld it again but I think may try some kind of wire mesh to help it hold coals longer first.

Pete

To be honest, I like having a big ash bed. I'd rather have too much ash in the firebox than not enough. I'm not even using the ash pans in any of the three stoves so far this year. I say, let the ash pan fill up and not worry about the steel play. Shovel out as needed.

 

[Pallet Pete]

To be honest, I like having a big ash bed. I'd rather have too much ash in the firebox than not enough. I'm not even using the ash pans in any of the three stoves so far this year. I say, let the ash pan fill up and not worry about the steel play. Shovel out as needed.

BB I think my issue is because I paid for the idiot ash pan now I want to like it . The problem is before this stove I never used one and honestly am so used to shoveling coal that it seems rather pointless. I already love the stove !

Pete

 

[BrowningBAR]

BB I think my issue is because I paid for the idiot ash pan now I want to like it . The problem is before this stove I never used one and honestly am so used to shoveling coal that it seems rather pointless. I already love the stove !

Pete

Last year with it being the first year with the Encore and later with the Defiant, I got a kick out of having an ash pan that wasn't a waste of time. I got over it quickly. Haven't used them once this year. I look at it as another gasket I'll need to replace if I keep using the damn thing.

 

[Sprinter]

Neat. Thanks for the reply.

Sounds like you're still king, Browning.