Leaf Blower = Awesome

remember to disconnect the vacuum line from the vacuum switch when doing this.

i would assume different stoves have different sensitivity regarding how the vacuum switch is placed and overall stove design.
but i have definitely read of vacuum switches being ruined with the leaf blower trick.
better safe than sorry. : )

St_Earl said:

remember to disconnect the vacuum line from the vacuum switch when doing this.

i would assume different stoves have different sensitivity regarding how the vacuum switch is placed and overall stove design.
but i have definitely read of vacuum switches being ruined with the leaf blower trick.
better safe than sorry. : )

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I just leave the door open on mine when I use the leaf-blower trick so I don't have to worry about the vacuum switch. I hit it with the leaf-blower, run a 4" brush down it and then hit it with the leaf-blower again. I get the most dust after the brushing so I believe it is necessary.

The leafer trick is better than sliced bread with butter on it.

This trick gets all the crap that settles into the places that you can't reach inside the stove when you clean by hand.

I am always amazed by the huge cloud that pours out.

We burn nut shells, which leave about 3 times ++ of ash as compared to pellets, so the leafer sucks out all the nooks and crannies.

I like to flip on the draft fan while doing the leafer thing. as it helps clean out the fan blade as well


Enjoy

Snowy

makes sense, metal.

i've read from people who use closing and opening the door as part of their cleaning.
and then of course first time people may well not be aware. they easily could leave the door closed, not knowing.
just as long as people are aware of *potential* damage to the vacuum switch and take steps, leaving door open or disconnecting the switch.

that's a potential $60 to $80 "whoops" if not.

I used my leaf vacuum several times last winter and once just before the big spring cleaning. This is a picture of the inside of the blower housing, you can see only one small pile of ash in the corner that the vacuum didn't draw out. This was after one ton burned.

Thanks for the reminder, I need to get mine hidden ash sucker out.
I do NOT use a leaf blower, I use a Harbor Freight Dust Collector. It works great!

cheap HD model fits perfect into pipe..

I do it every ton or so ... does great job ..

Has anyone done this the other way through the stove, it looks like I could blow through the output on my harman p 68, im venting in to a masonry chimney with out a liner and this looks like a good way for me to clean it out,,

wildbill said:

Has anyone done this the other way through the stove, it looks like I could blow through the output on my harman p 68, im venting in to a masonry chimney with out a liner and this looks like a good way for me to clean it out,,

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like to know how that will work out... seriously though with electric blower.

wildbill said:

Has anyone done this the other way through the stove, it looks like I could blow through the output on my harman p 68, im venting in to a masonry chimney with out a liner and this looks like a good way for me to clean it out,,

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I wouldn't blow back into stove, your house will probably fill up with ash. If you're married, you soon won't be. If you're single, it will look real bad when someone is invited in!
The suction action causes all ash to exit. Blowing will not force ash up the chimney, it will send it into any opening it can find. If you are doing this with an open door or ash pan, forget about it completely.

Bill

I think he's talking about pointing the blower into the flue pipe and blowing the ash up and out of the flue. There are a few users that do that with some success. What that won't do is clean the nooks and crannies inside of the stove.

Tonyray said:

cheap HD model fits perfect into pipe..View attachment 166651 View attachment 166651

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Is that attachment you have connected to the metal an add on? The one I see online doesn't look the same.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-Ult...-12-Amp-Blower-Vacuum-Mulcher-51619/205746070

crizpynutz said:

Is that attachment you have connected to the metal an add on? The one I see online doesn't look the same.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Toro-Ult...-12-Amp-Blower-Vacuum-Mulcher-51619/205746070[/QUO

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this is the one I have....http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2015/Homelite-Recalls-Electric-Blower-Vacuums/

as u can see, there was a recall as the unit can overheat and sparks can ignite the leaves and catch fire.
I still use it as I'm not sucking up piles of leaves with it..

I have done the blower trick thru the inside of the stove. My set up is more of a direct vent situation though. It worked well especially after the brush was pushed and pulled thru to loosen it all up.

You need to be quick and precise with the blower idling while getting it lined up. Even during idle and getting it in line with the exhaust expect to blow some ash and make a mess. That said I also use and adapter now to eliminate the inside mess. I also vac out everything inside the stove prior to blowing the venting.

I had a messed up discharge hose for a larger water pump and cut a piece about 30" long to set into the exhaust path and hook onto the end of the Stihl BG 55 hand held blower. It does blow out a bunch of fine ash dust thru the termination of the exhaust vent. This H20 pump discharge hose can be found at TSC and bought by the foot. Two inch, three inch, etc; It is usually in a flattened roll so you will need to manipulate it some before use. Other stuff could be used also but I had this on hand where a mouse decided to chew on the end. That's where I cut it and then just shorted the hose and moved the fitting. There are likely better hoses or adapters that can be had on the cheap but IMO they need some flexibility. You need to land it inside the exhaust path far enough to direct all the blower air into it. Otherwise buy some good dusters too. Potential for a huge mess.

A concern I have would be the chimney you have and once the fine messy dust hits that it may roll out everywhere. My exhaust is not dumped into an existing flue so everything inside goes out the end in a big ashy plume of dust and mess. Really if you brush the vent out you get most anyway. The blower gets all the little fine crap out.

The leaf suckers might be a better application in many situations. I used to have one but it died so I have not tried that out.

Tonyray said:

this is the one I have....http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2015/Homelite-Recalls-Electric-Blower-Vacuums/

as u can see, there was a recall as the unit can overheat and sparks can ignite the leaves and catch fire.
I still use it as I'm not sucking up piles of leaves with it..

Click to expand...

I see...so this one might work, hard to tell with that extension:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...8723&sr=8-2&keywords=black+and+decker++BV2500

SO, one other question the more I've read around the forum the more I'm unsure about when/how often you need/should do this. Most seem to just do it at the end of the season, some do it every week. I have just a short vent pipe from the back of the stove direct out the wall, can't be more than a couple feet in total, obviously no bends, etc. Thoughts and thanks in advance?

crizpynutz said:

I see...so this one might work, hard to tell with that extension:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...8723&sr=8-2&keywords=black+and+decker++BV2500

SO, one other question the more I've read around the forum the more I'm unsure about when/how often you need/should do this. Most seem to just do it at the end of the season, some do it every week. I have just a short vent pipe from the back of the stove direct out the wall, can't be more than a couple feet in total, obviously no bends, etc. Thoughts and thanks in advance?

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some people are OCD about it, some like to do it often cause we're guys that like to do stuff like that.
once or twice in a heating season is more than enough.[if u maintain your stove regularly.]
don't forget, more pellet stove owners Don't use a leaf blower as cleaning the normal way is sufficient..
btw:
I do it after the season is over and Maybe once in the middle if I feel like it.

crizpynutz said:

I see...so this one might work, hard to tell with that extension:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...8723&sr=8-2&keywords=black+and+decker++BV2500

SO, one other question the more I've read around the forum the more I'm unsure about when/how often you need/should do this. Most seem to just do it at the end of the season, some do it every week. I have just a short vent pipe from the back of the stove direct out the wall, can't be more than a couple feet in total, obviously no bends, etc. Thoughts and thanks in advance?

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the one your showing may? need an adapter to fit into your outside pipe. hard to tell from the pix if it;s 4" where it connects to the blower blades...
easy enough to get one at HD plumbing section.

crizpynutz said:

I see...so this one might work, hard to tell with that extension:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-...8723&sr=8-2&keywords=black+and+decker++BV2500

SO, one other question the more I've read around the forum the more I'm unsure about when/how often you need/should do this. Most seem to just do it at the end of the season, some do it every week. I have just a short vent pipe from the back of the stove direct out the wall, can't be more than a couple feet in total, obviously no bends, etc. Thoughts and thanks in advance?

Click to expand...

My son has the same setup as you and he uses a leaf blower and told me that it gets everything out of the pipe and also all the nooks and crannies of his stove. Many suggest disconnecting the vacuum switch tube before doing this.

Thank you all for the replies!

Peterfield said:

My son has the same setup as you and he uses a leaf blower and told me that it gets everything out of the pipe and also all the nooks and crannies of his stove. Many suggest disconnecting the vacuum switch tube before doing this.

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correct about switch or as I do just make sure the stove door is open...

How far does the ash cloud travel? I have a neighbor pretty close to me that I wouldn't want to get any ash on his house. He's super old and takes extreme care of each individual wood shingle on his house, so I'd feel terrible if it made a mess.

I'm not worried about the nooks and craneys, I would like to see the adapter bags is using and see if that would work on my 68, seeing as it dumps it to a 8x8 class a chimney im trying to clean it out as easy as possible , ill prob line the flue next year anyways. thanks

Tonyray said:

cheap HD model fits perfect into pipe..View attachment 166651 View attachment 166651

Click to expand...

Let me get this straight...you are blowing UP the flue, with the stove door closed, or DRAWING down and out with the stove door closed? Seems if you leave the stove door open, you won't clean out the flue using the latter scenario.