Removing ash traps on the Whitfield Advantage series

Just a heads up for owners (NEW) of a Whitfield advantage 1-2-3 or other renditions

The fire backs come off easily by loosening the two sheet metal screws on the retainer plate on the outside of the outer fireback.

Lifting the retainers will allow them to slide over the "KEYHOLE" slots in the plates.

When taking these apart for the first time (New owner) take a close look at how they come out.

The fire backs can then be slid in slightly and then rottated to allow them to come out.

Directly behind the firebacks on the sides are the outer ash baffle areas that fill with ash.

Once these areas are vacuumed clean there are two screws inside the ash baffle channels.

Now these inner baffles are like a chinese Puzzle to get out of the stove.

Remove the screws, then slide the baffle towards the center of the fire box and out of its normal location.

The lower edge of the baffle slides between the drop tube and the fire pot retaining lip

The baffle must then be twisted towards the outside (at the top) This will allow the baffle to be removed from the stove.

Its comes out really easy but, can be a real PITA to get back in.

DONT FORCE IT, when they are right, they slide right in.

A good cleaning behind these baffles is needed likely twice per season.

Starting the exhaust fan and directing and air blower (120 PSI) down into the lower vent ports in the inner plenum back plate will knock the remaining crap loose and blow it out through the duct.

Failure to remove the inner traps will leave a lot of junk still inside the stove.


Hope this helps someone.

Snowy

And so is the owner too.

The Nut Shells I use for fuel leave a lot more residue (ash) than does the top quality pellet fuel.

Just the makeup up the stuff me thinks.

The advantage series is not particularly tough to clean but, the gyrations that are required to get the ash traps in and out can be daunting.

I removed the traps on ours when we first got it (well used) and went about cleaning everything well.

Come time to put the traps back in and it became quite a tussle to say the least.

Just the right combinations of twists and turns were required.

I recommend that a new user to one of these old girls only remove one side at a time the first go round so that if they get stumped, that they can at least check the other one to get the combination right.


Snowy

The Advantage II has two plates (formed steel) that are located behind each of the two side firebrick pieces.

The primary ash trap is directly behind the side firebricks and then the secondary spaces are behind the steel baffles.

Depending on the model this could vary some.

There was the Advantage I then came the II then the II T and then the III

There may have been some running changes as time went by.


Snowy

The baffle has a channel in it that the ash collect in

If you clean that and then look within the confines of that channel, you will find the two screws.

Once the screws are removed the baffles will slide out of their little nitch and towards the center of the stove.

This allows you access to the rear most ports that lead striaght into the exhaust fan.

What I do after sucking the stove alll out I press the start button to get the draft fan running and then direct a blower nozzle from my compressor right into the inside ports.

This will blow a huge cloud of crap out the back and outside.

I then suck out the vent pipe with the shop vac


Snowy