ash vacuum

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jjc1800

Member
Jan 10, 2011
19
Lithonia Ga
hey folks will be installing my harmon p68 stove really soon. i was just wondering which ash vacuum should i get?
 
Can you suck up hot ash with those? When I clean out my stove every month or so it's almost always still hot. Would day several days to cool down and no way I'm freezing just to empty the stove.
 
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68
 

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What I figured. My free 5 gal metal pail and $5 shovel see to work just fine.

DexterDay said:
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68
 
NATE379 said:
What I figured. My free 5 gal metal pail and $5 shovel see to work just fine.

DexterDay said:
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68
the problem with a shovel and pail is it can be very messy, dusty also it just does not do as good of a job .
 
smilejamaica said:
NATE379 said:
What I figured. My free 5 gal metal pail and $5 shovel see to work just fine.

DexterDay said:
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68
the problem with a shovel and pail is it can be very messy, dusty also it just does not do as good of a job .

Nate is using a woodstove. Metal pail and shovel should be all you need(it's all I ever needed anyway). I didn't get the vac until I purchased the pellet stove. Even the ash rated vac's would need some cooldown time if you really read the fine print.
 

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j-takeman said:
smilejamaica said:
NATE379 said:
What I figured. My free 5 gal metal pail and $5 shovel see to work just fine.

DexterDay said:
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68
the problem with a shovel and pail is it can be very messy, dusty also it just does not do as good of a job .

Nate is using a woodstove. Metal pail and shovel should be all you need(it's all I ever needed anyway). I didn't get the vac until I purchased the pellet stove. Even the ash rated vac's would need some cooldown time if you really read the fine print.
ya i did not catch that about the wood stove . and yes you do have to let the stove cool down its just the piece of mind with the ash vac . a few people i know burned up shop vac" s with cleaning the stove out before the ash cooled down .for the little bit of money it is, i think it "s well worth it. geez lets not skimp on the toys for the stove
 
smilejamaica said:
j-takeman said:
smilejamaica said:
NATE379 said:
What I figured. My free 5 gal metal pail and $5 shovel see to work just fine.

DexterDay said:
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68
the problem with a shovel and pail is it can be very messy, dusty also it just does not do as good of a job .

Nate is using a woodstove. Metal pail and shovel should be all you need(it's all I ever needed anyway). I didn't get the vac until I purchased the pellet stove. Even the ash rated vac's would need some cooldown time if you really read the fine print.
ya i did not catch that about the wood stove . and yes you do have to let the stove cool down its just the piece of mind with the ash vac . a few people i know burned up shop vac" s with cleaning the stove out before the ash cooled down .for the little bit of money it is, i think it "s well worth it. geez lets not skimp on the toys for the stove

If safety is the forfront? Yes the ash rated vac's would ease the fear. But it also could lead to oops if overconfident. Don't get me wrong here, I will purchase the ash rated vac when my old bucket finally dies. I just don't want others thinking you can suck hot coals in the vac and not have issues. The filters in most are only made of fiber and do catch when hot coals contact them. After a clean I still will set the unit outside for at least 24 just in case as safety is first! :)
 
j-takeman said:
smilejamaica said:
j-takeman said:
smilejamaica said:
NATE379 said:
What I figured. My free 5 gal metal pail and $5 shovel see to work just fine.

DexterDay" date="1314854743 said:
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68
the problem with a shovel and pail is it can be very messy, dusty also it just does not do as good of a job .

Nate is using a woodstove. Metal pail and shovel should be all you need(it's all I ever needed anyway). I didn't get the vac until I purchased the pellet stove. Even the ash rated vac's would need some cooldown time if you really read the fine print.
ya i did not catch that about the wood stove . and yes you do have to let the stove cool down its just the piece of mind with the ash vac . a few people i know burned up shop vac" s with cleaning the stove out before the ash cooled down .for the little bit of money it is, i think it "s well worth it. geez lets not skimp on the toys for the stove

If safety is the forfront? Yes the ash rated vac's would ease the fear. But it also could lead to oops if overconfident. Don't get me wrong here, I will purchase the ash rated vac when my old bucket finally dies. I just don't want others thinking you can suck hot coals in the vac and not have issues. The filters in most are only made of fiber and do catch when hot coals contact them. After a clean I still will set the unit outside for at least 24 just in case as safety is first! :)
i agree with you 100% .oh ya i also leave mine outside after a clean . now im glade no bears ,pigs or other pesky animals know where i live ...they might get some crazy idea of sneaking away with it..lol
 
"After a clean I still will set the unit outside for at least 24 just in case as safety is first" And put into a metal can with a metal lid secured and not sat on or near anything combustable i.e. the porch floor!
 
I forget the name, but Menards here in Ohio had an Ash vac for like $50-$60. My buddy the has a CB 1200 like mine, Loves it. I still opted for the Shop-Vac. The stove should be cool no matter what vac you use. Even a Cheetah has to have a cool stove (Warm I believe is what they say). I have my choice of Filters and Bags (Fine Bags and HEPA Filter). No Dust/Ash in my house or my basement were the pellet sifter is... Only takes about a ton to almost Fill the bag of a 16 Gallon/6.5 HP Shop Vac, while sifting. No dust upstairs or downstairs. Granted the money I spent on a Vac that size, along with the HEPA Filter ($35) and the Filtration bags for the Inside, I could has bought a Good Ash Vac. But NO Ash Vac will Suck like a 6.5 HP Shop Vac. Before buying my Leaf-Blower, I hooked one up outside and sucked. It worked almost as well as my 450 CFM and 240 MPH Leaf-Blower.

Ash Vac have there place in the market. Shop Vacs do also. Some people need the reassurance of the "Steel" can. But like j-takeman said, the still have a filter that can smolder. So to each there own. We all have different stoves, different homes, different cars, and different jobs. everyone can be a little bias. Buy what you want and buy what you like. Just remember to practice responsible habits/behaviors when performing any maintenance/cleaning of any stove that contains a Fire.

Cheers ya'll.... Hope everyone has a Great, Safe Holiday weekend! I have to work tomorrow, but I took a Vacation day on Tues. That way I still get 3 days off. I have a Woodstove to install this weekend. Its gonna be cold before we know it.
 
oldmountvernon said:
DexterDay said:
Get a Good Shop Vac and use a "HEPA" Filter and a Fine Filtration bag on the inside. Will filter the Dust/Ash better than your average Ash Vac and also cost less. No matter what, you can not suck up HOT Ash with any Ash Vac out there. they all say to cool down before using.

This is the one I have in the basement for my "Pellet Sifter", but the one upstairs is the same. Also spend $40 on a Good Leaf-Blower for cleaning. My troy Bilt was About $40 and a $2 piece of 4" to 3" PVC makes it hook right up to my Vent. Put a little tape on it, so I dont have to hold it...

Looking forward to some Pics. The P-68

i finally see the leaf blower trick in action, how much cleaning do you do prior to the leaf blower ? or does the leaf blower do it all?
Still needs a good full cleaning and a brush ran through the vent. Do the leafblower after everything else is done. Or if you can get someone or something to hold the leFblower. I run it the whole time I clean.
 
DexterDay said:
I forget the name, but Menards here in Ohio had an Ash vac for like $50-$60. My buddy the has a CB 1200 like mine, Loves it. I still opted for the Shop-Vac. The stove should be cool no matter what vac you use. Even a Cheetah has to have a cool stove (Warm I believe is what they say). I have my choice of Filters and Bags (Fine Bags and HEPA Filter). No Dust/Ash in my house or my basement were the pellet sifter is... Only takes about a ton to almost Fill the bag of a 16 Gallon/6.5 HP Shop Vac, while sifting. No dust upstairs or downstairs. Granted the money I spent on a Vac that size, along with the HEPA Filter ($35) and the Filtration bags for the Inside, I could has bought a Good Ash Vac. But NO Ash Vac will Suck like a 6.5 HP Shop Vac. Before buying my Leaf-Blower, I hooked one up outside and sucked. It worked almost as well as my 450 CFM and 240 MPH Leaf-Blower.

Ash Vac have there place in the market. Shop Vacs do also. Some people need the reassurance of the "Steel" can. But like j-takeman said, the still have a filter that can smolder. So to each there own. We all have different stoves, different homes, different cars, and different jobs. everyone can be a little bias. Buy what you want and buy what you like. Just remember to practice responsible habits/behaviors when performing any maintenance/cleaning of any stove that contains a Fire.

Cheers ya'll.... Hope everyone has a Great, Safe Holiday weekend! I have to work tomorrow, but I took a Vacation day on Tues. That way I still get 3 days off. I have a Woodstove to install this weekend. Its gonna be cold before we know it.


I posted a pic the other day for the 1 sold a t menards here is the link. they had it on sale 59.99. https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/81978/
 
Don2222 said:
Hello

Hearth and Country makes a more affordable one. Looks like TSCs price is cheaper than Amazon!

http://www.tractorsupply.com/heatin...-country-trade-ash-vacuum-800w-4-gal--3102712

It is cheaper then these on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...=aps&hvadid=4577851975&ref=pd_sl_90eyq5duho_b



this is the one i got.
my shop vac is so old they don't make hepa filters for it.
that ash vac has a very quiet motor.
it's quieter than our household vacuum.
comes with crevice tool and brush attachment for $99 at tsc.
it has the hepa filter and the prefilter cover to protect the hepa filter.

i love how quiet it is.

they sell a pellet stove attachment kit too. $25 dollars or so.
but i'm fine w/ the crevice tool and the brush they provide.
but i have the heatilator ps50. and it is super easy to clean. no tubes to get behind in the firebox.
you can always get the kit if you find you need it.
 
just an update on the hearth country ash vac from tractor supply.

the motor gets really hot if you run it for more than just a little while at a time.
maybe it's just the insulation they have in it to make it quiet.

but i was letting mine run while i was cleaning, and the motor shut down.
it's fine now. but just something to keep in mind if you're shopping around.
i still like it. i like that it's quieter than the household vacuum.


and to the poster who said ashes would take days to cool down-

they don't :)
i may cut it too close one day. but now that it's cold(er), i'm getting the house really warm, shutting the stove down, wire brushing the burn pot with my mini stainless bristled brush. and then taking a little break till the blowers finish and the stove shuts down.
i'll maybe stir the ashes a little. but after a short while, i'll poke around in them with my fingers (far less dangerous than what i usually do in an outdoor firepit) and when i deem there are not hot remnants, i vac up the warm ashes.
i promise i'll post if i ever burn a hole in the filters.

the room went from 82 to 74 today and i did a full cleaning. baffle plates off, firepot wire brushed and wire wheeled and scraped in the spot the drill misses. and a full brush down, vac and glass cleaning.
would have been done faster and lost less heat. but i ate my oatmeal while the vac motor cooled off.
 
6 gallon Craftsman shop-vac with a HEPA filter. Filter is washable.
 
oldmountvernon said:
walmart has a small shop vac for 19 bucks tomorrow if it burns up big deal for that money


Just make sure it's not in your house when it burns up. :)
 
I have this one it was a cheaper one and it works great...you do have to clean it out after 2-3 cleanings...that takes me about 5 minutes outside....it's made be Cleva...you can get the filters on the same site...for $90 it's a steal...Cleva is a good company they make MasterVac...or is it VacMasters..??...the hose is a flex aluminum..you can also get the crevice tool from Cleva..just give them a call.

http://www.amazon.com/Ash-Vacuum-5-...BWOG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1322171525&sr=8-9
 
Lowes has a $79.86 shop vac on sale for $29 right now! Part of the Black Friday sale! Picked one up yesterday to clean my stove with, along with the fine cartridge filter and the drywall filter bag.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_314974-20097-5851511_4294747635+4294936478_4294937087_?productId=3120651&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL;=/pl_Tools_4294747635+4294936478_4294937087_?Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo;=
 
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