25 PVDC, Leaf blowered yesterday and found 2 more holes to clean out!!!

[Murphy118]

OK, so I took advantage of the weather yesterday and leaf blowered my stove and vent pipes, (I've burned just about 1 ton so far). DUring the pre-cleaning I noticed 2 holes in the sides of the burn pot under the wear plate inside the pot that I had never noticed before, one of the left and one on the right. They were filled flush with gray ash so I took the vacuum with the hose I have attached to clean the tunnels behind the impingement plate and sucked them out real good.
I had noticed that the last week or so the flame was hanging out on the right side of the burn pot, not centered like it used to be, and the right side of the glass was getting pretty black, pretty quick, like after 2 hours or so.
After the blower trick and cleaning those 2 ports the flame is perfect, centered in the pot, kinda blueish on the bottom and dancing bright yellow fully to the top of the stove,,,,,,,life is good.

John

 

[HD41]

In my first few months cleanings of cleaning I made little note of these holes, just sucked the ash out with the shop vac. Although not blocked I noticed the ash build-up and engaged the hole with a teaspoon handle while using the shop vac. Fast forward from 2008 to 2012. For what ever reason there seemed to be a little more buildup so I bent and poked a wire upward and it more released more ash from the cavity. I have noticed ash buildup around the holes on the burn side of the pot so no doubt ash also builds up on the inside. Flame has been good all along and although it has never reached the point of plugging, perhaps over time it could. Now I poke a small wire through the holes every few cleanings.

 

[Panhandler]

A 1/4" piece of clear plastic tubing fits nicely into those holes under the wear plate to suck out the ash.