Cleaning Question

[slclem]

I have an XXV sitting in a corner. Exhaust vents straight out the back for 6 ", through a 45 deg. elbow, straight through the exterior wall and into a tee. Vent extends up 6' to a flue cap. Bottom of tee has cap. The only portion of flue I have not cleaned is the section from stove to tee. Do I have to move the stove to clean this? The stove weighs 375#.

 

[rph092772]

Sounds like my set up. I would suggest finding a way to skooch the stove out of the way to get at this pipe. I pulled out a good amount of caked on ash out of there a couple weeks ago doing my preseason cleaning. Used the same pipe brush as I use on the outside pipes. Huge dividends in airflow. Your venting is only as good as it is at the most constricted point.

 

[LI-Mini-Owner]

Like VT, I also use the flexible brush going up the bottom of the T towards the stove. I'm able to work the brush all the way to the back of the stove. (I don't have the 45 like you, but I think you should be able to get past the 45). To get out the stuff that the brush loosens, I connect the shop vac to the bottom of the T and block off top of the pipe, and let it run for 30 seconds. This yields similar results to the leaf blower method described in other posts, but without ash cloud.

Carl

 

[Lousyweather]

if you go sticking brushes in places, just be carefil of the ESP probe! A better plan would be to remove it and clean it anyway. If you bend it, you'll be buying anouther probe.

 

[save$]

Despite my best efforts, I wasn't able to get the cap off the bottom of my tee. I was able to get the pipe off the stove. Did this after cleaning with the leaf bower. Looking into he pipe, I couldn't find any accumulation in any part I was able to see. The same for the pipe going into the stove. My concern is what might come on with time. Perhaps ash that takes on moisture in the shoulder burning season and gets heavy and might clump or stick. I did feed a shop vac hose in as far as I could. Just have to be hyper vigilant and monitor the performance. Whenever I think performance is reduced, the first think I think of is cleaning. Now, I do a good clean out following every ton. It is amazing how my time is cut down when I do the cleaning more frequently. You might want to consider some of those furniture slider pads under the feet of your stove to help pull it out if necessary. I have been able to pull my refrigerator out easily with these. Could use a 2x4 and some blocks for a fulcrum to lift the stove up for placement of the pads.

 

[slclem]

Thanks for the comments. I plan to try removing the ESP probe on Saturday and cleaning from tee connection outside back to stove with brush and then vacuum. Leaning over and looking down at the back of my stove I do not see a probe. I assume I must remove right & left rear panels to reveal the probe?