Jotul Oslow F500 cleaning

[dazz]

Two questions: Can I clean the horizontal flue directly behind the stove by removing something from inside the stove? Of course right now there is the perferated second burn stuff up there. Is that removable easily or do I just move the stove and clean from the back:

Next question: The air control lever in the front under the door needs lubricated. How is this done? I wish there was an instruction manual that covered these maintenance items. Thanks.

 

[firefighterjake]

If I'm reading this question right . . . you want to be able to clean the area above the burn tubes and baffle board . . . if so . . . yes . . . perhaps the simplest method is to reach in with the front door open and loosen the two bolts that hold down the center plate . . . the plate can then be lifted and you can gain access to most of the top of the Oslo . . . you can also loosen the bolts holding down the top and remove the whole kit and caboodle . . . but I've found that it is pretty easy and I get good access by just removing the center oval plate.

Air control lever . . . minor inconvenience . . . but easy fix. Open the front door and remove the two bolts holding the doghouse in place. Carefully remove the doghouse and set aside. At this point you should have good access to the air slide mechanism. Every two months or so I take this off, brush out the fly ash and then use some graphite powder (available at any hardware store) and apply this liberally to the slide mechanism. Work the slide mechanism back and forth a few times and before long the air control lever will be sliding around slicker than . . . slicker than . . . well . . . it will just work well.

 

[dazz]

Jake: So you're saying, I can clean the stove pretty good with just removing the oval top but.........if I remove the whole "kit and caboddle" I can get at the stove pipe behind the stove from the front door? I'm trying not to move the stove. It's too heavy for me alone. I don't have more than 28 inches horizontal until the stove pipe goes vertical up the chimney. Come Spring (maybe some day) I can run my brush down from the top. Then clean out from the front door. That's what I hope you are saying. True?

Jake thanks for the info.

 

[firefighterjake]

I have my stovepipe set up so that it goes directly up vs. going out from the back and then up . . . but I suspect you should be able to clean most of the crud out by just removing the center oval plate . . . at the very least it would give you some access and you could clean up the fly ash from the top of the baffle.

As for cleaning . . . my set up has the stovepipe going directly up for 3 feet or so and then it takes a 90 degree angle out through my wall into a T outside and then a straight shot with Class A chimney to the top. Due to the set up sweeping my chimney is pretty easy . . . I simply remove the cap in the T outside and sweep from the bottom up.

In the Spring I either take apart the stove pipe or run a small brush through the T into the stovepipe and push any cresote or fly ash on to the top of the baffle and insulating blanket . . . I then carefully use a Shop Vac with a dry wall filter in place to suck up the mess . . . this is several days to weeks after I've lit my final fire for the year.