Leaf Blower Trick and Stove Safety

[mikhen]

This may be long, sorry.

Thursday night I gave the stove a quick vacuuming, then I took a shower to get ready for bed. After my shower, I noticed the stove wasn't burning right. Very, very low flame. It went out, so I relit it. The pellets stopped dropping, so I hit the reset button. Nothing happened.
It was late, so I flipped on the oil burner for Thursday night and Friday.

Got home Friday, with my plan of attack already put together, and got started. First, thorough cleaning of the burn pot, thermocoupler, and exhaust ports behind the baffles. I clean behind the baffles every weekend, so it was due anyway.
Inside of stove, spotless.

Last time I used the leaf blower was Thanksgiving weekend. This is the first time my wife saw me do this. So as i started the cloud machine, my wife asked me if it's always that much ash. I said no. This led me to think there may have been a blockage. Finished up, turned the stove on, running like new ever since. Told my wife, I can spend 10 minutes a month if that's what I need to do.

So I have to thank everyone on Hearth.com for posting the Leaf Blower trick numerous times.
I'd also like to comment on how safe these stoves are. I apparently had an exhaust blockage, and the stove went into shutdown mode. I like that.

 

[Dgopetactical]

Yep, works wonders for me too, im doing mine on Sunday since it's going to 60. This time though I'm going to run a compressed air hose in the ports while the leaf blower is running outside to try to get more ash loose.

 

[LMPS]

Do both of you remove the vacuum tube when you do this? I have read posts both ways?

 

[Dgopetactical]

Do both of you remove the vacuum tube when you do this? I have read posts both ways?

I usually do but I was going to try it without taking the vacuum tubes off this time, to do this I have to pull the stove away from the wall etc. to remove the panel. Turns into a pain in the a##.

 

[tsmith]

I do not remove the tube on either my Harman or Quad, have never had a problem with the leaf blower trick.

 

[LMPS]

Ok I have to get this done. Need to get the attachments. I think I may use my shop vac instead just to make it a little cleaner.

 

[tsmith]

I have been told that the vac switch is rated for much higher vacuum than the leaf blower provides. So it should not be an issue.

 

[imacman]

....I clean behind the baffles every weekend, so it was due anyway.
Inside of stove, spotless...........wife asked me if it's always that much ash. I said no. This led me to think there may have been a blockage.......

The question is, did you clean the entire exhaust system before using the leaf blower? Methinks the exhaust wasn't "spotless".

Leaf blower trick works best being used AFTER the stove AND exhaust system have been cleaned.

 

[Dgopetactical]

Ok I have to get this done. Need to get the attachments. I think I may use my shop vac instead just to make it a little cleaner.

I don't think a shop vac has enough oooomph

 

[glenc0322]

I have been wanting to do the leaf blower and bought a brush for the pipe to clean before I do it I have burnt 2 tons of pellets through my stove and know it over due to clean the pipe. 1 week after I had everything i needed i broke my leg so there went that can only clean the stove for now but as soon as I can walk and get on the roof I will attempt to blow ash into my neighborhood lol. and see what happens

 

[mikhen]

The question is, did you clean the entire exhaust system before using the leaf blower? Methinks the exhaust wasn't "spotless".

Leaf blower trick works best being used AFTER the stove AND exhaust system have been cleaned.

If you are referring to the exhaust motor, impeller, etc, yep, cleaned it

 

[imacman]

If you are referring to the exhaust motor, impeller, etc, yep, cleaned it

"entire exhaust system" means exactly what it says....the ENTIRE thing....comb. blower, the plenum it sits in, AND the exhaust pipe all the way to the cap outside.

 

[jim3854]

Had a nice warm day here in RI. so I did the leaf trick WOW it looked like a old Detroit diesel in my yard. She is really clean now !!

 

[Dgopetactical]

It is beautiful outside so I decided to do the LBT today. I cleaned the entire" exhaust system", hooked up my blower and started sucking I went in the house a decided to start blowing with compressed air, well my suck is not as good as my blow and I managed to put a nice thin layer of ash on everything on my first floor. Stove runs like new now, next time I do the LBT I'm not using compressed air.

 

[jim3854]

How do you like the hopper ext ? Also do you like stove chow pellets ?

 

[Dgopetactical]

The hopper extension is awesome I would be miserable without it, got it on eBay, had to modify to make sure it sealed good but that was easy.....chow is good this year sucked last year, can't complain, like cheat river a tad better though.I heard on the Internet that chow burns as good as sets this year! It must be true!

 

[LMPS]

I don't think a shop vac has enough oooomph

There was just a post on here some place about someone doing this and it worked great. I will try to find the thread

 

[Dgopetactical]

Maybe, in my case my blower out sucks my shop vac x 5 and I have a 6hp rigid shop vac.

 

[battlesphoto]

I am looking for the directions on the Leaf Blower trick.
Is there a link?

 

[SteveB]

I am looking for the directions on the Leaf Blower trick.
Is there a link?

There are a lot of them if you do a search for Leaf Blower Trick. Here's a pretty good one. One page two, Smokey links a Youtube video. I've done the LBT before. Works good!

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/leaf-blower-trick-finally.90065/

 

[imacman]

I am looking for the directions on the Leaf Blower trick.
Is there a link?

Here is the original by member Krooser:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...ith-a-leafblower-no-kidding.26540/#post-26540