P43 Pipe Cleaning

[phileefan]

I have 3" pipe from my stove to chimney. My questions are:

1) will a 3" pipe brush be snug enough to clean the pipe good enough or go bigger?

2) I was hoping to insert the cleaning brush into the exhaust passage located behind the combustion
intake cover. I see the ESP in the pipe, do I need to remove the probe or will the cleaning brush go around it without damaging the probe?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you..........

 

[boo boo]

Get a 4 inch dryer vent brush works great it will go past the ESP with no issues

 

[MtDew]

Remove the ESP. Why risk damaging the probe. If you have 3" vent pipe, a 3" brush is fine. Use a paint brush on the exhaust fan blades so you don't bend or damage them.

 

[phileefan]

Thanks guys for the responses.

Remove the ESP

Dew, is it difficult to remove the probe?

 

[MtDew]

I have a P43 as well. remove the back cover/shield by the control panel. Then follow your exhaust piping back to where it attaches to the rear of the stove. Look for a par of red wires that run from the control panel down to the exhaust port area. Those are the wires for ESP. Follow those wires to the exhaust and you will see a single hex head screw, it should be a 1/4" socket head. Use either a 1/4" nut driver or 1/4" socket wrench to remove the screw. Then gently grab the base of the red wires and slide out the ESP. Run your 3" stove brush to clean your exhaust, vacuum out the ash, wipe the metal part of the ESP and reinstall the probe.

I have a corner install for my stove so I leave off the back lower covers. Takes me less than 5 min to remove, wipe clean and reinstall the ESP.

 

[phileefan]

Look for a par of red wires

Thanks Dew, I had the back covers off the other week to clean the fines out so I'm familiar with the red wires that go to the probe.

 

[TheMightyMoe]

I do my vertical from outside down to the 90* to the stove.

Then I go from inside the stove to the 90*

Run my 1" vacuum hose in there.

Call it done.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_37653-59625-RLE202-L_0__?productId=3465404

The brush slides right by the ESP, I don't use the drill for the horizontal as it is only a foot or 2, and I can visibly verify it is clean.

 

[railfanron]

I see no need for the 4 inch brush to clean the horizontal run into the chimney. I have both 4" and 3" brushes and the 3" works fine. The 4" would be much to tight. I can see all the way to the tee (I have a 4" vertical liner in my chimney) and there is very little ash buildup. I only clean mine once every 3 tons.
Ron