Wood Pellet Stove Yearly Cleaning - Exhaust Blower Question?

[Don2222]

Hello

This is my 1st yearly cleaning for Avalon Astoria or similar Blowers. I removed the exhaust blower per instructions by opening the left side service door with the one screw and removed the 6 11/32 nuts with the socket wrench. When gently removing the fan and unclipping the AC wire quick disconnects, I noticed the gasket was sticking to both sides like it split in two. Also not an even split.

So I tried cleaning the fan blades and housing with the brush on the shop vac. It worked somewhat.

It does say on the fan motor No Oil.

So three questions?

1. Do they make any better gaskets that might last more than one year?

2. Is the above the best way to clean the exhaust fan or is there a better way?

3. Will I have the same issue with the convection blower?


See pic below:

 

[smwilliamson]

Yup, you're doing it right. You can reuse that gasket so long as the vac doesn't suck it up :cheese:

Sorry, Lytherm gaskets do not disassemble very well.

Convection gasket is usually of a faom or rubber material as there is not heat to be worried about. That should remain intact.

 

[imacman]

So three questions?

1. Do they make any better gaskets that might last more than one year?

2. Is the above the best way to clean the exhaust fan or is there a better way?

3. Will I have the same issue with the convection blower?


See pic below:

1. No, most people just replace the gasket each time they clean the blower. They can be bought fairly cheaply if you contact Eric at Kinsman stoves and tell him the size of the gasket.

2. I use a wire brush for the blades (carefully so you don't bend them), and a thin, flexible putty knife under the blades to scrape the soot off the flat motor plate.

3. No, it usually uses a different gasket that is re-useable.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Thanks, the wire brush and putty knife work great!

Any idea of the best price of the exhaust blower gasket?

Can I get the gasket around southern NH or MA ??

 

[stoveguy2esw]

one more little tip when you clean your exhaust fan , after cleaning the blades, spray them with graphite spray , the graphite tends to shed soot so the blades do not build up as quickly and it can make it easier to clean the blades in the future

 

[Don2222]

Hello

I got some graphite spray at the local auto parts retailer for $3.

Will this work for the exhaust blower and the convection blower?


See pic below:

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Ok, the new exhaust blower gasket is in and Exhaust Blower is clean and treated with graphite.

The owner's manual instructions were very clear on that.

The instructions say to just vac the convection blower in the stove unless a more deeper cleaning is needed. The convection blower can be remove. The instructions do not say how. It looks like the convection blower is shock mounted.

Now the convection blower does not see the dirty pellet stove dust so it may not need a deep cleaning every year.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?


Pics of Exhaust blower with new Travis OEM gasket below all set now.
However I now know it is a standard 7 inch round exhaust blower gasket and I have seen it for $9 on http://www.pelletstoveparts.com

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

imacman had one of those stoves so I'm sure he'll chime in on how to take that convection blower out etc...

I pull and clean mine before heating season and midway through, that way I don't forget it. The more times I do things the faster it goes and the stove works much better.

Mine is not on any shock mount, the blower is somewhat isolated using two sets of gaskets.

 

[imacman]

Don, PM received and answered.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Thanks again Imacman

I started a new post for the Convection Blower Cleaning
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/60351/

Now I am all set for the winter!!

 

[Don2222]

Hello

Time of the year to clean the exhaust blower!

Good sale on Exhaust Blower Gaskets See this thread!
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/75522/