Favorite ash vac for pellet stoves?

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Shop Vac here too. Make sure you use a hepa filter or every time the wifey dusts you're going to hear about it. I wonder when someone will chime in and warn me about a vacuum fire? Should be soon...

You should be careful with those Shop vacs, Because if you're a numb nut and suck up a glowing red ember BECAUSE YOUR STOVE IS STILL RUNNING.......Sorry I had to!

Rigid shop vac w/ hepa filter. I buy 'em @ the box store on tax free day for like $20ish. At that price I could care less if it get's torched!
 
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That` s why they make fire extinguishers.:ZZZ
You should be careful with those Shop vacs, Because if you're a numb nut and suck up a glowing red ember BECAUSE YOUR STOVE IS STILL RUNNING.......Sorry I had to!

Rigid shop vac w/ hepa filter. I buy 'em @ the box store on tax free day for like $20ish. At that price I could care less if it get's torched!
 
Got mine last Thursday and got to use it a while ago. MUCH better than the shop vac mini. Well made for the price.

Well it seems like you have all the peripherals covered, Paul Raz. Where's the stove?
 
so you get no dust out of these things at all? i been using the shop vac leaving it outside and running the hose inside, thats getting old

None that I noticed. It has a pretty rugged looking 2 layer filter. Only used it on pellet ash. Boiler soot may be a different story but I'd be surprised if it didn't work well. 2 year warranty.
 
I've been using a Cleva Ash Vac since last year and its done a great job so far. The one advantage I see over a shop vac is that it's much smaller so I can keep it inside next to the stove and hide it unlike my big shop vac. I think I paid about $80 shipped, from Amazon.
 
Me too, shop vac with a hepa filter and I buy the drywall bags. Great suction and I get no dust blown into the room.

Ditto that... with the drywall bag. Been doing that for four years. Of course, make sure the stove is dead cold. My vac of choice is Rigid!
 
Bout the size of a 5 gal bucket. Casters are a plus. Long cord. Prob gonna rig up something to hold my brushes and other stove specific cleaning items. Maybe a nail pouch would work well.

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Got mine last Thursday and got to use it a while ago. MUCH better than the shop vac mini. Well made for the price.

Well it seems like you have all the peripherals covered, Paul Raz. Where's the stove?

That's the only piece I'm missing...supposed to be installed on the 12th. Let's hope this storm didn't push my install date out further.
 
so you get no dust out of these things at all? i been using the shop vac leaving it outside and running the hose inside, thats getting old

With all the money spent on pellets, get a HEPA and a Drywall bag... No dust. Ever.... And much better suction. And longer between cleaning/changing filter bags. I could go almost an entire season, if only doing one stove
(Depends on the size of your vac and bag).
I bought a Cleva last year. After the 1st cleaning, I had to clean the filter because of loss of suction. I sold it.
 
Shop Vac with a drywall bag ...works great..
 
I'm sure you could earn some $$ by selling off a few bags - or tons - of your Somersets.... ;lol I don't see them around my neck of the woods. :mad:
 
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OK i must be a nub because after reading alot of this thread, i cant see how a 'drywall' bag comes into play. I am currently using a rigid shop vac with hepa filter...i have to empty it a couple times a year because i suck up my ashes out of the ash pan with it after they cool of course. I do know the filter is a pain in the butt to get clean each time....do you wrap a bag around the filter to protect it? my filter is black as black can be. Can someone post a photo?
 
Well my stove has been running for a few days now so I've had a chance to actually try this thing. I love it. Tons of suction (picked up a handful of unburnt pellets which is something reviewers of other cheap ash vacs claimed theirs couldn't do). ZERO dust or smell into the room. I like the fact that it's smaller, that makes it much easier to deal with than my "real" (big) shopvac.
 
The bag is actually a Filter in itself. The hose empties into the "Bag". The same way old vacuum cleaners worked.

They all had bags back in the day. The Drywall bag is twice the dust protection and also keeps the HEPA filter looking brand new.
 
. I love it. Tons of suction (picked up a handful of unburnt pellets which is something reviewers of other cheap ash vacs claimed theirs couldn't do). ZERO dust or smell into the room. I like the fact that it's smaller, that makes it much easier to deal with than my "real" (big) shopvac.
I'd agree with all that. :)
 
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