Pellet insert

[Burnbaby]

So I just installed my stove ( hampton gci60 pellet insert ). My exhaust point straight up and I just ran a flex liner all the way to the top of chimney with a top plate. So this got me thinking, since there is no clean out tee and its just a straight shot up, wouldn't all the fly ash and such just come straight down I to the exhaust housing. How would one clean that? Or is it a problem? Also how often do you guys clean your pellet liner? I'm assuming I would just detach liner from appliance adapter and brush from the top or bottom. How durable are these stainless flex liners, do they hold up well to cleanings? Even though I just finished install and haven't even fired it up, I just wanted to be prepared. Thanks guys

 

[chimneylinerjames]

To clean the creosote out of the liner, at least with my Mt. Vernon, they have an option for this. It is showed in the pic below. It basically just has a door that open up so you don't have to remove the liner at all. I am not sure if your stove has this available, but look in the manual.

Cleaning should be done at least once a year. The liners are very durable, don't worry about damaging it. I like these: http://www.amazon.com/Gardus-RPS-20...d=1357666117&sr=8-2&keywords=sooteater+pellet

It only come with 9' of rods, so make sure you get enough. There are other products like that, they work good.

 

[mralias]

From your manual. Seems to suggest they want a T in the venting. IMO


EXHAUST VENT

(Biannually)
This vent should be cleaned every year or after two tons of pellets. We recommend contacting your
dealer for professional cleaning. To clean the vent pipe, tap lightly on the pipe to dislodge any loose ash.
Open the bottom of the “T” to dump the ash, then vacuum as much of the ash out of the vent pipe as
possible.

 

[Burnbaby]

From your manual. Seems to suggest they want a T in the venting. IMO


EXHAUST VENT

(Biannually)
This vent should be cleaned every year or after two tons of pellets. We recommend contacting your
dealer for professional cleaning. To clean the vent pipe, tap lightly on the pipe to dislodge any loose ash.
Open the bottom of the “T” to dump the ash, then vacuum as much of the ash out of the vent pipe as
possible.

I have the insert version so I don't get how I can put in a tee, the exhaust comes straight off the top.

 

[mralias]

I have the insert version so I don't get how I can put in a tee, the exhaust comes straight off the top.

I agree. I have a Quad insert but do have a clean out box on the stove with a pipe straight up which acts like a T. However, not sure how you can clean yours without pulling the vent pipe off your stove. Looks like a potential source for ash collection and blockage. If I was you I would clean it often. You sure there is no clean out plate on the stove near the back? Attached is a pic with an arrrow pointing to where I'm talking about. BTW I love the rail system for your stove. That is awesome.

 

[jgrz0610]

My insert slides out and disconnects from the exhaust pipe. I put my shop vac under the liner while I use a sooteater from the top.

 

[steamguy]

It may differ from area to area what the code is for this. In our area a clean-out tee is required. I have 30' of vertical chimney so there's really no way that the ash from the stove could blow all the way out.

(Although these last few days with 28-knot 'continuous' and 70-knot gusts maybe it could work for a while like that)

 

[tjnamtiw]

Both of my Quads exit vertically also with no chance for a tee. 17 feet of flex above that. What I do is get a set of very small vacuum adapters from Home Depot (I've seen them in WalMart too) and hook a piece of clear tubing to that. Snake it into the combustion fan area and turn the vacuum on. Then tap on the piping as suggested and watch the loose ash be sucked up. Keep doing this until no more ash is seen. ALSO at the end of the season, disconnect liner and run a brush up and down to dislodge anything else. In three years I've seen almost nothing besides the loose ash. I also pull the combustion blower and make sure it's clean on the blades AND behind them.

 

[mralias]

Both of my Quads exit vertically also with no chance for a tee. 17 feet of flex above that. What I do is get a set of very small vacuum adapters from Home Depot (I've seen them in WalMart too) and hook a piece of clear tubing to that. Snake it into the combustion fan area and turn the vacuum on. Then tap on the piping as suggested and watch the loose ash be sucked up. Keep doing this until no more ash is seen. ALSO at the end of the season, disconnect liner and run a brush up and down to dislodge anything else. In three years I've seen almost nothing besides the loose ash. I also pull the combustion blower and make sure it's clean on the blades AND behind them.

They make a nice adapter for your stoves. Too bad Burnbay can't use it on his stove. Would make cleaning much easier.

 

[tjnamtiw]

They make a nice adapter for your stoves. Too bad Burnbay can't use it on his stove. Would make cleaning much easier.

Interesting but I'm not sure how it would help. On my stoves, I can flip two of those clamps and the flex liner is released so that I can run a brush up it. With that adapter, it would be a real struggle, if not impossible, to get the brush and rod up there. Also, it really doesn't look like it prevents the ash from falling back down into the combustion blower.

 

[tjnamtiw]

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...l1-1-_-NA-_-100660183-_-N#product_description

While looking for the miniature vacuum attachment set that I bought, I found this gem. It has the plug and length of clear tubing that would work perfectly, as my cobbled together version does, to snake back into the combustion blower area to vacuum out the ash as you thump the flex pipe with a BFH.

 

[mralias]

Interesting but I'm not sure how it would help. On my stoves, I can flip two of those clamps and the flex liner is released so that I can run a brush up it. With that adapter, it would be a real struggle, if not impossible, to get the brush and rod up there. Also, it really doesn't look like it prevents the ash from falling back down into the combustion blower.

It's not to clean the vent pipe it so you can vac the blower area and where the ash drops down from the vent pipe. As with my CB1200i you must undo the clamps and pull the vent pipe to run a cleaner up there. Open that little door on the adapter, stick the vac in there and tap away on the vent pipe and it sucks it up all nice like.

 

[tjnamtiw]

It's not to clean the vent pipe it so you can vac the blower area and where the ash drops down from the vent pipe. As with my CB1200i you must undo the clamps and pull the vent pipe to run a cleaner up there. Open that little door on the adapter, stick the vac in there and tap away on the vent pipe and it sucks it up all nice like.

Where did you get it and how much? It just might be worth it. Does it fit the exit of the exhaust blower without a problem?

 

[mralias]

My stove is a CB1200i and it came with an adapter. See pic below. Ebay has the adapter that says will fit your stove. Search under "Quadrafire Vent Adaptor Rear Pellet" which should give you 2 hits. They both look the same to me and have the same part number yet one is listed at $39 and the other $85. The part number is 811-0620. Hope that helps.

 

[Burnbaby]

I agree. I have a Quad insert but do have a clean out box on the stove with a pipe straight up which acts like a T. However, not sure how you can clean yours without pulling the vent pipe off your stove. Looks like a potential source for ash collection and blockage. If I was you I would clean it often. You sure there is no clean out plate on the stove near the back? Attached is a pic with an arrrow pointing to where I'm talking about. BTW I love the rail system for your stove. That is awesome.

There is a clean out plate, I suppose I can put vac in there when I clean out flex liner, I was just curious on day to day operations on if stuff would just fall down into exhaust port, but as I have learned i can just get some tubing and snake it down through it and vac out. How often do you think that should be done? My rails were on back order , my dealer called yesterday and said they were in. They do seem to be a great luxury. Thanks everyone

 

[mralias]

There is a clean out plate, I suppose I can put vac in there when I clean out flex liner, I was just curious on day to day operations on if stuff would just fall down into exhaust port, but as I have learned i can just get some tubing and snake it down through it and vac out. How often do you think that should be done? My rails were on back order , my dealer called yesterday and said they were in. They do seem to be a great luxury. Thanks everyone

It depends on the pellet you are burning. The more Ash the more it should be done. The MWP I am burning now are medium ash compared to others I have burned so I open my clean out every couple weeks, stick the vac in there and bang the pipe. I am very surprised how fast it can fill up and restrict airflow. The only thing I don't like about the tube setup is it sounds like you are snaking the tube by the combustion blow fan fins which you don't want to damage. By using a clean out plate you can not damage the blower but still are able to suck the ash from in front and behind. The clean out plate pictured above is one clip and it opens. Much easier. How does your clean out plate work?

 

[Burnbaby]

It depends on the pellet you are burning. The more Ash the more it should be done. The MWP I am burning now are medium ash compared to others I have burned so I open my clean out every couple weeks, stick the vac in there and bang the pipe. I am very surprised how fast it can fill up and restrict airflow. The only thing I don't like about the tube setup is it sounds like you are snaking the tube by the combustion blow fan fins which you don't want to damage. By using a clean out plate you can not damage the blower but still are able to suck the ash from in front and behind. The clean out plate pictured above is one clip and it opens. Much easier. How does your clean out plate work?

I believe it's just a couple of screws and I remove it, if I'm talking about the right thing. It located below exhaust port. I'm still trying to get familiar with the stove, so this is a huge learning process

 

[mralias]

I believe it's just a couple of screws and I remove it, if I'm talking about the right thing. It located below exhaust port. I'm still trying to get familiar with the stove, so this is a huge learning process

That's what I thought looking at your manual which could explain why you get rails for your stove to make it easy to get at it. Too bad they don't make an adapter clean trap for that stove or do they??? Did you call your dealer and ask if they make an attachment that you could put between the vent pipe and stove to make it easier to clean? I know I would.

 

[Burnbaby]

That's what I thought looking at your manual which could explain why you get rails for your stove to make it easy to get at it. Too bad they don't make an adapter clean trap for that stove or do they??? Did you call your dealer and ask if they make an attachment that you could put between the vent pipe and stove to make it easier to clean? I know I would.

If I have time today I'm going to go pick up my service rails from dealer, I've got a list of questions I'll add that to it, thanks a bunch