Ash Vacumm , I have a power smith and really dis like it
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Easy Livin’ 3000
Minister of Fire
I'm just reiterating what others have said. Use the ash shovel to get out everything you can, use a shop vac with the appropriate filter for the rest. Forget about a specialty vac. And as always, don't suck up any hot coals.
Sorry to hear the experience with the Power Smith. Knock on wood, but mine has been a great performer for years now. Admittedly I clean up most ash by dumping the ash pan, so the Smith is only used to clean up the lip of the stove and anything that dribbles out on the hearth. Dumped and cleaned a couple times a year.
Guess you've double checked that nothing is blocking the hose? (Even possibly a mis-placed chunk of packing material - if this has been an issue since new?) There is also a 'suction meter' on the lid which will show if there is anything blocking the air stream.
The very first time I used mine, I tried to suck up the entire ash bed. Due to the fine filter, suction does drop off pretty quick when trying to suck up a large mass. So as others have said, best to handle the bulk of the ashes with a shovel and clean up with the vac.
(Standard disclaimer - I have nothing to gain / no monetary interest / affiliation with Power Smith. Just offering a few troubleshooting tips and advice.)
I used to use my shop vac, or even the household upright vac with an extension hose. One time I finished up cleaning ash and turned around to see a jet of smoke shooting out the exhaust grille on the upright. Apparently the ash I thought was cold still had a spark, and in the jet stream air of the vacuum, it turned the filter bag into a smoldering mass in no time. (and I will 100% certify that burning the hair, lint and dust in a vacuum does not have the aromatic 'charm' of a nice oak or hickory fire)
That experience was a bit unsettling for me...shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn't noticed the smoke and the thing would have started smoldering in the broom closet overnight.
You can certainly use a shop vac, or most any vacuum with a decent filter. You can also dump your 'cold' ashes in the general trash bin. But sooner or later, there is likely to be some unseen ember in the pile, so take extra special care with any plastic/paper vacuum you use - especially if using it for other purposes where the filter may have a layer of 'tinder' in it. And make sure the home insurance is paid up!
Guess you've double checked that nothing is blocking the hose? (Even possibly a mis-placed chunk of packing material - if this has been an issue since new?) There is also a 'suction meter' on the lid which will show if there is anything blocking the air stream.
The very first time I used mine, I tried to suck up the entire ash bed. Due to the fine filter, suction does drop off pretty quick when trying to suck up a large mass. So as others have said, best to handle the bulk of the ashes with a shovel and clean up with the vac.
(Standard disclaimer - I have nothing to gain / no monetary interest / affiliation with Power Smith. Just offering a few troubleshooting tips and advice.)
I used to use my shop vac, or even the household upright vac with an extension hose. One time I finished up cleaning ash and turned around to see a jet of smoke shooting out the exhaust grille on the upright. Apparently the ash I thought was cold still had a spark, and in the jet stream air of the vacuum, it turned the filter bag into a smoldering mass in no time. (and I will 100% certify that burning the hair, lint and dust in a vacuum does not have the aromatic 'charm' of a nice oak or hickory fire)
That experience was a bit unsettling for me...shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn't noticed the smoke and the thing would have started smoldering in the broom closet overnight.
You can certainly use a shop vac, or most any vacuum with a decent filter. You can also dump your 'cold' ashes in the general trash bin. But sooner or later, there is likely to be some unseen ember in the pile, so take extra special care with any plastic/paper vacuum you use - especially if using it for other purposes where the filter may have a layer of 'tinder' in it. And make sure the home insurance is paid up!
Sawset
Minister of Fire
I have a loveless. Good "sucking power". Seems impossible to plug the filter, and is fairly aggressive. Impervious to coals. But they seem expensive. Mine was a "gift" by someone with too much money, who used it for their fireplace and complained that the nozzle was too small, but insisted on using it on coals. It is an ash vac after all, and the fire proof nature should be for just in case. It's noisy. Wear earplugs. The cat runs away. But the issue I have with paper filter vacs is I don't have the patience to let the stove cool to the point of cold. And the tiniest of ember could light the things up. The stove here doesn't really get ash all over, or really anywhere except inside, so having to clean that up doesn't seem to be needed except when I open everything up, scrape it clean and wipe it all down.
No vac is impervious to hot coals. Even our expensive professional soot eater isn't. I would recommend a metal tub on your vac but there are many standard shop vacs that have those. If you suck up hot coals you will set the filters on fire no way around it.
Mine seems to go red on the suction meter right away, Hose is clear and everything appears clear on the filters, This vacuum has a hard time even getting pellets up.
Figured I'd Update this thread, So I took the vacuum apart and cleaned it very well, I replaced all of the filters and still had no suction. I had purchased a replacment hose a couple years ago as mine was getting rough. I could see though the hose and it appeared fine but once I put the new hose on the vacuum it now has the power I would expect from a vacuum. Glad I did as I was about to by a different brand. I guess the slight waviness of the hose was enough to cause a lack of flow.
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