Chimney cleaning for a Pacific Energy FP30 and 2 questions.

[Rogerius]

Hello everyone,

I did a chimney cleaning on our Pacific Energy FP30 for first time after 3 years of used. We used the unit only in weekends so I said is time to do it. Overall a straight forward process; the challenge was to go and stay safety on the 6/12 metallic roof. Unfortunately I wasn't able to disconnect the chimney cap so I was forced to disconnect the last 3ft chimney piece in order to drop down the brush. Pushing down the brush was little bit tricky; the brush has metallic wires and looks like is a little bit oversize for my 6" chimney but I assume it's designed for a snug fit. Our chimney is 19ft tall so at the end of the push it got stack; I wasn't able to push down or either pull up; lucky, the brush was at 1-2 ft from inside the unit so I was able to pulled down from inside.
I attached a picture with the creosote collected and I believe is faire amount but surprise to see a lot on the cap screening as can be seen in picture.

The question for whoever knows, is about the gasket which looks like need to exist between baffle and the air tube. I couldn't find in mine unit during the cleaning or it burned during these years or I damaged when I removed the baffle? I assume it needs to be there, correct? Will be the unit efficiency affected without? What is the role of it, sealing the fresh air to the baffle?
Another question is how well those chimney pieces are sealed together? Removing the last piece from our chimney, I was surprise how the creosote extended on entire area between the parts, so I have a concern about connection points which are in the attic. Will some smoke can escape? I double check but I couldn't see any discoloration on the chimney located in the attic. Any comment on that?
Cheers.

 

[MongoMongoson]

I recommend you ditch that metal brush if your chimney is a stainless Class A. I have only used a stiff nylon brush in mine. Scratching up and down seems like a bad idea, and will just give the creosote more to stick to. I also recommend you look at using a Soot Eater and cleaning from the bottom up so you don't have to get up on that roof again. I clean my Summit from the bottom up, going through 2 45's and a cleanout 90. No problems. My chimney is taller than yours, too.

Yes, you need that gasket.

The air that runs your secondary burn flames comes up through that tube in the back, enters the baffle, and then comes out of holes in the baffle to burn the wood gasses. If that gasket is missing, you will probably not get proper air supply to your baffle/secondary flames.

Your stove will not burn as cleanly without good secondary flames, which means more creosote and more waste. You might be sending burnable gasses up the flue (and turning them into creosote) instead of burning them.

I can't answer your specific chimney question. Do you know the brand/model of your Class A chimney? If you can provide that, maybe someone can tell you their experience with it.

 

[MongoMongoson]

Also, on those gaskets... It is quite possible it was there, maybe stuck to your baffle, and it turned to dust when you handled the baffle. They are very fragile after they have been burned.

I bought an aftermarket replacement gasket for last season, and it felt pretty robust. After burning for half the season it fell apart when I took the baffle out to clean the stove. That reminds me, I better order some more. I only have one spare left.

 

[begreen]

The FP 30 is easy to clean from the bottom up. Just be sure to stuff a rag into the secondary supply tube when the baffle is removed so that soot an site don’t go down the tube. I’ve used a homemade gasket for the baffle for several years that has worked well. This was inspired by Hogwildz’s gasket post many years ago.

 

[Rogerius]

The FP 30 is easy to clean from the bottom up. Just be sure to stuff a rag into the secondary supply tube when the baffle is removed so that soot an site don’t go down the tube. I’ve used a homemade gasket for the baffle for several years that has worked well. This was inspired by Hogwildz’s gasket post many years ago.

Great. Thanks begreen for suggestion. Just please confirm if this is the Hogwilddz's gasket design:

 

[Rogerius]

Soot Eater

Thanks MongoMongoson for suggestions. I''ll look to buy a set of Soot Eater.

 

[begreen]

Great. Thanks begreen for suggestion. Just please confirm if this is the Hogwilddz's gasket design:

Yes. Make it out of 3/8" gasket material and knot the ends together like that so that it fits snugly around the secondary supply tube.

 

[Hogwildz]

Great. Thanks begreen for suggestion. Just please confirm if this is the Hogwilddz's gasket design: View attachment 282728

Yes, it is

 

[Hogwildz]

Hello everyone,

I did a chimney cleaning on our Pacific Energy FP30 for first time after 3 years of used. We used the unit only in weekends so I said is time to do it. Overall a straight forward process; the challenge was to go and stay safety on the 6/12 metallic roof. Unfortunately I wasn't able to disconnect the chimney cap so I was forced to disconnect the last 3ft chimney piece in order to drop down the brush. Pushing down the brush was little bit tricky; the brush has metallic wires and looks like is a little bit oversize for my 6" chimney but I assume it's designed for a snug fit. Our chimney is 19ft tall so at the end of the push it got stack; I wasn't able to push down or either pull up; lucky, the brush was at 1-2 ft from inside the unit so I was able to pulled down from inside.
I attached a picture with the creosote collected and I believe is faire amount but surprise to see a lot on the cap screening as can be seen in picture.

The question for whoever knows, is about the gasket which looks like need to exist between baffle and the air tube. I couldn't find in mine unit during the cleaning or it burned during these years or I damaged when I removed the baffle? I assume it needs to be there, correct? Will be the unit efficiency affected without? What is the role of it, sealing the fresh air to the baffle?
Another question is how well those chimney pieces are sealed together? Removing the last piece from our chimney, I was surprise how the creosote extended on entire area between the parts, so I have a concern about connection points which are in the attic. Will some smoke can escape? I double check but I couldn't see any discoloration on the chimney located in the attic. Any comment on that?
Cheers.

View attachment 282713 View attachment 282714 View attachment 282715 View attachment 282716

In the photo of the firebox. Did you cover the rear channel in the back center before you swept? If not, get your shop vac and adapt a hose narrow enough to go down that rear channel. Tape it to the shop vac hose end, and make sure vac any debris that fell down the channel while you swept above it. Next cleaning, either stuff a rag into the channel opening prior to sweeping, or make a shield to cover it with while sweeping. You do not want sweepings to go down that channel.

 

[Rogerius]

In the photo of the firebox. Did you cover the rear channel in the back center before you swept? If not, get your shop vac and adapt a hose narrow enough to go down that rear channel. Tape it to the shop vac hose end, and make sure vac any debris that fell down the channel while you swept above it. Next cleaning, either stuff a rag into the channel opening prior to sweeping, or make a shield to cover it with while sweeping. You do not want sweepings to go down that channel.

Great tip Hogwildz. Unfortunately, I didn't cover it during my swept so I believe some debris got there. I still didn't build the gasket so the buffer is not in place yet. I'll follow your tip.