Cleaning an Enviro Empress Insert Hopper

[Tyranid]

So, I was reading this thread: Cleaning

I've had my stove for a couple weeks and I've been using mostly Greenway pellets. Nice pellets, but they are mighty dusty with quite a bit of fines.

So, how do I get into the hopper to clean? The Empress insert has about a 4-5 inch opening and thats it.

Do any Empress insert owners have problems with fines and their auger?

 

[flynfrfun]

Tyranid,
On my M55 insert you have to pull the insert out and then there is a cover you can remove on the back side of the hopper. Maybe the Empress has something similar?
Flynfrfun

 

[jrezzy]

Never had a problem with fines on mine. If you think there might be allot in the hopper pull stove out remove the 5 hex screws (T-20 if I remember right) to pull cover off (very easy to do) and Vac away, no sealent on cover mine had none. Or run it low and stuff the hose down to bottom. Make sure its a cold stove. My second year with mine and it been good.

 

[jtakeman]

A friend is using a magnetic light and hand held mirror to see in the hopper. He has an adapter on the vacuum hose to get in there. Not pretty but it works for him. Beats pulling the thing out every week or 2.

 

[The Radiator]

I really don't have any problems with fines and the auger so far. Might make a difference that I use 2 coal hods for filling the stove. I pour from the bag in my garage and a bit of the dust is left out there. When I get to the bottom of the bag just look in for the fines, too much and it does not go in the stove. When pouring from the hod the fines end up on the bottom of the hod. Most of the times there isn't much, I'll just dump it in. I usually do a good cleaning of the stove at about 1.5 to 2 tons. I vac out the auger tube then. Maybe I should do it more often but no problems yet. Any pellet you use is going to have dust and the porcelain finish on your stove and mine just gets dusty. I borrowed some dust cloths from work that were treated with something and they were great for a quick wipe down. The dust doesn't bother me too much, but the wife, that's another matter.

 

[Tyranid]

Well, I went into the hopper today and took a look. Its only been two weeks of burning, but I do see fines all over the place.

I took the plunge and bought some PVC and built a pellet vacuum, as I've seen on this board. I then vacuumed out the hopper.

I must say, its nice not having to deal with the excessive dust while filling. Its also nice that I won't have to clean that hopper as often because getting in there was a pain. We'll see how dusty it gets.

I'm also cleaned out the stove and put in a bag of Hamers to try out. So far, nice and toasty....