Cleaning an insert with a top baffle plate (Kennebec)

[My_3_Girls]

I'm getting ready to clean my chimney in the next few weeks, and I saw one of Warren's tips of having a shop vac near the baffle to eliminate the dust. I was looking at it, and I'm thinking I need to remove the 4 bolts/nuts from the steel plate, sweep the chimney and then reattach the plate. Can I get away without removing the baffle? On a lighter note, here's the responses I expect to get back:

Elk - "no, you need to remove the chimney, clean the flue tiles by hand, rebuild the chimney, repoint the brick mortar and ....."

BB - "Hell ya, go for it!"

Warren - "As long as you are not burning elm, I'm ok with it"

Uncle Rich - " I remember back in 19 ought 2 when I removed my baffle..."

Corie - "If you bought one of my stoves, you would have a self cleaning baffle"

$80 per barrel oil.......
Let the games begin

 

[BrotherBart]

Well actually in this case I advise not going for it. The stainless steel baffle plate (the one with the holes in the front) has a cast iron secondary burn manifold right on top of it that would have to come out too and two gaskets are involved. And it isn't clear but quite possibly the front casting might have to be removed to pull the secondary burn manifold out. That would put it on the order of a rebuild.

Snaking a small vac hose up and around in there looks like the best bet.

I just looked at the manual and I cannot believe in this day and time that Jotul is building an insert that they recommend pulling out of the fireplace to clean the chimney liner. But right there it is in black and white pixels. Actually a worse process than I had to go through with Brownie The Beast From Sierra for so many years. Insanity!

"Removing the Insert for Cleaning

1. Lift the Ashlip from the Ashlip Extension.
2. Remove the Ashlip Extension from the firebox
by grasping the sides and pulling it forward to
disengage the three clips from their adjacent
slots.
3. Remove the Surround Panel assembly by grasping
the lower lip of the Breastplates and lifting
it up and off of the firebox cabinet. There are
four tabs that must be disengaged from the
hangers on either side.
4. Remove the three screws that attach the flue
connector to the flue collar, and disengage the it
from the insert.
5. Pull the firebox and cabinet forward as a unit.
The flue connector, liner, and chimney can now
be inspected and cleaned.
6. See the Installation section of this manual for
reassembly procedures."

 

[budman]

Lopi Declaration insert,Close the front door's pull top by pass damper rod out
and clean chimney linner out. :coolgrin:

 

[budman]

Lopi Declaration insert,Close the front door's pull top by pass damper rod out
and clean chimney linner out. :coolgrin:

I do take a shop vac to the top of damper plate though.

 

[BrotherBart]

Lopi Declaration insert,Close the front door's pull top by pass damper rod out
and clean chimney linner out. :coolgrin:

Englander 30-NC. Open door. Pull two fiber boards out. Close door. Sweep chimney. Open door. Put two fiber boards back in. %-P

 

[Scrounger]

I have a Jotul Kennebec and thought I had to pull the entire unit to clean my liner. This is NOT necessary. I went to the dealership and told them I needed to sweep out my liner and if I did all the junk would lay on top of the baffle or secondary burn tubes. I asked if I had to remove my unit and disconnect the liner for a cleaning. They pulled out the manual and it stated exactly what Brother Bart posted. I told the dealership that I couldn't believe the engineers at Jotul would design a until that needed to be entirely disconnected and removed for a simple cleaning. The dealership called some guy out back and I talked with him and had the same response, pull the unit. I politely disagreed and thanked them for their time. The guy behind the desk picked up the phone and called Jotul and was transferred to a specialist. He handed the phone to me and I explained to the Jotul specialist that I needed to sweep my liner and didn't want to pull the entire unit to do so. He said I didn't have to pull the unit.

What I needed to do was open the doors and with both hands lift up the baffle/secondary burn tubes. The rear of the baffle will disengage from the air inlet. Once the baffle is lifted up, drop one side down below the rail that hold it in place. The entire baffle can then be lowered into the firebox.

I couldn't remove the baffle from the unit but that is not necessary. Just needed some room to place a can under the opening to catch the falling junk. Just beware that the baffle is heavy, I mean heavy. It came down easier than it went back up and in. The specialist told me to make sure that when replacing the baffle it is engaged with the secondar air opening at the rear of the unit. Overall it was a very simple operation. My liner and Jotul Kennebec is cleaned and ready to burn.

I picked up a poly brush and fiberglass poles from Menards last year and this was my first time cleaning things out. Was very simple to do it. Got lots of junk out of the liner but was burning hissing and sizzling wood most of the time last year.

 

[BrotherBart]

Excellent! It looked like that might be possible from the parts breakdown in the manual but I wasn't going there without one of the inserts sitting in front of me.

On the part about re-installing the baffle, my Jotul F100 baffle can be removed the same way. Just make real sure it is securely re-installed. After cleaning the chimney last year one morning I came down to discover the baffle laying flat on top of smoldering wood. It had fallen out on top of the fire. Fortunately it didn't hit the glass. I put it back, checking it carefully, and it never has done it again. I just didn't have it seated right.

Great discovery ya made there!

 

[My_3_Girls]

Whew!! Thanks for the replies, guys. Scrounger, you just saved me a world of hurt. I'll get that entire assembly dropped down (gently) and clean that thing!!

 

[Mike Wilson]

To confirm, all you have to do is lift the baffle plate, angle it down, and drop it into the firebox. It is heavy as sin... there's cast up there, so be careful, and don't trash the gaskets in the process. Place a coffee can under the flue, rinse, repeat.

The OLD Kennebecs apparently did not do this, anything made in the last 3 years apparently does.

YMMV, but that's mine...

-- Mike

 

[boostnut]

Well, how did it go? I ended up removing the 4 bolts and 2 angle iron supports to get access to mine. It took longer to re-assemble than do the disassemble and clean.

 

[Mike Wilson]

How did your gaskets hold up?

-- Mike

 

[boostnut]

No problems with the gaskets at all. They seem to be just fine after 2 years. Aaron