My Harman Burnpot is clean.. Not

[Tonyray]

little tip I learned when cleaning the burnpot is to take my 2" Paint brush and brush all the ash out.
I used to use the Harman scrape tool to brush out the ash but after further checking it, I'm amazed at how you have to go over it with your fingers as the hardened clinkers[creosote] spelling? can fool you and it looks like the actual pot bottom but sometimes it's so smooth and flat, it's easy to overlook......Flashlight helps too...
I use a dust mask and the light that straps to your head..
my wife sez all I need is a canary cause I look like a coal miner when my head is in the stove..

 

[Ctcarl]

Funny you said that cause on my 3rd 7 day cleaning I noticed I. The very bottom I had thick small soot that I actually used the pointy part of the scraper to get off .it was on there good .after the flame was better and the start up time faster.

 

[boo boo]

I have had to use a wide flat head screw driver to get that crap out. It gets worse when the temps get into the warmer days and cold nights when the stove is up and down four or five times a day

 

[mik_kane]

I use a dust mask and the light that straps to your head..
my wife sez all I need is a canary cause I look like a coal miner when my head is in the stove..

I hope you know about putting it in test mode so you don't get dust in your face

Cleaning tip - During your periodic cleaning, turn the knob to "test" while you clean the firebox to evacuate the ash out the chimney vs. into your room.

 

[gengle]

Great idea on the "headlamp"! I think the crud you're seeing is carbon buildup. I use an assortment of scrapers (paint and otherwise). When I've got the majority of it out/off, I get after it with a brass wire brush and skinned knuckles.

Happy scraping!

 

[Don2222]

Funny you said that cause on my 3rd 7 day cleaning I noticed I. The very bottom I had thick small soot that I actually used the pointy part of the scraper to get off .it was on there good .after the flame was better and the start up time faster.

Hello

That's funny because since I put in the Selkirk DT venting that warms the burn air, I do not get black hardened soot. The ash is always nicee and fluffy so the Harman tool can just pull it out.

 

[Tonyray]

I hope you know about putting it in test mode so you don't get dust in your face

Cleaning tip - During your periodic cleaning, turn the knob to "test" while you clean the firebox to evacuate the ash out the chimney vs. into your room.

yes I do.. very good tip....
Also, When I shut my stove down to do a full clean, it usually takes about 45 minutes till it is Completely shutdown/off. While the exhaust is still running, I start brushing from the heat exchanger down, along the walls into the ashpan etc, taking advantage of the long shutdown process..

 

[Tonyray]

Hello

That's funny because since I put in the Selkirk DT venting that warms the burn air, I do not get black hardened soot. The ash is always nicee and fluffy so the Harman tool can just pull it out.

Selkirk DT venting that warms the burn air
what exactly is that? same as an OAK Kit?

 

[mik_kane]

Selkirk DT venting that warms the burn air
what exactly is that? same as an OAK Kit?

(broken link removed to http://www.selkirkcorp.com/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=8420)

 

[Tonyray]

I have had to use a wide flat head screw driver to get that crap out. It gets worse when the temps get into the warmer days and cold nights when the stove is up and down four or five times a day

I always brush the ash out before ignition when turning stove on.. really helps to light faster.
also takes a minute or 2 to open the igniter compartment and pull the ash particles out with my finger.
I'm getting pretty good at doing all these little things daily that i used to wait till the 7 day full cleaning to do.

 

[Don2222]

Selkirk DT venting that warms the burn air
what exactly is that? same as an OAK Kit?

No, the venting has an additional wall that brings in the fresh air around the warm flue pipe and then has a flex hose to connect into the stove's air inlet tube. The best venting for a pellet stove.

 

[boo boo]

my wife sez all I need is a canary cause I look like a coal miner when my head is in the stove..[/quote]
Roll playing

 

[Tonyray]

No, the venting has an additional wall that brings in the fresh air around the warm flue pipe and then has a flex hose to connect into the stove's air inlet tube. The best venting for a pellet stove. I sell quite alot of it.

let us know if you continue to never have any hard deposits to scrape from the burnpot...didn't know that was possible.

 

[mik_kane]

It is designed to use the outside jacket of the exhaust for an OAK. Warms the air that comes in.

 

[Don2222]

let us know if you continue to never have any hard deposits to scrape from the burnpot...didn't know that was possible.

Sure will, it has been 4 months so far and that is using Green Supreme Pellets from Lowes

 

[Tonyray]

Sure will, it has been 4 months so far and that is using Green Supreme Pellets from Lowes

Green Supremes are a good test...middle to low grade pellets but hell, if they give heat and cheap, why not..

 

[Don2222]

Green Supremes are a good test...middle to low grade pellets but hell, if they give heat and cheap, why not..

Yes, they are not the worst pellet but not the best either. We burned 3 tons this year already, so I ran out last Sunday morning and scooped up another ton for $220.
The ash pan is 3/4 full so it will be time for a cleaning soon. It has been a couple weeks or so. Time flies! LOL

 

[Tonyray]

Yes, they are not the worst pellet but not the best either. We burned 3 tons this year already, so I ran out last Sunday morning and scooped up another ton for $220.
The ash pan is 3/4 full so it will be time for a cleaning soon. It has been a couple weeks or so. Time flies! LOL

Home Depot near me got 22 pallets in on past Monday and sold out 2 days later...
prob more to do with " any pellets in a storm' than the brand itself...
still don't know how the word got around so fast here.. think they just had a boatload of people calling for pellets since The HD ran dry last week.

 

[jdinny]

Home Depot near me got 22 pallets in on past Monday and sold out 2 days later...
prob more to do with " any pellets in a storm' than the brand itself...
still don't know how the word got around so fast here.. think they just had a boatload of people calling for pellets since The HD ran dry last week.

Same at HD in Matamoras, 22 pallets of Chow in Tuesday, I was there picking up some insulation today and watched some guy wheel the last 6 bags out. Everyone is in a panic from the cold weather and LP prices soaring. The good thing about HD is prices stay the same, our local hardware store raised the price 20 cents a bag Wednesday.

 

[tonyd]

Find a old screwdriver and bend the first quarter to a half inch of the tip.Then sharpen it. Thats the only way to get to that crud at the bottom . Works for me.

 

[topcat11866]

old wood chisel 1/2 wide works good also

 

[bbfarm]

We have Selkirk venting also, so no crud for us!

 

[m159267]

During extended burns, I turn the Harman scraper upside down and scrape (with the pointed end) the burn pot beneath the burning pellets. Doing this 1-2 times a day (using just 4-5 scrapes), has greatly reduced the carbon buildup in that area..

 

[Tonyray]

During extended burns, I turn the Harman scraper upside down and scrape (with the pointed end) the burn pot beneath the burning pellets. Doing this 1-2 times a day (using just 4-5 scrapes), has greatly reduced the carbon buildup in that area..

yeah..
give it a quickie every day only takes 30 seconds so it doesn't build up..
One thing I have noticed is running in Stove temp, I'm not getting the carbon buildup as before.
I may be wrong, but me thinks the constant high flame/low flame/No flame of room temp/auto
doesn't help when it comes to those hard deposits in the burnpot.