GOOD MORNING. LOOKING TO REPLACE MY ASH VAC WITH EITHER A POWER SMITH PAVC 102 OR A PELLETHEAD. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE POWER SMITHS MOTOR OVERHEATING AND NOT LASTING VERY LONG. THE PELLETHEAD SEEMS TO HAVE FEWER ISSUES AND A MUCH LONGER WARRANTY AND IS RATED SLIGHTLY HIGHER. I PLANNED ON BUYING THE POWER SMITH BUT NOT SURE NOW. HOPING TO GET SOME ADVICE. THANKS
NEW ASH VAC
- Thread starter Boorus
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Tonyray
Minister of Fire
For the small amount of ash from a pellet stove the powersmith for me works fine. Cant see buying a big horsepower unit for that. Maybe a woodstove. It did ovverheat once in me when i used the small plastic tube attatchment for getting in a small area like the ignitor compartment. It shut off but after 20 minutes it was working again. Prob too much coming thru the small diameter of the plastic tube. Think i bought that tube as an accesory. Bad design. Using 3 yrs now and never conked out again.
Attachments
![[Hearth.com] NEW ASH VAC](/talk/data/attachments/258/258785-090a505949bac255bd24b93e5bc21c74.jpg?hash=7QFITNqutS)
ABusWrench
Feeling the Heat
I too have a PowerSmith ash vac. It's 3 or 4 years old. Works fine. Use it for my fireplace too. Would buy it again. Menards has one also for about the same price. Can't vouch for it though.
Ctwoodtick
Minister of Fire
SpaceBus
Minister of Fire
The Power Smith is great! If you keep all the filters clean then it will last a long time, that is key.
Parts are easy to get and easy to fix!
I like the easy to clean bag filter and when you get a hole, just pop in a new bag and it sucks like new!
Pics of mine
www.hearth.com
The On-Off switch finally died and I popped in a better one from Home Depot. $5 !!
See pics
www.hearth.com
Parts are easy to get and easy to fix!
I like the easy to clean bag filter and when you get a hole, just pop in a new bag and it sucks like new!
Pics of mine
Low suction on 10 Amp Power Smith PAVC 102 Ash Vac?
Hello To properly analyze the issue I needed to get a baseline on a brand new ash vac and I used the same commercial hose. Central vacuum installers use a vacuum guage that measures suction power in inches of water lift. A good central vacuum measures 90 on the Guage. So I took out a new...
www.hearth.com
See pics
On-Off switch on Power Smith ash vac broke?
Hello We have a Power Smith PAVC-102 ash vac. After replacing the bag filter and the motor filter the on-off switch broke and the factory does not have any switches at this time either! I just happened to find this heavier 120 VAC SPST rocker at Home Depot for $4.97 and with a little cutting it...
www.hearth.com
I just use a small vacuum from my local canadian tire with a stainless can and bag... Been working great all year with no issue.. Picked it up on sale for about $30 so for me that was a much better alternative instead of spending $200 on a ash vac..
Tonyray
Minister of Fire
Tonyray
Minister of Fire
mtnbiker727
Feeling the Heat
I went to my local hardware store and bought a 5 gallon Shopvac with a bag and a HEPA filter. The filter cost as much as the Shopvac itself.... but I haven't had any issues. And if I feel like it I can put the original filter on and use my Shopvac to do other Shopvac things...
Initially I didn't have a bag, which was a mistake. I'm not sure if I need the HEPA filter now that I have the bag, but I can't return the filter, so....
Initially I didn't have a bag, which was a mistake. I'm not sure if I need the HEPA filter now that I have the bag, but I can't return the filter, so....
Similar threads
