RIDGID Ash Vacuum - review and questions about ash vacuums

[MikeM1968]

Hello all, maybe I can get some input about this.

For safety purposes I recently bought a RIDGID ash vacuum from Home Depot- these are being featured for about $70-$80 and a new item.

When all I had running was my pellet stove, it was easy enough to just stop it and wait. I'd vacuum out the pellet ash with my shop vacuum maybe 12 hrs to a day later. Never any issues because by then, everything was burned out and cold.

Recently I bought a new - englander 30 wood stove and installed it. With a higher likelihood of burning hot coals for a much longer time- I figured I'd better get a real ash vacuum.

The RIDGID ash vacuum has a hepa filter, which is great, but the thing clogs up so quickly- loses suction- and will eventually overheat and shut itself off as a safety feature (understandable).

I never had this kind of clogging with my RIDGID shop vacuum - I could clean out my pellet stove many times before having to clean out its filter because of low suction.

If course a big difference is - the pellet ash isn't anywhere near the quantity that the wood stove ash is. I've never actually measured it - but the pellet stove might produce about 2-4 cups of ash after a week- the wood stove ash easily fills up a 5 gallon bucket after about the same time.

I'm just curious to hear from those who know- is this normal for an ash vacuum? Considering it's sucking up MUCH more ash. The filter isn't as easy to clean out by just tapping it. I've had to blow it out using my air compressor to really get it cleaned- then suction resumes like new again (after making a giant ash cloud)

I'm finding it's easier to just scoop out the majority of the ash into a metal bucket and just use the vacuum for the hard to reach stuff and getting the stuff from between the bricks

 

[blades]

Yep due to type of filter will clog quickly, but that fly ash is in the vac not the room. It is not necessary to clean out the 30 such as you described, in fact it is recommended to leave a shallow covering of ash on the floor of the stove ( note this is in the operators manual). Reality - just shovel it out into a metal bucket 90% removal is more than sufficient . About 1/2 way through the season you might want to remove the ash build up on top of the boards above the secondary pipes. depending on what and how you burn there can be a significant build up there. At the end of the season you can go balistic on it if you so desire.

 

[MikeM1968]

Yep due to type of filter will clog quickly, but that fly ash is in the vac not the room. It is not necessary to clean out the 30 such as you described, in fact it is recommended to leave a shallow covering of ash on the floor of the stove ( note this is in the operators manual). Reality - just shovel it out into a metal bucket 90% removal is more than sufficient . About 1/2 way through the season you might want to remove the ash build up on top of the boards above the secondary pipes. depending on what and how you burn there can be a significant build up there. At the end of the season you can go balistic on it if you so desire.

Thanks- I guess I missed this part about leaving some ash- that known, I will do so from here on.

We had a "warmer " day today here in Northwestern NJ and there was about 2-3" in there, so I figured today would be a good day to get some out again. So rather than the usual ritual of loading it to the gills before bed and closing it up after it catches good- I barely put anything in last night and just let it go overnight (still closing the damper just in case) - still enough hot coals to get it going again if I chose to. Best investment I've made for the home so far.

I almost forgot how chilly this place can get in the mornings (even on a "warmer" for my area November evening) without the stove! LOL really getting spoiled by this thing

 

[Hogwildz]

I only clean once a year, meaning vacuuming ash out, prior to burning season when eweeping chimney. Otherwise, during burning season, just scoop the ash out, leaving that inch or so on the bottom, and keep on going. Put ash bucket outside on none combustible surface, an forget about it for a couple weeks or so.