Tip to aid bottom up Sooteater cleaning.

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Boiler74

Boiler74

Burning Hunk
Nov 30, 2012
225
West Lafayette, IN
Today was a warm day so I took advantage and let the stove go cold. Cleaned ash, glass, etc. And decided to clean the flue as well. This is the third time using the Sooteater. The first was top down, and wasn't fun. My roof is steep enough that leaning my chest on the chimney and running the Sooteater isn't fun. So before I started burning this season, I ran the Sooteater from the bottom up. I had pulled the T at the bottom of my liner to do some work on it, so it was easy enough. But I just used a trash bag with a hole in it. The bag would wind up around the rods and bind. It worked, but not great. So today I devised a new system, and like it a lot.

[Hearth.com] Tip to aid bottom up Sooteater cleaning.

I took a tall Folgers coffee can and two spare hose clamps. After removing the clean out on the bottom of my T, I quickly realized that the very top lip on the can was keeping the can from sliding onto the T, so I carefully shaved that off and it slid right on. After fitting that, I had to drill a hole for the Sooteater rod. I don't have enough room to go into the bottom of the coffee can, so I went on the side right at the bottom. And this worked because it kept the ash from wanting to fall out. The hole does have to be a larger than the connecting knuckles of the Sooteater, so it isn't a perfect fit or anything. And going on the side a bit allowed a better angle for the cleaning rods to go in and come out.

Obviously you have to put the first section of rod into the flue first, and then get the rod to come out of the hole in the bottom of the can. After that I put on sections to run the brush to the top of the flue. Hooked on the drill and started to clean from the top down.

[Hearth.com] Tip to aid bottom up Sooteater cleaning.

I took a crappy t-shirt and wetted it. Holding it against the can and around the Sooteater rod allowed me to clean the rod as it came out and keep most soot from falling out of the hole.

When I got down to the last section I had to pull the can. This is what I found.

[Hearth.com] Tip to aid bottom up Sooteater cleaning.

Not a lot of soot. And most all was caught by the can. Here it is poured out outside.

[Hearth.com] Tip to aid bottom up Sooteater cleaning.

Now, this wasn't squeaky clean. The last section pulled a bit of soot out into the old t-shirt. But not much. And I knew I wasn't going to fill the can..... if you think you might, this might not work for you. But I was pleased by this system. The only thing I could think to make it better would be to hook up a vacuum to the very bottom of the can to suck up the soot as it fall. But I kinda like to see what comes out, so I would have to devise a dry catch of some sort.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone. I sure did like not having to be on the roof, and how clean this worked. The wet t-shirt really helped both clean the rods as they came out and keep soot in.

Josh
 
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Just confirm, using a Sooteater is ok on a SS flex liner? Mine is a rectangle flex liner made by HomeSaver. Concerned as I know there is a bit of a difference in flex SS liners vs straight SS liners. Thanks in advance.
 
Boiler

Thanks for the tips - I'm going to try your can and wet rag method next time. Plastic bags did not work for me either.

My biggest complaint about the soot eater is I find the spring clips that hold the rods together kind of bind up (possibly from soot) and make them hard to release.
 
Christopix said:
Just confirm, using a Sooteater is ok on a SS flex liner? Mine is a rectangle flex liner made by HomeSaver. Concerned as I know there is a bit of a difference in flex SS liners vs straight SS liners. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I can't answer that. Maybe you should start a new thread in the main forum. I feel ok using it on my round liner. Don't know about rectangle.
 
fire_man said:
Boiler

Thanks for the tips - I'm going to try your can and wet rag method next time. Plastic bags did not work for me either.

My biggest complaint about the soot eater is I find the spring clips that hold the rods together kind of bind up (possibly from soot) and make them hard to release.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they can be a pain. I find if I twist the rod while trying to release it that will help.
 
Boiler74 said:
I find if I twist the rod while trying to release it that will help.
Click to expand...

I'll give that a shot next time.

I kind of miss my old method: go up on the roof, drop a rope down the flue tied to a stiff steel brush at the top. Pull the rope from the bottom until the brush came out. It was super fast compared to the sooteater. One pass and the liner was spotless. I stopped because I put in a brand new liner and decided to stop using the steel brush.

I might try to find a soft bristle stainless brush, seems like the best of all the worlds.
 
fire_man said:
My biggest complaint about the soot eater is I find the spring clips that hold the rods together kind of bind up (possibly from soot) and make them hard to release.
Click to expand...

I found that mine jam up like that due to the rotational force still being applied to the rod. When I need to remove or add a section, I give the rod a little twist in the opposite direction and the clips move every time :)
 
Most of my liner is rigid, but I have a short section of flex, so I guess it's best to stay away from the steel brush anyway.
 
Boiler74 said:
View attachment 123777

I took a tall Folgers coffee can and two spare hose clamps. .....I had to drill a hole for the Sooteater rod. I don't have enough room to go into the bottom of the coffee can, so I went on the side right at the bottom. And this worked because it kept the ash from wanting to fall out. The hole does have to be a larger than the connecting knuckles of the Sooteater, so it isn't a perfect fit or anything. And going on the side a bit allowed a better angle for the cleaning rods to go in and come out.
Josh
Click to expand...

Nice setup!

I am wondering, would it be any better to drill the hole in the coffee can at a higher point? If the hole was up higher you would still have the same access ( I think) and it would allow for more space for the soot to fall/accumulate.;?

Then the soot wouldn't come out with the rods because most of it would be BELOW the hole.
Maybe?
 
CenterTree said:
Nice setup!

I am wondering, would it be any better to drill the hole in the coffee can at a higher point? If the hole was up higher you would still have the same access ( I think) and it would allow for more space for the soot to fall/accumulate.;?

Then the soot wouldn't come out with the rods because most of it would be BELOW the hole.
Maybe?
Click to expand...

Thanks. I think the reason I went low on the can was to keep the sweep of the rods into the liner more towards center. If you're up higher then the rod is closer to one side and less centered. But all setups are different so each will be a little different. The soot really doesn't fall out of the hole I have. The rag more cleans the rods as I withdraw, keeping me and the house cleaner. But if I have to make another can maybe I'll try a bit higher.
 
stainless steel brushes are fine for ss liners just not regular steel brushes.
 
bholler said:
stainless steel brushes are fine for ss liners just not regular steel brushes.
Click to expand...

Due to warranty on liners coming up tonight in another thread, in brushing up on a few brands, two I looked at had a line in them that recommended or required use of plastic brushes to maintain warranty.

Here's what the warranty claims for one : "Flex King Pro: plastic bristle flue cleaning brushes must be used for cleaning" and for another from WoodLandDirect "Plastic bristle flue-cleaning brushes are recommended."

Metal might be fine on some, but not all. Be cautious. If more than the plastic of a soot-eater or poly brush is needed, something else is going wrong that needs addressing.

pen
 
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Good luck finding stainless brushes anyway.
 
Order them from a chimney supply shop bb they are not hard to find at all no the hardware store on the corner doesn't carry them but they are available. And I guarantee power cleaning with a soot- eater is harder on the liner than the soft flat wire ss brushes we use.
 
ok well the viper instructions say other wise but I will check it out. I do know that olimia ventinox and homesaver say ss brushes are ok in their liners. But maybe we are going to have to start checking with more manufacturers
 
bholler said:
I do know that olimia ventinox and homesaver say ss brushes are ok in their liners. But maybe we are going to have to start checking with more manufacturers
Click to expand...

Exactly, each one seems to be different. I'd guess the problem in many cases is that people don't even know what kind of liner is installed. Therefore, the failsafe would be a plastic brush.

As for the soot eater, they aren't spun fast when in operation and are made of very smooth surfaces and what is essentially weed-wacker line. When used properly, they should be pretty darn safe. Only trouble I've ever heard people have with them is that they need to be careful once they get to the cap.

But with any tool, someone, somewhere, has found a way to use it improperly.
 
We use a similar system not soot eater but we never use it on ss liners just on clay and in smoke chambers. Ours is more aggressive though I would be worried about it in a light wall liner for sure. I do like the original posters idea though looks good to me.
 
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