What Pellet Pellet Stove Ash Vacuum do you have and what do you like about it?

[Don2222]

Hello
Was not quite happy with the old metal shop vac so I picked up a new Power Smith when I was in the warehouse.
It holds 3 gals of ash and has a nice protective filter bag that covers the powerful 10 amp Motor.
It is very compact with a nice carry handle but has a very long cord and even a red full indicator!
So what do you have?
Pics too?

Pic 1 - old vac
Pic 2 - new power smith with my good commercial hose and ash trap cleaner and extra exhaust filter.
Pic 3 - filter on motor and ash comes in and falls to the bottom
Pic 4 - Red full indicator

See video

 

[Jhawknseattle]

I have the same powersmith vacuum you have. Not crazy about it though. Have to clean the filter every time I use it it seems. Does the job though. I like your end attachment, the one that came with it is lacking.

 

[Stovensen]

Don, is your new PowerSmith ashvac the same model ( PAVC101 ) as on this picture?


If so, it gets good reviews on the internet. On this list it gets the second best rating ..."5 Best Ash Vacuum Reviews"
https://www.vacuumkoo.com/best-ash-vacuum-reviews/

A couple of years ago I bought an ashvac with a Hepa fine particle filter. Not really happy about it. The Hepa filter has to be cleaned every time it is used.
My ashvac is not a PowerSmith. I'll take some pics of it and return with my review, and also my plans of how to improve the ashvac-situation here. See ya.

 

[BackDoc]

I just ordered this after doing almost zero research. I may regret it. I will know in a few days.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0060EUA32/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[Jhawknseattle]

Same one I have, it does a good job, just hate having to clean the filter out every time. I' not positive if I have to, put it seems to get really hot if I don't.

 

[stellep]

I run my same Powersmith for 4-5 minutes most every day. I have cleaned the filter once this year.

Should I be worried?

 

[Paulinator]

I have this. PowerSmith PAVC101 10 Amp Ash Vacuum. I bought the extra attachment kit, it runs like a champ.

 

[Paulinator]

I run my same Powersmith for 4-5 minutes most every day. I have cleaned the filter once this year.

Should I be worried?

After a year I took out the filter and blew it out with my compressor. You can tell when the filter gets clogged, it won't vacuum as well and the motor is working harder. It wouldn't hurt to give it a cleaning though.

 

[stellep]

Some history.

When I first got the Powersmith, I would empty the canister and clean the filter every time I emptied the ash pot. Maybe 8 times per season. I would have maybe 1/2 inch or so in the canister.

Then I read somewhere(perhaps here) of someone who never emptied the ash drawer but vacuumed it out with the Powersmith. Then that person would empty the Powersmith when they thought the canister was too heavy.

So, after the last clean, I decided to let it go and see what happens.

So far, nothing. Still plenty of suction.

The indicator is deceptive though. I reads close to full quickly, but it is not even close to full and the filter is still clean,

 

[Stovensen]

After a year I took out the filter and blew it out with my compressor.

In the owner's manual they warn against the use of compressed air for cleaning, but hey, shouldn't the filter fabric be designed to take some air pressure? I guess if the pressure is reduced on the regulator, the fabric won't get damaged by the air impact from the nozzle.



Link to manual:
https://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/0c/0c8c22ea-4987-45c3-862b-8516ab257456.pdf

 

[Ssyko]

If you have the room in you vac your local lowes, HD, Ace, hardware carry a vac bag made for dry wall. The ones i get are yellow and you get 2 bags for around $15

 

[Pelleting In NJ]

Shopvac with a Gore Cleanstream HEPA filter. The filter is reusable, cleans up with water, and lasts for about 3 years of use.

 

[Don2222]

Don, is your new PowerSmith ashvac the same model ( PAVC101 ) as on this picture?
View attachment 220981

If so, it gets good reviews on the internet. On this list it gets the second best rating ..."5 Best Ash Vacuum Reviews"
https://www.vacuumkoo.com/best-ash-vacuum-reviews/

A couple of years ago I bought an ashvac with a Hepa fine particle filter. Not really happy about it. The Hepa filter has to be cleaned every time it is used.
My ashvac is not a PowerSmith. I'll take some pics of it and return with my review, and also my plans of how to improve the ashvac-situation here. See ya.

Yea it is the 10 amp model

This SootMaster 641M might be better but it costs $500.00!!
http://www.simplyplumbing.com/10061...MIu_ilkdfg2AIVliOBCh37TwmXEAQYAiABEgIhwvD_BwE

 

[bill3rail]

I have been using a Cleva Ash Vac since 2010 and it is good. Just yesterday, I borrowed a commercial ash vacuum from a friend that he used on his oil burner before he switched over to gas heat and hot water. I have not tried it yet, but I did turn it on and the suction is at least 4 times that of the Cleva.

I will shut down the England's pellet stove today to test it.
Details to follow!

 

[bill3rail]

Holy Crap! I just vacuumed my stove with the Sid Harvey Model S14 Soot Vacuum! You can hook the hose onto the output side for blowing if required.

There is NO comparison to the Cleva ashvac!

I only did a quick vacuum of the burn pot and the sides after about four bags of burning and this thing sucks like you would not believe.

I cannot find a price for these online, but it is probably cost prohibitive for most, unless you are a pellet stove technician.

Bill
Parts seem to be available if the vacuum needs repair, which is a huge plus.

Here is a generic photo found online with hose set on outlet side.

 

[Stovensen]

The Hepa filter in my "Quigg" ash vac is covered by a cylindrical metal housing. This housing has a mesh that is a coarse filter protecting the Hepa filter from getting damaged by hard objects like pebbles, nails etc.
The metal mesh gets totally blocked for every deep clean of the pellet stove. On the pic you can see it after only a few minutes of vacuuming.
Ok, the Quigg ash vac was cheap, only DKK 299,- which is app. $50, but I would gladly have paid three times as much for a better quality ash vac.
The hose is also way too short!
It's a real nuisance that every deep clean of the stove has to be followed by a deep clean of the ash vac

 

[Paulinator]

In the owner's manual they warn against the use of compressed air for cleaning, but hey, shouldn't the filter fabric be designed to take some air pressure? I guess if the pressure is reduced on the regulator, the fabric won't get damaged by the air impact from the nozzle.

View attachment 220998

Link to manual:
https://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/0c/0c8c22ea-4987-45c3-862b-8516ab257456.pdf

My compressor is a small one and I used the larger nozzle and did a quick "knock the dust off" blow. The filter is still intact.

 

[stellep]

Ok, the Quigg ash vac was cheap, only DKK 299,- which is app. $50, but I would gladly have paid three times as much for a better quality ash vac.

You might make good use of the Powersmith. I think I paid $70 US for mine.

 

[BUBIBEAR]

I am running three England stove works pellet stoves .I have one ash vac and two others that I picked at Lowes , They all do the job .I am happy as long as they suck .

 

[Stovensen]

You might make good use of the Powersmith. I think I paid $70 US for mine.

Basically mine only has two issues: The metal mesh gets clogged by fly ash very rapidly ( main issue ) and then the hose is too short. Finding a longer hose is possible. They have them in meters in a shop close by.

I'm positive that the issue is caused by the presence of the metal mesh around the Hepa filter. If this could be replaced with the flexible filter bag ( Dacron fabric? ) used in the PowerSmith, I'm sure the problem would disappear.

On my Quigg the diameter of the metal rim, where the motor-top seals with the tank is 29.6 cm = 11.65 inches.
Stellep, if it's possible for you to take a measure of the outer diameter of the sealing rim on the tank, I would be very grateful.

Homedepot has the filter bag for the Powersmith as a replacement part ( $13.16 )
https://www.homedepot.com/p/PowerSmith-Ash-Vacuum-Filter-PAAC301/203656952

 

[zrock]

I just use my good old mastercraft maximum shop vac... thing has so much suction that it will plug the filter instantly if I don't use a bag.. I just gotta watch where I put the nozzle while cleaning. Put it on the floor and my little ones gloves and hat disappeared

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

 

[dozerdean]

I have a power smith vac not much suction. I've been using my Kirby vacuum,works alot better when the disposable bag is full take it off &a throw it away! No mess...

 

[mr meener]

I use a regular shop vac but I run a 20 ft hose on the top where the air blows out to the outside being even with a good filter dust blows back into the house. I do not have to clean the vac cause most of the ash blows outside. trouble is when you use an ash vac it takes as long to clean the vac as the stove lol a pain in the neck
after a month I take the stove out on my deck open every door fine box etc and use a powerful leaf blower to blast out the ash. it looks like Mt Vesuvius the amount of ash that comes out

 

[bill3rail]

I use a regular shop vac but I run a 20 ft hose on the top where the air blows out to the outside being even with a good filter dust blows back into the house.

That is a good idea there! I do get nervous that the soot may blow into the house sometimes.

I do not have to clean the vac cause most of the ash blows outside. trouble is when you use an ash vac it takes as long to clean the vac as the stove lol a pain in the neck

This is definitely not true for me. I only clean the ash vac maybe after burning for a month or more, so cleaning intervals are totally different.

Bill

 

[mr meener]

yes I got a 1 1/4" 20' hose at home cheapo. it was for a small water pump. had the hard plastic ends to put the 2" reducer on to plug it into the top of the vac