Leaf Blower Trick - equipment

[scotthershall]

So we all know about the "leaf blower trick" and how it works. Newbies, such as myself, read about it on here and see the Youtube videos, then start looking around for the necessary equipment to perform the trick. I didn't have an electric leaf blower, just my big back pack blower, so I started to research what models might have the proper sized attachments to make it work. As it turns out this information is not particularly easy to come by... so for those looking right now (fall 2016), here is what I found worked.

Leaf blower/vacuum - Black & Decker Model BV3100. https://www.lowes.com/pd/BLACK-DECK...H-Sweeper-Corded-Electric-Leaf-Blower/3726783 Currently $42.98

Connector - 4" to 3" flexible PVC coupling, Fernco or similar. https://www.lowes.com/pd/AMERICAN-VALVE-4-in-x-3-in-Dia-Flexible-PVC-Coupling-Fittings/1065531 $9.93 (If you have a 4" pellet vent, I imagine a 4" to 4" coupling will work.)

The leaf blower has a vacuum attachment that comes in two sections. The end of first section fits the 4" side of the flexible coupling perfectly (the other end of this section connects to the blower). You won't need the second section of pipe for this. Of course, the 3" side of the coupling will fit your 3" pellet vent perfectly. If you'd like, you can tighten the pipe clamps but that doesn't seem necessary.

The blower/vacuum certainly has enough oomph to clean out all the nooks and crannies. It has two speed settings. The lower setting pulls out a lot of soot, and the higher setting pulls out even more. Just remember to disconnect your vacuum line first!

Now that the leaves are on the ground, I'll have to see if this thing actually mulches leaves like it's supposedly designed to do...

Hope this helps someone...

 

[Mt Bob]

Well never have done it,neither of my installs need it,and do not clean flues,but thank you for the good information.

 

[bags]

Well never have done it,neither of my installs need it,and do not clean flues,but thank you for the good information.

I am sold on the short and straight out exhaust for many reasons but I know many do not have that luxury.

Good info Scott and I'm sure it will be helpful to many. Honestly pellet stoves are simple to install, own, maintain, and clean. But it can be a flood or info, tips, tricks, etc; when one first gets going. Once you get the feel and have some understanding it is a walk in the park.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Honestly pellet stoves are simple to install, own, maintain, and clean.

Easy to say when you have a Harman unfortunately I'd use the term PITA to describe cleaning mine.

The LBT worked ok when I was using my existing 5.5" flue liner up my chimney, the intake tube of the leaf blower would slip right inside, and a couple of wraps of duct tape would seal it well enough for a use. But with the complex passage ways (catacombs?) of the Englander combined with the tall and large volume of the chimney, the LBT would only pick up the really loose or airborn stuff. I could still see piles of ash sitting right in the bottom of the exhaust port while the leaf blower was running . I tried various tricks like bringing in a portable air tank with a blaster to loosen stuff and get it airborne while the leaf blower was running. It never got it all though. And in attempt to solve some of my stove issues I swapped the 5.5" stove liner to 4" pelletvent and the leaf blower doesn't fit it anymore. I need to just fashion up a small hose I can fit onto my ash vac to fish it deep into those catacombs.

 

[bags]

Easy to say when you have a Harman unfortunately I'd use the term PITA to describe cleaning mine.

The LBT worked ok when I was using my existing 5.5" flue liner up my chimney, the intake tube of the leaf blower would slip right inside, and a couple of wraps of duct tape would seal it well enough for a use. But with the complex passage ways (catacombs?) of the Englander combined with the tall and large volume of the chimney, the LBT would only pick up the really loose or airborn stuff. I could still see piles of ash sitting right in the bottom of the exhaust port while the leaf blower was running . I tried various tricks like bringing in a portable air tank with a blaster to loosen stuff and get it airborne while the leaf blower was running. It never got it all though. And in attempt to solve some of my stove issues I swapped the 5.5" stove liner to 4" pelletvent and the leaf blower doesn't fit it anymore. I need to just fashion up a small hose I can fit onto my ash vac to fish it deep into those catacombs.

They have clear tubing at local hardware etc; that comes in various diameters on the cheap per foot. I have rigged similar set ups as to what you are saying Ohio. Works like a charm. I also found a set of vacuum attachments and reducers at Harbor Freight for a couple of bucks that go from standard vac hose down to smaller various sizes. Duct tape may still be involved but I have made a couple of different "rigs" for specific cleaning duties here.

 

[rich2500]

I need to just fashion up a small hose I can fit ontomy ashvac to fish it deep into those catacombs.


That's the ticket right there. Going into my 16th year burning pellets and never used no leaf blower and never had a stove block up .

 

[DneprDave]

The cap on my vent comes apart leaving an eight inch diameter metal disc with the vent hole in the middle attached to the vent pipe. I took the air intake grill off of my leaf blower and just lay the leaf blower over the disc on top of the vent, it seals well while I hold it in place and I don't need any adaptors.

I made a cardboard adaptor for my garage vent as it is direct vented, it is a cardboard circle 8 " in diameter with a four inch hole in the middle. I tape it over the air intake of the leaf blower and line it up with the vent hole on the vent pipe, that works too. No series of special hardware fittings needed.

 

[scotthershall]

Quick update with pics.

Final setup:

Adapter:

Connected to vent pipe:

It mulches leaves pretty good too:

 

[pete7713]

I don't want to see leaves I want to see that beautiful black cloud of ashes

 

[rickwai]

I have a Worx brand leaf blower. The 1st section that hooks to the blower fits over 3" pipe so I just push it up against wall thimble to make a seal. I cut the second 2nd section off to about 8", it is the belled out section and it seals off on 4" nicely.

 

[salt & battery]

I tried the leaf blower trick got good suction but only a little dust came out. what really worked for me was taking the stove a P43 outside opening every door took the plate off the bottom of the burn pot took the plate off the back where the fines collect and blasted it with a powerful blower in every opening both ways if possible. it looked like Mt St Helens went off again . the dust that came out was unreal and that was after I cleaned it being the ash can was full

 

[rickwai]

I tried the leaf blower trick got good suction but only a little dust came out. what really worked for me was taking the stove a P43 outside opening every door took the plate off the bottom of the burn pot took the plate off the back where the fines collect and blasted it with a powerful blower in every opening both ways if possible. it looked like Mt St Helens went off again . the dust that came out was unreal and that was after I cleaned it being the ash can was full

No need to take a Harman outside to clean or blow it out. You can get to all areas of the stove and passages. Plus Harmans are so heavy! Run your 3 inch brush thru the exhaust tunnel and that cleans tunnel and ESP. No need to remove ESP, just make sure it is not caked with ash. It does not have to be shiny. The discoloring of the probe is not a very good insulator from the 200-300f exhaust gases passing by it.

 

[tbear853]

Gonna look at this leaf blower .....

 

[Tails1]

I have one of those leaf blowers the OP mentions out in the shed, now I know what I need to buy to adapt it, much obliged .

 

[Tonyray]

This Cheapy Home depot "Homelite" fits a 4" pipe perfectly...
fits righ tin..

 

[scotthershall]

I don't want to see leaves I want to see that beautiful black cloud of ashes

I tried, but I was a one-man, tripod-less operation when I did this!

It is amazing how much ash comes out, though. It was black for a moment while getting remnants of what I brushed out of the vent pipe, then heavy gray for about 30 seconds which tapered off. But even for the next two minutes there was light gray ash coming out, which tapered to wisps every second or so. I eventually had enough and turned it off.

Also nice to see the 4" pipe needs no adapter. Looks like Homelite, B&D, and probably a few others "badgeneer" their cheap blowers... For less than $45, I'm not complaining!

 

[Jigger]

I don't want to see leaves I want to see that beautiful black cloud of ashes

The neighbor across the street was coming up the hill the last time I did it. She thought my house had exploded.

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[Dr.Faustus]

I love the LBT on my PDVC. Its quick and easy, sucks out of a lot of ash. I do find however that it does not clean enough of the ash out of the passageways to call it "clean"

The biggest benefit the leaf blower has for me is that i leave it on while i clean the stove inside, including hitting the insides with compressed air. the leaf blower sucks out all the resulting dust and none gets in the house.

 

[OhioBurner©]

I am going to try to revisit doing the LBT if I can get an adapter to work with mine or maybe pick up the leaf blower Tony is using. I'm getting to my wits end this year keeping this thing clean burning. With my length of pipe it seems to reduce the leaf blowers effectiveness, I wonder is there a small brush on very flexible rod on can try feeding through the firebox to loosen the crud up while the leaf blower is then sucking up all the airborne stuff? Something like a lint brush for drying or drain snake kind of thing? I suppose each stove has different sized openings and chambers so this might not be universal.

 

[Lake Girl]

Dryer lint brush works well on mine but the exhaust passages are straight up from the inspection ports. I also snake a hose, attached to an micro-tool adapter for the shop vac, into the cavity. I find that the more the stove cools, the ash seems to loosen easier ... usually run the brush, then hose, then repeat. The hard part on mine seems to be the smoke shelf that requires a scrape in the corners with a putty knife because the heat exchanger rake compacts the ash there. One of those trial & error things...

 

[tbear853]

Today wife and I took a ride to visit a K-mart near by (love K-mart, no where near the crowds of that other place) and then, planned on visit to new Harbor Frt across road and etc .... before supper (Mexican tonight) and we found what we wnt looking for at K-mart .... then she was looking at Christmas wrapping stuff (70% off) I walked back through garden part and they had one Craftsman # 71.30376 ... 12 amp ... 2 speed (180 / 240 mph) leaf blower / vac with bag, tubes, etc .... and it has a metal impeller. $46.99 it was marked and so I scarfed it up.

My old one is like 7 amps, was just a blower, and I been looking for something more powerful anyway. Wife is looking forwards to the leaf pick up use.

 

[Lake Girl]

Wife is looking forwards to the leaf pick up use.

But tbear is looking forward to cleaning his pellet stove I keep looking but I never find deals like that!

 

[tbear853]

Well, I looked on line and saw it's the same sale price at $46.99 now (normal is like $59 I think), but free shipping is only on orders over $49.00? Likely store pickup is just like I found it. I'm also looking forwards to using it to blow light fluffy snow away from the kitchen door / carport where it stays shaded and drying the cars after washing.

Here: http://www.sears.com/craftsman-2-sp...SellerId=Sears&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

Here they are reconditioned cheaper: http://www.searsoutlet.com/2-Speed-Blower-Vac/d/product_details.jsp?pid=141358&mode=seeAll

Here they are ... hi dollar though: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001W3J7XA/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[DDJR]

Hmmm... I'm afraid I'm not clear on the lbt. I have been using the exhaust port of my shop vac to blow out the chimney, which I unattached from the back of the stove. I put the hose in, wrap an old T-shirt around the two pipes and turn on the shop vac. Blows a black cloud out of the top of the chimney for a few seconds. Last time, thinking I could blow out all the inner passageways, I put the exhaust port hose over the air intake on the stove. Blew it out. Big black cloud, just like when i blow out the chimney. Are you guys using vacuum (suck) as opposed to blowing? And where are you attaching the blower/sucker to and why/why not?

 

[rich2500]

Correct,.When doing the lbt it's using suction to suck out the stove and pipe. Depending on the exhaust run depends on how you hook up the leaf blower. I plug my vent at the top and hook the leaf blower on the clean out tee.