Leaf Blower Trick St. Croix (and others) Tips

[mkpanache]

Cleanstove is a huge difference.

Do a youtube search on pellet stove leaf blower trick. It shows it from a rooftop chimney. I don't think it needs to be any more powerful. Ash is light. Just hard to get to.

Fantastic! I have a love/ hate relationship with my stove.

 

[imacman]

I have a Harman XXV and I want to try the leaf blower trick. I'm wondering if it is better to keep the stove door closed or partially open when doing the trick. I'm also wondering if it will work with the XXV.
Chuck

Keeping the door partially open will give you a better draft.

Some people have a "helper" open & close the stove door while the blower is running.

 

[The Other One]

This is what I was wondering as well. After a little over a month, I have a light #2 issue again, and I have been vacuuming my stove nearly every day.

If you do not already have this, you need it:
(broken link removed to http://www.eventempinc.com/stcroix/downloads/dig1/Digital_Control_Board_Service_Manual-Pellet.pdf)
That is the manual that doesn't come with your stove that explains all the things you don't know. St. Croix now has video manuals on their web site as well. (broken link removed to http://stcroixstoves.com/manuals.php) There are some good videos of what things are supposed to look like.

I have noticed that cheap pellets make my St. Croix Hastings stove dirty. All hardwood work much better. The leaf blower is really going to help. You may find you need to do it more often, but a $40 blower/vac is cheaper than the cleaning prices I saw that you were quoted.

Do you blow on the vacuum tube to clean it out? That could be your issue if your stove gets dirty quickly. Disconnect it from the vaccum switch and blow. I also saw that you said that your stove over flows with pellets. If you read the manual there is a way to lower the pellet feed rate. I am not sure of the exact issues with your stove, but you should deffinitely be able to run it at the high settings. If you were never able to, this is an install issue or some kind of defect. I believe that you have had this stove for a while and the dealer or manufacturer may no longer be willing to help for free, but if you have not had it long, deffinitely contact both.

 

[chuckster]

I have the Toro leaf blower just sitting in the cellar so Tuesday I will do a regular weekly cleaning then try the trick and see how much more comes out of the XXV. I went on UTube and watched a bunch of videos showing how to do it and now I'm ready to have a go at it.
Chuck

 

[mkpanache]

This is what I was wondering as well. After a little over a month, I have a light #2 issue again, and I have been vacuuming my stove nearly every day.

If you do not already have this, you need it:
(broken link removed to http://www.eventempinc.com/stcroix/downloads/dig1/Digital_Control_Board_Service_Manual-Pellet.pdf)
That is the manual that doesn't come with your stove that explains all the things you don't know. St. Croix now has video manuals on their web site as well. (broken link removed to http://stcroixstoves.com/manuals.php) There are some good videos of what things are supposed to look like.

I have noticed that cheap pellets make my St. Croix Hastings stove dirty. All hardwood work much better. The leaf blower is really going to help. You may find you need to do it more often, but a $40 blower/vac is cheaper than the cleaning prices I saw that you were quoted.

Do you blow on the vacuum tube to clean it out? That could be your issue if your stove gets dirty quickly. Disconnect it from the vaccum switch and blow. I also saw that you said that your stove over flows with pellets. If you read the manual there is a way to lower the pellet feed rate. I am not sure of the exact issues with your stove, but you should deffinitely be able to run it at the high settings. If you were never able to, this is an install issue or some kind of defect. I believe that you have had this stove for a while and the dealer or manufacturer may no longer be willing to help for free, but if you have not had it long, deffinitely contact both.

Thank you My wife figured out how to adjust the feed rate, so we are no longer overflowing, and we also found those videos. Finally, after the January cleaning, we have the correct looking flame - for the first time ever. We have had the stove since 2009, and we have always had issues; we bought it when gas skyrocketed. Light #2 went on 6 months into ownership, and within 3 months, we went through several control panels. I called the dealer, and she said what is going on is not right. She gave me a few numbers to call, and they said the leaf blower trick should work. I feel at my wit's end.

This stove, for all it's worth, is great. It heats my house like nobody's business. If only it ran well. I can't help but wonder how much is the stove and how much is us, yanno?

You are all awesome here Thanks so much!

 

[Andy P.]

Also, do Harmans have these vacuum switches that need to be disonnected?

 

[smoke show]

Me and many others just leave the door open with no ill affects.

 

[The Other One]

I would be surprised if a stove did not have a vacuum switch, but my knowledge is only in the St. Croix Hastings model. Most people just leave the door open. Logically, the leaf blower trick may even work better with the door open because you will be pulling air from the door opening and the ash will move from there. Otherwise you are pulling air from your intake. I haven't tried the door open yet, but have noticed leaving different compartments open helps to clean different parts of the stove (as was the point of this thread). Also, I am not even sure with everything closed and the vacuum switch connected that the leaf blower would actually damage the switch. I disconnect it because its easy to do and I would not be able to run the stove with the switch broken. Also, I blow out the vacuum tube as part of my cleaning. The door open will definitely keep the vacuum switch safe. There will not be enough vacuum to trigger the switch with the door open.

 

[heat seeker]

I do mine with the door open, with the idea that I'll get more air movement. The OAK is a pretty small diameter and would restrict the airflow at the rate the leaf blower moves air, and air movement is the goal. When I check my ash traps after the LBT, they are virtually empty of any ash. Kudos to whoever came up with this idea!

 

[Dinger]

I take the few seconds to pull the panel and unhook the line. Then I have the panel off and can clean the convection fan as well.

I LBT after a full interior cleaning and vacuum. I fire the blower with the door open, and go inside and brush the exchange tube corners etc. I the close the door, and am amazed at the ash movement from inside the box. The LB really creates a nice vacuum in the box and pulls everything out that I missed.

Just .02$

 

[TheBean]

Is it just me or does the LBT seem to take away from the super clean and efficient nature of burning pellets? Kinda like changing the oil in your car and dumping the old stuff on the ground. I don't think my neighbors would appreciate all that super fine ash blowing in the wind. Shop vac with with a fine filter? There's gotta be a better way... Just sayin'

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Is it just me or does the LBT seem to take away from the super clean and efficient nature of burning pellets? Kinda like changing the oil in your car and dumping the old stuff on the ground. I don't think my neighbors would appreciate all that super fine ash blowing in the wind. Shop vac with with a fine filter? There's gotta be a better way... Just sayin'

Yes there is, don't burn.

But if you aim it towards the ground most of it stops long before going any distance.

One is always trading one problem for another.

Take cars as but one example.

 

[heat seeker]

The ash is organic and decomposes, and is used by some as a fertilizer in the garden, or lawn. Better than petroleum byproducts, I think.

 

[TheBean]

Honestly I'm not trying pick a fight here, but we as burners are ultimately responsible for our actions. The wood stove and pellet stove industry can build the cleanest burning and most efficient products, the gov't can pass all the regs they want. If we don't burn and maintain our stoves responsibly what's the point? I agree nothing is perfect but....My .02

 

[PA_Clinker]

Honestly I'm not trying pick a fight here, but we as burners are ultimately responsible for our actions. The wood stove and pellet stove industry can build the cleanest burning and most efficient products, the gov't can pass all the regs they want. If we don't burn and maintain our stoves responsibly what's the point? I agree nothing is perfect but....My .02

Do you burn wood pellets?