well let me ask

[chrisasst]

on my stove, I can't really get to the circulation fan to clean it. I can see it a little bit from the side through the small gates on the bottom and I can see it from the back if I take the back panel off. I can see dust, etc.. build up on the blades. Can i use forced air ( shop vac blower) to try and blow the dust off? I am guess it would be ok, but I don't know much about the inside of these stoves and I don't want to blow dust into an important area that would effect the stove that I can't really get to.

 

[nailed_nailer]

I find it easy to remove both the combustion blower and the convection blower to clean them.
On mine the convection blower only has 2 screws that hold it into a flange and an electrical connector.
The combustion blower has about 8 flange bolts a mineral wool gasket and an electrical connector.

In either case just unbolt and remove. I find compressed air (outside) to do a great job cleaning the impellers.
On mine the convection blower requires lubrication the combustion blower does not.

Quite a difference in sound output between a clean set of blowers and dirty ones.
When clean, the running stove is much quieter.

Good Luck,
---Nailer---

 

[chrisasst]

well, my problem is I can't seem to get the side panel open so I can get to the fan to take off / clean..

 

[rap69ri]

What brand/model of stove is it?

 

[bostonbaked]

You could do that, but I don't think you should. That ash/soot will fly all around your house. I think your time would be better spent figuring out how to get to the fan and vacuuming it out instead. The only way I would use compressed air is if the stove was sitting outside.

 

[imacman]

I agree w/ Nailed & Baked. (ummm, that's actually funny sounding) :lol:

Don't use compressed air to clean unless you can move the stove outside easily....you'll have a BIG mess.

And removing the fans (if you figure out how to remove the side panels) is the way to go. Did this on my Astoria after I bought it (dealer used) this summer, and the cleaning of the fan blades and the oiling of the convection blower and the auger motor made the stove almost silent when I test burned it.

Since we don't know what stove you have, not much else we can help with.....does your owner manual show how to remove blowers, like mine does?

 

[ktfinch2000]

I also agree take the time and research your manual and take a good look around the panels for removal. You don't want a mess and maybe ruin some other component in the stove. good luck

 

[chrisasst]

I have a kozi 120 (broken link removed to http://www.kozistoves.com/ShopHeater.html)
....I can see how to remove the panels, but the screws are so far in I can not find a long enough screw driver to reach them. Also they are not phillips head screws or flat head screws or even star screws so I am not sure what I need. I guess next week I will go to the dealer and see if they have something.

 

[rap69ri]

I have a kozi 120 (broken link removed to http://www.kozistoves.com/ShopHeater.html)
....I can see how to remove the panels, but the screws are so far in I can not find a long enough screw driver to reach them. Also they are not phillips head screws or flat head screws or even star screws so I am not sure what I need. I guess next week I will go to the dealer and see if they have something.

I just took a look at the manual and it just suggests oiling the circulation motor. Unfortunately I haven't seen one of these stoves up close so I can't tell how the motor comes out. If it's anything like the other units I've worked on there are screws whose heads that are 7/16 to 1/2" that hold the fan in, and using a ratchet with a long extension makes easy work of them.

Good luck

 

[chrisasst]

I just took a look at the manual and it just suggests oiling the circulation motor. Unfortunately I haven't seen one of these stoves up close so I can't tell how the motor comes out. If it's anything like the other units I've worked on there are screws whose heads that are 7/16 to 1/2" that hold the fan in, and using a ratchet with a long extension makes easy work of them.

Good luck

yes, but that is also behind the panel I can't get off. I was thinking about getting a cutter and running down through to cut the screw off but...

 

[pegdot]

I agree that removing the fans to clean them is the best way to go but if you absolutely can't get them out you can use air to clean them the trick is to trap the dust and soot at the back of the fan so that it doesn't blow all over your house. If you can get to the back side of the fan you can attach a small trash bag to it with duct tape to catch any debris that blows through. Still some debris will fly back towards you when you hit it with the air so hold the nozzle of a vaccum in your other hand and do your best to suck it up as it comes out. This is by no means a perfect solution, you'll still have some mess, but it's certainly better than not cleaning your fans.

 

[rap69ri]

I just took a look at the manual and it just suggests oiling the circulation motor. Unfortunately I haven't seen one of these stoves up close so I can't tell how the motor comes out. If it's anything like the other units I've worked on there are screws whose heads that are 7/16 to 1/2" that hold the fan in, and using a ratchet with a long extension makes easy work of them.

Good luck

yes, but that is also behind the panel I can't get off. I was thinking about getting a cutter and running down through to cut the screw off but...

So all of the screws that hold the panel(s) in place are out and it still won't come off? Maybe it's time for a little persuasion; small prybar, constant pressure and a yank with the hands should break it free.

 

[chrisasst]

.

So all of the screws that hold the panel(s) in place are out and it still won't come off? Maybe it's time for a little persuasion; small prybar, constant pressure and a yank with the hands should break it free.[/quote]

no the panel screws are not out..I did finally get one loose out of the two but the other one I am stripping the head of so I really am stuck there...

 

[DiggerJim]

no the panel screws are not out..I did finally get one loose out of the two but the other one I am stripping the head of so I really am stuck there...

Before you resort to an EZ-Out try grinding opposite sides of the head flat and using an adjustable wrench to back it out. A pair of Vise-Grips sometimes works but usually slips on the head but you can try cranking one of those down really hard. Otherwise it's time for the EZ-Out so you're not left with the shank in the stove and no way to get it out.

 

[swalz]

Looks like you need to get a Robertson (square head) screwdriver most likely #2 from Sears or Home Depot. I pulled the following from the manual.

Oil the circulation fan motor. To oil the motor bearings, the right hand
side panel must first be opened. This is done by removing the 2 screws
near the front of the stove as shown in Figure 23. Use a Robertson
(square head) or Common (flat head) screwdriver to remove the screws.
You will now be able to swing the panel open and access the circulation
fan. There are 2 oil ports located on the top of the motor, one near the
end and one near the fan housing as shown in Figure 24. There may be
rubber plugs in one or both of these oil ports. These plugs must be
removed prior to and replaced after oiling.