What do you use for a vacuum for your pellet stove?

[CanadaClinker]

I use a 6.5 Hp Shop Vac located in the corner of the basement just below the stove which is on the main floor. I cut a 2 1/4 inch hole through the floor next to the hearth / stove and mounted a shop vac wand pipe which just sticks up 2 inches and is held in place with 2 hose clamps (one above floor and one below floor).

Next I installed a light switch next to it under the lip of the hearth with male and female plugs coming from it (which I tucked thru the floor into the basement thru a seperate 1/2 inch hole). I can now contol the shop vac from the hearth location upstairs with the noise downstairs.

When not cleaning the stove with it, I store the 1 1/4 flex pipe in a box next to the stove and put a cap on the 2 1/4 inch port to cover it. (used a black ABS threaded cap with the threads filed down to fit snugly in the wand pipe end coming thru the floor). Just my poor mans centra vac. Use a drywall filter bag also. Sure nice having the noise in the basement (where I can barely hear it) and just the pure suction sound next to the stove for cleaning.

P.S. If I need my shop vac for another big job somewhere else, I can just unplug it in 15 secs and take it to where I need it. :coolsmile:

 

[LewLasher]

Shop vac from walmart and a drywall bag. Already had the vac just needed the bag.

There are lots of models of shop vac; which one did you get?

 

[LewLasher]

Actually, at the risk of repeating myself, my question was not "what do you use for a vacuum for your pellet stove?" but "are there suitable vacuums available for less than $100?"

 

[fluemasterjr]

I use both the shop vac and the Ash vac there are pros and cons to both the shop vac is a ridged $69.99. I think its a 5 gallon it has a hepa filter and a dust bag the sucking power is excellent but the only down fall it that i have had the filters plug and collapse and i dusted a basement if you are carful this works good. the ash vac doesn't quite have the sucking power the shop vac has but it is fine for cleaning up pellet stoves. the best part of the ash vac is the filter there is a little rod the you shake and it cleans the filter and you can keep cleaning. if the canister and lid was heaver on the ash vac i would carry on on my service truck.

 

[MCPO]

I think too much emphasis is made of *what vacuum should I use* . Cleaning a pellet stove should not require anything but a basic inexpensive vacuum cleaner. Yes, anything that will suck up dust but it also begs for the use of a little common sense .

Whatever type of vac you use , it will require a fine dust filter or some kind of alteration to prevent the fine dust from exiting the vacuum cleaner into the room and you really need to let the stove cool till pellets embers are extinguished before vacuuming.
Personally I think it`s rediculous to blow $200 on a dedicated pellet stove vacuum cleaner when all you need to do is let the stove cool .

http://www.pbase.com/johnd1/image/100614117.jpg

 

[MCPO]

I think too much emphasis is made of *what vacuum should I use* . Cleaning a pellet stove should not require anything but a basic inexpensive vacuum cleaner. Yes, anything that will suck up dust but it also begs for the use of a little common sense .

Whatever type of vac you use , it will require a fine dust filter or some kind of alteration to prevent the fine dust from exiting the vacuum cleaner into the room and you really need to let the stove cool till pellets embers are extinguished before vacuuming.
Personally I think it`s rediculous to blow $200 on a dedicated pellet stove vacuum cleaner when all you need to do is let the stove cool .
Here`s my $2 fine dust filter on my 25 yr old shop vac that also serves to blow out my in ground pool lines every fall.

http://www.pbase.com/johnd1/image/100614117.jpg