Mid Season Cleaning Today

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 11:21 am

I just shut her down for a quick check and clean of the smoke pipe and cursory brush down of the inside. I figure with the record cold coming, this is as good a time as ever!

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 11:30 am

Waiting for the fire to die out and things to cool a bit. It's been 30 minutes and I still have glowing coals. Good to know a short power interruption won't booger the fire. Curious to see how long she will go.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 1:26 pm

All done with my first ever KA6 Mid Winter Cleanout! WooHoo! Less than an inch of flyash in the elbow coming out of the boiler. Very little on the smoke pipe itself. Thimble had a light coating as does the tile liner as far as I could see up. Quickly brushed everything down inside that I could quickly reach, removed the combustion motor and vacuumed out the few fines that where there. Cleaned the fan blades of slight goop and turned it back on. Now,....this may not be typical but it took me 2 hours from the time I shut the unit off until the time I turned it back on. What amazed me was that I didn't completely lose the fire! 5 minutes running and I had a heap of burning coal. I thought stokers, except for the Big Boys, lost fire in minutes??? Don't worry, small boiler room, opened outside door and window. Digital CO detector remained on 0 ppm. So far, I am VERY satisfied with my stoker boiler!

Post by **Lightning** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 2:12 pm

(I'll cover for Fred Since he's not here right now)

OUTSTANDING --- my friend!!
Sounds like yer ready for the cold spell!!

Post by **Lightning** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 2:34 pm

Actually, I'm gonna make sure my baffles are clean and do a wire brushing at the next shake and re load just to make sure we're at optimum operating conditions...

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 2:42 pm

Thanks substitute Fred! I had an old furnace cleaning brush left over from my fuel oil days. It worked pretty well. Will need to find something better for thorough post season cleaning so I can get all the nooks and crannies. What do others use??? Chimney brush on a short, flexible handle?

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 2:43 pm

Good to be prepared!!!

You have enough bread and milk?

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 2:46 pm

Some bread, some milk,.....more importantly,....plenty of beer and pretzels!

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 2:47 pm

My thinking exactly.

rychw · Post by **rychw** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 9:13 pm

Carbon12 wrote:Thanks substitute Fred! I had an old furnace cleaning brush left over from my fuel oil days. It worked pretty well. Will need to find something better for thorough post season cleaning so I can get all the nooks and crannies. What do others use??? Chimney brush on a short, flexible handle?

RE Michael has a great selection of brushes with long wire handles. I purchased a few and they do a great job.

gitrdonecoal · Post by **gitrdonecoal** » Sun. Jan. 05, 2014 9:24 pm

I did a light cleaning on my 90 this morning while at idle. Taped the sides to let the fly ash down on sides and top. Vaccumed the ash up. Also found on the top of the heat exchanger there is a nice little shelf that ash likes to hang out and chill on. So surprised on how much was up there!