E-Classic 2300 season cleaning (pictures)

[ecrane99]

Here are some pics of my stove after 3 seasons of use.  So far, I have had a fusion chamber replaced and a water level sensor go bad.
I also have some cracking in the air channels which my dealer told me is ok.   I need to get a few more years out of this unit to break even on heating costs.  Fingers crossed that it holds together.

Firebox:




Heat exchangers from rear:



Fusion Chamber:



Bypass Door:



Cracks getting largers each year,  Dealer says normal:

Right air channel:




Left air channel:



Rear air channel:



Ed

[Dean186]

Ecrane99, 

It's always nice to have some photos to look at with my coffee.  Your photos of the cracks at the air outlets are the first photos I have seen of this reported concern.  The cracks, at that location, don't  look to me like it would cause a concern for the water jacket integrity.    I would think your unit should meet your goal of a few more years of service and then some.

[woodcutterswife]

Wow - this looks very clean - impressive.

Might I ask how "often" you have to clean this during the burning season?  We have the same burner and it needs a major 2 hour cleaning every two weeks.

We have to use a torch to get the creosote(?) to run back out of the air holes and manually lift/scrap out the gummy creosote from the inside.

Is this normal??

[doctorb]

I would not consider my cleaning every 2-3 weeks as major, and I am not dealing with a lot of creosote during those clean outs, just ash.  It take 20 minutes or so, not 2 hours.

I am concerned about the efficiency of your furnace.  That creosote does form is normal.  However, a hot fire usually takes care of it by itself.  You may have an air starved unit that is just limping by because you've been attentive.  I would also consider removing the upper left solenoid at the back of the stove and cleaning out all ash and creosote from there.  Use a coat hanger to clean out all the air channels within the firebox, and use a shop vac to suck up or blow out any debris in the air flow passage from the back.  My stove worked well this winter and this solenoid channel had a 35 - 40% blockage in it at my end of the the year maintenance.  Others have reported a big increase in stove efficiency when this blockage is removed.

[ecrane99]

Wow - this looks very clean - impressive.

Might I ask how "often" you have to clean this during the burning season?  We have the same burner and it needs a major 2 hour cleaning every two weeks.

We have to use a torch to get the creosote(?) to run back out of the air holes and manually lift/scrap out the gummy creosote from the inside.

Is this normal??

Like DoctorB says, It sounds like you have limited airflow. 

I don't spend much time cleaning duringthe burn season. During the season I:

Shovel out the reaction chamber bi weekley (5 minute job). 

Once mid season, I clean out the top solenoid (30 minute job)

Once every other month I shovel down/scrape the main firebox and clean heat xchers (45 minute job).

I do spend time tinkering with clearing the airholes when I load the firebox each night, but
that doesn't take more than a couple miniutes.



At the end of the season I spend at least a half day cleaning and inpecting the entire stove.

[Dean186]

At the end of the season I spend at least a half day cleaning and inpecting the entire stove.

I just finished with my end of season stove cleaning last week and you have done an impressive job with your end of season cleaning.   What do you find is the best way to remove the creasote build up after the stove has cooled down.  That stuff is like concrete.  I use a concrete chissel and 3 lb hammer, does that sound familar?  I like to get all of the creosote out of the firebox to see what the inside  looks like and to start the next season off right.

[ecrane99]

At the end of the season I spend at least a half day cleaning and inpecting the entire stove.

I just finished with my end of season stove cleaning last week and you have done an impressive job with your end of season cleaning.   What do you find is the best way to remove the creasote build up after the stove has cooled down.  That stuff is like concrete.  I use a concrete chissel and 3 lb hammer, does that sound familar?  I like all of the creosote out of there to see what the inside of the box looks like and to start the next season off right.

I start my end of season cleaning with the stove at full operating temp.  I use a flat shovel to scrape the walls, airchannels and ceiling.  So the stuff comes off much easier than when cooled (still not an easy job ).  I actually end up with a wheelbarrel full of smoking creosote and the remains of coals.

Then I use the prybar that CB sent me to scrape the hard to reach areas of the firebox such as above and below the door frame.  Also use a wire brush, large flatblade screwdriver to clean the bypass door. 

I wear a mask with replacable filters ($20 at sears),  and break out the shop vac to finish.

I usually save an old wornout pair of clothes for the job, and just throw them out when finished.  At the end I am filthy, dirty, sweaty, and tired. 

I should have said it took me most of the day to do this rather than half.  I was being a show off.

[Dean186]

I usually save an old worn out pair of clothes for the job, and just throw them out when finished.  At the end I am filthy, dirty, sweaty, and tired.  

I thought I was the only one that did the old clothes and then toss them method of cleaning.  

We should start a photo thread of what we all look like after the end of season stove clean out.  :D   That might slow the sales of wood burning stoves though.  We would have to be holding our heating bill for the winter in the same photo.  Mine was zero ($0.00) for the last eight months.

Thanks for the tips on your method of clean out.  I will try next year to get more of the creosote out while the stove is hot.  I do scrape the ceiling and walls while it is at a peak in the burn cycle and I get most of the lower box.  But, I never get it all, because ... well it is hot and smokey in the fire box.  After the fire is completely out and the creosote that is left cools, it is difficult, but the firebox temperature is cool and there is no smoke.