How Often Do You Shut Down and Clean?

 
Ross
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Post by Ross » Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 8:25 pm

Hi, it's my 3rd season with a Surdiac Gotha. The past two seasons I shut it down about every six weeks and cleaned out the exchanger in back etc. This season I have been running it without cleaning it yet, fired it up on October 17th. I haven't been running it hot, thermometer on the grate never breaks 250f. Is there any reason to shut down and clean it? Seems to be burning just fine. Safety issues?


 
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2001Sierra
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Post by 2001Sierra » Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 9:27 pm

Cleaning it out is like getting a "new" girlfriend. The energy is not realized until the difference is noticed after a thorough cleaning. But again I have been married 30 years so my opinion might be dated.

 
titleist1
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Post by titleist1 » Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 9:34 pm

2001Sierra wrote:Cleaning it out is like getting a "new" girlfriend. The energy is not realized until the difference is noticed after a thorough cleaning. But again I have been married 30 years so my opinion might be dated.


:what: :gee: I must admit I am not able to wrap my head around the -having enough energy to give your new girlfriend a thorough cleaning- analogy... :lol:

Besides the heat output, usually the key question is how is the draft? If you get fly ash built up in any horizontal section of the flue pipe or somewhere in the stove that impedes the draft then you should clean it.

 
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2001Sierra
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Post by 2001Sierra » Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 9:40 pm

I meant the energy acquired when one gets a new girlfriend. Sorry for any confusion. No other intentions assumed or implied. :oops:

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Tue. Feb. 08, 2011 11:18 pm

2001Sierra wrote:I meant the energy acquired when one gets a new girlfriend. Sorry for any confusion. No other intentions assumed or implied. :oops:
I'm glad you cleared that up.

 
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grizzly2
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Post by grizzly2 » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 4:55 am

[.[/quote]

:what: :gee: I must admit I am not able to wrap my head around the -having enough energy to give your new girlfriend a thorough cleaning- analogy... :lol:

:rofl:

I only clean my stove after it has burned out when away from home. I have gone all season without cleaning it though. But then I don't have the heat exchanger area to load up with ash that you do. :dancing:

 
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dtzackus
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Post by dtzackus » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 5:51 am

I normally shut down every 4 to 6 weeks depending on the ash build up. When I notice the ash build up is getting really bad, I tend to even try to dig it out of the fire box, but sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't.

Still I rather shut it down than pay over $3 a gallon for oil...

Dan


 
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I'm On Fire
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Post by I'm On Fire » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 6:33 am

I either vacuum the horizontal run out or I take some compressed air and blow it out.

 
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Chuck_Steak
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Post by Chuck_Steak » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 8:11 am

Once.
I do mine when I shut it down in the spring.

Dan

 
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Tim
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Post by Tim » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 8:31 am

I do not plan to shut mine down until I need to when the weather warms up.
She is runnin WAY TO GOOD to shut her down ...especially today ...zero outside!...lol

 
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Cap
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Post by Cap » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 6:13 pm

Hey Ross, good question!

I think the answer lies within your stove. I don't think it hurts to periodically shop vac out all of the fly ash. I'm not sure if it is 100% necessary. Certainly can't hurt if you feel like it is necessary. Do I do it? yes I do. I shutdown just prior to our first really cold stretch in order to swap out firebox reducers and again late Feb in order to reinstall the reducer. This is a fine time to clean out what I can reach. 2x per season plus end of season in May.

 
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wsherrick
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Post by wsherrick » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 6:52 pm

Tim wrote:I do not plan to shut mine down until I need to when the weather warms up.
She is runnin WAY TO GOOD to shut her down ...especially today ...zero outside!...lol
Mine is purring along just perfectly. There is no need to shut the stove down for a cleaning, it never needs it. It will get its annual cleaning and inspection in June. :D

 
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oliver power
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Post by oliver power » Wed. Feb. 09, 2011 7:47 pm

grizzly2 wrote:[.


:what: :gee: I must admit I am not able to wrap my head around the -having enough energy to give your new girlfriend a thorough cleaning- analogy... :lol:

:rofl:

I only clean my stove after it has burned out when away from home. I have gone all season without cleaning it though. But then I don't have the heat exchanger area to load up with ash that you do. :dancing:[/quote] Another plus for the HITZER EZ-Flows

 
Lee1
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Post by Lee1 » Thu. Feb. 10, 2011 7:25 am

I have a Alaska stoker, I shut down about once a month and clean everything (vaccum, blow out ) oil motors. Yes its a pain but boy it runs great afterwords.

 
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SMITTY
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Post by SMITTY » Thu. Feb. 10, 2011 7:27 am

Once a season for me. I clean it while it's still warm, then spray it down with LPS-3 or Cosmoline. All set until next fall.


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