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Author Topic: Cleaning the intake on an HE 5000  (Read 3855 times)

oldchenowth

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Cleaning the intake on an HE 5000
« on: May 13, 2013, 05:19:51 AM »

Does anyone have a good way to clean the air intake tube on an HE 5000?  Mine is all crusted up with creosote and I am affraid it is impacting efficiency.  I have beat it with a hammer to break some of it off inside, but I think I am losing the fight.  I just bought some cresote powder from Scott, hopefully that will work long term, but short term spring cleaning is my concern.  For some reason I had a ton of buildup this season.  Any plumbers with cool tools to scrape the inside of the 3" tube with caked on tar?  A wire chimney brush just does not have the cleaning power to chip that stuff off.

Any secret to keeping the rubber seal on the draft control clean too?  This stuff just flows down the tube and collects on the seal.  I scrape it off with a putty knife, but am worried I will tear it.  I am guessing Wood Doctor is not selling replacement parts anymore either.  I might as well duct tape $100 bills to get it to seal, it would be cheaper.
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slimjim

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Re: Cleaning the intake on an HE 5000
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2013, 06:15:37 AM »

Sorry to hear of your troubles, I used to sell for them before the 5000 was built, I saw it coming and moved on. As for your problems, what I have done in the past is put a torch to the creosote and burn it off, nasty job but it works. as for the seal, the best that I have used is the stuff they sell at the hardware store or stove shop that cleans creosote from glass,( mostly made up of amonia ) If you have problems with parts then PM me and I think I still have the contact info for both of the factories, Warranty is useless but they will try to help with parts, they really are decent people, their problem was the distributor and his evil ways.
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Wood boiler sales, service and installation for the Northeastern USA.

oldchenowth

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Re: Cleaning the intake on an HE 5000
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2013, 11:03:58 AM »

Would I remove the actuator and get a propane weedburner to reach inside?

Is there a common name for the cleaner?

Thanks for any answers/ assistance
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Jcl

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Re: Cleaning the intake on an HE 5000
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2013, 08:30:42 PM »

I used a dryer vent brush on he tube only gets the loose stuff off havent figured out the sticky  stuff  yet!
Scotch bite b pads are what I used on the seal once a week.  When therewas build up on the pad just lift the outside edges around in a circle and the big chunks would flack off then use the scotch brite and it  will clean the rubber like new.  There like $4 for a couple of pads at walmart. 

Was thinking of cutting the pipe off 2 feet above the flapper and sum how make a tee with the valve on the side and put a plug on the bottom so it could be opened and clean out.  That way there wount be build up on the valve. I  Haven't got there yet
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slimjim

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Re: Cleaning the intake on an HE 5000
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2013, 09:06:08 AM »

In my area of the northeast, Ace hardware sells a product called Spray nine fireplace cleaner, their item # is 15022, most of them will stock it but you may be better off $ wise to use their website and order it by the case, have it delivered to the local store to save shipping charges. it works great but you will use quite a bit to clean your boiler well. Does not seem to damage paint as well so you can keep the outside looking good.
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Wood boiler sales, service and installation for the Northeastern USA.