This isn't a very exciting topic, but Big Poppa gave me some great advice and I wanted to share it with you all. I was telling BP that I was having diffculty getting my Max up to temperature. It seemed to be taking too long. BP asked if I'd been cleaning my firebox. I said yes, but I was doing it with a spoon. BP asked if I had a shop vac? Yes, I do, but I never thought of using it for this purpose. The shop vac worked great and now all of my smokers are working just fine. And, this shop vac now has a place in my outdoor kitchen. Thanks, BP.
firepot cleaning shop vac
- Thread starter rbaggett
- Start date
squirtthecat
New member
Great tip. I bought a little hand-held one that is dedicated to my MAK/Traeger duo...
Make sure you vac out before your next cook, vs. after your cook. It gives all the embers a chance to cool completely. Just like an ember in yourfireplace, if a partially burnt pellet is under that ash, sucking it out with your vac lights it right back up. Then it catches your filter on fire, and you don't realize that until it torches the turbine enough a flame/smoke shoot out of the top of the exhaust. The time period for that to occur is like 4-5 seconds lol Don't ask me how I know that.... 
I have used our small shop vac before I fire up my grill since day one.
Funny thing is my wife did not know I have been using it on the grill and today she went to use it to vacuum out her F150. I told her I cleaned the tip of the hose but to double check to make sure it was ash free. She was not pleased that I have been using it on the grill. I think I need to buy another one for our trucks.
Funny thing is my wife did not know I have been using it on the grill and today she went to use it to vacuum out her F150. I told her I cleaned the tip of the hose but to double check to make sure it was ash free. She was not pleased that I have been using it on the grill. I think I need to buy another one for our trucks.
Rigid has a nice boxy shaped one from Home Depot, that sits perfectly with my BBQ bins/tubs. It has inset wheels, but also carries like a tool box. Perfect for pit duty!! There is also one without wheels that IS a toolbox/tacklebox size.
4.5 Gallon Pro Pack - RIDGID Professional Tools or RIDGID 4-Gallon Wet/Dry Vac - WD4070 at The Home Depot
4.5 Gallon Pro Pack - RIDGID Professional Tools or RIDGID 4-Gallon Wet/Dry Vac - WD4070 at The Home Depot
CarterQ
Moderator
Make sure you vac out before your next cook, vs. after your cook. It gives all the embers a chance to cool completely. Just like an ember in yourfireplace, if a partially burnt pellet is under that ash, sucking it out with your vac lights it right back up. Then it catches your filter on fire, and you don't realize that until it torches the turbine enough a flame/smoke shoot out of the top of the exhaust. The time period for that to occur is like 4-5 seconds lol Don't ask me how I know that....
LOL ! This also applies when dumping out your MAK Firepot into the trashcan after about 20 hours of cooking. Nothing good comes from hearing your 3 year old ask, "Hey Daddy, why is the trash can smoking?" Let it cool overnight or dump it in water!
squirtthecat
New member
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt!
I was dumping out my little hand vacuum last night, and noticed I am collecting a bit of 'mud' on the insides.. I need to give it a good scraping when the weather warms up.
I was dumping out my little hand vacuum last night, and noticed I am collecting a bit of 'mud' on the insides.. I need to give it a good scraping when the weather warms up.
scooter
Moderator
For those thinking of buying a small shopvac to use for this purpose, make sure the filter that comes with it is rated for ash. Most small cheap vac filters are not and when you try to vacuum up the ash it will all go into the vacuum and much of it will go out the exhaust onto whatever the exhaust is pointed at.....
firehouse_bbq
New member
I bought a small shop vac that is used for nothing other than cleaning out my fire pots. i go through about 60-80 pounds of pellets per month, so there is lots of ash to vacumn up!