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David Fairfield
06-16-2010, 6:13 PM
Gradually, my blower efficiency has been dropping. But it was so gradual that I didn't really notice until I re-read something in the manual that said I shouldn't see any smoke in the cabinet as the machine was operating. I've been seeing smoke in there, but it looked normal to me duh

I'd already removed the intake grill on my blower, so I knew that end probably wasn't clogged. Today I found out there is another grille on the output side... which was indeed all clogged up with debris. (I have the Harbor Freight Tools greenie.)

The manual is right, with the blower operating properly, the smoke is carried off so quickly its almost completely invisible.

HTH
Dave

Joe Pelonio
06-16-2010, 10:38 PM
I do mine once a year, it's never been clogged but the duct gets lined with 1/8" of sooty debris.

Robert Ray
06-17-2010, 3:33 PM
I have the Harbor Freight green 660CFM one, and after 7 years in the backyard, it finally blew.
About 4 months ago, I noticed the smoke build up, then took the intake off the pump, and found it has a black plastic grill inside, which was clogged. I brushed it with a stiff bristle paintbrush, and it worked like new after that, but 2 months afterwards the impeller blew up for no apparent reason.
Fortunetaly I had purchased a backup a few months earlier when Harbor Freight had a $99 dollar sale on it.

David Fairfield
06-17-2010, 4:10 PM
I removed the plastic grilles. I found no debris lodged on the blades, but plenty on the output grille.

But the grilles do keep children's and nitwits fingers out... if ever the fan is disconnected from the duct and plugged in... so use common sense and remove 'em at your own risk.

Dave

Bill Cunningham
06-17-2010, 9:21 PM
I had a metal grill on mine, and it collected so much crud, it looked like a sheet of cardboard covering the intake. I cut the grill out of both the intake and outlet, and the efficiency went way up.. The crud inside could also catch fire

There is a thread on this subject from last year

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=124106

Roy Brewer
06-17-2010, 10:38 PM
Gradually, my blower efficiency has been dropping.

All,

Speaking of safety as well as efficiency, how are you cleaning your ducting?

I suggest to any that will listen that the ducting should be regularly checked. I suspect you'll see that your air flow is being restricted by the build up.

Search Amazon for "Linteater" (Gardus Inc).
For $40 you can get the Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit & Extension. Obviously (?) for 4" ducting, but as creative as this bunch is, I'm sure you'll figure out how to make it work on larger/smaller ducting vents.

Lowes carries it, HD does not. (No, I do not own stock in Gardus.)

Finally, this will work much, much better for those who have their exhaust blower at the end of the run. Again, the rest will have to be creative.