Pellet Preferences and reviews

[jimmieguns]

North American Pellets tonight b/c thats all Lowes had left--not my 1st choice--like the hardwood Green Supremes BUT he house is way WAY hotter tonight with these North Americans which everyone seems are poor quality--- 1st time using here so too osoon 4 me to comment........like the heat--may be b/c of all the snow on roof insulating the house better....

thoughts??? on these appreciated

have an Englander 55trp-10 (timberridge,summersheat)


**also posted in a diff section on storm 2013 ***

 

[thedude110]

I think most will tell you the Green Supremes are junk. North Americans may well be warmer.

 

[john193]

NA has an average rating here. I visit this site often.

http://www.woodpelletreviews.com/reviews/wood-pellets/north-american-pellets.html

 

[DexterDay]

North Americans are an average pellet. But Green Supremes are below average. IMO...

I measure all my output temps with a K-type thermocouple and the GS's are some of the lowest temps I have read. Other than Penningtons. My only complaint with North Americans is the chemical smell??

 

[jimmieguns]

North Americans are an average pellet. But Green Supremes are below average. IMO...

I measure all my output temps with a K-type thermocouple and the GS's are some of the lowest temps I have read. Other than Penningtons. My only complaint with North Americans is the chemical smell??

yeah thanks Dex for reply-- cleaned the stove today-the daily quickie- and had MUCH more ash than from Green Supremes-- so THAT i dont like but the heat levels coming from the Northerns is HUGE diff--- i thought i should only burn "hardwood" pellets- but am i incorrect on that? seems the blend is hotter-- the atoves EATS them up tho---almost double the usage against the gree supreemes-- guess i gotta weigh the diff in heat output from cot and decide?

 

[DexterDay]

Hardwoods and Softwoods are not equal..

Just like in a Woodstove, Softwoods are Hotter and Burn Faster.

Its like the old Wives tale of burning Pine Gonna start a Chimney fire!! Really? Tell that to the people in the PNW or Canada (all they have is Pine and Fir).

Most Softwoods are Hotter and Burn MUCH cleaner.

I love Softwoods and I love Pine for my Wood eater.

 

[jtakeman]

yeah thanks Dex for reply-- cleaned the stove today-the daily quickie- and had MUCH more ash than from Green Supremes-- so THAT i dont like but the heat levels coming from the Northerns is HUGE diff--- i thought i should only burn "hardwood" pellets- but am i incorrect on that? seems the blend is hotter-- the atoves EATS them up tho---almost double the usage against the gree supreemes-- guess i gotta weigh the diff in heat output from cot and decide?

Northerns? I think you mean North Americans. Northerns are a totally different breed. Much better quality IMHO.

Both the North Americans and the Green Supremes are blends they both contain a mix of hard and softwood.

All I'll say about softwoods is "once you try some you will be hooked"! I though the debate was all over. Does your manual stat hardwood only? I know some of the older units did have warnings in the manual. Trust me, The myth has been debunked. Softwoods from a quality mill will roast you cans and you'll be amazed at how clean the stove will be. Try some if you dare!

I love Softwoods and I love Pine for my Wood eater.

I burned pine in my wood eater too. Should seen the looks I would get from all these New England hardwood peeps! "Your gonna burn your house down" was the usual reply! Maybe if I burned it wet? An extra bit of seasoning and a moisture check gave me the quickest spring/fall warm ups I could ask for!

 

[DexterDay]

Northerns? I think you mean North Americans. Northerns are a totally different breed. Much better quality IMHO.

Both the North Americans and the Green Supremes are blends they both contain a mix of hard and softwood.

All I'll say about softwoods is "once you try some you will be hooked"! I though the debate was all over. Does your manual stat hardwood only? I know some of the older units did have warnings in the manual. Trust me, The myth has been debunked. Softwoods from a quality mill will roast you cans and you'll be amazed at how clean the stove will be. Try some if you dare!



I burned pine in my wood eater too. Should seen the looks I would get from all these New England hardwood peeps! "Your gonna burn your house down" was the usual reply! Maybe if I burned it wet? An extra bit of seasoning and a moisture check gave me the quickest spring/fall warm ups I could ask for!

Yep.... Same here. Love me some pine. Just season properly (as Any wood should)

Burning pine will start as many chimney fires as it will make Millionaires lol

 

[Thaddius Wenderoth]

While on the topic of pellets....
I just bought a stove and the gal told me she would give me the rest of the pellets she had as well. I was like great free pellets! I should have left them. They are future fuel and these things are amazing how bad they are. I would say literally 5-10% fines. Lots of pieces of wood in there not in pellet form. I have been burning Lignetics and I think I have been spoiled. There is virtually ZERO fines. I see none at all even when I poor the last of the bag in. And there are only pellets in the bag, no 2x4's.

 

[jimmieguns]

Hardwoods and Softwoods are not equal..

Just like in a Woodstove, Softwoods are Hotter and Burn Faster.

Its like the old Wives tale of burning Pine Gonna start a Chimney fire!! Really? Tell that to the people in the PNW or Canada (all they have is Pine and Fir).

Most Softwoods are Hotter and Burn MUCH cleaner.

I love Softwoods and I love Pine for my Wood eater.

Thanks Dex----- love the heat coming outta the Northern Americans....the gree supremes say they are prem hardwood- so i guess abs NO softwood in there--the GS run so much lower on heat scale

 

[jimmieguns]

Oh- and another thing I noticed since using diff pellets than Green supremes-- i WAS getting a nasty squeal out of the stove---and its 3 weeks old!-- since using the North americans-- noise is gone.....hmm.... maybe a problem on the way at later date with a fan-i dont nkow- maybe but for now i am betting its the pellets...........

 

[DexterDay]

Oh- and another thing I noticed since using diff pellets than Green supremes-- i WAS getting a nasty squeal out of the stove---and its 3 weeks old!-- since using the North americans-- noise is gone.....hmm.... maybe a problem on the way at later date with a fan-i dont nkow- maybe but for now i am betting its the pellets...........

That squeal is the Carbon build up on the Lower auger. As it spins, its hitting the walls and "Squealing". A different pellet can help (less carbon) and them burning hotter will help also (burn the Carbon).

The 2 auger stoves are notorious for this. Scraping the carbon when you do your weekly cleaning (or bi-weekly?) Will help eliminate this. A small screwdriver or chisel and a small hammer.

 

[john193]

Since we are on the topic of softwood or hardwood, can you guys think of some softwood pellet brands? Can't find anything in PA for the one I know (I.e. vermonts). Alternatively, might pickup a bag of horse bedding from agway for a change.

 

[Hoot23]

Just started the Vermont's a few days ago. No fines and hardly any ash. Best softwood I've run in my stove.

Softwoods- Vermont, Spruce Pointe, Mcfeeters, Trebio, Maine Woods, La Crete, and Okies. Don't know if you can get any of those in PA.

 

[john193]

Just started the Vermont's a few days ago. No fines and hardly any ash. Best softwood I've run in my stove.

Softwoods- Vermont, Spruce Pointe, Mcfeeters, Trebio, Maine Woods, La Crete, and Okies. Don't know if you can get any of those in PA.

Thanks - googling now

 

[SwineFlue]

Just started the Vermont's a few days ago. No fines and hardly any ash. Best softwood I've run in my stove.

Softwoods- Vermont, Spruce Pointe, Mcfeeters, Trebio, Maine Woods, La Crete, and Okies. Don't know if you can get any of those in PA.

I haven't seen any of those brands. The only softwoods I tried were some Rocky Mountain pine-beetle-kill at TSC few years ago.

 

[john193]

I haven't seen any of those brands. The only softwoods I tried were some Rocky Mountain pine-beetle-kill at TSC few years ago.

Yea, nothing in my area either. Full of hardwoods here.

I noticed you had energex listed in your signature. How do you like them compared to the barefoot? I've tried barefoot, but not energex.

 

[will711]

Since we are on the topic of softwood or hardwood, can you guys think of some softwood pellet brands? Can't find anything in PA for the one I know (I.e. vermonts). Alternatively, might pickup a bag of horse bedding from agway for a change.

No soft woods in PA that I know of . Did find a place in NJ that was selling Okies last year ,but price was high .

Edit:imperial billiards .com pool table place

 

[SwineFlue]

Yea, nothing in my area either. Full of hardwoods here.

I noticed you had energex listed in your signature. How do you like them compared to the barefoot? I've tried barefoot, but not energex.

I just cracked open the ton of Energex the other day. Burned a couple of bags, but switched back to the Barefoots for the single-digits last night. The Energex seemed pretty good... less ash than I expected. I'll switch back to them today after the hopper's empty.

 

[john193]

No soft woods in PA that I know of . Did find a place in NJ that was selling Okies last year ,but price was high .

Edit:imperial billiards .com pool table place

hah, nice find. Too far for me to drive around considering I can get barefoot, country boys and hamers within 12 miles.

 

[jtakeman]

Mr Warm offered a comment on why no softwoods in PA. Just though I would share, Don't shoot the messenger!

It's simply a matter of economics. With good hardwood pellets available in their own back yard the retail prices are less than that of NE for the most part. Compare the price of pellets in PA to that of MA/CT. The cost to get them to MA just isn't that much more when moving freight as far as most of the good softwood pellets do….Us, LaCrete, Northern, Pinnacle etc all fall into the same boat and we have to make some margin on them or why do the business. If PA would pay more (as a whole, not just one or two customers) then they might see more (or even one good brand) softwoods there. The exception might be Vermonts, but then they can sell all they make within 100 miles of their plant in VT, so why go further out if you don't have to.
Same for the mid west. There are so many brands locally, that it's just not profitable to bring in a pellet when their selling prices are where they are at. Maybe not the answer people like to hear, but it is what it is. If we or any other manufacture can't make a margin, we won't go there. Don't blame us, blame the railroads…..they are the ones that set the rates, which can get rather spendy very quickly. Trucking over about 150 miles from a mill will usually prove way to costly to be able to compete.
The margins aren't large in this business, so we go where we can sell the most product the easiest and NE has proven to be a great market for our product, but it has taken about 5 years to educate the public that softwoods aren't crap and get them to pay the money. The midwest I doubt will ever get there as NE has….I hope I'm wrong, but that is what I think.

 

[will711]

hah, nice find. Too far for me to drive around considering I can get barefoot, country boys and hamers within 12 miles.

I hear ya, about an 80+ mile round trip for me and I would only be able to haul a 1/2 ton don't know if they sell single bags. Would I like to try them you bet , but I can get Turman's and Hamer's on my way home from work

 

[will711]

Mr Warm offered a comment on why no softwoods in PA. Just though I would share, Don't shoot the messenger!

Thanks Jay It's just simple economics . If they can't make a profit your going out of business.

 

[jtakeman]

I hear ya, about an 80+ mile round trip for me and I would only be able to haul a 1/2 ton don't know if they sell single bags. Would I like to try them you bet , but I can get Turman's and Hamer's on my way home from work

Nothin shabby with those 2 brands. I bet you pay much less than I can get em for. Consider yourself spoiled IMHO! Turmans rock and Hamers are Hot to trot!

There is a few southern softwoods that pass through PA on there way to New England. Have your dealer do some digging if you are interested.

• Potomac
• EasyBlaze​

Both are from Southeastern Virginia. Might not be as top notch as the BC softies. But they will hang right with the likes of Energex and GAP/PowerHouse. Definetly cleaner than the average hardwood with comparable heat. Price would be the balance point.

Edit:
American Wood Fibers also has a softwood out this year. They have a plant in Ohio.

One other thing is to look at the local feed stores that carry horse supplies. You can get pine bedding pellets. Might have a few more fines in them, But will give you an Idea on how a softwood pellet will burn in your stove.

 

[SwineFlue]

Mr Warm offered a comment on why no softwoods in PA. Just though I would share, Don't shoot the messenger!

Can't really argue with that! Thanks. So who is this mysterious Mr Warm?