Harman P Series stove - How do you load a bag without spilling pellets and burning the bag?

Cut the entire top of the bag off, just below where it is sealed, bunch up the top of the bag and hold closed with one hand. Pick the bag up and turn upside down. Put the hand holding the bag closed right at the top of the hopper and release it and when doing so I lower the other hand, lowering the bag opening into the hopper to help cut down on the dust released into the room....that is my way. Pull the bag up as the pellets fall out. Hope I described it well enough for you to know what I mean. I have a P68 btw.

I bring a bag in and set it to the right front of the stove. I take scissors and cut halfway across the top of the bag. Open the hopper. Standing on the right side of the stove, I reach down with my left hand and grab the unopened section of the bag so my fingers are inside the bag. I kinda bunch the bag up so it doesn't tear when I lift it. In one motion, standing fairly upright, I lift the bag up and across my body to chest height with my left hand and "catch" the bottom of the bag with my right hand. The bag is now easily controlled. Just tip the opened end into the hopper, making sure the opening is centered over the hopper. Let em pour out til the bag is about 3/4 empty, then lift the bottom of the bag straight up and out with my right hand. It sounds complicated but it's very easy and works well if you hate bending over unnecessarily. As long as your fluid with your motion, it works nicely. If your pellet bags suck, go a little slower and watch how much tension you put on the remaining plastic. If the bags are rugged like NEWP, you can do it quickly. Don't be a girlie-mon and let the bag hyperextend the hopper lid.

I've NEVER melted a bag. Just keep in mind, if your bag starts to tear when you're over the hopper area, avoid the stove top at all costs. Dump pellets all over the floor if you have to, just don't panic. 5 min with a broom and dustpan is MUCH easier than breathing melted plastic and refinishing the top of your stove.

What a silly post!

MY god this isn't rocket science ,lift the bag over the hopper and go under it with a knife ,job done, have always loaded my p-43 this way fines and all go in and NO mess,

P38X2 said:

What a silly post!

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couldn't have said it better.......

Geez Don,
No wonder they get on your a$$ at times. I can`t believe you asked it.

Hello
Has anybody seen my pants?

I love a good morning laugh!

I bought 2 plastic buckets from dollar general for 3 bucks each, I dump mine in the garage so I don't have so much dust in the house then it is easy to put them in the hopper. because of where my stove is I can't really stand beside it, plus it is on a 10 inch riser.

One glass at a time,I tell her to be careful, it may be hot.

I tear the bag and pour it in.

I do put pellets in a 3 gallon bucket and leave it near the stove at night. Before I leave in the morning I top off the stove. I then put the bucket in the basement, my 3 & 5 yo would have a field day with them!! Wife would not be happy

Harman Lover 007 said:

couldn't have said it better.......

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Well he asked....figured I'd give him the details. Forgot to add, usually I crank up "Eye of the Tiger" while I'm filling.

That was a good for a laugh...

Have you ever thought about doing "How to" videos!

Remember to bend the knees!

Don2222 said:

Hello
Any tips or comments? How do you load your Harman hopper?

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My stove came with a removable metal grille that sits just inside at the very top. It's made so that you can set the bag on top of the hopper while you open the bag. The pellets fall through the grate. no chance of stray pellets or fines being left on top of the stove. Lift the bag on to the grill and you don't have to maintain the bag in the lifted position while you pour. The ends of the grill stick through four drilled holes in the hopper for strength and easy removal.

I sift with a cornvac first to separate fines and transfer pellets to a 5gal. bucket and either way I don't have the melting bag issue. Cornvac is also great for removing pellets out of the hopper and auger for cleaning.

Where's the steaks, burgers n dogs?

Is that a Harman? What model?

Oh man the hamsters are moving the wheel again. There's got to be a way to make this dual use. Pellet grill and heating stove. I could fill the hopper mostly with softwood pellets and add a top layer of smoke flavor pellets for the steaks. But then there's the problem of having a fire in the hopper vs firebox .
Now, if only there was a refrigerator designed to dispense beer cold .

This grille is on my Piazzetta stove but the idea could be used in most other stoves. Heck, you can buy these stoves with ovens built in.

That's bad a$$! That firebox looks double insulated already. The drippings would not only add flavor to the meat, they'd saturate the pellets for added BTU in the burn pot to compensate for what was consumed during the "grilling" stage

Now that's a stove!

I though Don's question was pretty valid. He's simply trying to find out what works for others.

I can tell he has a passion for pellet stoves and simply enjoys the ineraction with this community.

The Grintch said:

Now that's a stove!

I though Don's question was pretty valid. He's simply trying to find out what works for others.

I can tell he has a passion for pellet stoves and simply enjoys the ineraction with this community.

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I agree. When I sold my P38 last week, the first thing I was asked was how the hell do you get the pellets in without melting the bag? His old stove, a St Croix Afton Bay, was able to have the bag rest on the top of the stove without meltage.

What I wrote for a procedure is actually what I do...minus the music I usually crank "Fuel" by Metallica

It's all good. I'm here to share info and have fun. Pretty sure Don, and everyone else is as well.

Don2222 said:

I like the corn vac. Can you blow the pellets into the hopper from a barrel with it?

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You can feed pellets directly into a hopper if you by the more expensive unit that doesn't require a sealed container. It's $500 though. Mine was only $70.

Dump the pellets in a 5 gallon bucket then pour 'em in the hopper.

HERE YOU GO DON

I stand from the side of the stove and dump them in. Just like bas157 does.

Black coal hod. Pellets are in the barn and I fill the hod out there and bring it in to fill the stove. The black hod also looks good next to the stove.
http://www.amazon.com/Panacea-Products-15341-Fireplace-Coal/dp/B000VBNNI4