Somersets poor quality

curtthegreat · Oct 16, 2015

We've been buying Somersets since 2008, bragging them up since 2009, this year's batch is not what we're used to. Opened up our 1st bag and I noticed the inside of the bag was loaded with dark fines. The pellets are noticeably darker and smaller. They no longer have the nice oak/maple hardwood smell, instead they have the cheap cardboard/pallet smell. The heat temperature is lower and I will probably be cleaning my stove 3 tmes a week instead of 1. I didn't mind paying 260 per ton when I thought I was getting a quality product. I could have bought the same cheap quality pellets for 200 per ton at Walmart and saved 240 bucks. Thanks Somerset for dumbing down. Fool me once ....

Peterfield · Oct 17, 2015

The "Set's" butt boys are going to be all over you.

Quality can vary year to year due to the source of raw materials that are available to the pellet mill.

curtthegreat · Oct 17, 2015

I understand that. What irritates me is, Somerset had to know they were producing an inferior pellet, a pellet not up to their standards. But what bothers me is, they charged us for a premium pellet. If their materials were of less quality, they could have acknowledged that, set their prices accordingly.

Edward Hughes · Oct 17, 2015

Y

Peterfield said:
The "Set's" butt boys are going to be all over you. Quality can vary year to year due to the source of raw materials that are available to the pellet mill.

You are either in the flooring business, using saw dust from that business, are you take an unfair advantage of
the public on a one time deal, and move on.( Dried Killen oak is just that)
This B.S. happens all to many times, in business, it is all about the bottom line.

Edward Hughes · Oct 17, 2015

Sor

curtthegreat said:
We've been buying Somersets since 2008, bragging them up since 2009, this year's batch is not what we're used to. Opened up our 1st bag and I noticed the inside of the bag was loaded with dark fines. The pellets are noticeably darker and smaller. They no longer have the nice oak/maple hardwood smell, instead they have the cheap cardboard/pallet smell. The heat temperature is lower and I will probably be cleaning my stove 3 tmes a week instead of 1. I didn't mind paying 260 per ton when I thought I was getting a quality product. I could have bought the same cheap quality pellets for 200 per ton at Walmart and saved 240 bucks. Thanks Somerset for dumbing down. Fool me once ....[/QUOTE
I hope the members of this club can resolve this issue about the somerset pellets. Something has happen and we need to get to the bottom of it. There are many of us who have held these pellets in the top 5
DO NOT let this PASS
Thanks
/QUOTE]

THE ROOSTER · Oct 17, 2015

We live less than 2 hours from their facility, I have a friend that went there & bought a ton, will ask for a bag to see what his look like.

Edward Hughes · Oct 18, 2015

THE ROOSTER said:
We live less than 2 hours from their facility, I have a friend that went there & bought a ton, will ask for a bag to see what his look like.

You may find a dealer, close by calling cathy at the office. I opened a bag of my new for this year and found the smell
the same as last years.
Post up, if you see any change.
Thanks

Edward Hughes · Oct 19, 2015

curtthegreat said:
We've been buying Somersets since 2008, bragging them up since 2009, this year's batch is not what we're used to. Opened up our 1st bag and I noticed the inside of the bag was loaded with dark fines. The pellets are noticeably darker and smaller. They no longer have the nice oak/maple hardwood smell, instead they have the cheap cardboard/pallet smell. The heat temperature is lower and I will probably be cleaning my stove 3 tmes a week instead of 1. I didn't mind paying 260 per ton when I thought I was getting a quality product. I could have bought the same cheap quality pellets for 200 per ton at Walmart and saved 240 bucks. Thanks Somerset for dumbing down. Fool me once ....

Hello Curt:
I clean the hopper of the bridgewell Pellets last night and ran sets for a test this AM.
I have had the General Heat Seeker non contact Infrared Thermometer you 4 years, and it does a good job with the Temps
of different Brands of Pellets. I have found that the sets I bought this year are testing 20 to30 deg. hotter than last year.
That is with the second burn on a clean clear stove. with all new gaskets, intake and exhaust clear and clean.
Given that, they should adv. out about the same. The ash I can not say with just one bag of sets
I hope this helps you
After your 7 years, with the stove and sets, maybe just something we all do, is to over look the easy fix.
Hell I'm 70 this Dec. Happens all the time, but I don't laugh either.
Good Luck

curtthegreat · Oct 19, 2015

Thanks Ed,
I took my stove out into the garage this summer, tore it down and did a thorough cleaning, all new gaskets also. I even repainted the whole stove while it was in disarray, looks and runs like new. Sandy from Somerset did email me this morning, I gave her my purchase information. She said she would look into it. I very much appreciate her timely response. Again, I am a "set head" I have burned their pellets religiously. My son, who also burns Somersets in his stove, went in with me, and 3 other couples, that I convinced to buy in as a group, all are reporting the same issue. I will keep you posted as it unfolds.

The Coopers · Oct 19, 2015

I will have to look in to that. We did not start burning yer but Somerset is all we burn in our stove. If we notice anything different this year (and I believe we still have a bag or two from last year) I will update.

Edward Hughes · Oct 19, 2015

curtthegreat said:
Thanks Ed,
I took my stove out into the garage this summer, tore it down and did a thorough cleaning, all new gaskets also. I even repainted the whole stove while it was in disarray, looks and runs like new. Sandy from Somerset did email me this morning, I gave her my purchase information. She said she would look into it. I very much appreciate her timely response. Again, I am a "set head" I have burned their pellets religiously. My son, who also burns Somersets in his stove, went in with me, and 3 other couples, that I convinced to buy in as a group, all are reporting the same issue. I will keep you posted as it unfolds.

Thanks you very much for the heads up with the sets.
Sandy will take care of the problem, and a flooring company should be using the waste from the business.
Good Luck

curtthegreat · Oct 21, 2015

Update. Sandy from Somerset had me return 2 bags to my supplier, who in turn will ship them out to a test facility for Somerset. She said it could take about 2 weeks for the results. Here is a pic of my Somersets from last year and the ones I bought this year. Last years are the one on the left.

Edward Hughes · Oct 21, 2015

curtthegreat said:
Update. Sandy from Somerset had me return 2 bags to my supplier, who in turn will ship them out to a test facility for Somerset. She said it could take about 2 weeks for the results. Here is a pic of my Somersets from last year and the ones I bought this year. Last years are the one on the left.

Thanks for the up-date Curt. I thought there would have been more views, an comments on this site, for a top 5 pellet like this, in question.
Good Luck

.

P51mustang · Oct 21, 2015

I've always heard and read great things about Somersets but can't find them near me in upstate, NY. The closest location is in Central Square, NY just north of Syracuse....About and hour and a half drive one way from my house and thus too far. I wish I could find some closer as I'd really like to give them a try.

Cory S · Oct 21, 2015

Wow, those look worse than Stove Chows..... So much bark and crud in those.....

newbieinCT · Nov 24, 2015

An update on the 'sets? I've burned them for the past two years. The first year was better than last year. This year, we can't get them in my area (CT). Well, I heard there were some nearby in July, but I didn't have transportation to haul them myself, so I should edit myself to say that we didn't have them anywhere locally that delivered them. I'd love to know how they are burnign for everyone else and what did test results say? If I find them, I will check the bag before purchasing.

Edward Hughes · Nov 24, 2015

newbieinCT said:
An update on the 'sets? I've burned them for the past two years. The first year was better than last year. This year, we can't get them in my area (CT). Well, I heard there were some nearby in July, but I didn't have transportation to haul them myself, so I should edit myself to say that we didn't have them anywhere locally that delivered them. I'd love to know how they are burnign for everyone else and what did test results say? If I find them, I will check the bag before purchasing.

The reply from curtthegreat should be close. Sandy at somerset pellets are having them checked and will PM
Curt when the test are finished. I have burn some from this year and they were the same as last year.
Good Luck

rcook430 · Nov 24, 2015

I'm always amazed how peoples opinions are so different. I have burned 3 different pellets since I got my stove last January. Country Boy White Lightning, Hamer Hot Ones, and Somersets. The Somersets were bought 2 days ago. By far the best pellet. Very light color, great hardwood sawdust smell, great heat and didnt know a pellet could produce so little ash.

3650 · Nov 24, 2015

I've been burning Somersets for 10 years. Loved them. No longer available in my area. I have 1 ton carry over from last year that I havent broke open yet. The new pellet brands available are Indck (marginal at best) and Southern Indiana Hardwood, which complete choked my stove down with creosote after two bags (never using those again). I just bought 50 bushel of corn for $189. I'll be blending that in with the Somersets to stretch them out a little further. Sad to think Somersets would be cutting corners but you can never tell what companies will do when it comes to profit margins. Hopefully thats not the case. These indeks I bought smell like cardboard I just hate them. I guess after this last ton of Somersets is gone ill be burning corn exclusively. Well along with propane and wood that is.

Edward Hughes · Nov 25, 2015

rcook430 said:
I'm always amazed how peoples opinions are so different. I have burned 3 different pellets since I got my stove last January. Country Boy White Lightning, Hamer Hot Ones, and Somersets. The Somersets were bought 2 days ago. By far the best pellet. Very light color, great hardwood sawdust smell, great heat and didnt know a pellet could produce so little ash.

Hello Mr. Cook:
The first post of this Thread, By Curttheqreat, states that he and his son and three other couples have the same problems, with the same batch>
If you READ the next 18 post to this Thread, you will see the difference in FACTS, and opinions.
"Welcome to the CREW"
CHOO CHOO

Edward Hughes · Dec 5, 2015

curtthegreat said:
Update. Sandy from Somerset had me return 2 bags to my supplier, who in turn will ship them out to a test facility for Somerset. She said it could take about 2 weeks for the results. Here is a pic of my Somersets from last year and the ones I bought this year. Last years are the one on the left.

Hello Curt: Have you hear from Sandy, from Somerset Pellets?
Edward

Jonkman · Dec 5, 2015

I bought a few bags of Somersets to test and was not impressed, quite a bit of ash, and some stubborn clinkers...

Edward Hughes · Dec 5, 2015

Jonkman said:
I bought a few bags of Somersets to test and was not impressed, quite a bit of ash, and some stubborn clinkers...

You may want to check the air on the quad. They burn Sets all the time, all over this place with no clinkers.
Good Luck with the Quad

curtthegreat · Dec 5, 2015

Ok, sorry it's taken so long for a reply. I emailed Sandy Thursday, she said the pellets tested fine and attached an analysis of the test. I do not possess the smarts to make sense of it. I was able to exchange 10 pallets for an older lot# of Somersets. These are the lighter colored pellets that I am use to seeing from Somerset. My ash count is back to normal, very low, and my heat output is back to normal, very high, all is good. Not sure what the difference is, but I believe in sets and will probably be burning them next year. I'll just be sure to find the good lot# and buy 22 pallets of those ones. Thanks.

Jonkman · Dec 5, 2015

Edward Hughes said:
You may want to check the air on the quad. They burn Sets all the time, all over this place with no clinkers.
Good Luck with the Quad

There is no air control on quads. I think I got a bad batch of somersets according to what everyone says about these. The last month I've been testing pellets. I did 2 bags of Michigan wood fuels (horrible), 2 bags of stove chow (mediocre), 3 bags of Pro Pellets (pretty good), 3 bags of Uncle Jed's ( pretty good ), 3 bags of Kirtlands (excellent) and 3 bags of somersets ( not good ).

I cleaned between each brand and ran each on high and only changed the feed rate if needed to have correct fire height. Don't know what to tell you Edward...they just were not good pellets compared to the rest. I expected them to be the best so I saved them until last.

Somersets poor quality

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