Strange items found in pellet bags!

All from the same brand? I've never seen anything like this, that's weird..

I've only ever found pellets in there.

Brand(s) of pellets?

Here you go:
pellet vac

Materials are about $20 for the PVC, Dowel rods, and Gutter gaurd. Search "Pellet Sifter" in the top search box. Plenty of results.

I found a hunk of conveyor belt once. Luckily I saw it before it got inhaled by the auger screw.

Tony K said:

Wondering if anyone else finds strange things in pellet bags? Makes me think we should be concerned about more than dust in the bags! I am one who would open the bag and dump into the hopper not concerned about the dust in the bags but after finding these things I am reconsidering. Thought I saw a pellet cleaner here at one time that someone made up using a shop vac? These things could cause auger problems/jams for sure and who knows could possibly start a hopper fire! None the less I like the pellets and will continue to be cautious.

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What brand of pellet?

yeah, what brand??

Tony K said:

Burning Chuck - yes all from the same brand. I've been burning pellets now for about 8 years and have never seen this. Due to the warmer weather we have had so far I haven't used more than 20 bags so far so don't know what to expect from the 5 tons I bought. Like I said I will pay closer attention to the bags. Pellets are in the top 3, give good heat low ash so could be a fluke or a disgruntled employee!! lol

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Burning Chuck - yes all from the same brand.

Trucking logistics are such that bulk pellets are backhauled to bagging plants in the same trucks that aggregates, grains, garbage, coal/coke, and other commodities are hauled in. Walking floor trailers have floors with lots of cracks and crevices foreign objects can get lodged in. Trailers get swept out but some debris is lodged unseen until the next load is walked off.
More than likely any bags found with debris prolly weren't bagged on site at a pellet plant but hundreds of miles away at a bagging plant.
That's not to say it couldn't happen at a pellet mill but more than likely an offsite bagging plant.
Also when a bagging plant switches products there is the possibility of contamination .

back in 2005 i had the only auger jam i ever had with my PDVC ended up being a wire ring with 3 master lock keys on it. definately cam from pellet bag as all my locks are keyed the same (makes life easier) and thses keys were of different serial number

But I think we'd like to know the manufacturer, all the same.

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Every year just about every Manufacturer gets slammed here for some reason or another. From heat, smell, and even foreign objects thrown in. You are doing a public service. Others may love them and have no problems. Some people here said Okies smelled like Cat Pee.

I had some Easy Heats that had some Plastic in them (have since disappeared) and someone found something similar to my plastic in Green Supremes.

If someone likes them, they wont quit burning them. Here is a pic of some of the plastic I found.

DexterDay said:

Materials are about $20 for the PVC, Dowel rods, and Gutter gaurd. Search "Pellet Sifter" in the top search box. Plenty of results.

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+1 On a pellet sifter! Nuthin' but wood pellets in my hopper.

Tony K said:

notify them of the problem first and go from there....

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That is a good way to do it. Some times companies don't know they have a problem going on. Might want to ask them to post on here that they had a problem and what they are doing to correct it. That would show people they care about the product they sell.

I found bolts last year, three of them. Came from three different bags because they were spread out a few weeks apart. I emailed the manufacturer and they didn't seemed concerned. I don't know if they were concerned that I would sue them for damage to my stove so he didn't want to make any statements sounding like admission or what. Unfortunately, due to pricing and customer service issues at the big box stores, i had to get the same brand this year. now that it is cooling down and going through mor pellets, i will start sifting again.

While I have never found anything unusual in a bag of pellets, I pour them into a 5 gal pail out in the garage just to give them a quick check.

Last season, in a bag of stove chow a 3/8 x 3" bolt. Stove went off because the auger was jammed.

wow... Ive never seen that out here on westcaost... the plants here bag everything they produce and QC is important.
I hope I never do. Sorry to see this.

Tony K said:

All, My intent was not to bury pellet manufacturers but instead to warn others of the hazards that may be lurking inside the pellet bag aka Cracker Jacks all kidding aside I have sent an e-mail to the manufacturer and will wait to hear from them first as I do for any other problem I may encounter with anything I buy, notify them of the problem first and go from there....

for those of you with kids check out this link - www.portablenorthpole.tv

I did this for my 5 yo granddaughter, It's amazing

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hoping I didn't offend anyone.........

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Thanks Tony K for the link above. Kids loved their personal message from Santa!
Happy Holidays.