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  1. md2002 Member

    joined: Oct 18, 2011
    199 posts
    United States
    Hello All,

    I have been burning Maine's choice Pellets for about 2 years now. I like them allot for the price. Anyway, I bought about 25 bags this year and burned those for a good month at the beginning of the season. About 2 months ago I started using the ones I bought last year. I was pretty amazed by the color difference in the 2 pellet bags. The ones I bought this year are MUCH lighter than the ones I bought last year. Amazing the difference between pellet color from year to year. I just thought I would share.
    maine pellets 2.jpg
    #1

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  2. imacman Minister of Fire

    More importantly for us is, which one was better? Or did they burn the same and give the same heat?
  3. john193 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jan 11, 2010
    395 posts
    Southeast PA
    It's the one major drawback with pellets, your quality is really in the hands of multiple uncontrollable variables. I'm burning lignetics green label this year and they are not what I remember from 2 yeas ago. Lots of ash and fines this year. Ok heat.
  4. jtakeman Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 30, 2008
    12,726 posts
    Northwestern CT.
    Not always the case. Many mills get fiber from the open market. But some mills use their own in house goods and they keep a better eye on it. Probably why the softwoods get rave reviews year after year. Couple other flooring companies likeTurmans are still locked in to their own fiber as well as Somersets.
  5. imacman Minister of Fire

    Cubex too.
  6. oldmountvernon Minister of Fire

    joined: Oct 27, 2011
    2,157 posts
    SE Mass
    with the amount of ash somersets are putting out, i would guess they are outsourcing some material
  7. jtakeman Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 30, 2008
    12,726 posts
    Northwestern CT.
    With flooring and lumber sales sagging, Cubex is now also outsourcing fiber from what we are hearing. Scott at CTpellet with the scoop!
  8. jtakeman Minister of Fire

    joined: Dec 30, 2008
    12,726 posts
    Northwestern CT.
    Could be, Market for lumber is still in the tubes. Unless your making pine 2x4's and sending em over to Europe.

    Let's also not forget the log to chip mills that are springing up. As long as they debark them and get a fine chip to the press we should see decent consistency!
  9. md2002 Member

    joined: Oct 18, 2011
    199 posts
    United States
    I didn't do any scientific testing but if I had to guess I would say last years pellets seemed hotter than this years pellets. Ash was the same though...these pellets are worth the price but they put out allot of dark ash
  10. ScotL Burning Hunk

    joined: Feb 7, 2011
    103 posts
    Central Maine
    Color can also be affected by the time of year. Most mills use a dryer to remove the moisture and it can take a lot more energy to remove moisture during the winter than it does during the summer. If that's the case, then the color should not have any impact on how they burn.

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