pellet feed issue - again

[rparker]

Previous issue: Vermont pellets kept bridging over the feed into the auger, causing stove to shut down.
Bought a few bags of Turmans and no problems. Have two bags of Vermonts left and decided to try them again. Same problem: pellets sticking together a bridging over the feed tube.
Still new at this: would mixing the Vermonts with another pellet help?

 

[jtakeman]

Vermonts are made from chipped logs and have a coarse texture. Mixing with a dusty pellet will help. So will using dry graphit in the hopper to help them slide. You could polishing the hopper. Lots of things to help them slide.

 

[DexterDay]

As Jay said, Polishing may help. I use furniture polish (Pledge). Works really good. With a small pellet like Somersets, I can get the hopper totally empty. All except the few at the bottom of the auger. 99% of them feed down. Different pellets feed differently.

Are these pellets pretty long? My Quad HATES long pellets. Only shut down a couple times with 3" AWF's last season. But the fire is really inconsistent throughout the burn.

I would mix 50/50. Should get you through them. Open the feed plate more (with Long pellets, its besides the point to even close it any) and run a lower setting.

 

[exoilburner]

Only time my Harman bridges is with long pellets. I have tried all of the waxing and polishing tips which didn't help. Mine bridges and stops when only a small percentage of the pellets are too long. Seems it just takes a few of them or possibly a lot of them are near the max of 1.5 inch long. With normal length pellets I never have a problem.

 

[rparker]

That's what had me stumped at first. The pellets are only 1 to 1 1/4" max. Consistancy is quite good. Just having a problem with the Vermont pellets.
About polish/wax: isn't this stuff flamable? Or could it cause ash issues?

 

[twojrts]

You would use the Pledge the same as you would be polishing the furniture. Spray a small amount and then rub it all over the hopper. You "polish" it dry. Did mine and haven't had a problem with pellets sliding.

You just don't want to spray it and leave it wet.

Hope this helps!!

 

[DexterDay]

No worries.. Dont do it while stove is running.

Cold stove and shut off. Treat it as you would a table. Spray Pledge on, wipe to a slick shine.

Also what helps me a lot is sifting the Pellets. Getting the fines out creates less resistance on the sidewall's of the stove. Which lets the stove feed all the pellets until there all gone. (Except the little bit that gets caught above the "box" at the top of the hopper / above where the wing nut is for the feed plate). About a handful get caught up there. But only if you filled it to the gills.

Some have used car wax and other products to reduce the friction. But its safe.

 

[jtakeman]

I just read a thread where someones dealer suggested baby powder.