Sifting pellets

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nksdad2007

Member
Dec 24, 2009
117
Central, Maine
Some people ask why others sift pellets. Attached is a picture of a bolt that jammed up my auger last night. Spent an hour or so taking the pellets out and removing the bolt and putting back together. I have sifted most of my pellets this year, found one bolt while sifting, one made it into the burn pot, and then this is the third. And i still have 1.5 tons of these pellets left to burn.
 

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Tried calling the office for the pellet company. Left a message after calling 4 times. No return call. Called again this afternoon, there voice mail was full. Kind of ashamed that this is a Maine company. I don't think i will be buying Maine's Choice pellets again. Complete lack of customer service.
 
Hello

Maybe the pellet bags should go thru a metal detector like we do at the airport?
 
Good way to build up your bolt supply, the mill must be falling apart.
 
Maybe they are moving next door to me. one piece at a time to cut down the shipping costs.
 
I sift my pellets, but large chucks of non burnable debris may not be found by sifting, depending on how one does it. I always look as I pour my pellets from the bag to the coal bucket, to see if there is anything strange. The only thing I have ever detected was a large rock. It was about the size of the end of my thumb, big enough to jam my auger.
 
I never heard of anyone finding metal parts in any of the pellets I sold to date and that is around 5,000 tons, give or take.

Eric
 
I wonder if these were some of the first bag after the plant restarted and not all the bolts were tight. Or maybe they were the last ones before it went up and these were why. Who knows.
 
Not sure of the size. by my eye, probably around 5/16 to 3/8 by 1 1/4 to 1 1/2. does that sound right? did you find one or just looking for some?
 
Your not alone on the dissatisfied list. They burn hot enough but man are they ashy as hell. I bought a ton and shifted the first bag and got 5 inches in a 5 gallon bucket of 1/4" and smaller fragments. Now I hear of this. I guess I should count my blessings that I only bought 1 ton of them. should put some strong magnet in the hopper so to catch any more that comes through. Just a thought. Strong mag should stay stuck to hopper sides...good luck
 
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