Softwood vs Hardwood pellets & Useage

[Bkins]

I've kind of been wondering if you would have to turn up your pellet feed to a higher rate using softwood pellets vs hardwood pellets. Do they both last the same amount of time for the same quanity of pellets? I know its been stated that most softwood pellets put out more heat but do they also go bye bye quicker?

I know with my old wood stove if I burned soft wood I could get some great heat very quickly but the wood also was used up very quickly verses when I used hardwood the wood lasted a good long time.

Is it the same with pellets and if not why?


Bkins

 

[amick780]

I have burned both....I actually use less burning softwood, now this all depends on how good the pellet brand is. Some are better then others, more BTU's. This is also true for Hardwood as well. I personally like softwood pellets better, they seem to put out a lot more heat. So my recommendation is if you can get a good brand of softwood pellets you will not be disappointed.

 

[jtakeman]

IMO

There is little difference from a very good softwood and a very good hardwood pellet. May get some extra BTU's from the softwood.

Being that the wood is compressed in to a pellet, Is much different than natural fiber. The density is the key

I am sure BTU will step in and give us the straight scoop. He sells a very good softwood pellet. And calls it like it is.

jay

 

[GVA]

With pellets as stated density is the key.

In a nutshell:
A pound of softwood and a pound of hardwood is essentially the exact same BTU amount.
But when you take a oak split and a pine split and throw them into a woodstove, they may be the same size but the hard wood will weigh more hence more BTU's.
I hope this makes sense.

 

[amick780]

With pellets as stated density is the key.

In a nutshell:
A pound of softwood and a pound of hardwood is essentially the exact same BTU amount.
But when you take a oak split and a pine split and throw them into a woodstove, they may be the same size but the hard wood will weigh more hence more BTU's.
I hope this makes sense.

This is true in theroy...but when it comes down to brand to brand pellet comparision, it is not. If you look at testing between brands, they can range from 7600 BTU/lb - 8600 BTU/lb. So it is real important to buy a well recommended brand. Typacally a softwood pellet burns in the 8300-8600 btu range. Thus you use less over the long run.

 

[jtakeman]

With pellets as stated density is the key.

In a nutshell:
A pound of softwood and a pound of hardwood is essentially the exact same BTU amount.
But when you take a oak split and a pine split and throw them into a woodstove, they may be the same size but the hard wood will weigh more hence more BTU's.
I hope this makes sense.

This is true in theroy...but when it comes down to brand to brand pellet comparision, it is not. If you look at testing between brands, they can range from 7600 BTU/lb - 8600 BTU/lb. So it is real important to buy a well recommended brand. Typacally a softwood pellet burns in the 8300-8600 btu range. Thus you use less over the long run.

Well the theory is true. Otherwise the softwood would have less BTU's. The extra little BTU you might get from the softwood is from the contained resins. Remember in nature state the hardwood would have more BTU's

 

[stillersnut]

I have burned both and do agree with Master of Fire, a good softwood ie-Rocky Mtn.or hardwood-Hammer Hot Ones, you will get great btu in the mid 8000's. With stove set up properly, it then comes down to ash, price, ease of purchase,(not in order). I do prefer a good hardwood, like Hammer, Turman, Sommerset, Lignetics, or Pennwood, when available.

 

[caledoniacars]

BTU's aside.... I experimented with both last winter and found my softwoods burnt hotter and cleaner. I could not notice any difference in the amount burnt. When it came to cleaning my stove i will burn softwood hands down.

 

[jtakeman]

BTU's aside.... I experimented with both last winter and found my softwoods burnt hotter and cleaner. I could not notice any difference in the amount burnt. When it came to cleaning my stove i will burn softwood hands down.

Name some names. What brand of softwood and what brand of hardwood?

 

[GVA]

The lower quality pellets have more crap as filler, Like bark.

The hardwoods I used would form more clinkers than most of the softwoods I had tried.
So I had become a convert to the softwood pellets, before retiring from the pellet burning world

The softwoods always smelled better when I was outside raking leaves in the fall too %-P

 

[jtakeman]

Personaly I have burned several excellent brands of both.

Softwoods

Spruce Pointe, Rocky Mountain, PureFire, Eurekas ect.(Okanagans will be added this year)

Hardwoods

Barefoot, Turman 100% Oak, Lignetics, Hammer ect.

These are all very close to each other in heat output. They are the cream of the crop. Please don't try to compare junk to something awesome. A MaineWoods hardwood will not compare to say a Rocky Mountain. Not even close.
I have several(better than 10) years at burning pellets in 3 different stoves. And I have just about burned them all. I try to factor Actual temp output from the heat exchanger, Ash content in the ash pan. And last is the Price factor.

A quality pellet (hard or soft) will have high BTU's and low ash. And yes I will give the knod to Softwoods for the little bit of extra heat you might get and they seem to contain a little less ash. Plus here in CT every one seems to want the Hardwoods. So I can usually get an awesome softwood for less money than the hardwood.

 

[Bkins]

Personaly I have burned several excellent brands of both.

Softwoods

Spruce Pointe, Rocky Mountain, PureFire, Eurekas ect.(Okanagans will be added this year)

Hardwoods

Barefoot, Turman 100% Oak, Lignetics, Hammer ect.

These are all very close to each other in heat output. They are the cream of the crop. Please don't try to compare junk to something awesome. A MaineWoods hardwood will not compare to say a Rocky Mountain. Not even close.

I have several(better than 10) years at burning pellets in 3 different stoves. And I have just about burned them all. I try to factor BTU's from the heat exchanger, Ash content in the ash pan. And last is the Price factor.

A quality pellet (hard or soft) will have high BTU's and low ash. And yes I will give the knod to Softwoods for the little bit of extra heat you might get and they seem to contain a little less ash. Plus here in CT every one seems to want the Hardwoods. So I can usually get an awesome softwood for less money than the hardwood.

Yes, you have been thru a lot of pellets and I thank you for your insight. Softwood pellets are very hard to find here. In your opinion are the softwood pellets worth paying a higher price for? I guess the ash amount is a stove by stove deal or have you noticed less ash on all your stoves? I am trying to figure out how much effort to put into trying to get softwood pellets to this area.

Bkins

 

[jtakeman]

Yes, you have been thru a lot of pellets and I thank you for your insight. Softwood pellets are very hard to find here. In your opinion are the softwood pellets worth paying a higher price for? I guess the ash amount is a stove by stove deal or have you noticed less ash on all your stoves? I am trying to figure out how much effort to put into trying to get softwood pellets to this area.

Bkins

You would need to name the brands you have available, I can tell you what I think. But I don't believe in paying extra. I try to purchaase the highest quality I can afford.

Example I would have to pay $288/ton to get Turmans and I can get Spruce Pointes for $265/ton. I will get the Spruce Pointes!

You also have to factor in the your stove. You may have to adjust to get the best burn. I personally don't just Dump them in the hopper. That is why I measure the actual temp output on the heat exchanger. I adjust to max output. I purchased a high tech meter that has a thermal probe. I am not saying you need to go buy this stuff, But I don't believe anyone can tell which pellet burns hotter with the back of there hand! I like actual temp readings.

I also try to test in the same season. Relative Humidity will also effect the burn slightly.

jay

 

[tinkabranc]

Obviously have not tried every brand available, but when it comes to actual usage
amount, I have not seen a huge difference between quality hardwoods vs softwoods.

It is more dependant on the quality of the pellets and the weather on how fast I go through them.

To date, I prefer the softwood pellets even though the hardwoods are more readily available around here.
I burn LGs during shoulder seasons and Green Supreme during mid season. IMO Both brands burn very
clean but GS is alot hotter than LG.

In the process of collecting some new (to me) brands to test out this year in search for a comparable
replacement for the GS for next season. But only because they will no longer be available.

Quality pellets should have high BTU, low ash, little to no fines, and smell like wood, not something funky.
I found these qualities in the softwoods and have stuck with them since.

 

[tinkabranc]

Thanks BTU, Found the Okanagans and bought a few to try out.
Still in search of Dragon Mtn. PM sent.