Somerset pellets burning like charcoal

[zenn68]

Recently bought a load of Somerset from Lowes, after reading some good reviews of them here. The first few bags burned great, gave off good heat. The last couple of bags I ran trough are having issues. They just kind of smolder in the burn pot, creating a solid brick of ash eventually overfilling as more pellets keep coming down the chute. This prevents air flow getting trough from under the burn pot and feeding the flame. I gave the stove a good and thorough cleaning, checked everything I could think of, even ran it in diagnostic mode to check all functions. All indications seem to be a bad batch of pellets.
I'm getting down to the end of the Somersets and it's time to go buy some more. Should I risk it with another load from Lowes or what else could I try. I'm in newburgh NY area. The Somersets were from the Naunuet Lowes. Any suggestion for good pellets locally?

 

[Vinelife]

Possible got alittle wet ?? Somersets usually have great reviews.... hope mine don't end up burning like that...

 

[pelletdude]

I have sold hundreds of Tons of Somerset this season and I have yet to have a customer call with a complaint like that. I agree they may have gotten wet. Lowes stores all their pellets outside.

 

[jtakeman]

Another vote for it to be caused by moisture. Try doing the microwave test on them or check with a moisture meter. See the qoute below!

a sampling in a microwave in a glass bowl would tell the tale, under out of the elements conditions pellets can survive a few years without much trouble especialy if they are still coccooned in the origional wraps. to test simply take about a half cup of pellets , put in a GLASS not plastic bowl, cover with a saucer and nuke em for about 45 seconds in a microwave oven. immediatly after the microwave stops take the saucer off the top and turn it on end , if the moisture content is enough to allow water to drip down the saucer they are moist enough that they will probably clinker up badly, if not then they should be ok to use.

 

[magsf11]

I got mine from lowes and so far so good with mine. I havent had any issues

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Actually some of the Lowes stores have some of their pellets under cover, but generally I find them out in the elements.

Jim, it can also be a matter of timing, if the pellets just came in and then went to your house and were never actually exposed to water, then things would be fine.

I visit the big boxes fairly often and always look at what is available for pellets and what shape they are in. Sometimes things are fine and a week or so later they have holes in the wrappers and puff balls growing. Looks like they aren't too careful for the most part.

 

[magsf11]

I agree with you with the timing mine were stored inside. this was the frist yr I have ever baught the big boxes. I saw that they had the summersets and heard so much + things about them. Burned about a few bags then got a good deal that was hard to pass up.

 

[WoodPorn]

No complaints on my somersets, (thank you Pelletdude)... I'd have to go along with the moisture theory

 

[Turbo-Quad]

I bought a ton from Menards. They are doing something similiar. I just thought that's how they burned as Inever burned them before. I noticed when unloading the pallet that the bags were wet on the outside but the inside seemed fine. They are still a big improvement over OHP's. Maybe Somerset had a bad run and unloaded them on the chain stores. I used to work for a paint manufacturer and when we ran a bad batch it got blended off or if it was too bad to blend it got unloaded cheap and ended up on somebody's walls.

Well last night I was cleaning the stove and oxidation is beginning to start on the pot and the baffles. The stove is 4 years old so it was bound to happen I suppose, but I imagine these pellets are helping it along.