Try a few bags before buying.......one more step to that

[gbreda]

[quote author="macman" date="1262677184"]

Which is why we always tell people to buy a FEW bags to test burn first. [/quote]

This is not pointed at anyone in particular (just read a post from macman related to clinkers from Ligs Blue Label that made me think of my situation) as it is good practice and makes sense, but......

This may be true, but when buying from big box, like I did, you can get pallets from very different "born on" dates...like I did. Of 4 tons, I have 3 different dates spread over a 7 or 10 month span.....and 2-3 rather different consistencies. They are Greene Team and all burn with good heat output. 2 ton have some (not all) very large pellets that produce allot of fluffy ash-not a single clinker produced. I am now on a new pallet with very consistent pellets sizes around .5-.75 ". Less ash but producing clinkers regularly.

Again, I cannot complain about heat output as all are about the same and good, but the waste they leave behind varies by date produced. The P68 has had no trouble with the larger pellets, the large fluffy ash or the clinkers (pushing them out nicely).

Just my 2 pennies. If you test run a few bags, make sure that you get similar "born on" dates for your larger purchase. It can matter on some brands.

 

[jtakeman]

gbreda,

Very good advice! Agreed 100%.

You would think with all the technology available today. We could get a good consistent product from the different brands. Granted some brands are doing a very good job of it, But some just drop the ball. Makes many of us leary of what's out there. So the safe bet is try first and verify your getting what batch you tried. If the batch or date is different you might have to retry to be sure you are getting the goods.

The equalizer to all this inconsistent product is a multifuel stove(and I love mine). Takes quite a bad product to cause an issue for me to not want to burn certain brands(so far its Inferno's). I can limp through just about any garbage out there. But I do prefer to get the good stuff that throws the high heat numbers in the extreme COLD(I like to stay warm)! As long as I get it at a decent price. I personally burn just about anything in the shoulders so I can save some cash.

Don't try this with a picky stove, It will make you miserable, cranky and crabby!

 

[tinkabranc]

I agree too that you should try always out a few bags before you buy in bulk. IMO this applies for all pellet brands, not just the stuff you can get at the box stores. If you bought the pallets all at once, a 7-10 month "born" date is quite a large span.

In my experience, the quality of the more reputable brands are usually pretty consistant from year to year but even this is not written
in stone anymore. Some members here that love Lignetics have been griping about their quality this year. I tried a few bags of
them myself for the first time this year but was not impressed, actually I was a bit shocked considering their good reputation.
Seeing the complaints about them lately explains it all.

Like Jay, I keep the good stuff for the cold weather and save the other stuff for the shoulder seasons.

 

[gbreda]

I did get all 4 ton at one time from Lowes. This was back in Sept before I was schooled on the varying production of some brands. I thought nothing of it at the time. Didnt even think of checking. Just lucky that they all have good heat and the stove handles them with ease.

I have noticed another variant to the manufacture dates. The ones with the long pellets, big fluffy ash and no clinkers produce alot of carbon buildup. The ones with consistent, small pellets that produce clinkers and less ash produce almost no carbon in the burn pot. As long as this keeps up with less carbon, it's easier to have the stove clear the clinkers on it's own than for me to deal with carbon on the cleaning cycle.

I kind of have a screw loose so it's an interesting learning experience for me.

:cheese:

Geno

 

[coloradan]

I've learned my lesson - I will never buy a ton again without testing a few bags first. I just want to find one brand that has consistent output, so I don't have to keep changing brands every ton. I've yet to find one. Are Barefoot or Somerset consistent with their output? Those are the best rated pellets near where I live. I am going to get a couple bags of both of those brands when I get a chance. Too bad Okies and the other highly rated pellets aren't available around here.

 

[poconoman]

I've learned my lesson - I will never buy a ton again without testing a few bags first. I just want to find one brand that has consistent output, so I don't have to keep changing brands every ton. I've yet to find one. Are Barefoot or Somerset consistent with their output? Those are the best rated pellets near where I live. I am going to get a couple bags of both of those brands when I get a chance. Too bad Okies and the other highly rated pellets aren't available around here.

Barefoot costs more and for good reason, they bring the HEAT. Haven't tried Somerset yet. I tried Green Cycle and my stove hated them.

Try them both and see which works best for your stove.

 

[speedoboy31]

gbreda,

Very good advice! Agreed 100%.

You would think with all the technology available today. We could get a good consistent product from the different brands. Granted some brands are doing a very good job of it, But some just drop the ball. Makes many of us leary of what's out there. So the safe bet is try first and verify your getting what batch you tried. If the batch or date is different you might have to retry to be sure you are getting the goods.

The equalizer to all this inconsistent product is a multifuel stove(and I love mine). Takes quite a bad product to cause an issue for me to not want to burn certain brands(so far its Inferno's). I can limp through just about any garbage out there. But I do prefer to get the good stuff that throws the high heat numbers in the extreme COLD(I like to stay warm)! As long as I get it at a decent price. I personally burn just about anything in the shoulders so I can save some cash.

Don't try this with a picky stove, It will make you miserable, cranky and crabby!

how does a multifuel stove compensate for variations in pellets?????

 

[imacman]

.....how does a multifuel stove compensate for variations in pellets?????

Multifuel mean pellets and OTHER types of fuel.

Most of them have small variations built in to the software of the control board that can be changed, and a few even have variations in the software for different grades of pellets. I'm guessing it changes feed and burn air ratios.

Plus, a lot of them have stirrers that break-up clumps/clinkers. My Englander has 3 separate settings for pellets, corn, and cherry pits, and the stirrer, but not for different pellets.

 

[woodsman23]

The only pellets that i have tried over and over that always seems to have the same pellet quality is Dry creek and Rocky mountain. They are always the same but getting them at a good price is sometimes difficult and the dry creek plant is 15 miles from me.

 

[speedoboy31]

thanks macman. by the sounds of the post i quoted, i was wondering if multi stoves had a combustion temp probe to adjust the air/fuel on the fly. guess not.

 

[Doocrew]

I did get all 4 ton at one time from Lowes. This was back in Sept before I was schooled on the varying production of some brands. I thought nothing of it at the time. Didnt even think of checking. Just lucky that they all have good heat and the stove handles them with ease.

I have noticed another variant to the manufacture dates. The ones with the long pellets, big fluffy ash and no clinkers produce alot of carbon buildup. The ones with consistent, small pellets that produce clinkers and less ash produce almost no carbon in the burn pot. As long as this keeps up with less carbon, it's easier to have the stove clear the clinkers on it's own than for me to deal with carbon on the cleaning cycle.

I kind of have a screw loose so it's an interesting learning experience for me.

:cheese:

Geno

Geno-

I found the same variations with the born on dates. I have 2 ton of bags with a born on date of 06-08 and 2 with 03-09. The 08 pellets are much longer in length that the 09s. My stove has not had a problem with the longer pellets. I have been real happy with them. Manageable ash, no clinkers and they burn good and hot. I will take them all day long for $230 a ton.

 

[jtakeman]

thanks macman. by the sounds of the post i quoted, i was wondering if multi stoves had a combustion temp probe to adjust the air/fuel on the fly. guess not.

That would take the fun out of tinkering with the stove. I like to play and would get bored if the stove did it all. I just hated the daily scraping crap!

What macman said is correct. And my stove has the manual air setting with the damper. I also have 5 separate feed settings to tweak the fuel. In pellet mode. Then I have multifuel mode for the real bad burning stuff. Has a built in clean cycle to help remove the buildup in the burnpot. Of coarse it has the fuel stirrer in the burnpot as well. This brakes up the clumps and keeps the burn air holes clean. Most pellet issue's you will read about are how the pot loads up and goes out. Pellet will back up in the chute on the top feeders. With a stirrer this is pretty much eliminated from happening at all. just keeps burning away. Same as a standard stove owner constantly stirring the pot to keep it going.

I purchased as many so called troubled brands last year I could get my hands on. The worst were Mainewoods and ACP. I would not burn them in the cold season. But I had no troubles at all burning in the warm spring season. Well except for a full ash pan much sooner than normal. I have bragged about this stove enough in many many post's. Do a search on Omega. I am sure others are getting tired by now.

All I can say is I will never own a pellet only stove again. The little extra spent is well worth it.

 

[gbreda]

I did get all 4 ton at one time from Lowes. This was back in Sept before I was schooled on the varying production of some brands. I thought nothing of it at the time. Didnt even think of checking. Just lucky that they all have good heat and the stove handles them with ease.

I have noticed another variant to the manufacture dates. The ones with the long pellets, big fluffy ash and no clinkers produce alot of carbon buildup. The ones with consistent, small pellets that produce clinkers and less ash produce almost no carbon in the burn pot. As long as this keeps up with less carbon, it's easier to have the stove clear the clinkers on it's own than for me to deal with carbon on the cleaning cycle.

I kind of have a screw loose so it's an interesting learning experience for me.

:cheese:

Geno

Geno-

I found the same variations with the born on dates. I have 2 ton of bags with a born on date of 06-08 and 2 with 03-09. The 08 pellets are much longer in length that the 09s. My stove has not had a problem with the longer pellets. I have been real happy with them. Manageable ash, no clinkers and they burn good and hot. I will take them all day long for $230 a ton.

Kind of backwards from what I got. My 11/08's are good and consistant in length but produce clinkers. I had 2 pallets of 2/09 that are very long, alot of ash (yes it is manageable), no clinkers but alot of carbon buildup in burnpot. I do have a ton with another date, but cant remember the date and they are buried in the back right now.

But same as you, I am very happy with the heat output on all of them. Especially for price paid...around 230 with the discounts back in Sept.

Geno

 

[Doocrew]

I did get all 4 ton at one time from Lowes. This was back in Sept before I was schooled on the varying production of some brands. I thought nothing of it at the time. Didnt even think of checking. Just lucky that they all have good heat and the stove handles them with ease.

I have noticed another variant to the manufacture dates. The ones with the long pellets, big fluffy ash and no clinkers produce alot of carbon buildup. The ones with consistent, small pellets that produce clinkers and less ash produce almost no carbon in the burn pot. As long as this keeps up with less carbon, it's easier to have the stove clear the clinkers on it's own than for me to deal with carbon on the cleaning cycle.

I kind of have a screw loose so it's an interesting learning experience for me.

:cheese:

Geno

Geno-

I found the same variations with the born on dates. I have 2 ton of bags with a born on date of 06-08 and 2 with 03-09. The 08 pellets are much longer in length that the 09s. My stove has not had a problem with the longer pellets. I have been real happy with them. Manageable ash, no clinkers and they burn good and hot. I will take them all day long for $230 a ton.

Kind of backwards from what I got. My 11/08's are good and consistant in length but produce clinkers. I had 2 pallets of 2/09 that are very long, alot of ash (yes it is manageable), no clinkers but alot of carbon buildup in burnpot. I do have a ton with another date, but cant remember the date and they are buried in the back right now.

But same as you, I am very happy with the heat output on all of them. Especially for price paid...around 230 with the discounts back in Sept.

Geno

That is wierd. I have had no clinkers or carbon build-up. I burned 4 tons of LG's and 10-15 of "purchase a few bag brands to try them out" last year and had many a clinker and carbon build-up to deal with. The Greene teams have been awesome and a far better pellet than anything I have ever burned. I have been able to extend my cleanings to twice a week from every other day. I also had several problems last year with auger jams from excess fines. The Greene team has little to no fines and I have not had one jam after burning a ton and a half of pellets.

 

[HopeItBurns]

I learned my lesson, bought two tons of low heat, high fines, high ash; took one ton back to the store. I have been buying few bags of different brands to try out. :ahhh: