What do you do when you look in the hopper

[lagger]

funny thread everyone. what/how do you guys get the dust out of the hopper, when the pellets are still in the hopper? vacuum? should i be "sifting" my pellets from the bag before they go in (please say no).
1st year burner.

ok ... no ... but I do it anyway and now have about 1/4 of a used pellet bag filled with dust, fines and fragments my sifter weeded out

 

[Dhosh]

I flatten when filling ,but mound them over the hopper on subsequent checks. I would think the 'mounding' shouldn't be necessary with good inclination and 'slippery-ness' on the sides. I think it was better, before I tried putting spray graphite on the sides! One of these (mild temp) days, I'll try to clean it off, and just buff the sides. ;-)

 

[Johnny_Fiv3]

Thank God I am not alone! All of these things I do. Thought maybe I was just being obsessive.

 

[TimfromMA]

I level, and shift around then fill it to absolute maximum capacity.

 

[Dhosh]

From Thundercdracker: "what/how do you guys get the dust out of the hopper, when the pellets are still in the hopper?"

I don't. I wait till the hopper is empty. ;-) About once a week, I let the hopper 'run dry', and let it cool down for it's weekly 'bath'. Part of that regime is to vacum out the auger, to get rid of the fines. I use a regular shop vac for that, so my (new!) ash vacuum doesn't have any fresh pellets to ignite, should I get a hot ember in there.

 

[Pete Zahria]

I have a englander and always mound the pellets up in the middle of the auger haha

The first time I used mine, I noticed that all of the pellets did not slide down the sides..
A quick look revealed that the paint job was somewhat rough. I sanded it down to bare metal
then sanded it with 320 grit... took any excess sealant off, and round off the edges at the bottom
..came out really smooth
Then sprayed it with silicone, wiped off the excess... now nearly every pellet goes into
the auger.. the only ones to not go are obviously the ones
that stay on that small flat area of the adjustable plate.
A handful.... maybe.
Very easy but worthwhile job (IMO)

Dan

 

[Bob E]

I'm burning some real clingy softwood pellets at the moment. They are not quite as smooth textured as the other hardwood pellets I have. They hang onto the sides of the hopper for dear life.

 

[ken372]

I make the mountain also,and then thank my stove with each fill! As long as I'm filling the hopper the propane guzzler is turned off!

 

[Doug Doty]

I'm a pile in the middle guy if below 1/2, nothing if fuller.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I like to flatten the pellets out so they look even. Then when they get to 2/3 empty Add more. then flatten them. I think I have OCD with the hopper

I let my wife have OCD with that. She's 'in charge' of keeping it full and like you, she 'smooths' them out...seen her do it....

 

[TonyVideo]

I make sad faces on top of the pellets in the hopper. They turn into happy faces as the level drops.

 

[RAVinMetrowest]

My hopper does not have a large opening - the cast iron top slides forward about 4". In order to fill the entire cavity, I use a long ice scraper brush to move the pellets up and to the back. The edge of the front fascia is kind of sharp and I can't reach into the back of the hopper so the scraper moves the pellets back. The brush is useful for sweeping off the dust into the hopper after loading:

 

[TimfromMA]

I cram it as full as possible.

 

[Tonyray]

I cram it as full as possible.

Likewise...followed by the next bag that knock any stuck on the side down.
honestly though, I have very little than hangs to the sides..
I have enough OCD Stove things I do to worry about non sliding pellets
although if your gone all day I can see the concern of the fire going out due to pellets hanging.
In that case, I would jams them in like your picture.