Beware Some Super Premium Pellets. Auger FAIL

[Phoenix Hatchling]

Woke this morning to a 58 degree house, and a pellet stove cold as ice. Pictured is what I found jammed in the hopper chute tray. Now my stove has a squeal which crops up with every open and closing of the feed door. More importantly, check your bags (Vermont Wood Pellet owners) for this type of beastie! Not a stone, but a compressed chunk of what appears to be wood pulp.
After having opened the back, I vacuumed out everything and cleaned the fines box. As I did that a pellet fell into the distribution blower. When I turned it on the pellet rattled as it spun, but thankfully only for about 10 minutes, at which point I guess it either disintegrated or flew out. What lube if any can I use on the auger motor gears on the back of the unit? Thanks for any info or insight as to eradicate this squeal.

 

[iceguy4]

who's pellets?

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

who's pellets?

Vermont Wood Pellets. Not only do they burn dirtier this year, you have to contend with this crap!

 

[iceguy4]

Vermont Wood Pellets. Not only do they burn dirtier this year, you have to contend with this crap!

Contact them. Their crystal ball is on the fritz. I am positive they will want to be made aware of this.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

Contact them. Their crystal ball is on the fritz. I am positive they will want to be made aware of this.

Done. Contacted them and the distributor.

 

[rickwai]

sounds like there is something caught in the slide plate area. w/ pellets out of the hopper you can reach around in the area where pellets drop and fell for something still in there. Or may have something under slideplate.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

sounds like there is something caught in the slide plate area. w/ pellets out of the hopper you can reach around in the area where pellets drop and fell for something still in there. Or may have something under slideplate.

Cleaned it all out inside slide plate and underneath by and in fines box. Afraid that the chunk getting wedged pushed down on the plate which is now rubbing on the underside. I wanted to spray the back of the auger motor assembly with some sort of lube, just for good measure and to rule that area out. I don't know what sort of grease or oil can be used though.

 

[rickwai]

Oiling the motor assembly will not help. With hopper completly you can remove fines cleanout cover and pull the slide plate out and clean the slot that it rides in. When putting plate back in the stepped side goes up. If you lift the lever arm up slide plate will come out. There is probably stuff under the plate

 

[rickwai]

If you youtube harman stove slide plate the first video by harman give you a cutaway view to help explain how slide plate works to make it easier to explain how to take it out. just lift the arm that actuates the slide plate and it will disengage it and it will pull out.

 

[iceguy4]

Done. Contacted them and the distributor.

I too have sent an e-mail with a link to this thread. Please keep me apprised

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

I too have sent an e-mail with a link to this thread. Please keep me apprised

Got off the phone just now with the production supervisor for Vermont Pellets. When he saw the pic from the link you sent them he knew exactly what it was. Apparently it was from material buildup from around a die, which they had to have a machine replaced which prevents large chunks from getting through. He said he didn't think I should have any more issues, and that the problem had been identified and fixed. Offered to make it up to me, which I thought was very classy, but I let him know that was not my intent. I also let him know what I thought of the pellets this year, and he said that I was the first one who found them dirtier than last year. I will keep an eye on the baggies, and let him know if I find more. Now to fix my stove issue.

 

[iceguy4]

Got off the phone just now with the production supervisor for Vermont Pellets. When he saw the pic from the link you sent them he knew exactly what it was. Apparently it was from material buildup from around a die, which they had to have a machine replaced which prevents large chunks from getting through. He said he didn't think I should have any more issues, and that the problem had been identified and fixed. Offered to make it up to me, which I thought was very classy, but I let him know that was not my intent. I also let him know what I thought of the pellets this year, and he said that I was the first one who found them dirtier than last year. I will keep an eye on the baggies, and let him know if I find more. Now to fix my stove issue.

I also talked with a bulk supplier who also said "he had NOT heard of anyone saying Vermont's were dirty this year" I've seen their operation. they go to GREAT lengths to deliver a good product....BUT wood is wood and variables are many. consistency is a challenge.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

I also talked with a bulk supplier who also said "he had NOT heard of anyone saying Vermont's were dirty this year" I've seen their operation. they go to GREAT lengths to deliver a good product....BUT wood is wood and variables are many. consistency is a challenge.

There were actually several members on this site alone with mixed reviews compared to last year. The dust alone from the bag is an uh oh.

 

[Augmister]

Nasty. At least the customer service was good and it probably is a great idea to eyeball the pellets when you dump them in the stove, just in case. I know many sift the pellets to get the finds out before they dump them into the hopper, and that process would have had a chance to eliminate what you posted in your picture.

 

[ChandlerR]

I am happy to see that Vermonts got back to you and even offered to make things right. To me, that's the sign of a good company. I agree that this years batch is a bit dustier than last years but they burn well enough. I dump two bags into my chest, then scoop them out and into the stove so I can (hopefully) see anything that doesn't belong.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

as for the OP, hopefully this didn't cause any permanent component damage if so I suspect the pellet company will make it right for you. its been my experience that the pellet manufacturers as a whole USUALLY are pretty solid when they have an issue such as this and are usually forthright in offering to make up for it. its good business.

as for VPC kudo's for stepping up and making the offer, we don't see their product down here in Va. but if we did i'd partake of their product to see how it performed seeing they were 'stand up" on the issue. so, not having the opportunity to try them I have to pass on the "dust issues" and such.

remember people our neighbors make these products, they aren't shipped in from China. companies that care look for consumer input and better companies take this input and work to better their product based on that input. that said, be polite offer input they can use ("it sux" is not input) if the pellets have a lot of fines, make mention in a civil, candid way if its problematic they will fix it lest they lose your business.

those folks who work at that shop making that product should be honestly proud of what they turn out but if the public is having an issue with it they should be informed of it so they know its something they need to fix. several years ago I worked with a pellet company which was making a big swing at becoming a big player in pellets. the folks I worked with were great "salt of the earth" folks but they turned out a product which was substandard when they first opened up nationally , they got beat on pretty bad , but they learned, and started making a much better product. the public letting them know the shortcomings (I facilitated some of this input) really ended up helping the company make a better product. what does this do? it allows a few hundred people (our neighbors) to keep their jobs and make heat for us.

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

as for the OP, hopefully this didn't cause any permanent component damage if so I suspect the pellet company will make it right for you. its been my experience that the pellet manufacturers as a whole USUALLY are pretty solid when they have an issue such as this and are usually forthright in offering to make up for it. its good business.

as for VPC kudo's for stepping up and making the offer, we don't see their product down here in Va. but if we did i'd partake of their product to see how it performed seeing they were 'stand up" on the issue. so, not having the opportunity to try them I have to pass on the "dust issues" and such.

remember people our neighbors make these products, they aren't shipped in from China. companies that care look for consumer input and better companies take this input and work to better their product based on that input. that said, be polite offer input they can use ("it sux" is not input) if the pellets have a lot of fines, make mention in a civil, candid way if its problematic they will fix it lest they lose your business.

those folks who work at that shop making that product should be honestly proud of what they turn out but if the public is having an issue with it they should be informed of it so they know its something they need to fix. several years ago I worked with a pellet company which was making a big swing at becoming a big player in pellets. the folks I worked with were great "salt of the earth" folks but they turned out a product which was substandard when they first opened up nationally , they got beat on pretty bad , but they learned, and started making a much better product. the public letting them know the shortcomings (I facilitated some of this input) really ended up helping the company make a better product. what does this do? it allows a few hundred people (our neighbors) to keep their jobs and make heat for us.

Perhaps after this posting they will reach out to you down there for distribution. He was very informed when I spoke with him, and did extend an offer. When I told him of the pellets burning dirtier this year, he said he goes through and checks all aspects of the production and stressed the debarking process, but that he would check the batches. If it were only me who had found this to be the case, I would have kept my mouth shut and chalked it up to me being nitpicky. But in light of the fact that multiple people who had used them for several years had found this to be the case, I had to say it like it is. Perhaps there were several variables at play with this batch I got, and maybe when I bust into another ton which is still wrapped up in the garage, I will have those quality pellets that I know from last year.