Big box store Pellet comparing! List and mini review!

[odlaw]

Hi,
Great work but I have a few questions. Are you shutting down the stove and letting the fire burn out and if so are you adding whatever is left in the pot (clinkers) to the ash. The only reason I ask is because in my setup less ash is an indication of larger particles trapped in my burn pot not making it to the ash pan and changing the combustion by blocking air flow. My setup is an insert which is definately more finiky than standalones.
Thanks

 

[jtakeman]

Hi,
Great work but I have a few questions. Are you shutting down the stove and letting the fire burn out and if so are you adding whatever is left in the pot (clinkers) to the ash. The only reason I ask is because in my setup less ash is an indication of larger particles trapped in my burn pot not making it to the ash pan and changing the combustion by blocking air flow. My setup is an insert which is definately more finiky than standalones.
Thanks

I let the stove burn right out. It only leaves maybe a 16 oz. coffee can of pellets in the hopper. All the leftover pellets I scoop out of the hopper and are placed in a 5 gallon pail. I will burn the mix later. I try not to mix the different brands.

I then clean the whole stove, Burn pot and all. It all goes in the jar. I have been screening the ash to see if there are clinkers. I also scrap the slag/scale out of the burn pot and add it to the jar. It all goes in the jar. Except the few un burned pellets that end up in the ash pan. I pull them out when I screen the ash. They are going in the garden alone with the fines I have sifted from the bags.

My stove has a self cleaning burn pot, It has an agitator/stirrur in it. Made to burn multifuels. Even the worst pellets don't clog my burn pot. I ran the maine woods for almost 2 weeks last year. Yes the ash pan was full of ash, But I never had to stir the pot or scrape. The stove does it for me. It did give my vacuum a work out though. :lol:

jay

 

[odlaw]

Thanks for that info. I hope everyone is appreciative to all the work and effort you put into this.
Maybe my stove is at fault but I haven't seen fine talcum type ash in any of the big box brands in my area. Uwsually my ash is more of a sawdust type of consistency colors varying brand to brand and most clog the burnpot partially when I let stove burn out out or shut down.
Thanks again, awesome thread.
Dave

 

[jtakeman]

Updates See post 1

Maine Choice are finished. Ash was at the 16 oz mark on the jar(see attached photo). Ash seemed light and fluffy.Gray film on class. If they had only more heat? I will weight the ash and update sometime this week.

BrandX is in the stove.

Average temp was 262°F (smoking hot!) These pellets required the least amount of air(reduced draft) to burn. I was blowing them right out of the burn pot at first. I am also able to reduce the heat setting from medium (#3) to medium/low (#2) and still hold temps at 230º. This should conserve pellets and save me money. I am loving the way they smell, Almost like the smell of a fresh cut xmas tree. Edit: Just for giggles I tried them on low (#1). They still cranked out 175°F. Almost as much as the Inferno's on the medium (#3) setting. Very impressive!

FYI= My stoves feed rates are 1=1.7 lbs/hr. 2= 3.1875 lbs./hr. 3= 3.81 lbs./hr. 4=5.44 lbs./hr. 5=7.61 lbs./hr.

 

[schmeg]

I see your looking for 1 more brand to do. Just a suggestion, Lowes here in Maine is selling Premier pellets this year. I understand they are being made in the old Energex plant in Montreal QC. I have a ton and a half of them and have been getting descent results with them. No numbers, but just good heat. I would give you a bag, but shipping might be an issue. Jay.

 

[countk]

Can we put in our guesses for brand X. When I burned Green Supreme last year they were hot and smelled great. Of course, this year they are Dragon Mountain, so that's my guess.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

My guess for brand x is one of BTU's favorites.

 

[HEMI]

my guess would be:

brand x is spruce pointe, and brand y is barefoote

 

[jtakeman]

Nice guessing guys, But I ain't saying nada! You will just have to wait.

 

[countk]

Nice guessing guys, But I ain't saying nada! You will just have to wait.

That's okay, it's more fun this way.

Any other guesses out there??

 

[schmeg]

Oakies maybe? They actually smell like cat spruce.

 

[joefraser]

Nice guessing guys, But I ain't saying nada! You will just have to wait.

Not Okies. I remember Jay complaining he can't get them in his area. My guess is Spruce Point or Dragon Mountain

 

[joefraser]

Nice guessing guys, But I ain't saying nada! You will just have to wait.

Not Okies. I remember Jay complaining he can't get them in his area. My guess is Spruce Point or Dragon Mountain

 

[schmeg]

Cat Spruce is a slang used in reference to White Spruce. White Spruce grows in B.C. (Okanagan uses it), and it grows point as far east as here in Maine. It is called cat spruce because when the needles are new in the early summer, it gives off a foul smell reminiscent of cat urine. The tree in the wild makes a great candidate for a christmas tree, until you get it thru the front door of your house. Once inside, it has a slight cat urine smell. Okanagans have a similar smell. They are a blend of white spruce and pine.

 

[Oilhater]

Still looking for 1 more? How about NEWP? Seem to be popular here in the northeast.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Cat Spruce is a slang used in reference to White Spruce. White Spruce grows in B.C. (Okanagan uses it), and it grows point as far east as here in Maine. It is called cat spruce because when the needles are new in the early summer, it gives off a foul smell reminiscent of cat urine. The tree in the wild makes a great candidate for a christmas tree, until you get it thru the front door of your house. Once inside, it has a slight cat urine smell. Okanagans have a similar smell. They are a blend of white spruce and pine.

That be Pole Cat Spruce aka Skunk Spruce.

 

[schmeg]

Quick question? What are you using for a temp sensor, and where is it mounted? Thanks, Jay

 

[jtakeman]

Cat Spruce is a slang used in reference to White Spruce. White Spruce grows in B.C. (Okanagan uses it), and it grows point as far east as here in Maine. It is called cat spruce because when the needles are new in the early summer, it gives off a foul smell reminiscent of cat urine. The tree in the wild makes a great candidate for a christmas tree, until you get it thru the front door of your house. Once inside, it has a slight cat urine smell. Okanagans have a similar smell. They are a blend of white spruce and pine.

That be Pole Cat Spruce aka Skunk Spruce.

No they smell more like maybe white pine or blue spruce. Sugar pine smell to them. Nothing like cat urine. YUK! :sick:

OK I stopped at a local Agway and got the last bags for the test. Maine Woods. Look to be the newer batch. No wraper on this skid, But the skid behind was wrapped and had a tag/label with Sept 09. Lets hope there better than last years!

I also moved the Greenways up to follow BrandY. A member asked me to do so. Something about needing to beat the sale dead line. Hope you members don't mind!

Carry on.
jay

P.S. BrandX is keeping the house a nice and toasty 72°F on setting #2. Burned almost a bag so far and the glass is still clean.

 

[jtakeman]

Quick question? What are you using for a temp sensor, and where is it mounted? Thanks, Jay

My meter is a: Omega HH23 I paid close to $800.00 new. It is calibrated(by the QA dept) for Lad Testing and process ovens to + or - .001 degree . Over kill for the average pellet burner. But very accurate.

I have an double alligator clip, Clipped to my heat exchanger grate. The thermalcouple from my meter clips on the outboard clip. Never touches the stove. I like measuring just the heated air off the heat exchanger. It is measured in the same place all the time. Just to be as consistent as possible.

 

[schmeg]

Thank you. That was just what I was looking for.

 

[jtakeman]

A member asked my to post a photo of my meter. Here you go.

 

[jtakeman]

Here is a photo of the thermo couple mounted to the stove for temp test. I mount it here same place. every time. Note the Blue high temp heat shrink marker. This is there to make sure I have the probe set in the same place every time. I ain't no lab but I am trying to be as accurate as possible.

 

[jtakeman]

OK BrandX is complete.

Ash amount in jar was at the 10 ounce mark(lowest so far). Its going to be a while for the weight. I am off for the holiday weekend. Found one for the cold winter days! See attached photo.

I was asked to do the Greenways before the BrandY brand. I will do so. But it may mess the order up. I don't want to redo all the photos so I will try to bounce over and then return to BrandY. I will reserve the next post for BrandY and will return there to put it the data. Sorry, But the member want to see the test results before they buy there pellets. I do have a comment about this. Your stove is what you really need to see burn these pellets. What if my results are good and you buy them with out trying a few bags 1st? Then your stove doesn't like them. I don't want to hear the grief or any other complaints. You really need to do a few bag burn yourself. That said here we go.

 

[jtakeman]

Reserved for BrandY results!

Average temp for brand Y is 265°F another really hot pellet.
Found them to be hot on the low setting as well 178°F. Again to conserve pellets I will burn them on the med/low #2 setting.

Found another one for the cold winter days(But I really already knew these were real hot!)

 

[jtakeman]

Reserved for Greenway results!

Greenway average heat was 234°F. They smell pretty good(Oak smell). Ash was at the 12 ounce mar on jar. I will post the ash weight Moday evening or so.