Can I successfully measure moisture in various pellets with a meter

[Doug Doty]

I have just finished a bag of pellets that burned so poorly that my #5 high heat setting was putting out heat closer to that of normal #2 or #3 throughout the contents of this whole bag. It is my belief that it is damp from poor weather protection prior to my buying these pellets. In the end I would like to know if snyone has used a moisture meter of some kind to test pellets. Talking to a farming friend give me the idea since he mentioned his meter for monitoring corn in his crib.

 

[mustangwagz]

Pellet size has a lot to do with it as well in all honesty..i just learned this via some testing and serious anal retentive studys i did.. FWIW, no anal damage was done.

anyhow, if bigger pellets wasnt the issue, then yes id point at moisture. If your stove is "multi-fuel" compatiable, add some corn next time ya get into that issue. it'll make up for the heat difference. thats what i do.

 

[Doug Doty]

Pellet only stove, all pellets from same brand and LOOK the same too. I am the king of A.R. thats why i'm asking... I just cannot stand not understanding or knowing what is going on. When it is running poorly in 30 degree weather I really cannot make enough heat to be comfortable upstairs at <65 degrees and my 16x20 stove room is 70 ish degrees compared to to 70 up and 80+ in the stove room if I did not turn it back.

 

[mustangwagz]

do ya scrap the pot and keep it clean? Foul pellets will lead to dirty pot and clinkers and that'll cut back on output. Im sure ya keep it clean if your A.R. like i am about things. lol

 

[Bioburner]

Someone discussed using a microwave to check for moisture.

 

[BrotherBart]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/bayou-pellets-vs-lignetics.46927/#post-588822

 

[Doug Doty]

Ya my pot is not the issue, I can make a running switch to the next bag like I did at lunch today and I went back to blazing and running is out

 

[erzeez77]

Hmm interesting. I work at a lab in a pulp and paper mill. We do "moisture tests" on the bark and chips that get brought in. I never even thought of this but if I wanted to im sure I can use the same test on my pellets if I want.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Delmhorst Instruments, Totawa, New Jersey makes moisture testers for grains, forage and just about everything else. a bit spendy but very accurate and dependable, I have 2 btw. One for hay and one for grain. Expect to pay over 300 bucks but you get what you pay for.

 

[Bioburner]

Wish my good scale did not go south. Could have just roasted in microwave till no more moisture and weighed again. Cost $350 the last time to fix and since not needing its accuracy got rid of it.

 

[rona]

I have just finished a bag of pellets that burned so poorly that my #5 high heat setting was putting out heat closer to that of normal #2 or #3 throughout the contents of this whole bag. It is my belief that it is damp from poor weather protection prior to my buying these pellets. In the end I would like to know if snyone has used a moisture meter of some kind to test pellets. Talking to a farming friend give me the idea since he mentioned his meter for monitoring corn in his crib.

After reading this I got my Dickey John grain moisture tester out and first did my corn 14% not bad then tried Indeck wood pellets 7.5% I would consider that fairly close.

 

[jtakeman]

Grain moisture test gets it pretty close. Microwave test is even closer.

Hmm interesting. I work at a lab in a pulp and paper mill. We do "moisture tests" on the bark and chips that get brought in. I never even thought of this but if I wanted to im sure I can use the same test on my pellets if I want.

PFI uses the ASTM E 871 test procedure. Which takes approx 18 hours to complete. What procedure do you use to check moisture?

Delmhorst Instruments, Totawa, New Jersey makes moisture testers for grains, forage and just about everything else. a bit spendy but very accurate and dependable, I have 2 btw. One for hay and one for grain. Expect to pay over 300 bucks but you get what you pay for.

Have you tried it on pellets?

I'm doing some testing and trying to keep as close as possible to PFI. Ash content takes approx 3 hours or so. No way in heck can I spend 18 trying to do the moisture test. I have done the microwave test, But be ready for the odd fire or 2. If the grain tester can get it close? I might be interested on purchasing one.

Edit: Asked too soon.

After reading this I got my Dickey John grain moisture tester out and first did my corn 14% not bad then tried Indeck wood pellets 7.5% I would consider that fairly close.

Thanks could save me lots of time!!

 

[SmokeEater]

We tested green wood chips for moisture content and paid for them by the bone dry ton. Used a scale that was accurate to 0.1 grams and had a max capacity of 2000 grams. using an aluminum pie plate, tare it, and pour an amount of pellets into the plate, weigh them wet and them slow dry them overnight in a slow oven, reweigh the dried pellets and pie plate, subtract the weight of the plate, and with the weight of the dry pellets you can determine the accurate moisture content of that mass of pellets.

 

[Bioburner]

I was going to do the same but using a microwave and getting the values a lot sooner. I guess I could scale down and use a powder scale or I know of another scale they may let me borrow. Good large scales are very spendy.

 

[Doug Doty]

I'd like to combine the two great above replies and grab a shot glass of pellets, weigh it in a powder grain scale I have for reloading and then dry them on or in front of my stoves out, air flow for a day and re-weigh. I can do it for good and bad batches of pellets and start to get a feel for what damp pellets do -vs- dry ones and save to info for later if it was telling of moisture. Probably all a waste cause in the end I am gonna burn through damp pellets and extract all the good I can anyway. I really just need to be diligent about not getting other than GOD DRY fuel.

 

[erzeez77]

We tested green wood chips for moisture content and paid for them by the bone dry ton. Used a scale that was accurate to 0.1 grams and had a max capacity of 2000 grams. using an aluminum pie plate, tare it, and pour an amount of pellets into the plate, weigh them wet and them slow dry them overnight in a slow oven, reweigh the dried pellets and pie plate, subtract the weight of the plate, and with the weight of the dry pellets you can determine the accurate moisture content of that mass of pellets.

This is also how we do it.

 

[ScotL]

This works well:
(broken link removed to http://www.azic.com/products_computrac_max5000xl.aspx)

But unless you're running moisture and ash tests constantly, this is not what you want.

 

[jtakeman]

This works well:
(broken link removed to http://www.azic.com/products_computrac_max5000xl.aspx)

But unless you're running moisture and ash tests constantly, this is not what you want.

I can imagine it would be a bit pricey for a home user to swing, But if it was needed several times a day(shift) I can see it being rather handy!