Different weight amounts in pellet bags, is 40 lbs the same every where ?

[buildingmaint]

I have been using American Wood Fibers pellets for the first part of this winter. I have noticed that when putting in three bags , 120 lbs , they all fit in my hopper and I can close the lid. I have run out of them ,and am now using Agway brand[ Hammer Hot Ones So say the owner of store] and 3 bags lbs fills the hopper heaping over , and can not close the lid. So is 40 lbs really 40 lbs every where ?

 

[SteveT]

There could be some sort of a problem with the packaging machinery but I doubt it. Each bag should have 40# of product.... that doesn't mean that the volume of the 40# is consistent.

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Depends upon how much space the pellets take up and not the weight of the pellets to fill a hooper.

In short 40lbs is 40lbs everywhere.

I'd never use weight to describe the volume of a hopper, but heck what would I know being a woodland creature ;-) .

 

[cantman]

What's heavier, a pound of butter or a pound of feathers?

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

What's heavier, a pound of butter or a pound of feathers?

Answer: A pound of lead, and it drops faster from the funny vertical tower over in that from away place called Italy.

 

[[email protected]]

size and density could play a factor larger peices would take more space than smaller broken ones, as would less dence pellets

 

[JustWood]

40lbs of softwood takes up more room than 40lbs of hardwood.
Time to get out the bathroom scale.

 

[KPWright]

I know that the Hamer pellets are sometimes still pretty long when I use them. That would tend to make them take up a lot more space (more air in the gaps between pellets).

That said, I usually put in about 4 tons of pellets in the early fall and can attest to the fact that the last of the bags weigh a heck of a lot more than the first!!

 

[crausch]

I am on board with the size of the pellets making the difference. I have had pellets that were 1/4" diameter with the longest pellets being only 1" in length. The smaller pellets fit tighter together in a space (bag, hopper, pail, etc.). So, I would think that that 40 pounds of these pellets would not fill a hopper up as quick as 40 pounds of 5/16" diameter pellets ranging up to 1-1/2" plus in length.

 

[NoMoreOPEC]

Here is a link that shows density and volume between Pellet manufacturers .


(broken link removed)


Wood Pellet Density
Pellet manufacturers compress the wood fiber to a consistent density of at least 40lbs per cubic foot. That means that if you fill a cubic foot container with the pellets (just pour them in), it should weigh at least 40lbs. But it's difficult to compress to that exact density consistently, so most pellet mills compress to 41lbs or 42lbs. It's not uncommon that the pellet could be as dense as 44lbs or more. If one bag of wood pellets is denser than another, it will deliver more fuel to the firepot with each rotation of the augur than the less dense pellet. If you have two brands of pellets, you can stack eight bags of one brand on top of each other next two eight bags of the other brand. The taller stack is the less dense pellet. Being less-dense or more-dense isn't bad, but it does change the fuel-to-air ration in the appliance. If you switch from a less-dense pellet to a more-dense pellet, you will need to reduce your feed rate or increase airflow through the firepot to maintain the correct fuel to air ratio.

-G

 

[pete324rocket]

Duh...whats heavier,a stick of hardwood or a stick of softwood? (did I miss something?)

 

[Souzafone]

Duh...whats heavier,a stick of hardwood or a stick of softwood? (did I miss something?)

People are getting weight confused with volume. To answer your question you'd have to tell us the relative size of the sticks. Is that a European swallow or an African swallow?

 

[sparkydog00]

Weight is mass x the gravitational pull of the planet you are on. So 40 lbs is 40 lbs everywhere on the earth. 40 lbs is much more on Jupiter....and much less on the moon.
What has you scratching your head it the volume of said weight. That vaies due to density, moisture, and other factors.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

After checking your bags of pellets try potatoes, rice, and topsoil. Please do not even try shelled corn.

Eric

 

[JustWood]

After checking your bags of pellets try potatoes, rice, and topsoil. Please do not even try shelled corn.

Eric

I'm about to try measuring out some Raisin Bran to see if what will fit in a bowl will fit in an equal area of my gullet! :cheese:

 

[Devo]

To answer your question you'd have to tell us the relative size of the sticks. Is that a European swallow or an African swallow?

I have a great response but I'd have to go to confession and would probably have to say TWO rosaries.