Energex (and other) pellets and Mt. Vernon AE

[sweetsncheese]

This was our first winter with our Mt. Vernon AE insert pellet stove. We've burned exclusively Energex premium pellets (green bag). Although I believe these pellets are hardwood (doesn't say on the bag), the installer guy said to put our fuel setting on softwood but I don't recall why. Being our first year, I think it'd be safe to say we have low ash and we've never had a problem with clinkers but do see them when we empty the ash pan. We vacuum the stove about every 10 days or so.

We are in the process of looking into the pre-buy program. Our dealer is offering Energex once again but is also offering other brands for about $30 less a ton. We don't care about the price, too much, but want something that burns nice. The other options are Maine Premium, Appling County and Bayou. Each one varies in contents (80/20 Mix HW/SW, Mostly HW and HW, respectively). With all this in mind, and based on others who perhaps have the same stove, what has been your experience with any of these brands and WWYD?

Thanks in advance.

 

[trbinrat]

I had bad luck with the bayou's as did a friend. We have completely different stoves and they burned the same low heat out put, lots of ash.

Just my .02 cents worth the price charged!

 

[jtakeman]

We are in the process of looking into the pre-buy program. Our dealer is offering Energex once again but is also offering other brands for about $30 less a ton. We don't care about the price, too much, but want something that burns nice. The other options are Maine Premium, Appling County and Bayou. Each one varies in contents (80/20 Mix HW/SW, Mostly HW and HW, respectively). With all this in mind, and based on others who perhaps have the same stove, what has been your experience with any of these brands and WWYD?

Thanks in advance.

I been burning some of the energex green bag. Seem to be an OK pellet. They don't throw the heat Like the Hamers-Turmans and Barefoot pellets I have burned. But they do burn on the upper level of good.I got them cheap so it was worth the try.

Out of the three bands you have listed, I haven't heard much good things about any of them. But you could always ask the dealer to try a few bags of each. This way you can see if they burn decent. I would start with the maine. They are supposed to have there bad things worked out. I waiting on a few bags from my pellet guy to see how they do. Not due in for a while, So can't say anything about them yet!

jay

 

[lsirois]

It sounds like we use the same dealer and received the same offer....I didn't like it one bit. $270/ton for pellets or questionable quality or $295/ton for Energex. I burned 3 tons of Energex this year and have no complaints, but I was unwilling to pay $295/ton for them when pelletsales.com has LG Granules at $249/ton. That's my two cents.

 

[save$]

I also burned Energex all winter. Very good heat, low ash, no clinkers, but did get a "cookie" of ash in the burn pot every few days. I looked on the www.energex.com site. The bag that has an eagle on it and says hardwood is made in America. The green bag with no eagle or comment on hard or soft wood is Canadian softwood.
My brother and my daughter both have the same stove as I do, except that one of them is the insert Madel. My brother burned Athens and my daughter burned LGs. All burned well and with the same results I had. My brother did report more fines with the Athens at first, but no so with the more recent pellets. He was the only on of us who didn't buy their whole season's pellets at the start of the burning season.
When I go shoping again, I'll look to see the codition the pellets are in when I get them and then look a price. I don't want anything to do with pellets kept outside and not under cover, or those that have been moved a lot. I don't give much attention to that hardwood vs. softwood thing. Burned right, they both should give satisfactory resultes.

 

[cavermedic]

I burned 3 tons of New England Wood pellets (hardwood)and am now finishing up 2 tons of Appling County (80/20) in our Mt Vernon AE insert. I didn't really notice a difference in heat output, but the Appling County are definitely way dirtier and create quite a bit more ash. NEWP are very clean. No clinkers with either. A friend swears by Energex. I'm thinking of trying some softwood pellets next year - got a relative who insists that they make a noticeable difference in heat output. We'll see . . .

 

[weatherguy]

I burned the Bayou and they burned nice and hot in my stove with low ash, very dusty though. I found other brands that burned as well with low ash with less dust. Ive never had a clinker with any pellet, may be the way my stove is set up.

 

[smoke show]

I've burned hardwood and softwood in my mt vernon both burned the same, but none of the brands you mentioned.
Heat output seems better with softwood, just going by feel and not actually measuring temps.

 

[BDPVT]

I have burned HW, 80/20blend, and SW pellets in my Mt Vernon. I have burned Energex and other brands and all burn good in this stove. My favorites have been softwood. They burn nice and hot with very little ash.

 

[gwesleyr]

Hey MVs,

I've burned 3.25 tons since the end of September, but only .25 way in to my first ton of Energex pellets. Before that I had 2 tons from Blue Seal branded that burned/heated fine, as do the Energex. Another odd ton from Tractor Supply, I don't recall the brand, was OK too. The Blue Seal seemed to smoke up the glass a bit more, but not too bad.

W