I Understand The Concept Of Shoulder Pellets But

[woodmakesheat]

I actually find pellets of lesser quality burn better on the really cold days because my stove is in high burn mode and the burn pot tends to stay cleaner longer.

So true. I even burnt some pellets that were either high moisture content or otherwise massive ash producers, then switched to the normal FSUs that I burn and the mountain of ash on the door eventually disappeared and the glass got cleaner! Continuous hot burn is good - it keeps the stove nice and clean (so long as the pellets aren't filled with bark or whatever it is that makes them produce ash cake.)

 

[shawnfire]

what i have been thinking about is this have a bag of somersets burn real hot but cost 6 bucks a bag propellets burn o.k at 5 a bag I can burn less of the somersets and have the same heat as burning more or higher setting then propellets so thinking of buying bags of somersets when it gets real cold. propellets keep up just fine when the temp is around 20 but if it goes below that i have to crank the stove up with somersets i have a highier heat at the same setting with pro's

 

[tjnamtiw]

THE ADVENTURE

I like it.

The conquest of the cold and nasty elements of nature.
Managing and controlling the blazing inferno within our chosen "Widdle stove slave"

Like a moth to the flame we are drawn, ever vigilante of the mechanics and electronics of the marvelous pellet stove that heats our abode.
The clearing of the clinker, the loading of the pellets, the vacuuming of the ash and polishing of the windows.
As a mother nurses it's young, the minister of fire nurture's the flame, keeping it's life giving warmth through the long winters night.

Never so mundane as the bland heater box in the garage with it's lifeless thermostat on the wall, that does little to buoy the spirit, but sucks thy wallet dry.

The Pellet stove is a genuine call to the soul of those who not only seek warmth, but long for the true adventure of commanding the flame.

Ahhhhh yess, the ramblings of a flame crazed old girl that's in love with her pellet stove.


Around here, we have the Shoulder season (Fall and late spring) The winter season (Cold wet and going sideways)
The off season (Summer) where we nurture, love and repair our beloved pellet stove/s

It's a way of life, that begins in the fall with the first fire to vanquish the chill, then progresses to the hard of deep winter when the fires burn fiercely and the flame steady and true.

Then comes spring when the fire we so cherish is allowed to dwindle and die, to be rekindled to chase the chill, then again die out as summers warmth returns.


As a long time pellet stove owner, I have come to think of our stoves as part of the family, and not just a machine.

It's a disease maybe, or an addiction, not sure.

Gotta love it though.


Snowy

DAMN, I THINK I'M IN LOVE Wow, I thought I was reading Poe!

 

[jss227]

I buy whatever HD has in stock. The last couple years it's been Premium Wood Pellets made in Maine, with some FSU and Greene Supremes thrown in for good measure. They all burn and make ash.

 

[Jason845845]

Just for yucks I just threw in a bag of Green Supremes and my house is still at the same 75 degrees that it was when I am burning Hamer's

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Yup

They all burn, just some burn better than others.

We have had some ligs, and they were so so.

The Golden fire seems to be the preffered top end pellet here.

I personally will not pay the $$$$ difference over the Bear Mt.

I also don't really understand using different pellets during certain times of the year.

Seems that buying the best that work in the particular stove would be the plan, but, whatever makes one happy.


Ahhh well

Snowy

 

[Pete Zahria]

Just gotta be careful I don't bark in front of my bride. . . . . .

I'm barkin'!!

 

[Pete Zahria]

I also don't really understand using different pellets during certain times of the year.
Seems that buying the best that work in the particular stove would be the plan, but, whatever makes one happy.

Snowy

yup.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

Pellet poetry, what a concept

Just got on a roll

 

[Tonyray]

I never bought into shoulder pellet theory 100%,
that said, I will admit that what I burn during the day when the sun is out is different that what I burn in the evening and Overnight
when it's much colder..
I am thinking though for next year I will strictly buy the Energex Golden Pellets,0.5 Ash which is the hotter pellets I burn after dark.
Simply because they leave so much less ash than the Energex regular hardwoods.
Burned HD Stove Chows last year [when they we're 229.00 ton.
Kept the house warm but mountains of Ash...

 

[Wilbur Feral]

The concept of shoulder pellets is not dumb. I did, however, once feel that way as well. I burn two "levels" of pellets for two reasons:

1) My colder weather pellets (Hamer's) produce much less ash. When temps are very cold, each of us burn more pellets. Burning a colder weather pellet allows me to clean my stoves only once per week. More frequent cleaning would be required if a more "ashy" pellet were burned at this quantity per week.

2) The price difference warrants switching to a "lesser" pellet. I pay about 40% more for Hamer's vs box store brands. If I can still clean once per week and save 40%' in the "shoulder seasons, I do so.

Some of you are either cleaning too much or paying too much. Now who's dumb?

 

[OhioBurner©]

I didn't even know this was a particular concept, but I just figured some burn more inexpensive pellets during the shoulder season. Seems fine by me?

I also didn't plan on doing this per se, but I could only get 3 tons of good pellets which I more or less saved for the main heating season. I bought a ton of cheaper pellets I used up earlier in the fall. Now I still can't get any more good pellets so far, so I'll be hunting for something else for the spring season.

Had I got into pellets a little earlier in the year perhaps I could have got all I needed of 1 type, but I don't see an issue saving a little on cheaper stuff even if its a tad more ashy or whatever.

 

[ExhibitGuy]

How sad is it that on my drive home .. I think about interesting things I saw on this site? Anyways.. may have already been said - but another reason to use shite pellets towards the end of the season would be for carry-over pellets into next year. I would feel a lot less risk of water damage etc. keeping a 1/2 ton of cheaper pellets through the warm season than a 1/2 ton of expensive ones. My dog (stupid dog...) apparently likes pellets and chewed his way into a bag. I'm thinking of putting his frozen turd directly into the burn pot.. probably have some good BTU.
- j

 

[F4jock]

How sad is it that on my drive home .. I think about interesting things I saw on this site? Anyways.. may have already been said - but another reason to use shite pellets towards the end of the season would be for carry-over pellets into next year. I would feel a lot less risk of water damage etc. keeping a 1/2 ton of cheaper pellets through the warm season than a 1/2 ton of expensive ones. My dog (stupid dog...) apparently likes pellets and chewed his way into a bag. I'm thinking of putting his frozen turd directly into the burn pot.. probably have some good BTU.
- j

Why buy crap pellets in the first place?

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Why buy crap pellets in the first place?

You don't have to buy really awful pellets. I buy exceptionally low ash pellets for Jan-Feb, and average pellets for the shoulder seasons. Those average pellets sell for the same price as really awful ones, but produce much less ash. You just have to know which is which, and sites like this can help with that. I LIKE to clean my stove about once per week. It's a good rhythm, easy to do, etc. More than that is a pain. I save quite a bit in shoulder seasons with this system, but if the price difference were less I would just burn Ultra Premiums. And one's stove brand has nothing to do with it. Ash is ash and must be removed regularly.

 

[bogieb]

I also don't really understand using different pellets during certain times of the year.

Seems that buying the best that work in the particular stove would be the plan, but, whatever makes one happy.

Snowy

So I am new to this game (only been burning pellets for a year), but this is pretty much what I settled on. The St. Croix feeds and runs best with FSU's, out of the brands I've tried(it likes smaller pellets - has trouble with longer ones), so I bought a bunch of those for that stove. If I run out of FSU's then I will go to the brand it liked the next best - and adjust the damper for that. I'm not buying for shoulder season or for cold nights, just what the Hastings likes that is at a reasonable price

The Harman doesn't really care - it hasn't had troubles feeding or burning anything I've tried, so I feed it what I can find (yeah, I b*tch about the state of the Currans' ashiness this year compared to last year, but they still burn on really cold days and on warmer days just the same). I burn what is at the top of the pellet pallet regardless of what "season" it is.

 

[Pete Zahria]

Some of you are either cleaning too much or paying too much. Now who's dumb?

Neither.

You can get a hamburger at McDonalds, or,
you can get one at Five Guys..

It's really a personal choice on how much you want to spend
for the product you receive..

I get my pellets by the pallets, all at once.
I just don't feel like farting around trying to decide
which one to burn on a given day.
I'm happy with what I get.
I've wasted money on a lot more stupid things than pellets....
And no... I'm not rich. I am retired.

Dan

 

[SXIPro]

There are some totally garbage pellets out there and I avoid those. But I see people spending $350 a ton on designer pellets when perfectly fine pellets that throw a bunch of heat and are low ash can be found right next door for $230 a ton. That's when I start shaking my head. Over the course of a tough winter, that is basically like throwing away 3 tons of pellets. Makes no sense at all.

 

[Pete Zahria]

perfectly fine pellets that throw a bunch of heat and are low ash can be found right next door for $230 a ton..

You're lucky... there aren't any of those $230/ton pellets around here...

 

[doghouse]

The concept of shoulder pellets is not dumb. I did, however, once feel that way as well. I burn two "levels" of pellets for two reasons:

1) My colder weather pellets (Hamer's) produce much less ash. When temps are very cold, each of us burn more pellets. Burning a colder weather pellet allows me to clean my stoves only once per week. More frequent cleaning would be required if a more "ashy" pellet were burned at this quantity per week.

2) The price difference warrants switching to a "lesser" pellet. I pay about 40% more for Hamer's vs box store brands. If I can still clean once per week and save 40%' in the "shoulder seasons, I do so.

Some of you are either cleaning too much or paying too much. Now who's dumb?

Not to bust on ya or anything, but you willingly pay 40% more for pellets just for the convienance of only having to clean the stove once a week?

 

[ttdberg]

I think the term shoulder pellet is often misunderstood. They are not something to be sought after, and I don't believe anyone goes out of their way to buy a "cooler burning" pellet, that doesn't make sense. However, to try and find a bargain or discount, well - that's just human nature. Many would ponder, why pay $6.00 - $7.00 per bag for product from the boutique pellet store when a $4.50 - $5.00 bag of Blazers from HD or Somersets from TSC will heat my house just as well? Just because they cost less doesn't make them shoulder pellets, in fact in many cases you may be surprised to learn they actually outperform the more expensive designer pellets. In my case, I will refer to a shoulder pellet as any product I bought with high hopes, but found out in the end they just can't produce enough heat to keep my house warm when it drops below 30 degrees outside. I will only burn them in early fall or late spring or any time when the temps are ~30 or above, or use them in the rabbit litter boxes until they are all gone, and then I go out of my way to never buy them again (unless I need more rabbit litter). BTW, I have a Harman and it's a smart stove and it auto-adjusts the feed rate to compensate for good vs. bad quality fuel to maintain the configured target temp. All that's true, but you know what it doesn't do? Perform miracles. Shoulder pellets suck, and burning them in a Harman doesn't make them suck any less.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Not to bust on ya or anything, but you willingly pay 40% more for pellets just for the convienance of only having to clean the stove once a week?

Yep. Although my math was off and as I think about it, it's 25% more. Works out to about $15 more per week during those coldest months only. I'm OK with that.

 

[GeHmTS]

I hear this a lot but I don't see the point.

Just seems like buying different pellets for different parts of the season is more work than it's worth. My Harman adjusts feed rate to maintain the temperature I want. If I buy a hotter pellet it'll throttle back and burn less. Crummy pellets it feeds more.

Enlighten me please.

Thanks.

You are enlightened. There's nothing to shoulder pellets. It's all in people's mind!

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Umm

You are enlightened. There's nothing to shoulder pellets. It's all in people's mind!

Yes, the mind is where people do math. $240 for a ton of pellets, but they produce maybe 3% - 10% less heat but 2x - 3x more ash than pellets selling for $300 per ton. So no reason to buy the more expensive pellet UNLESS you don't want to deal with the additional ash produced by the less expensive pellet during the season when consumption will be very high (2 bags per day vs about 1/2 - 3/4 bag per day, in my case). It's not a cost vs. BTU calculation. It's a cost vs. value of one's time and convenience. You're looking at the problem through the wrong lens.

 

[bogieb]

You're lucky... there aren't any of those $230/ton pellets around here...

$239 at Home Depot (if you have their credit card, and use it to buy, then 5% comes off of that price - $227). Heck, even buying by the bag (as I do), at $4.98/bag comes out to $249/ton and if you use their CC it comes out to $236/ton. Naturally you don't want to carry a balance on that CC (I never do).

Of course if you don't have one close (delivery charges can be a killer if you are too far away), or a truck, or your particular HD is out, then that isn't helpful.