I Understand The Concept Of Shoulder Pellets But

[woodmakesheat]

And for the sake of showing contrast, I'll just restate that I burn FSU's bought at HD in Londonderry exclusively and they heat my house fine while I only have to clean the stove once a week using them.

 

[Havilcek stole the ball]

Had you run the stove in thermostat mode, the proper temp would have been maintained. It would have ramped up automatically.

It was in thermostat mode. I had to boost the temp well beyond the target in order to reach the target with the Ambiance. Once the day warmed up, the pellet (or stove, I guess) did better. Hence, I would call the Ambiance a shoulder pellet - not nearly as good in the single digit weather.

 

[Peterfield]

One think that is often overlooked when assessing the true value of a pellet is how well they burn. I found when I burned a real premium pellet, like AWF's or Turman's, my burn rate dropped so although they did cost more, I used less to get the same heat comfort so the price spread was smaller than looking at just the price difference.

 

[woodmakesheat]

One think that is often overlooked when assessing the true value of a pellet is how well they burn. I found when I burned a real premium pellet, like AWF's or Turman's, my burn rate dropped so although they did cost more, I used less to get the same heat comfort so the price spread was smaller than looking at just the price difference.

I've done the BTU/dollar calculations and premium pellets are almost never worth the difference in price.

E.g.

$250/ton, 8,200 BTU/lb = 49,200 BTU/dollar

$280/ton, 9,200 BTU/lb = 49,286 BTU/dollar

If I could find the latter pellets for $280/ton, I'd snatch 'em up. Typically you see a smaller improvement in output for a larger price difference.

 

[Peterfield]

Just meant to say the gap between them isn't as large as the price difference and didn't mean to infer it equaled out. Thanks for the calculations. Add to this less work in terms of fewer minor and major clean-outs and that narrows the gap a little more depending on how much one values their time.

 

[woodmakesheat]

Just meant to say the gap between them isn't as large as the price difference and didn't mean to infer it equaled out. Thanks for the calculations. Add to this less work in terms of fewer minor and major clean-outs and that narrows the gap a little more depending on how much one values their time.

I agree, I wish there were more choices in my area.

 

[Peterfield]

Depending where you are in S NH, there were some deals to be had this year. If you hit the right TSC they had some decent prices and pellets. Agway locations and Hamshaw Lumber (Ace Hardware) had great pellets this year. PM me you location and I'll try to help further.

 

[Pete Zahria]

If I could get a pellet as good as the LaCrete's for $239/ton, I wouldn't bother with the FSU's........

It would be great if you could sell them for $239..We'd love it..
But there is the hitch.. It's hard to sell things for less than cost and stay in business...

Dan

(personally, I did not think the FSU's were all that bad in my test)

 

[skibumm100]

It would be great if you could sell them for $239..We'd love it..
But there is the hitch.. It's hard to sell things for less than cost and stay in business...

Dan

(personally, I did not think the FSU's were all that bad in my test)

Pellets aren't their main business. They are a sawmill and the sawdust is a byproduct. I doubt it costs them any more than it costs to produce FSU's. The transportation is higher, though, since they're from Alberta. FSU's aren't bad, they're just ashier and are a little easier to clinker in some stoves. If they were "bad", I wouldn't buy them no matter how cheap. I cranked them all last night and the house is still warm. I might burn 10# more a day compared to LaCrete's. I do have to turn the stove up a little. The biggest difference is the ash. I'm warm so it's all good.....except it's almost time to move some snow.

 

[SXIPro]

Pellets aren't their main business. They are a sawmill and the sawdust is a byproduct. I doubt it costs them any more than it costs to produce FSU's. The transportation is higher, though, since they're from Alberta. FSU's aren't bad, they're just ashier and are a little easier to clinker in some stoves. If they were "bad", I wouldn't buy them no matter how cheap. I cranked them all last night and the house is still warm. I might burn 10# more a day compared to LaCrete's. I do have to turn the stove up a little. The biggest difference is the ash. I'm warm so it's all good.....except it's almost time to move some snow.

I hear you on the snow. We've gotten 52" since last Wednesday and more coming this week. Woohoo

 

[bags]

+1
Why buy cooler burning pellets for cooler temps? Never believed that theory either and a complete waste of time burning inefficient, dirtier burning pellets.

Wouldn't you use a lesser amount hotter burning pellets or good pellets during these warmer times anyway? Do you all change name brands of oil in your car every time it is changed just to see if there is a difference? I get that much is about what's available and price but the imagination can work wonders. Ash - less ash, hotter - cooler, better ambiance - ticked off wife............ Not sure where to go with this.....

Personal preference. I think wine tasters are full of _____ too. Swirl that glass! Sure there are better wines but who's keeping track when you are warm and fuzzy? Guarantee you can switch to cheap box wine and the drunks don't figure it out.

Scientific proof in a controlled study would be nice and really the only way to form true conclusions. Everything else is opinions and rationalizations. Burn kitty litter if it works for you and keeps the house warm. Not being a jerk but I think many put way too much worry into "shoulder pellets." If you can save some cash and still heat then by all means do it. Don't wind up in the nut house with worry over it though. That costs more than some extra jack on "designer pellets" that make you all warm and fuzzy inside.

Hey, if you are happy then I am happy. I

 

[apn73]

Some of us stumble upon shoulder pellets by accident. I've been burning GS and they've been putting out a descent amount of heat, and then I bought a ton Fireside Ultras, terrible. It didn't take long for the firebox to go black, and I was definitely using more of those than the GS.

 

[woodmakesheat]

It's weird how Harman's can't burn FSUs. I've burned 3 tons of them and measured 0.4% ash so far. They're the lowest ash I've seen from HD pellets.

 

[Peterfield]

The FSU's I burned had less ash than the Maine's Choice I'm burning now. MC's are an ash machine and the heat is just ok. Still less work than a wood stove but I've got some test bags of Barefoot in there now to see how they do.

 

[apn73]

It's weird how Harman's can't burn FSUs. I've burned 3 tons of them and measured 0.4% ash so far. They're the lowest ash I've seen from HD pellets.

Maybe there's finally a pellet that the Harman's don't do well with. It was always said that if someone was pelletizing dog turd, the Harmans would burn it. Well, guess that's not true. I'm going to see what's available for pellets at HD, I think I'm going to need a couple more tons. I've got a little less than a ton of GS and a ton of FSU, but I'm going to wait until spring to finish off the FSU's.

 

[Peterfield]

I had no problems with the heat FSU's produced but ashy and some good clinkers to boot.

 

[SXIPro]

It's weird how Harman's can't burn FSUs. I've burned 3 tons of them and measured 0.4% ash so far. They're the lowest ash I've seen from HD pellets.

??? FSUs burn fine in Harmans.

 

[MuchoBueno]

You know, well you know, I mean it's a pallet stove so you know, it uses you know pallets. So you know I use my shoulder you know to carry the pallet bag you know. You know if that's the case then you know, all pallets are shoulder you know, pallets.

 

[apn73]

??? FSUs burn fine in Harmans.

I switched back over to the FSU's, by accident really, it ran out of pellets and someone else just grabbed the first thing they saw in the basement that looked like a bag of wood pellets. I see you're running a Harman and I would like to know what you're doing differently than I am, they burn just fine, but what a black, sooty mess! I'm running a 2013 P68 set in room temp mode (high circ fan setting), manual igniter, 70-75 deg. F, and feed rate of 3 to 3.5. I've been running GS mostly and the ash coating inside the fire box is usually grayish/white, and I'm hearing others burning FSU also have a white ashed fire box. Please let me know your secret?
Thanks,
Adam.

 

[Tonyray]

I switched back over to the FSU's, by accident really, it ran out of pellets and someone else just grabbed the first thing they saw in the basement that looked like a bag of wood pellets. I see you're running a Harman and I would like to know what you're doing differently than I am, they burn just fine, but what a black, sooty mess! I'm running a 2013 P68 set in room temp mode (high circ fan setting), manual igniter, 70-75 deg. F, and feed rate of 3 to 3.5. I've been running GS mostly and the ash coating inside the fire box is usually grayish/white, and I'm hearing others burning FSU also have a white ashed fire box. Please let me know your secret?
Thanks,
Adam.

At a High fan setting and set for 75 degrees I would deffinitly increase the feed rate to At Least 4 to 4.5....
Won't use anymore pellets than needed..[At least that's what my "Harmies" here tell me to do]