Pellet or igniter? Having a hard time getting Geneva hardwoods going

[drewmo]

Anyone else having difficulty getting your Genevas going? I had some problems at the beginning of the winter, but didn't take much notice as for the last four months the stove has only been shut down for bi-monthly cleanings. Now that we're back to on- and off-again, I'm noticing my Genevas take a looooong time to ignite. Some pellets might be pushed out of the burn pot before they get going, and sometimes I think it will never happen and resort to igniter gel. Once lit, all is great. I need to do a bit more experimenting, but I haven't run across this problem with other pellets. Are Genevas known to be stubborn starters, or could this be a sign my igniter is on its way out (only two years old)?

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

Are you absolutely sure the pellets are dry and have not been subject to any moisture at all?

 

[drewmo]

Sure as can be. They've been stored in a garage with the mix of other pellets.

 

[GeHmTS]

Always blame the pellets first and you're probably going down the wrong path.

First make sure you have the correct draft setting for the stove.
Second, make sure your outlet has the correct voltage so enough power is getting to the ignitor.
Third, make sure the burn pot is cleaned and scrapped properly.
Fourth, make sure you have no leaks.

If all of these check out ok, then start looking at pellets and ignitor going bad.

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

How old are the Geneva pellets? The reason I ask, is that I noticed you are from my area. And last year the local HD was rumored to have had a bad batch of the Maine Choice pellets ( Geneva, the bag with the Moose on it ). Not sure what the cause was, but definitely a poor batch from either the mill or a storage problem. No such problem this year, but a lot of talk last year. Auburn ,Maine HD salesman were telling me customers were returning the pellets in droves. Just curious.

 

[drewmo]

Bought them last summer from a local dealer and stored in the garage since. At the start of the burning season, I used the leftover stash from last season (Maine's First Choice - the one with the moose - no problems with getting those lit). By the time I got to the Genevas, we were burning 24/7 and I just fed them through the hopper. Stove cranks out the heat and not much need to change settings on the Harman. Will an igniter slowly die? Or does it work one day and dead the next?

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

If you don't keep the igniter box clean and allow the ash in this area to accumulate on the igniter fins, you will notice a decrease in igniter performance. I remove the chamber plate and vacuum every week. Also, be sure to keep the burn plate holes clean.

 

[drewmo]

If you don't keep the igniter box clean and allow the ash in this area to accumulate on the igniter fins, you will notice a decrease in igniter performance. I remove the chamber plate and vacuum every week. Also, be sure to keep the burn plate holes clean.

Done and done, part of the routine cleaning. I just filled the hopper with a bag of Blazers. I'll shut the stove down before bed and see how she lights in the morning.

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

When you mention Blazers, my eyes kind of glaze over in envy. Where did you buy them and are they still available?

 

[drewmo]

HD in Augusta about a month or so ago. $4.08/bag. I have 9 bags of the Genevas left and 3 Blazers. I might hold off on burning the Genevas until next year, but that means I need to pick up a few more bags to round out the year. Will look tomorrow and report back on what's available.

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

Yes, I bought some Blazers in HD Auburn about that time. 10 bags lasted about a week, but made an impression on me. Keeping an eye open for more, even though I still have 70 bags of FU's.

 

[ttdberg]

When you mention Blazers, my eyes kind of glaze over in envy.

I would love to get my hands on some of these fabled ~$200/ton blazers also, but in my area they seem impossible to come by. A local garden supply store typically sells them for > $300/ton, but I've never seen them in any box store. On the HD website, although they show it as an active product, you can't check stock on them. Next time we head up to Maine, we'll have to take the truck, maybe I'll get lucky and find some in an HD store up there.

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

I keep checking my local HD every Friday, but all they have had lately is the Greene not very Supreme's. But I'll keep checking.

 

[drewmo]

Haven't seen the Blazers this way since and at $4.08/bag, I should have jumped on a couple of ton. HD is now up to $4.60ish/bag for Green Supremes this week. And as for my ignition issue, I've given up on the Genevas. Everything else I've tried - Maine's Choice, Green Supremes & Blazers - light up easily. The Genevas will store nicely until next winter when the pellet stove runs 24/7. Very happy with their performance, ignition issues aside.

 

[Luv2burnPellets]

Maine's Choice is made by Geneva Wood Pellets. Maybe the issue you are having with poor ignition is you have some product which was subjected to high humidity somewhere in transit or storage before you acquired them.

 

[drewmo]

Maine's Choice is made by Geneva Wood Pellets. Maybe the issue you are having with poor ignition is you have some product which was subjected to high humidity somewhere in transit or storage before you acquired them.

Could be. I bought the pellets in July and kept them in my garage. We had a humid summer, but if that's the case then why would anyone who stores in unconditioned space buy before the fall?

As for the Maine Choice pellets, I bought 8 bags at the end of March. The date stamp on the bag was 03/14 and the bags were literally warm, like fresh-off-the-press warm. Obviously freshly minted and delivered.

 

[DZL_Damon]

Your issue MIGHT be pellet related especially if other ones are lighting easier. There are lots more factors to pellets than what the standard homeowner looks for which is BTU's, ash, moisture, and durability.

Pellets come out of the mills different all year long. They receive different raw materials and your pellets might be received when equipment was brand new or at the end of it's service life (hammer mills, hogs, grinders, chippers, mill dies, etc). There is variability in the product the whole way. Some producers are able to stabilize it better than others... and sometimes plants just have a bad day. It happens!