Pellet Shelf Life

[Glenalmond]

Well got the news from my dealer today that the Harmon Accentra freestanding I ordered in June wont be installed in January like I was told but it will now be in April 09. (To be honest the dealer always did tell me these were not hard dates).

So despiste being disapointed in the delay for all the reasons I have mentioned before I am going to continue to ride it out and not cancel the stove (this is my decision I was offered refunds etc but I want that stove). So now I have a ton of barefoot pellets in their bags and I would like to see if I can use them for heating in the following winter (12 months from now).

Stored in an bulkhead
Walls are a mixture of earth and concrete
Barefoot pellets takes of the pallet but still in their individual bags
Line the bulkhead with a tarp
Put metal shelving over the tarp and the pellets sit about 2-3 inches above the tarp on the shelves
Put a tarp over the top of the stack of pellets
Bulkhead is closed but it does leak

Any opinions if this will hold for the next twelve months?

Thanks

 

[crausch]

Given your description of your storage area, it sounds as though it may be subject to high humidity. I could not quite tell if you have them off the ground or not, but you will definately want them off the ground. From what I have read there is no finite shelf life for the pellets. The biggest concern is keeping them dry. It sounds as though you have taken precautions with the tarps, but make sure you control the humidity the best you can. One rule on usage of previous year pellets is to rotate your stock as far as usage. If you have pellets left over from a previous year into a new burning season, use the older pellets first.

BTW...it's nice to see someone with some patience to wait on the stove that they really want. So, many folks seem to be buying whatever is available. I imagine this will produce alot of disatified people though the winter.

Well, hope this helped! Keep'em dry and burn'em high... just feeling a little punchy this morning

 

[Wet1]

I'm currently using pellets that have sat in the dark damp unfinished corner of my basement (on a skid) for over 6 years.... They are burning w/o any issues at all.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

You might try a dessicant or run a dehumidifier in the room. The more humidity they absorb, the more heat is used cooking off the water.

Matt

 

[TboneMan]

I understand your desire to have a pellet stove. But I think I'd cut my losses for this year. Take the refund on the stove and sell the pellets to someone (one of the area pellet pigs). Why let someone else use your money for 6 months. Tuck it away in a 6 month CD or use it to purchase your current heating fuel.

Reassess your situation and the pellet market situation next spring.

 

[Mainer007]

Be patient,and wait for your stove.Someone might have your money for six months, but you are locked in for a price. I'll bet the price of your stove has already increased from when you bought it.

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Wood pellets act like a sponge with water or moisture. Keep them dry and away from any type of standing water. Water is the biggest enemy of pellets, it will kill the density.

Eric

 

[Glenalmond]

Thanks for the tips on the storage conditions

The pellets are on wire shelves about 1-3 inches off the earth. I lined the floor of the bulkhead with a tarp as well so this is a hopefully a barrier between the pellets and the ground. It is humid in the summer down there and when I do run a dehumidifer (the rest of the basement is finished) I fill it up in about 24-36 hours. Again this is only in the summer and I do not run it all the time. I guess I will just have to hope for the best.

Regarding the stove I had already written off about half the winter heating due to the initial delay announcement from Harman in August. My dealer is a new dealer in the Boston area and they have been as upfront as they can with me on the delays and dates.
Right now they have not bneen accepting any orders for Harman stoves since September. My reasons to keep the stove are
1. We really like this one due to its footpring/astehtics and specs on quiet running
2. We are using the pellet stove for supplemental heat in the main floor of our house it is not needed to replace our oil heat
3. We spent money on new windows and insulation (it would have been nice to combine this with a stove but we are already commenting on how much tighter the house seems)
4. We never locked in an heating oil price and based on market rates today we would not be realizing as big a return on upfront investment on the pellet stove as originally calculated.
5. oil will be expensive again soon. IMO we are going to be in for an even worse oil shock next year since the price has fallen so dramaticaly that all these marginal fields that were being developed based on oil being $150+ will now be dropped. This will mean the depeleted know reserves will be the only places that we can pull oil out of when demand increases. Also even with a contraction in the US for oil it is only in the terms of 2-3% while the rest of the developing world will more than suck up that slack meaning that demand will still outstrip supply at this price point. So in summary we are going to see oil spike above $200+ a barrel and stay there. That is when having that supplemental heat will be much more worthwhile for me and I don't want to be in a major scramble with all the others who have waited till then to try and get a new stove that will have increased in price by over 20%.

So short summary I think it will only get worse for oil in the future and it will be good for me to be patient and get the stove I wanted even if it is too late for this winter.

Thanks

 

[Souzafone]

Like everyone says, humidity is the enemy. I've stored ours in the basement for over a year with no problem before, just ran a dehumidifier for the real humid stuff in the summer. We've got well water and the pipes sweat like crazy in the hot humid weather. Just keep the pellets off the ground, and the water off the pellets. 1 ton of pellets won't go too far, you may want to consider a better storage area if possible, for long term.

 

[St_Earl]

hi. thought i'd post here instead of making a new thread.
we are about to become first time pellet stove owners and my girlfriend strongly wants me to look into bulk storage options for pellets.
she doesn't want to use all those plastic bags they come in.
i am opposed to this as it will make us dependent of the local supplier and i won't be able to shop around for deals. *sigh*

that being said, i also don't want to spend at least several hundreds on a standing frame unit that stores likw 2600lbs when two of these will hold two tons.
i think they are around $35 a bag. one site says a free one w/ first delivery.

Holds 2000 pounds of wood pellet fuel
Lined bag protects pellets from moisture
Bag can sit directly on the floor
Bag easily folds up for storage
Dimension: 40" x 40" footprint

please tell me that these are wholly inadequate to protect our pellets.
but seriously. i would probably put the bags on a pallet anyway. even though it says it can sit on the floor.
the basement in our new home is exceptionally dry as the whole neighborhood is on high ground.

if even one person here has used this method with success, i would feel a lot better about the prospect.

i still haven't given up wearing her down by proposing we simply keep the bags we accumulate and find a commercial recycling center somewhere in the state that will take them off our hands.
i will also argue. that we will have to pay the delivery service every time we buy.

am i wrong to want to stick with individually bagged pellets? for cost and protection reasons?

 

[imacman]

hi. thought i'd post here instead of making a new thread.
we are about to become first time pellet stove owners and my girlfriend strongly wants me to look into bulk storage options for pellets.
she doesn't want to use all those plastic bags they come in.
i am opposed to this as it will make us dependent of the local supplier and i won't be able to shop around for deals. *sigh*

.......am i wrong to want to stick with individually bagged pellets? for cost and protection reasons?

Bulk delivery is more suited to a person who has a pellet burning furnace or boiler in the basement in place of an oil/gas burner......they tend to burn even questionable quality pellets easier.

However, that said, a pellet burning device is a pellet burning device....higher ash pellets will still make cleaning more of a chore, and also more often.

As for recycling of the bags, I think there are some threads here that talk about the bags. I seem to remember some people taking them back to WalMart and into the bag recycle.

www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/68975/

www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/64483/

 

[hossthehermit]

Another approach is, "but look at all the money we'll save by not buying garbage bags." Or don't you use plastic garbage bags?

 

[St_Earl]

ah. thank you folks. i'll be following those links on the recycling.
i'll hold my tongue/typing fingers for now so as not to hijack this thread.
i'm used to trying to find similar threads instead of starting new ones from other sites i am part of. (not hearth related sites)
but i'm working on my intro thread now and will include my most pressing questions there.

 

[krooser]

hi. thought i'd post here instead of making a new thread.
we are about to become first time pellet stove owners and my girlfriend strongly wants me to look into bulk storage options for pellets.
she doesn't want to use all those plastic bags they come in.
i am opposed to this as it will make us dependent of the local supplier and i won't be able to shop around for deals. *sigh*

that being said, i also don't want to spend at least several hundreds on a standing frame unit that stores likw 2600lbs when two of these will hold two tons.
i think they are around $35 a bag. one site says a free one w/ first delivery.

Holds 2000 pounds of wood pellet fuel
Lined bag protects pellets from moisture
Bag can sit directly on the floor
Bag easily folds up for storage
Dimension: 40" x 40" footprint

please tell me that these are wholly inadequate to protect our pellets.
but seriously. i would probably put the bags on a pallet anyway. even though it says it can sit on the floor.
the basement in our new home is exceptionally dry as the whole neighborhood is on high ground.

if even one person here has used this method with success, i would feel a lot better about the prospect.

i still haven't given up wearing her down by proposing we simply keep the bags we accumulate and find a commercial recycling center somewhere in the state that will take them off our hands.
i will also argue. that we will have to pay the delivery service every time we buy.

am i wrong to want to stick with individually bagged pellets? for cost and protection reasons?

In the trucking biz we call them 'super sacks'... they ship every imaginable product in them from food starch to nuts... they are great for storage and tuff as nails.

 

[St_Earl]

very helpful info.
hmmm. my girlfriend may even win this one.
have to check the bulk prices in millinocket once we get there.
maybe buy three or four of these to reduce the frequency of deliveries.
it would save a lot of schleping back and forth in the subaru.

 

[mike56]

does your town have a recycling program? most towns do, the bags can be recycled.

 

[DexterDay]

You say "Your Girlfriend" wants??? All of my Girlfriends wanted a lot of things... That they never got.... I found my Wife that does not complain about my Pellet, Stove (Wood or pellet), , Firewood, Chainsaw, Log-splitter, and any other hearth related device addiction.

She knows we spent almost $4,000 a yr on Propane. Now she knows that we have about 50% in our LP tank after 2 yrs (Used to go thru 3-4 tanks a yr). we save almost $3,000 a yr on Propane.. Her likes are much different than mine. I like to spend money on stuff... She likes to stay warm.... So we both win... I like to shop for pellets. You will be limited to the bulk brands.....

Just joking about the Girlfriend... Every Wife was a girlfriend at one time.... Just stating that a MAN has to make the decisions. Especially when it comes to heating... That's what guys do.

Welcome to the Forum...

 

[St_Earl]

thanks for the welcome, dexter.
well. we've been together 5 years. and we will be together till one of us dies.
it's good to hear of the durability and applications these super sacks have. and our basement in the house we're buying is exceptionally dry.
we'll be having our pellets delivered either way. bulk or bagged.
there is no lowes or home depot or anyplace like that near enough to make shuttling multi ton purchases in our outback a worthwhile solution.
so i think i will be somewhat limited as it is. i have to get up there in person though. most businesses up there don't have much of a web presence.
not making trips to some recycling center with bags sits well with me too.
i'm willing to give it a shot.

hey. i picked the house i wanted. no reason i can't be flexible.
i prefer a happy mate to be honest.
if the experiment fails, then we'll do what works better.
i very much appreciate all the input and info from experienced folks here.
makes sorting out the information much easier.
if the bulk brands we have access to perform horribly, i'll look for something else. thanks for raising that point. my education continues.

 

[DexterDay]

Sounds like you have a good handle on it. Already ahead of the game by finding this place.

There is a Forum member Scott Williamson, who is currently building a totally automated pellet delivery system for a Bulk storage system. Not sure if he is gonna buy bulk bags or by the ton (50 - 40 lb bags).

Have you tried the search on here. You will get a more specifc out of the title search. But a general search, above the title search will bring up a lot more reading material. There were Sundays last Winter, where I would clean the stove in th a.m. and do searches about my stove models and problems the rest of the day.

Again. Welcome and good luck in your ventures.

 

[St_Earl]

*laughs* damn search mode kept me up till four a.m. last night.
generators and battery back up (among other things)

 

[DexterDay]

Last Winter. I went to the "Last page" on all the threads. Started with the oldest thread and read on and on and on and on and on.

You are quickly finding out how addictive it is. The one reason I would say go with bags instead of bulk, is the shopping experience. But it sounds like you have a good idea of where your going with this project and there are really good brands that come in Bulk.

To each there own. Everyone's set-up is a little different (house stove, venting, insulation, pellet brand). Use what works for you. It will take some time to "learn" any stove. But the 10-CPM or even the 25-EP (pellet only) from Englander are great choices. They always have one in stock at AMFM. Like said before. They are refurbished by Englander. So they are every bit as good as a new stove. You can but your bottom dollar, that when I sell my Quad next summer. If I go with the 10-CPM, I will go through AMFM. I am a hands on guy. Installed all my stoves, 3 buddies stoves, doing my Fathers stove in a week or 2, and have a Friend of a friends stove to install yet this year. Done all my cleaning and maint.

On the Omega (Enviro). It has been discontinued. But I found a dealer in Northern Tennessee that has 3 of them. He didn't come off much at the beginning of Summer. But now that season is quickly approaching. I'm sure one can be had well under $3,000.

Whatever you choose, be it an Englander or a Heatilator. I'm sure you will be happy with any of the above. Also, did you look at the New heatilator model that just came out this year. Its more like a "Big Black Box", sqaure and pretty big (think Big E, but prettier, I know its hard to make a Box pretty, but it ain't bad/ its in the Heatilator Youtube link that Krooser put up in your other thread) that has a large hopper and the same round self cleaning (vortex burn) burn pot that is found in all Quads and Heatilators. That's the one thing nice about the Quad/Heatilator Burn pot. The burn is always really good, unless the stove is dirty. The flame seems violent in my stove, which most would say in inefficient because to much air, means to much hot gas going out the flue. I can heat almost 2,200 sq on the lowest setting (90% of the time/ until below 0 outside). So I would say that 220-280 Air temp out of my exchanger and my vent never getting above 140 (external reading with IR gun), is pretty good.

Sorry to run on. Just giving you some more ideas. It all depends on how "Hands on" you want to be and the adjustabilty. My Wife can fully operate and clean the Quad (My 9 year old Son can operate it, still learning the cleaning part) its only High/Med/Low heat levels and High/Low option for the convection blower (only CB 1200 freestanding has this option/Santa Fe, Castile, CB 1200 insert are just the 3 heatlevels) the Convection blower is tied into the heat level. The highr the heat level the higher CFM rate of the blower (heatilator is like this also) but my stove has the option to lower the Convection (roomair) blower down a notch if needed. Englander and Enviro, St. Criox have the option to adjust the Room air blower to whatever your desired level is and not be affected by the Heat level/Feed rate (most anyways, to a point)

Sorry for the rant. If you want to make an informed desicion. Its best to have as much info going into it and also do as much research as possible (keep using the search function, if you type it in, its prob already been talked about).

Good luck

 

[St_Earl]

please feel free to "run on". i totally appreciate you and other folks taking the time to help out and share the information and knowledge.
i feel like i'm a lot closer to having a fighting chance of making good decisions now.

i read pretty much all the generator threads and still have one basic question. so i'm off to post a new thread regarding that.

 

[doghouse]

"deleated"