Pellet Testing Help

[mepellet]

Getting ready to start the new pellet stove up in the next few weeks. I have gathered 7 different brands of pellets. I am hoping to do a comparison between each of the brands and was hoping that other Harman owners could help me out. I would like to at least compare ash percentage, fines percentage and burn temperature. What settings should I set my feed rate, temp, and room/stove temp dials to on my P61A?

Thanks for your time.

 

[will711]

I run mine with feed rate #4
I run in stove temp mode, blower on low setting
I set the stove temp / room temp dial to 4 / 70*
These setting work well for me and my home ,well insulated with good windows. Depending what outside temp was I would adjust the stove temp dial up or down as needed. Hope this helps or at least gives you a starting place. I get a 24 -30 hr. burn time / 40 lb. bag with these settings. Look forward to your test results, have fun, enjoy your new stove & as fellow forum member Big Jim says I've turned this this pellet heating in to a nice hobby. Take care, Will

 

[Bkins]

Kind of scratching my head why you feel the need to re-test all these pellets when they have already been tested by Jay. He has spent considerable time and money testing a whole slew of pellets for the benefit of all us here on the forum. Are all the pellets you want to test not on his list or didn't you know they have been tested.

As I remember he tested his pellets on the same stove setting and measured the heat and ash content after burning 2 bags. He completely cleaned his stove between each test. I don't believe you are going to find a big difference in the results between his stove and yours.

 

[jtakeman]

I asked him to post because I wasn't sure that the Harman computer's self adjusting feature might equalize things? I have only tinkered with the Harman a bit.

I haven't tested some of the brands that he has and there has also been a season or 2 since my testing of the other brands. I also feel having a few others doing this could be interesting and possibly see some things not seen with only one person spot checking. The more the merrier IMHO. I also believe that check what out there in your stove is a good thing. Even if its just for your own knowledge, But hoping everyone shares.

 

[mepellet]

Kind of scratching my head why you feel the need to re-test all these pellets when they have already been tested by Jay. He has spent considerable time and money testing a whole slew of pellets for the benefit of all us here on the forum. Are all the pellets you want to test not on his list or didn't you know they have been tested.

As I remember he tested his pellets on the same stove setting and measured the heat and ash content after burning 2 bags. He completely cleaned his stove between each test. I don't believe you are going to find a big difference in the results between his stove and yours.

Well everyone says pellets burn differently in each stove right? That's why I want to test out what I can purchase in the area. I would like to document what I try in my own stove for future reference so I have more information when purchasing pellets.

 

[mepellet]

I asked him to post because I wasn't sure that the Harman computer's self adjusting feature might equalize things? I have only tinkered with the Harman a bit.

I haven't tested some of the brands that he has and there has also been a season or 2 since my testing of the other brands. I also feel having a few others doing this could be interesting and possibly see some things not seen with only one person spot checking. The more the merrier IMHO. I also believe that check what out there in your stove is a good thing. Even if its just for your own knowledge, But hoping everyone shares.

I will def. share my findings for others if I feel comfortable enough that I have tested each brand consistently. Consistency is key though.

 

[jtakeman]

I asked him to post because I wasn't sure that the Harman computer's self adjusting feature might equalize things? I have only tinkered with the Harman a bit.

I haven't tested some of the brands that he has and there has also been a season or 2 since my testing of the other brands. I also feel having a few others doing this could be interesting and possibly see some things not seen with only one person spot checking. The more the merrier IMHO. I also believe that check what out there in your stove is a good thing. Even if its just for your own knowledge, But hoping everyone shares.

I will def. share my findings for others if I feel comfortable enough that I have tested each brand consistently. Consistency is key though.

Agreed!

 

[RiddleMasterMorgon]

Hmmmm,....maybe consistency in testing is not key...what I mean is, you should test every pellet such that your air flow ect is optimal for that pellet in your stove - rather than a fixed setting.

I think that was discussed many times before, say shorter pellet size will deliver more wood into the pot at any given feed rate than bigger pellet size, hence your testing could show high temps, but in reality you would run out of pellets earlier than another brand, which might burn just longer...an aspect for people having over or under designed their BTU output.

some pellets seem to need more air to really light up good so a fixed air setting would show some bias

I like Js testing a lot and I did my own with the brands I had around and came to about the same conclusions - but I would not put too much into it either. It shows you roughly bad medium and good pellets, but a temp difference reading of say 5-10 F does not really mean much, you can't control things like air humidity or temperature of intake air for a couple of days you do the testing. Bag lots might differ ect.

For me it was fun to do the testing in order to learn about my stove, its setting and what not to do with it.

But I have to shake my head when people start buying expensive temp readers for it. Its giving the testing a pseudo scientific accuracy thats just not there...same goes for the fines and ash...what you really want to know is how much work is it to clean it out, how fast does is gunk up your pot and how many clinkers do I have to hammer out of the pot...so again a low/medium/high grading would do IMO

Just saying....

 

[mepellet]

so again a low/medium/high grading would do IMO

This is exactly what I am trying to do. I realize environmental conditions will change and I have no control over that. However consistent testing is still key.

 

[DexterDay]

Hmmmm,....maybe consistency in testing is not key...what I mean is, you should test every pellet such that your air flow ect is optimal for that pellet in your stove - rather than a fixed setting.

but I would not put too much into it either. It shows you roughly bad medium and good pellets, but a temp difference reading of say 5-10 F does not really mean much, you can't control things like air humidity or temperature of intake air for a couple of days you do the testing.

For me it was fun to do the testing.............

I have to shake my head when people start buying expensive temp readers for it. Its giving the testing a pseudo scientific accuracy thats just not there ITS THERE, YOU JUST NEVER TRIED IT.what you really want to know is how much work is it to clean it out, how fast does is gunk up your pot and how many clinkers do I have to hammer out of the pot

Just saying....

5-10 degrees will happen with the same pellet and a dirty or clean stove. If you have a good thermometer (Cheap/ around $20) then you would know that a 30* diifference between brands is not un common (some could be more). I do not have the oppurtunity to burn Okies. But I am sure they are much hotter than any pellet I have tested.

Dont knock it, till you try it... If you think a pellet is a pellet is a pellet.. Which only saying there is a 5-10 degree difference, means that there all the same.. Fines play a huge part.. . Until you build a Pellet Sifter and actually see how much is inside the internal bag of the Shop Vac, after 25 bags or so. Until you scoop out every ounce out of your stove and measure it.... Also its not just a few days of testing... Its the entire season. All one large experiment..

Have burned 4 ton a yr for several yrs and every year it gets more in depth... I find what works and what works well. Also what does NOT work well..

Just sayin.... Everyone is different.

We all do things different and we come here to share about the things we do.. You may like it or you may not.

Try and keep it positive. Some of us have an obscure addiction to pellets and the stoves that burn them. Some people just want cheap heat and dont want to do all the testing, or even keep it clean for that matter..