Pellet types

[Pellet rick]

Can anyone tell me there opinion on types of pellets. Meaning what is your opinion on soft wood or hardwood fuel. All I seem to find in my area is the hardwood or a mix of some sort. Right now everyone seems to have the Stove Chow brand. Is this brand any good for a Englander 25pdv ?

 

[TimfromMA]

Pellet quality is subjective. What works for me may not work for you or vice versa. My advice to you is to score a few bags of as many varieties as you can and try them to see what you like. As a general rule, softwoods burn better than hardwoods.

 

[womaus]

I am by no means an expert (as many of the other denizens of this forum will wholeheartedly agree). But I do like to rattle the cage a bit...

I've only been running a stove 10 hours a day for a little over a month now. I've been picking up as many different bags of pellets as I can find, on the advice of this forum. I may be at a bit of a disadvantage with owning a Harman, most say they will burn most anything reliably. I've also burned no more than three bags of any one brand before going on to another. Not a great test environment.

The best heat I've gotten from a brand was Orford 100% softwood, picked up recently at a $4 a bag sale in Uxbridge MA (1/2 ton purchased, due to the price). They burn hot, but they seem to burn faster than any of the hardwood and or hardwood/softwood blends. Not too bad on the formation of clinkers either, compared to the others. This may be due to me running the stove hotter / longer due to a 5 hour power outage, temps in the house dropped a bit.

Just poured in a bag of Maine's Choice 100% Hardwood, Walmart purchased yesterday @ $5 bag. Cranked the stove up a bit more than the previous run with them, giving a nice clean flame, but a dirty blackish gritty ash (Orfords was a softer fluffier brownish ash).

I've not paid more than $5.49 per bag for any of what I've been burning. Looking to find the most economical way.

There is better advice out there, out here. They'll chime in soon enough.

 

[Cedarjunki]

Best way is to try a few bags of whatever you can find and let your stove make the decision. But the orfords have my vote. Along with these LG's i just got to test which are also softwood. Logik-e are also on the top of my list.. those are hardwood. So its a matter trial and error

 

[DMKNLD]

Hey Pr,

Here's a good article on hardwood vs softwood pellet burn characteristics - not brand specific, but a good synopsis.
(broken link removed to http://www.allaboutwoodpellets.com/hardwood_softwood.php)

 

[Cedarjunki]

Hey Pr,

Here's a good article on hardwood vs softwood pellet burn characteristics - not brand specific, but a good synopsis.
(broken link removed to http://www.allaboutwoodpellets.com/hardwood_softwood.php)

The only thing i disagree with in that article is that they state the pellet wether hard or soft is equal in density... all pellets are not equal.. no i am not trying to start any arguements.. just stating my opinion

 

[womaus]

Does sawdust from disparate tree sources compress to the same density/weight in a pellet, no changes being made on the pellet mill for compression etc? I'll bet we could argue that for years to come.

I've read convincing posts that detail how the length of a pellet can affect the type of burn performance in a stove due to auger feed rates. Makes sense, more smaller pellets would fit into an auger spiral than larger ones. Keeping the feed rate the same you'd get more product with the smaller pellet.

I think I also read somewhere that part of the testing of pellets was to see what the weight of the pellet was if done in a one foot cube measure. That would not affect the amount of pellets in the bag by weight, but it could affect the burn rate? Lighter weight pellets would burn faster, just as pine burns faster than oak, if looked at in volume rather than weight? Or no?

My head is starting to hurt.

 

[Cedarjunki]

Does sawdust from disparate tree sources compress to the same density/weight in a pellet, no changes being made on the pellet mill for compression etc? I'll bet we could argue that for years to come.

I've read convincing posts that detail how the length of a pellet can affect the type of burn performance in a stove due to auger feed rates. Makes sense, more smaller pellets would fit into an auger spiral than larger ones. Keeping the feed rate the same you'd get more product with the smaller pellet.

I think I also read somewhere that part of the testing of pellets was to see what the weight of the pellet was if done in a one foot cube measure. That would not affect the amount of pellets in the bag by weight, but it could affect the burn rate? Lighter weight pellets would burn faster, just as pine burns faster than oak, if looked at in volume rather than weight? Or no?

My head is starting to hurt.

Stop thinking i can smell the smoke already

 

[FirepotPete]

pooooofffffff

 

[BucksWhit]

I am by no means an expert (as many of the other denizens of this forum will wholeheartedly agree). But I do like to rattle the cage a bit...

I've only been running a stove 10 hours a day for a little over a month now. I've been picking up as many different bags of pellets as I can find, on the advice of this forum. I may be at a bit of a disadvantage with owning a Harman, most say they will burn most anything reliably. I've also burned no more than three bags of any one brand before going on to another. Not a great test environment.

The best heat I've gotten from a brand was Orford 100% softwood, picked up recently at a $4 a bag sale in Uxbridge MA (1/2 ton purchased, due to the price). They burn hot, but they seem to burn faster than any of the hardwood and or hardwood/softwood blends. Not too bad on the formation of clinkers either, compared to the others. This may be due to me running the stove hotter / longer due to a 5 hour power outage, temps in the house dropped a bit.

Just poured in a bag of Maine's Choice 100% Hardwood, Walmart purchased yesterday @ $5 bag. Cranked the stove up a bit more than the previous run with them, giving a nice clean flame, but a dirty blackish gritty ash (Orfords was a softer fluffier brownish ash).

I've not paid more than $5.49 per bag for any of what I've been burning. Looking to find the most economical way.

There is better advice out there, out here. They'll chime in soon enough.

Where did you buy the 4$ a bag Orfords??? I am in Plainville Ma and would love to pick some up!!

 

[twodogs02]

The best pellet is what burns best in your stove at the price you like taking into consideration how often you have to clean your stove and the heat output from said pellet.

I've run pretty low quality pellets through my stove and they were very cost effective but I didn't care for the amount of cleaning I had to do so I burn super premium pellets whenever I can get them.

Some stoves don't care what you throw in(I happen to have one of those stoves), other stoves are more particular, experiment like others have said, you'll figure it out quick enough.

 

[womaus]

Where did you buy the 4$ a bag Orfords??? I am in Plainville Ma and would love to pick some up!!

PelletsDirect in Uxbridge had a one day sale the Saturday after Christmas. Last I saw they were getting $4.99 per bag. $289 ton.

(broken link removed to http://www.pelletsdirect.com/Wood%20Pellets%20Pricing.htm)

Scroll down. It's a long web page.

 

[BucksWhit]

Thanks! I see it now. I also saw a guy selling Blazers for 249 a ton on Craigslist. I have heard great things and may take a few off his hands.

(broken link removed to https://worcester.craigslist.org/for/5375221147.html)

 

[womaus]

Thanks! I see it now. I also saw a guy selling Blazers for 249 a ton on Craigslist. I have heard great things and may take a few off his hands.

(broken link removed to https://worcester.craigslist.org/for/5375221147.html)

Sounds like he's getting out of pushing pellets for heat. Bags are in his basement, buyer will need to pull them out?

You going for all 3 pallets?

 

[SXIPro]

I'll take softwoods over hardwoods any/every day of the week. Too bad they are hard to find for anything remotely close to a reasonable cost out my way.

 

[Cedarjunki]

I'll take softwoods over hardwoods any/every day of the week. Too bad they are hard to find for anything remotely close to a reasonable cost out my way.

I found 2 sources for soft pellets and 1 hardwood that burns just as nice as the softies near me. Averaging $5.30-$5.50 a bag.. cheaper than lowes

 

[BucksWhit]

Sounds like he's getting out of pushing pellets for heat. Bags are in his basement, buyer will need to pull them out?

You going for all 3 pallets?

Sadly I can't store many more bags... I was debating asking him if he would sell half a ton for 125. Mainly just to try them to see what all the hype is aboit. Blazers are softwood right? I think douglas fur?

 

[TimfromMA]

Blazers are softwood right? I think douglas fur?

Yep.

 

[SXIPro]

I found 2 sources for soft pellets and 1 hardwood that burns just as nice as the softies near me. Averaging $5.30-$5.50 a bag.. cheaper than lowes

Yeah, Lowes is gonna be stuck with this year's pellets until next winter with the price they are charging for their crap pellets. And for the price they are charging for Green Teams, you might as well just burn your furniture, as that'd be cheaper

 

[chken]

Sadly I can't store many more bags... I was debating asking him if he would sell half a ton for 125. Mainly just to try them to see what all the hype is aboit. Blazers are softwood right? I think douglas fur?

Just note that Blazers have weaker bags than some other varieties I've tried. Notice that the CL listing has loose pellets scattered about, so be careful when handling. Other than that, they're a great pellet that leaves little ash, as most DF-based pellets seem to do.

 

[Tonyray]

After 3 yrs of burning Hardwoods including the Ashy stuff at HD like stove chows etc,
I've tried many bags of different softwoods and for me, it's all I will buy next winter..
just seems to be less ash to deal with...LaCretes, blazer and Okanagan firs do it for me...
btw:
posted earlier that HD here just dropped Stove chows from 259.00 down to 199.00 ton this past week.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stove-Chow-Premium-Wood-Pellet-Fuel-40-lb-Bag-Stove-Chow/205700777

started in September gouging customers for 269.00 ton for same stuff.. Chows/Nations choice etc...
Aside from low Oil Prices, warmer Winter and lot of people here figuring that they will pay a bit more for better stuff than to secumb to HD Outrageous price for mediocre pellets, it's getting time to make room for February roleout of summer stuff like grills/lawnmowers etc.

 

[BucksWhit]

Just note that Blazers have weaker bags than some other varieties I've tried. Notice that the CL listing has loose pellets scattered about, so be careful when handling. Other than that, they're a great pellet that leaves little ash, as most DF-based pellets seem to do.

Good to know on the Blazer bags! In this case I would have to carry them out of his basement. Might not be worth it.