Question for those who sift their pellets....

[scottvwgti]

Do you find that sifting the pellets reduced the ash build-up on your glass or in your firebox? I have been burning some Dry Creeks at the end (hopefully) of the season here and I have noticed that they are extremely dusty, any my glass has ALOT of build-up compared to the hamers I was burning the first part of the season.

 

[gfreek]

I always sift all my pellets with a vac system.. don't think that it prevents glass buildup.. I burned a ton of Dry Creek and could not wait to be rid of them..more ash than normal on glass, in the burn pot, and thicker ash..

 

[scottvwgti]

I always sift all my pellets with a vac system.. don't think that it prevents glass buildup.. I burned a ton of Dry Creek and could not wait to be rid of them..more ash than normal on glass, in the burn pot, and thicker ash..

Thanks! I am having the exact same results with the dry creeks. I was just wondering if sifting poorer quality pellets would change any of the burning characteristics.

 

[iceguy4]

Do you find that sifting the pellets reduced the ash build-up on your glass or in your firebox

I am not familiar with your stove, but I suspect its a drop feeder (drops pellets into burn pot) Any particles too light to go to the bottom can be blown clear of the pot prior to complete combustion....thus creating " the ash build-up on your glass or in your firebox" Fines to a certain degree are un-avoidable.

Below I copied and pasted from my research before I purchased a pellet device..
EDIT:
copyrighted... Summery...bottom/side feeders , although up front costs are more, payback over the life of the stove will be assured, and your stove will be "future ready" I will forward info on a PM basis only Excellent "read"

 

[Tonyray]

When I burn Stove Chows, some of the bags have quite a bit of fines in the bottom of the bag..[Super Hot pellets from Home Depot [229.00] but the only ones I will buy from them here. others are Garbage. look like cheap crumbled dog food. but back on topic,....

after I pour a bag in the hopper,lot of fines on the top layer now [which was the bottom] duh.
I take a cheapo super thin paper plate and skim the top layer of pellets as the majority of the fines seem to be clustered in 1 area.
take it to the trash can and hold the pellets while I shake the fines in the can.
I do this once or twice depending..... seems to get the majority of the bagged fines right away..
the things we do to keep our stove happy..

 

[SwineFlue]

I always sift all my pellets with a vac system.. don't think that it prevents glass buildup..

I don't sift pellets and I completely agree with you... I've never noticed a connection between fines and ash or glass buildup.

 

[Lake Girl]

What I find is that it keeps dust down when filling the hopper and it eliminates a large amount of fines in the hopper that could potentially gum up the auger.

 

[scottvwgti]

I figured that sifting would not affect the burning or glass build-up, but I just wanted to hear it from the horses mouth. I guess I was really spoiled with the Hamers, and now that I am burning the Dry Creek, I'm wishing I had bought the 4th ton of Hamers at the beginning of the season.