Rocky Mountains VS. Somersets

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Tom Pencil

Member
Oct 30, 2008
159
Tipp City, Ohio
Last year I burned Rocky Mountains as they were the only pellet I could get at the time I made a 5+ ton purchase. Loved the heat from them and the fact theat they come from the beetle killed coniferous trees.

Previous years I have burned Somersets and liked them very much. I was able to get Somersets again this year and started burning them. So after about 19 bags I had to do a shutdown and empty the ashpan and clean the rest of my Harman Eccentra Insert. I had a few leftover bags of the Rocky Mountains and decided to run them till I was out of them on the porch. After 5 bags of RM I decided to go 50-50 with the Somersets because the ashpan was all ready 3/4 full of ash.

In doing this I now remember cleaning my insert about every 4-5 days with the Rockys vs. 7-9 days with the Somersets. Heat output seems the same but the ash output for the Rockys is about twice the Somersets from my observation.
 
Bantam said:
In doing this I now remember cleaning my insert about every 4-5 days with the Rockys vs. 7-9 days with the Somersets. Heat output seems the same but the ash output for the Rockys is about twice the Somersets from my observation.
sounds like you answered your own question .somersets work best for you id stick with those
 
Nice comparison Bantam!

I like the idea of the beetle kill wood myself. But the rockies didn't produce the heat in my stove that I expected from a softwood pellet. But I would burn them if the price was right. Locally I can't even get the Rockies for some reason?
 
How do you haul your pellets? I believe Tipp City is in the greater Dayton area?

Any interest in going in with some of us in Cincinnati in buying full truckloads of Somersets? We have a pretty neat system here but you would have to figure out how to haul your five tons or whatever you buy from Cincinnati to Tipp City.

If interested, please call Steve @ 513-753-8117
 
how do you like the somersets jay .
 
I only burned 2 bags of them but was impressed enough to put them on the want list if I can find them. I was hoping the local Lowes would get them for the sale there having. But didn't happen. Hopefully a local dealer will carry them(hint).
 
so far the somersets far out do the rocky mountain in my stove. the heat out put is a lot better and I have very little ash. I will burn these again next yr, once i go threw a ton I am going to restock.
 
I am burning pro-pellet now and seem to be getting a good amount more heat from than when I was burning rockys. I did like the Rockys and had absolutely no complaints. I got a better deal on the pro pellets and got lucky on the happy factor.
 
Cincinnati Kid said:
How do you haul your pellets? I believe Tipp City is in the greater Dayton area?

Any interest in going in with some of us in Cincinnati in buying full truckloads of Somersets? We have a pretty neat system here but you would have to figure out how to haul your five tons or whatever you buy from Cincinnati to Tipp City.

If interested, please call Steve @ 513-753-8117

Just north of Dayton. It takes about an hour to get to Cincinnati from here.

I haul mine 2 ton at a time. 1-1/2 ton in my horse trailer and the other 1/2 in the back of my truck. It is only 15 minutes away to Tipp City at the Menards or about 22-23 minutes to the TSC in Troy. Both Carry the Somersets this year. Was able to get them for about $175/ton at both places, it just depends if they were on sale or not. I have more than enough pellets for this year but if I am also the guy that if my stash on the porch is running low while my garage is full and I happen to be in a store picking up some hardware or other items and can get them by the bag for the same price as a ton($3.50/bag) then I will pick up 5 or 6 bags while I am there.
 
Im down to my last 5 bags of rockies, burning them in the warm months since they do put out a lot less heat than my hardwood pelelts. The ash is a while different story. For a Super premium pellet, they are dirty in my stove. But, they do have a real nice BAG :)
 
j-takeman said:
I only burned 2 bags of them but was impressed enough to put them on the want list if I can find them. I was hoping the local Lowes would get them for the sale there having. But didn't happen. Hopefully a local dealer will carry them(hint).

You know I have them!!!
 
the lowes in Derby had about 10 bags in a pallet, i bought 2 bags to try, heat was good but it produce more ash than my Cubex......yeah I know....no comparison.....hehe
 
I like the Somersets over OHP's. Thats all I have burned. The flame is much more white, but that could be due to the new chimney install. I went vertical this year after being horizontal. Everything seems to be working much better. The OHP's are at the bottome of the 1 ton stack now. I'll have to wait a bit to do a comparison.
 
pelletdude said:
j-takeman said:
I only burned 2 bags of them but was impressed enough to put them on the want list if I can find them. I was hoping the local Lowes would get them for the sale there having. But didn't happen. Hopefully a local dealer will carry them(hint).

You know I have them!!!

Yes, I do PD. But the travel to you and back and My gas hog would use better than 1/2 of a tank on the trip. I try to keep the milage to no more than 25 each way. Or it hurts the price to much. I sure wish you were closer.
 
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