Somersets burning dirty
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fmsm
Minister of Fire
Ash build up, excessive ash, and a dirty burn are different things. What exactly is your complaint?
I wouldn't call this a "complaint" i simply asked if anyone else noticed a difference in how clean ( which somersets are known for ) and how dirty, they're burning this year. The Somersets aren't burning as clean as last year. Much more ash in the box after a burn. When the stove cycles and pellets drop, tiny embers fly around. The fire pot has a crust around the rim. This is all after a 6 hour burn. We burned 3 tons last year in a quad that's in the house and a st croix that's in the wood shop and didn't have anywhere near the ash build up in the stove.
Every ton I've ran thru my stoves have been Sets and never a problem. Very consistent and a great pellet here. I have been very happy with them. $3.68 a bag = $184 per ton. Great price. I paid $199 per ton this year at a Southern States ag store with no tax. Big box and others charge tax here which is BS.
I have ran about 3 tons of Greenways thru also and they are very similar to the Sets except you do find some loooong pellets here and there. Things that make the feed go chomp, crackle, band, and boom. No issues with them either except the semi-occasional loooong golf pencil pellet stragglers. The Greenways I bought for $185 per ton. Well worth it but I could see them causing some jambs in stoves possibly. The 68 just gets mad and chews them in half but you hear all about it too.
I have ran about 3 tons of Greenways thru also and they are very similar to the Sets except you do find some loooong pellets here and there. Things that make the feed go chomp, crackle, band, and boom. No issues with them either except the semi-occasional loooong golf pencil pellet stragglers. The Greenways I bought for $185 per ton. Well worth it but I could see them causing some jambs in stoves possibly. The 68 just gets mad and chews them in half but you hear all about it too.
Dozer,
I have yet to find softwood pellets anywhere around me. But then again I live in hardwood territory. Where they make Somersets in Somerset, KY by Lake Cumberland is only a couple of hours drive from me.
It could also depend on the lot that you get or what type of hardwood flooring dust your pellets are made from. They make almost any type of hardwood flooring. Funny thing is that I had actually never seen any of their flooring until recently. I know someone who just installed some in their home that came from Somerset. Nice stuff as well.
I have yet to find softwood pellets anywhere around me. But then again I live in hardwood territory. Where they make Somersets in Somerset, KY by Lake Cumberland is only a couple of hours drive from me.
It could also depend on the lot that you get or what type of hardwood flooring dust your pellets are made from. They make almost any type of hardwood flooring. Funny thing is that I had actually never seen any of their flooring until recently. I know someone who just installed some in their home that came from Somerset. Nice stuff as well.
Thanks for the reply's. We used 3 tons last year, also from Menards. We buy them when they're on sale and also have their 11% rebate going. This way, we pay around 160.00 a ton. Last year's somersets burnt very clean compared to a small amount of "softwood" we tried last year. It may be that the pallets we purchased were old., leftovers from last year or a screwy batch. Last years somersets definitely burnt a lot more clean than this years though. I have noticed some of the bags have perforations along the edges, I don't remember seeing that in last year's haul. Thanks again for the reply's
thatguy69
Member
If you look there will be a tag on the saram rap around the skid that says date and time when produced. I've been burning them the past 2 years no issue except for the great price!
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rcook430
Burning Hunk
The answer to your question is yes. I just bought a ton and a half and they are horrible. I was a big Somerset fan but this yes it is heavy ash and it also coats the entire stove and insulates it after 4 bags. Very disappointed this year. I wake up in the morning and my burn pot is full. I burn about 11 bags of Somersets that I had left over from last year and it was not like this. I guess I will suffer through them until they are gone.
Update..... I just got another ton of Sets and they are a bit different. These bags are producing more ash than normal and the ash is still dark but a lot more fluffy and more of it. They also seem to be smaller length pellets than normal.
It could just be a different type of wood they made these pellets out of vs. the usual oak. These pellets also look a tad lighter than what I have seen previously. The ash lip on my burn pot gets pretty stacked up with ash. They do produce plenty of heat but something is different with this ton.
I assume they were making some other type of flooring this batch. On a scale of 1 - 10 all other Sets I've burned over the years have been a 9 - 10. This ton so far is a 6 and not as good. Mainly just the ash piles and the extra required pot scrapes to clean them off and get the flame standing at attention again.
It could just be a different type of wood they made these pellets out of vs. the usual oak. These pellets also look a tad lighter than what I have seen previously. The ash lip on my burn pot gets pretty stacked up with ash. They do produce plenty of heat but something is different with this ton.
I assume they were making some other type of flooring this batch. On a scale of 1 - 10 all other Sets I've burned over the years have been a 9 - 10. This ton so far is a 6 and not as good. Mainly just the ash piles and the extra required pot scrapes to clean them off and get the flame standing at attention again.
ABusWrench
Feeling the Heat
I too found Menards selling "Sets" last year. Burnt 3 tons. Found them to be an above average hardwood pellet with good heat and low ash (for a hardwood pellet). On that, I stocked up with 5 ton of Sets this year. Pellets seem lighter in color, smaller in length, but with an increase in ash! Heat is still good though. On lower heat/feed settings the ash isn't too bad, but runnig up the feed, runs up the amount of ash. It's like it multiplies. A quick scrape of the burn pot and a quick brush out and all is well though.The ash is at least light and fluffy, not heavy. I've paid a lot more for a shittier pellet. I too would love to try a softwood pellet, but I have never seen any around me, and I've looked. So the Harman keeps chewing up the Sets hardwoods and I keep cleaning up the ash.
teddyturnpickle
Member
Mine are actually burning hotter with less ash than last year's sets. Guess it all depends on what kind of flooring their running for production. I will say they don't seem to be as consistent as they have been in years past. Somersets are usually pretty sought after, I wonder if demand has outgrown the byproduct the flooring business can provide and they have started outsourcing material.
thatguy69
Member
Answer this, what other pellets can you buy for 165 a ton? I know the next cheapest around me is easy heats, 200 a ton plus tax.
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Jonkman
Burning Hunk
If you are in Ohio, you should be able to find Pro Pellets or Magic Sparks...made in northern Michigan, and you can regularly find them for $165 to $180 a ton. Excellent pellets.
thatguy69
Member
Wish I could, I must be to far south to have them around here I've never heard of either
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teddyturnpickle
Member
Pellet prices have dropped in sw ohio this year. I've seen Somersets, Pro Pellets, Greenways, and several other brands for $160.00 or less.
thatguy69
Member
Big box stores, feed stores, tsc? Who's selling them at these prices around you?
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Jonkman
Burning Hunk
I emailed Pro Pellets and got this response...hopefully it's not to far from you. Hopefully teddyturnpickle responds, sounds like he has found some good deals too.
Thank you for your interest in our pellets!
We do have a dealer in your area.
Buckeye Stove
236 West Sandusky St.
Fredericktown, OH 43019
740.694.7902
Happy Pellet Season!
Merlin Miller
Sales
Fiber By-Products, Corp.
Recycling & Processing Wood Fiber
Premium Hardwood Pellet Fuel
269-483-0066 office
574-349-0499 cell
70721 US 131 White Pigeon, MI 49099
[email protected]
www.fiberby-products.com
thatguy69
Member
Yeah they like a hefty price. Just called they want 220 a ton
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Jonkman
Burning Hunk
Yikes. Ok. Well maybe the other poster will list where he gets his pellets from...
teddyturnpickle
Member
Tsc, Family Farm and Home, Orscheln Farm and Home & local feed and equipment stores. Tsc will price match other Tsc stores. Pellets were $159.50 a ton at the hillsboro Tsc and my local tsc matched them, they were originally $200 a ton at my store.
thatguy69
Member
Dam I'll have to try that at my local tsc. They were wanting over 200 a ton when I called last month
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