Hi All, Out here we are starting to see a few more mill firing up to make pellets but all stove suppliers are striking issues with variable pellet quality. Companies like HHT are just blackbanning the local pellet producers as they were having too many auger issues. We get the issues too. Basically a combination of fines and long pellets being crunched up making fines. These fines get augered up and just sit at the top of the drop tube. This accumulates and builds up to a compressed plug. If not removed it blocks the auger and breaks the shearpin of worse, gearbox. We suggest to owners that they should have a piece of wire with a hook and scratch out the top of the drop chute every other day to stop the problem. This works perfect. We want to encourage pellet manufacturers but it is a pain when they pump out cruddy pellets. My belief is that the perfect pellet is no longer than 3/4" but our manufacturers say 1.5" is the standard. THey might be right but that is too long for reliable operation in a domestic pellet stove IMO. What interests me is what the US consensus is on pellet lengths? Let me know. One of our Northern dealers has come up with a new wonder fuel. Macadamia Shell. User routinely run for 7 days 24/7 before emptying the ash pan and reports are that the run temp is 20% higher than wood pellets. Over 1,500 mile from here so it is not something I a fully tested (did get 20kgs but that was gone in a day without dramas) but all the comments I have heard suggest it is great.
Our PFI standard for Premium fuel. Max length no more than 1% can exceed 1 1/2 inches. Of all I have tested, Many stay in the 1/4 to 1 inch range. And I'd say the average is usually about 1 inch from the mills. Some do keep them a bit shorter. I prefer 1/2 long pellets myself. 3/4 would work well too. Burned a few batches were more than half the bag was over 1 1/2 inches, Lousy heat and really noisy as it tried to bust them long ones up.
Yes my sentiment exactly. In the highly scientific %cupfull scale ; what sort of fines quantity is the norm per bag?
I agree with JayT......1/2" - 1" should be the norm, with the occasional 1 1/4".......no more. And I NEVER had an auger get "jammed" or anything broken......the auger would simply snap the long pellets in half. As for fines, that always depended on the manufacturer sifting fines properly.....some did better than others, but I never got a bag that had so much that it caused any problems in the stoves. Usually it just resulted in a "spark show" out of the burn pot. I think the most I ever got might have been a cup full at the bottom of the bag.
platnium pellets were too long...1.5" up too 3"plus had to get rid of them,they burned great but too long
Good idea ww! Pellet Fuels Chickenman , Check the link above. the many reviews have some length info and pics for reference.
