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What happens when pellets have high moisture in top feed pellet stove - Auger Jam - see pics

Discussion in 'Pellet Stoves, Pellet Fireplaces, Pellet Furnaces' started by don2222, Mar 30, 2018.

  1. jtakeman

    jtakeman Moderator

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  2. don2222

    don2222

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    Just curious?
    How much in USD is a Ton (US Ton = 2,000 lbs) of wood pellets vs the same amount of olive pits over there???
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2018
  3. Chickenman

    Chickenman

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    Pellets dont swell from the time you pour them in until when they run through. I think the culprit is more likely long pellets which get crunched up by the auger creating fines which compact into a solid mass. Or else just too many fines which do the same thing. If the pellets are going in swollen then the user shouldnt pour them in, in the first place.
     
  4. Chickenman

    Chickenman

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    Wood pellets retail for $2.00 USD / lbs. Pits and wheat are about a 1/3 that.
     
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  5. Chickenman

    Chickenman

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    We see this where users dont clean their stoves properly and the path of least resistance for exhaust becomes out through the hopper. Rare but not unusual. Never happens with a clean stove. Clean airways that is.
     
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  6. don2222

    don2222

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    We sell wood pellets over here in 40 lbs bags for approx $6.00 per bag that is $0.15 per lb or 15 cents per pound. :)
    Therefore your price over here at $2.00 per lb would be $80 per bag compared to our price of $6.00 per bag!! Holy Smokes what a difference!!!

    So if you could plant the fast growing Popalar Trees and harvest them to make wood pellets, could that be a money maker???
     

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  7. Chickenman

    Chickenman

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    Maybe I got my rithmatic wrong.
    $1 Aud (so 74 cents USD) per kilo for pellets. Still stupid expensive.
     
  8. don2222

    don2222

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    Ok
    1 Kilo = 2.205 lbs
    Therefore
    $0.74 USD per per kilo is $0.74 for 2.205 lbs Or $0.3356 per pound, so a 40 lb bag is $13.42 compared to our price of $6.00 per bag.
    Then wheat and pits are 1/3 the price
    So they would be $4.47 which is less than our $6 per bag pellet price.
    Does that rithmatic sound correct?
    If so can we buy some of your Pits??? :)
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2018
  9. Chickenman

    Chickenman

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    your pellet price has been sneaking up I have noticed over the last couple of years. You would be able to buy pits in the US for under $100/ton but there is a fair bit of further processing and the pits burn far dirtier than pellets so are not everyones cup of tea.
    Out here macadamia shells have become the weapon of choice. Far better than both pits or pellets. They are nearly 2,000 km from us so not viable. Wheat and corn are the best for us. Probably you guys also. Just need a stove with flue pipe which is suitable.
     
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  10. don2222

    don2222

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  11. Snowy Rivers

    Snowy Rivers

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    Back when we burned a lot of pellets and during stacking of the bags, it was very common to see little pin holes and nicks in the plastic bags.

    Not enough of an issue to really cause trouble, but if the pellets were stored any place other than a real dry one the pellets certainly could draw moisture...

    I purchased a ton one time and there was a bag in the center of of pallet full that was all swollen up due to moisture infiltration.

    Sort of a sticky wicket
     
  12. imacman

    imacman

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    Instead of spending a lot of $$$ that Don2222 seems to be able to do, I'd use the cheaper method, which originally came to us in the forum by way of Mike at Englander Stoves:

    "take a glass or ceramic (crock) bowl DO NOT USE PLASTIC[​IMG][​IMG] put about a cup of pellets in it , cover with a non plastic saucer. put in microwave on high for 45 seconds to a minute. when microwave stops , immediately lift the saucer and turn it straight up and down (vertical) normally you will see a light steaming with good dry pellets , if enough moisture is there to actually run down the saucer, the pellets are a bit damp.

    damp pellets will show in a few different ways , slow t light is one , also clinkering and carbon buildup, soot on glass that is a bit harder to remove than normal, and buildup in the burn pot. pellets which have taken on a few percentage points of excess moisture can be used, (unless they look like oatmeal) but can cause these burning issues as well as a higher possibility of auger jams as they do not "hold together' structurally as well and can get wadded up in an auger or drop chute."
     
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  13. krooser

    krooser

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    Pellet bags contain small holes that allow them to be stacked without issues. But those holes do allow moisture to creep in. I have had pellets that had been compromised despite having been tarped during storage.
     
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