# Pellet Dispenser hopper ??



## Bushbuck (Oct 6, 2008)

Hi everyone I am new to the forum. I have been reading thru the pages and there is a lot of good information here. My qustion is what do you all do for a pellet dispenser. When I am not home I didnt want my wife and Girls filling the stoves by the bag. I was looking for some sort of dispenser or hopper that I could use or make. I found only one hopper online that holds about 280#'s of pellets called the pellet hopper, but I have not heard any reviews yet. Is there anything else you have seen out there or recomend? I was thinking of taking a big water fountain bottle, turning it upsidedown going into a pvc Y into to 5 gal buckets. I figure that would hold a 40# bag and split the carry weight for my wife.  Any ideas or products?


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## Shortstuff (Oct 6, 2008)

I've already considered the same thing, not wanting to have my wife or daughter carrrying a 40 lb. bag of pellets upstairs and attempting to pour into the stove in case I'm not around.  So, I had one of those Rubbermaid bins with a hinged lid on it and put it upstairs not far from the stove.  Then I use an empty plastic coffee container to scoop it out and carry it directly to the stove to fill it.  You could always get a smaller 2 gallon bucket to scoop the pellets into, then they can carry that to the stove.

Either way, it's very convenient for the wife.

Steve


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## Shortstuff (Oct 6, 2008)

Here the bin is closed.  This bin holds 5 bags worth of pellets which is 200 lbs.

Steve


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## mralias (Oct 6, 2008)

Same as Steve....works like a charm....My job is to keep that filled and the bosses (wife) job is to fill the stove.


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## Bushbuck (Oct 6, 2008)

Thanks steve, thats kind of what we have set up now. I am glad to hear I am not the only one thinking about this. I am actually running 3 stoves and will most likely use around 6- 5 gal buckets a day anyway. I was hoping to find a way to use somekind of dispenser in the garage so I could fill it up and leave the dust out there, Then they would only have to put a bucket under and pull the lever to fill. I even found a wall mounted dog food dispenser but it only holds 40#'s. I have been searching farm feeders etc, I cant believe there are not any sort of dispensers out there. That hopper looks good especially since it holds 280#'s. But I am looking for a review since it is over 300.00 and I dont know if there are other options.


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## wb2bhc (Oct 6, 2008)

My wife though of the same thing, but found a more decorative approach to it.
At a local "Home Goods" store they sold chests fairly inexpensivly and they hold about 60 
pounds of pellets which can be scooped into the stove, works quite well

Have a toasty winter

jay


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## hoverfly (Oct 6, 2008)

Grain silo and delivery systems, is the way to go. They are being adapted access the country in homes, it's cheaper if can buy in bulk form than palliated bags, even if you have to still buy bags. Such systems can be set up where each stove can be independently filled when needed, size of the silo or storage bin can very.


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## rap69ri (Oct 6, 2008)

I guess I'm lucky, my wife doesn't mind lifting the bags and pouring them in. A nice holder would be nice though.


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## kyburnr (Oct 6, 2008)

Jay,

     Looks great.. Pretty fancy pellet pail  :exclaim:


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## Sting (Oct 6, 2008)

I use something just a bit larger


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## Mom2Czars (Oct 6, 2008)

Um...tell your wife it counts as exercise. 

Seriously, I hefted one up the basement stairs, and even slit the bag filled the hopper. It wasn't _that _bad.

Oh, and I *LOVE *the idea of hitting Home Goods for a chest or something decorative to keep them in. ::shopping::


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## pelletwood (Oct 6, 2008)

We bought a 20 gal. galvanized garbage can with lid and then painted it black, purchased from agway.
They also sell a 4 quart feed scoop.
The 20 gal. can holds 3 bags of pellets.


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## CygnusX1 (Oct 7, 2008)

I use 3 coal hods. They hold about 20 lbs of pellets. 
I bought them at various yard sales for about $10.00. A coat of black stove paint and they look great.

Below is a link to describe what they look like because everyone always asks what the hell a coal hod is.  lol

http://www.nextag.com/coal-hod/search-html


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## MainePellethead (Oct 7, 2008)

PelletPusher said:
			
		

> My wife though of the same thing, but found a more decorative approach to it.
> At a local "Home Goods" store they sold chests fairly inexpensivly and they hold about 60
> pounds of pellets which can be scooped into the stove, works quite well
> 
> ...



Very nice idea Pusher.  And looks elegant as well .


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## kyburnr (Oct 22, 2008)

Got this at a Tuesday Morning  store $9.99 .  The label calls it a french pot,  was just galvanized,  sprayed it flat black.


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## richg (Oct 22, 2008)

Harman has come out with a 1400 lb auto feed hopper bin that supposedly will connect to either their central heating units or freestanding stoves. Given their production issues, I would not hold your breath on delivery.


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## tinkabranc (Oct 22, 2008)

Normally I dump the pellets into the hopper right from the bag and 
use a coal hod to hold any extra.  The coal hod holds about 1/3 of the bag 
and looks decent sitting next to the stove


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## 2c3d (Oct 22, 2008)

try using a 55 gal. steel or plastic drum for the garage....remove the threaded plug, invert drum cutout bottom...rig a sliding handle to open & close for pellet feed.....elevate drum to accept 5 gal pails for filling....for our house we use a 12 gal crock, holds 1-1/2 bags...grain scoop to feed hopper....


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## Bushbuck (Oct 22, 2008)

deercroft said:
			
		

> try using a 55 gal. steel or plastic drum for the garage....remove the threaded plug, invert drum cutout bottom...rig a sliding handle to open & close for pellet feed.....elevate drum to accept 5 gal pails for filling....for our house we use a 12 gal crock, holds 1-1/2 bags...grain scoop to feed hopper....



This is more on the idea of what I was talking about. Thank you for the idea.  I dont know if I would need a 55 gallon drum, but this is kind of what I am trying to design. I have tried to order that pellet hopper from 2 places I found on the net, but both places are out of stock. One bag splits into 2-5 gallon buckets. So I am thinking of using a water cooler bottle and turning it upside down and cutting off the bottom. Then having the PVC pipe split into a y at the bottom and add some type of a vacume system to the pipe for the fines. This way I can dump  bag of pellets and vacume out the dust in the garage and it fills two 5 gal buckets at the same time. 
   I am taking a trip to the hardware store again today to get some ideas.. Thanks again for understanding my question..


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## Mr Whitfield (Oct 22, 2008)

A small 30 Gal garbage can with wheels, holds about 5 to 6 bags. Use a rubbermade 1 gal contaioner to fill a coal hod. This set up is for my 72 year old mother. Garbage can is in the garage.


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## Bushbuck (Oct 22, 2008)

Mr Whitfield said:
			
		

> A small 30 Gal garbage can with wheels, holds about 5 to 6 bags. Use a rubbermade 1 gal contaioner to fill a coal hod. This set up is for my 72 year old mother. Garbage can is in the garage.



Yea 30 gallon would be about the right size. I have to find something that has a tapered bottom and will dispense pellets well. I am trying to get away from scooping pellets out by hand as I believe we are going to go thru about 8-5 gal buckets a day this winter. One of the brands of pellets I have is great, another one is very dusty. After reading some posts on this forum it would be great to incorporate a vacume system to the design also. I hope I can still lift pellets at 72!! Go Mom!!


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## Rick5472 (Oct 22, 2008)

I was thinking about building a bench seat similar to the one shown here:  http://www.knottyplans.com/index.php?page=10015

Not sure how many bags it will hold but the dimensions can be adjustable.
I used to have a wood box for my wood stove but since converting to pellets it is too banged up and currently only holds bags of pellets.  After switching to a pellet stove, I thought it would look cleaner and practical if I only had a storage bench that could serve two purposes.


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## scmaci (Nov 28, 2008)

All good info
But I've built a pellet dispenser that holds 8 bags. Just put a bucket under the hopper, pull the handle... fill then push in and you're done.
Took me some time and figuring but it works great.
Pellet pig and Happy with 6 tons.
Sandy


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## Xena (Nov 28, 2008)

Copper washbin with hinged lid.  Mom got it at a yard sale
on the cheap in the 70's.  Holds 90lbs roughly.
Have it sitting on a small, heavy table so no need to bend down.  
Right next to the stove so easy to scoop from bin to hopper.
Use a scoop that holds approx. 3lbs per scoop.  Piece o cake.


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## Bushbuck (Nov 28, 2008)

scmaci said:
			
		

> All good info
> But I've built a pellet dispenser that holds 8 bags. Just put a bucket under the hopper, pull the handle... fill then push in and you're done.
> Took me some time and figuring but it works great.
> Pellet pig and Happy with 6 tons.
> Sandy



would love to see some pics of that hopper!


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## trogers (Nov 28, 2008)

scmaci said:
			
		

> All good info
> But I've built a pellet dispenser that holds 8 bags. Just put a bucket under the hopper, pull the handle... fill then push in and you're done.
> Took me some time and figuring but it works great.
> Pellet pig and Happy with 6 tons.
> Sandy



Could you post a picture, or perhaps plans?


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## timalabim (Nov 28, 2008)

I just use a brass coal hod both for decoration and pratical purposes.  My stack of bags is out in my porch.  The hod takes 1/3 of the bag.  I fill the stove before I leave for work and leave a full hod for the wife to pour in if needed before she goes to work around 2:00.


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## sydney1963 (Nov 28, 2008)

I just pour straight from the bag.  Less work that way.


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## sandy2222 (Dec 21, 2008)

scmaci said:
			
		

> All good info
> But I've built a pellet dispenser that holds 8 bags. Just put a bucket under the hopper, pull the handle... fill then push in and you're done.
> Took me some time and figuring but it works great.
> Pellet pig and Happy with 6 tons.
> Sandy



12/20/08 Not good on the computer... don't know how to place pictures ...  Leave me your phone numbers and I'll call you.

Sandy


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## Bushbuck (Dec 21, 2008)

sandy2222 said:
			
		

> scmaci said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



You can email me the pics Sandy and I will post them for you..


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## imacman (Dec 21, 2008)

I wanted something that would at least 1 bag of pellets or more, but also have somewhat of a decorative quality too.  Since i live in a log home, I thought an old copper boiler might be appropriate.....I bought one like this, and it holds about 1 1/2 bags of pellets.  I also got a plastic grain scoop at the local feed store.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Copper-Wash-Tub-Boiler-w-cover-wooden-handles_W0QQitemZ350142607287QQcmdZViewItemQQptZFolk_Art?hash=item350142607287&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:1|294:50


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## Doocrew (Dec 21, 2008)

Rick5472 said:
			
		

> I was thinking about building a bench seat similar to the one shown here:  http://www.knottyplans.com/index.php?page=10015
> 
> Not sure how many bags it will hold but the dimensions can be adjustable.
> I used to have a wood box for my wood stove but since converting to pellets it is too banged up and currently only holds bags of pellets.  After switching to a pellet stove, I thought it would look cleaner and practical if I only had a storage bench that could serve two purposes.


 bench t

I bought an unfinished bench like the one in the link at Mill Stores in Nashua, NH for about $30. It holds two bags of pellets.


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## PunKid8888 (Dec 21, 2008)

I just have a tall rubber maid white kitchen trash barrel,  its holds a little over 40lbs.

You should see my friends when they open it up thinking its a trash can  "what the...."


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## wilbilt (Dec 21, 2008)

Shortstuff said:
			
		

> I've already considered the same thing, not wanting to have my wife or daughter carrrying a 40 lb. bag of pellets upstairs and attempting to pour into the stove in case I'm not around.  So, I had one of those Rubbermaid bins with a hinged lid on it and put it upstairs not far from the stove.  Then I use an empty plastic coffee container to scoop it out and carry it directly to the stove to fill it.  You could always get a smaller 2 gallon bucket to scoop the pellets into, then they can carry that to the stove.
> 
> Either way, it's very convenient for the wife.
> 
> Steve



Gotta love Maxwell House for those convenient scoops. I use a similar system with the same scoop.


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## Gene (Dec 21, 2008)

Has anyone built an 'extended' hopper? I keep thinking about this. I have an advance and would like to see something where you could remove the hopper glass and set another 40lb hopper on top of that giving a 100lb hopper total. This would be extremely helpful when going away for a weekend. I think it would be fairly simple for the right person to build and a couple clamps could hold it sealed and firmly in place.


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## sandy2222 (Jan 16, 2009)

Bushbuck said:
			
		

> sandy2222 said:
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I'm real close to getting this pellet dispenser ready to ship in kit form. Easy to put together [only 21 pieces] or can ship pre-built.
Wife knows how to post pictures so will soon have it here.
Sandy


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