Softwood Pellet Problem

[YooperD2]

I've had a problem with 2 brands of softwood pellets leaving a sticky residue inside the hopper floor on my Santa Fe. It is as if pitch is leaching from the pellets as they warm inside the hopper. The 2 brands are Marth Softwood and Wood Fibers Inc. Softwwod. I have had no problem with Uncle Jed's softwood pellets.

I tried coating the hopper with dry graphite, Pledge furniture polish, and silicone spray. Of course I cleaned the surfaces to bare metal before applying those products, and I didn't apply one over the top of the other. Nothing worked as the residue was enough to prevent about 1/3 of the pellets from sliding down to the auger chute.

This is another reason to only purchase a few bags to try before buying in bulk.

 

[FordMastertech]

I was having a pellet sliding down the hopper with the Lake Region junk pellets I was using last year and found by waxing the insides of the hopper with a good automotive wax the problem went away.

 

[YooperD2]

That is why I tried the Pledge furniture polish as it is also a wax.

 

[tjnamtiw]

I went over mine with Scotch Brite pads first and then waxed them but the pellets still won't slide. I've used both softwood and hard wood pellets. Same result. The hopper floor on the Sante Fe gets up to about 145 degrees while the one on the Castile is 90. Don't know why there is such a difference but neither one lets the pellets slide down easily. Just not steep enough of an angle. We need a vibrator on there.

 

[FordMastertech]

I went over mine with Scotch Brite pads first and then waxed them but the pellets still won't slide. I've used both softwood and hard wood pellets. Same result. The hopper floor on the Sante Fe gets up to about 145 degrees while the one on the Castile is 90. Don't know why there is such a difference but neither one lets the pellets slide down easily. Just not steep enough of an angle. We need a vibrator on there.

I get in too much trouble around here so I not going to make any suggestions were to get a "vibrator" from. :gulp:

 

[FordMastertech]

That is why I tried the Pledge furniture polish as it is also a wax.

I find the Pledge furniture polish stays sticky, that is why the suggestion of a good automotive wax, this stuff drys and will not be sticky after it's applied.

 

[tjnamtiw]

Yea, I knew it would be a matter of time on the 'vibrator' theory..... :vampire:

 

[Wi Thundercat]

Was having that issue with my stove also. I vacuumed the hopper and then applied foil tape over the beads of silicon around the auger cover , also over the spot welds as they were a little rough. Then sprayed dry graphite and wiped it down. Been a month with no problems and believe me when i forget to top it off and it runs empty, Its Empty!

 

[littlesmokey]

That is why I tried the Pledge furniture polish as it is also a wax.

Pledge is not a wax, but an oil based polish. Heating it only adds to it's "stickiness". I used Scotchbrite to scour the hopper and tested for slipperyness, found the overspray from the paint was still creating too much friction, so I lightly sanded to a dull sheen. Used "Butcher's Wax" to coat the hopper and have not needed to touch it for three years. You could use any very hard wax, but make sure it is a very light coat. A friend after waxing added Dry-Cote a teflon based lub, but I didn't have any and haven't missed it.

I don't think the "softwood" part is the problem. Irregular size and coarseness of the pellets pay a greater part. Also, loosely pouring the pellets and not packing the hopper have a lot to do with preventing bridging. Another suggestion from another forum member years ago was to add a cup of vegetable oil to a bag of pellets to "slick then up". May be a good use for the oil left from your deep fried Christmas Turkey.

 

[YooperD2]

I'm sure my problem was very poor pellets. I've never had hopper/feeding issues of any type before or after useing them.

 

[FordMastertech]

Another suggestion from another forum member years ago was to add a cup of vegetable oil to a bag of pellets to “slick then upâ€. May be a good use for the oil left from your deep fried Christmas Turkey.

I can just visualize all the dogs and other animals in this guys neighborhood haning around just outside his pellet exhaust vent salivating and staring due to the odor coming from it.