Do you think this will work ? pros and cons

[bostonbaked]

First, I have a very small and very tight home. New windows good quality, New exterior doors With storms all done by me last fall. So I really don't think I'll burn alot of pellets. I figure two tons or less. I have a small 8x12 garden shed and even one ton takes up a lot of space. If I bump a bag and punch a hole pellets on the floor and got to tape up the bag.( PITA) It's tight in there. So I was thinking (I know that could be dangerous) I have a bunch of 60 gallon plastic drums with the open tops. These tops have a foam seal and a big ring type clamp that makes them air and water tight. These things are tough about 1/4 inch thick. These contained food type products like corn starch and the like. (nothing nasty) If my math is correct I will be able to store about 7 plus bags in one barrel so 7 barrels will hold around a ton. I know it will still take up alot of space in the shed but I'm thinking I would not have to worry about bustin bags and humid damp weather would no longer be a worry. I would also then store a supply in barrels in the basement as well and scoop them out and into the stove. So what do you think? anyone else do this ? Would condensation be an issue? Have at me .......lol

 

[webbie]

I think that would work.......main thing is no actual rain or water getting in. Even bags are often not airtight, so I think the main reason pellets stay dry is the lack of surface area exposed to the weather....in other words, kept dry.

 

[bostonbaked]

Cool. and if anyone would know it would be you. They will be kept in a building , cellar warm, shed in winter, cold but out of the weather. I worried about temp changes causing condensation. Do you think I have it right as far as how many bags can go in a drum. Thanks

 

[kinsmanstoves]

I think it will work but you are doing double or triple the work of just storing the bags in the shed. The more you move the pellets the more you break down the density of the pellet. This in turn harms your burn.

Eric

 

[Czech]

My next door neighbor just did the same thing, shrink wrapped the tops. Worked just fine! I think you'll get more than 7 bags in there, I'll check next store and see how many were loaded and post again. I have a 4x4x3' crib, I can put 25+ bags in there, it is deceiving.

 

[bostonbaked]

Thanks guys The barrels are 22 inches in diameter and 36 inches tall. I agree, just looking at them and looking at the bags it looks like more would fit. Now tell me this is it true that one bag of pellets equals 1 cubic foot in volume ? I think a 55 gallon drum has an area of something like 7.3 cubic feet or there abouts but not the great with that type math calculation. I wiil store a bunch of barrels in the basement to so if my usage is on target i'll simply walk a few steps to load the hopper. I'm thinking more about long term storage as well. If there in a bullet proof air tight container I could buy whenever I see a deal and store indefinatly. No !

 

[bostonbaked]

BTW if anyone likes this idea I found a source on Craigslist for these clean as a whistle barrels with tops for short money. Nice guy, has big plastic tanks and such for like a hundred bucks clean and hold 275 gals. I found the guy because I collect rain water for plants and such and blast it around my yard with a sprinkler pump.

 

[Souzafone]

What about just throwing the whole bags in the drums? They'll pretty much conform to most any shape, it eliminates at least one step in the handling process, makes it easier to get them in the house, and makes for one more weather barrier. BTW, condensation could be a long term issue, unless you have a way of vacuum packing them. Good luck and let everyone know how this works in the coming months.

 

[Yardbird]

Since bulk pellets are cheaper than bagged, I have often thought about picking up a bunch of barrels like that, and using them to fill up instead of a bin. That way, I drive the trailer with the barrels to the pellet place, get loaded up on bulk pellets, and just store them in the basement, and use an ash pail to fill up my hopper.

 

[bostonbaked]

What about just throwing the whole bags in the drums? They'll pretty much conform to most any shape, it eliminates at least one step in the handling process, makes it easier to get them in the house, and makes for one more weather barrier. BTW, condensation could be a long term issue, unless you have a way of vacuum packing them. Good luck and let everyone know how this works in the coming months.

Well long term storage was why I started to research this I think it was here that someone touched on this subject. I have read that because of the high mosture content of say corn it would not work well. But where pellets have such a low moisture content to begin with I started to wonder if level is so low as to not be a problem. It seems that the pellets biggest enemy is obsorbing more moisture. So once in the drums they are isolated. I thought this could help folks with nowhere to store but the great out doors.

 

[bostonbaked]

Since bulk pellets are cheaper than bagged, I have often thought about picking up a bunch of barrels like that, and using them to fill up instead of a bin. That way, I drive the trailer with the barrels to the pellet place, get loaded up on bulk pellets, and just store them in the basement, and use an ash pail to fill up my hopper.

Yardbird are there dealers that sell bulk or do you need to go to a plant? I have a Smal pick up and carry 25 bags a trip. The place is only about 6 miles one way. I'll carry bags from truck to basement and dump in the barrels. Less work actually that carring to shed and them to basement when needed plus their already room temp. One other thing to remember a full barrel of anything is really heavy, so moving after filled must be taken into account

 

[Czech]

I've stored both corn and pellets in barrels in with a piece of plywood on top in the garage, this was prior to making the crib. I had no problems doing so at all, no moisture or critters. They also work well for picking up bulk, we put 8-10 on a trailer and hit the elevator multiple times a year. I also give the local pellet suppliers a barrel in case they spill (forklift damage), they call me when the barrel is full, no charge as they just tossed the spilled ones prior. If you do this, they will need to be cleaned prior to use, I use my corn cleaner to do so. Lastly, barrels can be found for free often times, mine came from a local car wash and the airport (de-icer), just make sure to powerwash before use! I just called the neigbor and left a message regarding volume, I'll post when I hear from him.

 

[Czech]

Talked to the neighbor, 8 bags in each 55 gallon barrel, your calc's are right on BB.

 

[bostonbaked]

Hey that's great. So only a dozen barrels for 2 tons. I'm a worry wort according to my wife. Just trying to protect the goods. She says why don't you put an air conditioner in and sleep in the shed and protect them. lol Hey I'm brand new to this and with all the rain and humidity, well, I worry. My shed some days is like a sauna.

 

[imacman]

I think the original idea you had is a good one....they should stay nice and dry in the barrels. Only issues I would have are already mentioned:

1. the more you pour/dump the pellets, the more fines you create

2. it's twice the work

Other than those, IMO, it should work out great.

 

[bostonbaked]

I value all of your opinions. I wonder why some of you think it's more work. If I pick up lets say twenty five bags in my (small all it can handle) truck . I get home move bags into shed done, need pellets for stove go to shed in rain, hail, snow move pellets to basement where stove is. I have moved the pellets twice. (from truck to shed maybe 100 feet.) #2) Barrels in the basement steps from the stove. Get home with my 25 bags move to basement pour in barrel's done. Need pellets for stove walk a few steps scoop some pellets feed the beast. Moved the pellets once no rain. snow or walk to shed. truck to bulkhead only half the distance to shed but none of that matters because I only moved them once. So how am I doing more work I don't get it ? Am I forgetting something ?

 

[DiggerJim]

I value all of your opinions. I wonder why some of you think it's more work. If I pick up lets say twenty five bags in my (small all it can handle) truck . I get home move bags into shed done, need pellets for stove go to shed in rain, hail, snow move pellets to basement where stove is. I have moved the pellets twice. (from truck to shed maybe 100 feet.) #2) Barrels in the basement steps from the stove. Get home with my 25 bags move to basement pour in barrel's done. Need pellets for stove walk a few steps scoop some pellets feed the beast. Moved the pellets once no rain. snow or walk to shed. truck to bulkhead only half the distance to shed but none of that matters because I only moved them once. So how am I doing more work I don't get it ? Am I forgetting something ?

Well originally you posted that you were going to store them in your shed (with some in the basement). Also, if there's room in the basement for the barrels of pellets, there's room for the bags. If they go from truck to basement, there's technically only a little extra work (the scooping) in terms of lifting bags from truck, carrying to the basement, filling barrel, scooping into stove vs. lifting bags from truck, carrying to the basement, stacking, picking bag up, dumping it into stove. From a pure physics standpoint you might even be able to argue no extra work. However, the barrels in the shed makes lots extra work -- empty bags into barrel...later scoop into some sort of carrying device (a bag maybe?) for carrying into house to feed stove...times 6,000 lbs.

 

[bostonbaked]

I value all of your opinions. I wonder why some of you think it's more work. If I pick up lets say twenty five bags in my (small all it can handle) truck . I get home move bags into shed done, need pellets for stove go to shed in rain, hail, snow move pellets to basement where stove is. I have moved the pellets twice. (from truck to shed maybe 100 feet.) #2) Barrels in the basement steps from the stove. Get home with my 25 bags move to basement pour in barrel's done. Need pellets for stove walk a few steps scoop some pellets feed the beast. Moved the pellets once no rain. snow or walk to shed. truck to bulkhead only half the distance to shed but none of that matters because I only moved them once. So how am I doing more work I don't get it ? Am I forgetting something ?

Well originally you posted that you were going to store them in your shed (with some in the basement). Also, if there's room in the basement for the barrels of pellets, there's room for the bags. If they go from truck to basement, there's technically only a little extra work (the scooping) in terms of lifting bags from truck, carrying to the basement, filling barrel, scooping into stove vs. lifting bags from truck, carrying to the basement, stacking, picking bag up, dumping it into stove. From a pure physics standpoint you might even be able to argue no extra work. However, the barrels in the shed makes lots extra work -- empty bags into barrel...later scoop into some sort of carrying device (a bag maybe?) for carrying into house to feed stove...times 6,000 lbs.

I would agree with some of what you say but I was more concerned with not having them pick up dampness in the steam room shed or summertime damp baesment. Or be damaged by bumping into them. I never said I was saving labor. You folks brought up how much extra work I would do. I still don't see it so we can agree to disagree I guess.

 

[billb3]

You're gonna need a scale to monitor the weight of those barrels to make sure the pellets aren't gaining weight from the humidity.
These barrels are hermetically sealed ?

 

[Xena]

If your shed doesn't leak, just stack the bags on the pallets in there
the same way they were stacked when you got them.
I live in a town near you, and am on my 4th year of storing pellets in an
unheated garage and 3 season porch. I get 3 tons a year delivered, either in
Spring or Summer. Not once have I had a problem with the pellets absorbing
moisture from humidity. Nothing to worry about. Save your self the
extra labor and wear and tear on the pellets. Also, pouring them out of the bags,
into the containers, then out of the containers into a pail or whatever to
transport to your stove is only going to create more dust and fines that will
end up in your stove.

 

[bostonbaked]

If your shed doesn't leak, just stack the bags on the pallets in there
the same way they were stacked when you got them.
I live in a town near you, and am on my 4th year of storing pellets in an
unheated garage and 3 season porch. I get 3 tons a year delivered, either in
Spring or Summer. Not once have I had a problem with the pellets absorbing
moisture from humidity. Nothing to worry about. Save your self the
extra labor and wear and tear on the pellets. Also, pouring them out of the bags,
into the containers, then out of the containers into a pail or whatever to
transport to your stove is only going to create more dust and fines that will
end up in your stove.

Thank you all for your ideas and opinions. Much appreciated. I was thinking more along the line of bullet proof long term storage. I wondered how to protect them in case I don't use them up in one winter and they then sit for another (whole) year. I also seem to always whack something into a bag and then their all over the floor. I think I got the info I need now, so again many thanks.