Grass Pellets on CL. Gasification video too.

[imacman]

Well, made it overnight w/ the grass/wood mix.

After burning for about an hour last night, I realized that the air needed to be bumped up, and feed down. Kept messing with it, but just couldn't seem to get it to burn all the way across the pot....flame would come & go.

Finally decided to shut stove off and re-program for corn so the stirrer would work more. Have the bottom buttons on 2-7-1.

Stove burned through the night on Hi-lo on heat setting 4. Been on that all day today, and burn pot looks good.....nice flame & embers all across the pot....I think the stirrer made the difference. I can see the ash build-up now, and it's much more than wood pellets, but is light grey and very fine.

Put my 2nd bag of grass/wood in today at about 1:30 (fines were much less in this bag).....I'm wondering if these are really 40 lb. bags....Schoon said DJ told him the weights were from "38-41 each....hmmmmmmm.

Schoon, did you get a chance to weigh yours? (I don't have a scale in the house)

Here's a pic I took a few minutes ago, and you can see the ash build-up on the front edge of the burn pot. It's about 1/2" deep, and that was cleaned last night at about 10 PM.

 

[schoondog]

Ya I plug the card into my printer/scanner/copier and usually have no problems. For some reason I can see the pics on the printer but can't see the last batch of pics on the computer. Don't know where macman is hope all is well. Thought he would be posting all day about this......Just checked the ash, light gray and pebble like. Sorta reminds me of lignetic ash. The heat is really pretty good. 150* in level 3 auto.. Just cut back on the air a little. Don't want much more heat in the house right now as kids have friends over and wifey cooked up some goodies for us. 73* in house now and going up. So far I like this stuff.

Schoondog

 

[jtakeman]

Light gray ash sound very promising. I wouldn't expect it but you are both reporting that. Awesome!

Schoondog, What would you woodpellets be about at the feed 3 setting? Just for comparing?

Sounds like you 2 are having fun and very good luck with these.

Keep us posted.

 

[schoondog]

Macman,
Happy too hear from ya. We were getting worried. You are right. Just weighed a bag of Marths- 39.8 lbs. bag of grass/wood- 34.4 lbs. You noticed that when putting in your truck yesterday. You must have lifted many bags of pellets in your quest to be pellet pig king!! :lol: ;-)
I think though we have to keep in mind that Dirk does not by any means have an automated setup with quality control stops etc. He does take pride and is committed don't get me wrong. He is trying to get a new technology business going really by himself. He is more into being sure the product is being cooked right and not so much the presentation if you will. We can tell him he gave us some light bags and see what he says.
Jtakeman 3 auto for me with a good pellet will be in the 150*- 160* range, these things are really doing pretty well. I used to take temps with the IR gun but that is at the shop and I would have to retake some temps. with pellets again as the notes I had from last year got thrown away. The house is 74 now and its 34* out cooking is done and there are several folks in the house.

Schoondog

 

[jtakeman]

Very promising, Not to far to get them reasonable price compared to corn(with multi-ton discount).

Maybe we have found the multifuel we were looking for?

I'm excited even! :lol:

 

[imacman]

Yep, so far, so good. Now that I have the stove "dialed in" a little closer, I too would be interested in burning these more often. The only issue for me would be the "light" weight of the bags. Based on Schoon's weaight measurement of 34.4 lbs, that $5.00 bag really cost almost $6.00/40 lbs or $300/ton.

As much as I would love to use them, if DJ can't get the weights closer to 40/bag (or he starts charging for the ACTUAL weight per lb in each bag), I'd have to stick with wood pellets. I can't afford $300/ton when I can get wood pellets for $249 and lower.

 

[schoondog]

Here are a few photos...... touchdown jets

 

[schoondog]

Here are a few pics.

 

[imacman]

Light gray ash sound very promising. I wouldn't expect it but you are both reporting that. Awesome!.....

Here's a pic of some ash I let fall out of the stove so i could take a pic. (yeah, I know....it's a little out of focus.....guess I got too close w/o going to macro).

 

[schoondog]

Macman,
I hear what your saying about the weight. More I think about it he was short over 12%. Didn't do all the math but he would have to make the weight right for me to buy alot more. He did have a certified scale there but it wasn't in use when I picked up the bags. They were just stacked on the floor in the barn. THOUCHDOWN JETS! But again I think if we tell him I believe he will make it right. On the other side of the coin I love the idea that the grass growing in the fields that I am riding my motorcycle through all summer on my way to work is being harvested so I can stay warm all winter. And at $200 a ton 10 mins. from my house is great too. I have some questions as to how consistant this stuff will be. I guess time will tell.

Schoondog

 

[jtakeman]

Alright that's it! After I burn the NEWP'S I am taking a break and burning some grass. You guys look like you are having way to much fun even! Mind if I join you?

I think if we express our concerns, DJ will work with us. We know light bag weights are not going to fly. After all this venture is to save money, Right?

 

[imacman]

Alright that's it! After I burn the NEWP'S I am taking a break and burning some grass. You guys look like you are having way to much fun even! Mind if I join you?

I think if we express our concerns, DJ will work with us. We know light bag weights are not going to fly. After all this venture is to save money, Right?

LOL! I knew you couldn't take it much longer Jay.....'cmon in and join the fun!

Yep, I'll admit it's fun trying something new in the pellet stove. And I also agree that the bag weights are a small issue that needs to be addressed. I really like the idea of buying a local, easily grown source of fuel, but I'm not going to go broke doing it.

 

[jtakeman]

Alright that's it! After I burn the NEWP'S I am taking a break and burning some grass. You guys look like you are having way to much fun even! Mind if I join you?

I think if we express our concerns, DJ will work with us. We know light bag weights are not going to fly. After all this venture is to save money, Right?

LOL! I knew you couldn't take it much longer Jay.....'cmon in and join the fun!

Yep, I'll admit it's fun trying something new in the pellet stove. And I also agree that the bag weights are a small issue that needs to be addressed. I really like the idea of buying a local, easily grown source of fuel, but I'm not going to go broke doing it.

Agreed! As tight as it is lately, I have to be wise on how I spend it. Can't afford to throw away any off it. Same reason I passed on the corn. Brake even, But work harder. Just didn't seem logical. Same idea. Locally grown in one season instead of 40 seasons. But there has to be a savings some where. Or maybe I am just too spoiled with wood pellets?

Hey I just thought or something. Will we keep our pig status if we buy 4 tons of grass pellets instead of wood pellets?

 

[imacman]

Hey I just thought or something. Will we keep our pig status if we buy 4 tons of grass pellets instead of wood pellets?

Pellet Cows????

 

[schoondog]

Hey guys,
Just weighed the other 2 bags of all grass ( that are slated for test master jtakeman) 37.7lbs. and 44.5 lbs. My guess is DJ needs to find a better way to weigh. (couldn't resist that one) Now 4 hours or so into the burn and it does look a little ashy in there for only four hours. (its just workin out this way I'm not doing it on purpose) so I am in line and agree with Macmans findings. Macman what say you as far as heat output?

 

[imacman]

I'm still "tweaking" the air/blower speed so I have enough air for a good burn, but not so fast that the heat exchanger can't do it's job. I've backed the blower (LBA) down to 6 ( I had the stove on 2-8-1 over last night), so we'll see in an hour or so. Right now, the heat coming out on heat seting 4 is nice...room is right at 70 degrees where I like it.

BTW, just ran the 1st bag of all grass pellets through the pellet cleaner in preparation for those to go in the stove. Probably tomorrow morning. They look exactly like the others...maybe just a little less "shiny" surface.

 

[imacman]

Made it through the 2nd night on auto and Hi/Lo burning with 100% grass pellets this time. I don't see any difference in the burn.

Schoon, how did you make out?

 

[schoondog]

Very well. Granted it got warm last night here (36 or so) but house was warm. Just spoke to the wifey and she turned it down to 2 and now on 1 which is an idle really just enough to keep stove lit. Some black on the window, but thats normal for my stove on 1 or 2. I will look at the ash when I get home later.

Schoon

 

[jtakeman]

I can't wait till these NEWP's are done! I called the Norfork storage place and talked to Mike. He offered to give me 2 bags to try before I even bought any. My wife is going to get them tomorrow afternoon. My new ignitor showed up today too. I gonna burn some grass, I gonna burn some grass! Ya hoo.(I not excited am I.) Hopefully the NEWP's are finished when I get home from work so I can toss them in. Give the stove a good cleaning of coarse.

Do you guys want me to do the full gamut like the other pellet reviews? You know heat, ash volume and ash weight.

 

[MCPO]

Hey I just thought or something. Will we keep our pig status if we buy 4 tons of grass pellets instead of wood pellets?

Pellet Cows????

Pellets made from cow $hit?

 

[imacman]

.....Do you guys want me to do the full gamut like the other pellet reviews? You know heat, ash volume and ash weight.

Jay, It WOULD be interesting to know how they compare to wood pellets, but you've gone well past the call of duty with all the other pellet testing you've done. If you want to do it with the grass pellets, that's up to you, IMO.

 

[jtakeman]

.....Do you guys want me to do the full gamut like the other pellet reviews? You know heat, ash volume and ash weight.

Jay, It WOULD be interesting to know how they compare to wood pellets, but you've gone well past the call of duty with all the other pellet testing you've done. If you want to do it with the grass pellets, that's up to you, IMO.

I have done this so many times now. One more isn't going to phase me. If we got a good idea of what this has for an ash percentage. Maybe some others will join in and become grass burners. Mostly we are speculating on the ash amount. I know my results aren't lab results but I be getting pretty close to them.

I was pretty much planning to anyways. You guys say the word and I will do my best!

 

[imacman]

....I was pretty much planning to anyways. You guys say the word and I will do my best!

Like I said Jay, it's totally up to you, but I'll be honest....I WOULD like to know a little more about their "specs". The price is right IF the heat is right.

I already know there will be more ash, but I can handle that. I've burned almost 3 bags of them so far, and haven't cleaned the stove yet, so if I can make at least 4 days between cleanings, I'm OK with that.

 

[jtakeman]

....I was pretty much planning to anyways. You guys say the word and I will do my best!

Like I said Jay, it's totally up to you, but I'll be honest....I WOULD like to know a little more about their "specs". The price is right IF the heat is right.

I already know there will be more ash, but I can handle that. I've burned almost 3 bags of them so far, and haven't cleaned the stove yet, so if I can make at least 4 days between cleanings, I'm OK with that.

I can take an average of all the pellets I burned. Both ash and heat. Burn the grass and compare. The only other way is we and DJ send them to a lab like they do pellets. I don't think we could afford the cost.

Next best is a real world made buy us. I know schoon has taken some heat numbers.

 

[jtakeman]

Well it looks like the pellets I am getting tomorrow are actually the Goldenrod(grass wood blend) pellet. I just got an email from DJ explaining them. Mike was calling them hay pellets. I think I am getting confused with all the names of these pellets. I was hoping for the all grass, But these will do just fine.