Pellet storage

[mnkywrnch]

first of let me say this is a wonderful site. yesterday out here in ma it was 60f out so I wasnt running the stove knowing it was going to get cold today I went out to my shed to grab a bag of pellets ,when I got out there I noticed some moisture on the bags of pellets ,the shed which is attached to my house is unheated and insulated no water leaks it was real dry in there ,bags all on skids, Im thinking its just condensation from the temprature swing?Has anyone else had this problem? The bags werent soaked just some light moisture.Thanks in advance for all replies.

 

[TboneMan]

Was it a puddle or an even coat? Do you have cats wandering around your area?

 

[mnkywrnch]

just a light even coat,the shed is locked up so nothing can get in, it just seems weird to me.Thanks for the reply.

 

[whippingwater]

You're right about the temperature swing condensation. I had the same problem this fall storing in my detached garage. I was in the process of moving them all to the basement and all the bags are fine.

 

[mnkywrnch]

hopefully it stays cold now as my shed is the only place I can store them.I wonder if I put a dehumidifier out there if it would help, this is the first time this has happened.The pellets have been in there since sept.

 

[Souzafone]

The temperature changes will lead to condensation building up inside the bags, not good.

 

[Lobstah]

You'll get "fluffies" in the bags, and they'll start to swell. Those fluffies turn into globs of fines/sawdust.

Jim

 

[Xena]

fIm thinking its just condensation from
the temprature swing?Has anyone else had this problem? The bags werent soaked just
some light moisture.

Yep it's happened to mine a few times over the years and yes it's condensation.
I just dry the bags with a towel. My pellets have never gotten wet
due to the condensation. This year I've put a light bed sheet over the
stack and it seems to keep it from happening so far. Whatever you use
make sure it's light and breathable otherwise you will have more condensation
instead of less.

 

[mnkywrnch]

zeta I think I will trey the bed sheet I really cant aford to lose any pellets,thanks for all the replies.

 

[Xena]

Yes like I said, it's happened a few times but in 4 yrs I've never had
a single pellet get wet from it. It probably happens to me
at least once a year and it's always been just on the top layer of bags.

This up/down weather we're having is when it's more likely to happen so
I have a sheet over them and the top layer is dry as a bone.

 

[theking]

Yah, I just learned the hard way about outside storage of pellets. I picked mine up this summer (3 tons) but I had to pick them up half ton at a time, all my truck was rated for. I then stacked 2 1/2 tons inside (garage and basement) but the last 1/2 ton had t go outside. I thought I did a good job wrapping them up really good in a plastic tarp. After reading some posts about the condensation, and the deluge of rain we had last night in south central Mass, I decided to bring in the pellets from outside. The bags were all damp and 3 of the bottom bags had swelled because mice had chewed the bags open and the pellets got wet. I hope I only lost the 3 chewed bags, after the others dry I'll have to check them out.

Any recommendations for outdoor storage for the future??? If not I'll have to buy only what I can store.

Thanks in advance

 

[woodsman23]

If the pellets are in a watertight shed they will be fine, no worries at all. It is just simply some condensation from the temp change and will not get into the bag if there are no holes. Don't even worry about it your fine.

 

[theking]

That's what I was hoping to hear

Aside from the shed, any way to keep the critters out? I'm thinking of trying the method I use in my grill. I put a cheap battery powered smoke detector in it, with a battery pack of 3 AA's. This way the detector chirps every so often because it thinks the batteries are low. The AA's last for a couple years this way. If it works in my grill I'm guessing it'll work with the pellets for next year. Either that or a plastic shed, we'll see but thanks.

 

[rwmurch]

I have the pellets stored outside on the back patio. First i placed pallets on the concrete slab, then I placed some scrap chip board on the pallet so there were no "holes from the bottom. I placed plastic drop cloth from the HD on top of the chipboard. I left the drop cloth hang out on all sides. Stacked a ton onto each pallet. Used 20"stretch wrap purchased from the HD and wrapped the entire pallet. I folded the drop cloth up so that it covered the bottom 2 rows. I stretch wrapped from the bottom up so that it was completely sealed at the bottom. Stretch wrap the entire pallet including the top. Industrial tarp over the top of that, using bungee straps to hold it down. No rodents, No Moisture, No shed. And pellets at the back door.

 

[Tom Pencil]

I store 5-6 ton in my detached garage. I also get condensation but do not worry about it since it is on the outside. As for the mice, I use rat/mouse poison only in the fall when they come in from the fields after harvest time. I do not like using pioson but my barn cats do not have access to the garage and can not control the population inside.

 

[theking]

Thanks for the methods, I'll give those a shot next season.

 

[Lobstah]

My bags are not "air tight". They have holes in them. That being said, when warm, humid air is around, the same air gets in the bags. When it turns cold at night, that warm, humid air condenses on the INSIDE of the bag...usually collecting in the corners, and creating fluffies.

Unless they are shrinkwrapped air-tight, or the bags are sealed air-tight, I don't see how you could prevent this.

Jim