Vegetable oil instead of sifting... it really works!!

[343amc]

I'll stick with my usual routine of dumping all but the last two or three pounds into the hopper, then sifting the rest. The last thing I want is a hopper fire. The second to last thing I want is a sticky mess in my stove to clean up.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

Harvey Schneider said: ↑
Canola oil commonly used in the US is a genetically engineered **** seed oil. Canola sounds a lot better. It stands for "Canadian Oil Low Acid". Nutritionally as good as olive oil.
This is completely false. Canloa oil should NOT be consumed by humans (who care about their health). But this is another thread entirely....
(broken link removed)

Regarding the risk of fire from the use of small amounts of oil, I would be extremely cautious and since I haven't had any real problems with auger jams I probably won't have need to go that way. On the plus side the small amount of oil may act to lubricate the auger reducing the load on the auger motor. On the minus side, this still leaves a layer of fines dust on everything within three feet of the hopper from when the pellets were poured into the hopper.
I am somewhat surprised at the heavy handed condemnation of what may be a good solution to a problem. Advocate caution, don't condemn innovation.
NEVER EVER add anything flamable to the hopper. Period. Using oils, lubes, or anything petrolium based is just a horrible idea and a Darwin award waiting to happen.

Tell us how your really feel.

 

[briansol]

Sorry, i'm a bit of a foodie and advocate of healthy eating these days. I was 'fat sick and nearly dead' a few years ago due to just being plain stupid and trusting that food on shelves was edible. Now that i'm smarter, i'm down 65 lbs and i feel like i'm 22 again.

 

[Stovensen]

If i had as many problems as you suggest, that stove would be out of here

Now that would be a shame. This machinery really ticks like a swiss clock and it's also able to throw out a LOT of heat, but it's a top feeder.
The majority of pellet stoves here in Europe are italian made. Topfeeders, too. Topfeeders just don't like too much sawdust. That is why this idea with 'the oil trick' has evolved somewhere out there in the 'pellet jungle'.

If we focus on my particular stove... there seems to be quite a large gap between the auger tube and the auger screw. It is this gap that allows the sawdust to fall backwards, eventually blocking the intake area when enough has accumulated. Also, it puzzles me why the auger tube is octogonal and not cylindrical. Other stove brands, however, have cylindrical augertubes and a much closer clearance between the screw and tube. These stoves must be less prone to sawdust issues.

Let's get physical instead of lubrical then: The auger system on my Quest Plus needs a mod that will improve its handling of sawdust.
An idea: A long flat garland shaped steel brush point welded on the back side of the screw is a possibility. This would catch and sweep the sawdust up towards the drop chute. But again, this would make the screw too hard to rotate for the motor.

Another idea: A short but powerful burst of compressed air coming from the end plate will blow the sawdust up to the drop chute. There's plenty of space on the end plate to permanently install a proper nozzle/fitting with a valve to seal the orifice to prevent false air entering when not in use. I have a miniature compressor that will fit behind the stove. Hey, this could really work.

Any better ideas?

 

[DexterDay]

i never sift. and i've never had a jam.
the flexible auger design really works.

The Spring auger is a good design, but the fines and small hits get stuck at the bottom. Being a hollow spring, there is no way to feed them up. So even Heatilators and Quads need vacuuming every so often. Otherwise you end up with a lower feed rate because fines have taken up all the space near the auger.

As for the oil idea.... No thanks. It takes me less than a minute to Sift a bag of pellets (made my sifter, with larger PVC and a 6.5 HP Shop vac. No need to dump slowly. Hoist up and let it rip I only do this for the Quad because of auger design. The Fahrenheit eats it all

 

[allFIREDup]

Canola oil commonly used in the US is a genetically engineered **** seed oil. Canola sounds a lot better. It stands for "Canadian Oil Low Acid". Nutritionally as good as olive oil.

Regarding the risk of fire from the use of small amounts of oil, I would be extremely cautious and since I haven't had any real problems with auger jams I probably won't have need to go that way. On the plus side the small amount of oil may act to lubricate the auger reducing the load on the auger motor. On the minus side, this still leaves a layer of fines dust on everything within three feet of the hopper from when the pellets were poured into the hopper.
I am somewhat surprised at the heavy handed condemnation of what may be a good solution to a problem. Advocate caution, don't condemn innovation.

I wouldn't want an oil gunky layer of sawdust sticking to the inside of the auger tube. During the spring cleaning it would make it more difficult to vacuum out now that oil has been added to the mix. The oil could possibly crust up during the off season and eventually develop a hard layer buildup in the auger tube. There are just better ways of eliminating fines. The method I use now works well and eliminates most of the fines before I bring it into the house and put the pellets in the hopper.

 

[ScotL]

If anyone does add oil to their pellets and then has a hopper fire, please don't be one of those irresponsible people who then tries to sue the pellet manufacturer - because it's always "someone else's" fault.

 

[urkiddin]

One reason i sift the pellets is i saw a post on this forum where a fellow found a bolt in a bag of pellets.I think that would kinda screw up an auger.

 

[Clay H]

Vegi oil is a fuel. I burn it in my diesel truck. This is a stupid idea.

 

[yooper81]

I spent a month in Denmark once. Nice, actually, beautiful Country!

 

[Harvey Schneider]

. During the spring cleaning it would make it more difficult to vacuum out now that oil has been added to the mix. The oil could possibly crust up during the off season and eventually develop a hard layer buildup in the auger tube.

This is a good point. Vegetable oils will polymerize over time in contact with air and become a gel. This would be difficult to remove during spring cleaning. This is no different than linseed oil (linseed is also known as flax seed) which is used as a wood finish and was for many years the base for paints. I would expect that eventually the oil would be as hard as oil based paint in the corners of the auger tube.

By the way, I wasn't advocating this method, I was advocating tolerance to innovation. People have to feel comfortable experimenting with ideas out in the open without the fear of a ton of bricks criticism falling on them.

 

[SXIPro]

Sell your stove and buy a real one if dealing with fines is so awful with yours.

 

[ScotL]

I see you're in Denmark. What do you think of the NBE pellet boilers made in Denmark. Are they any good? What kind of reputation do they have there?

 

[CT Pellet]

I should add that the amount of fines in the picture look to be severe. Maybe you should switch to another pellet brand

HALLELUJAH....HALLE-EFFIN-LUJAH!

 

[pell it]

NEVER EVER add anything flamable to the hopper...

?????? Are you burning rock pellets??? Maybe asbestos ones??



Sorry. Could not let it slide. The sawdust is probably more flammable than the oil!

 

[Harvey Schneider]

The sawdust is probably more flammable than the oil!

In fact, wood dust can be explosive if ignited when airborne.

 

[movemaine]

Wondering if you could "pull a Harman"?

on the underside of the auger tube, drill a small hole that allows fines to fall into a cup you can empty occasionally.

 

[notch]

...a Darwin award waiting to happen.

That was rich!

I think I would vacuum the fines and pellets out of the hopper before I put oil on them. Oil in the hopper just doesn't seem like a good idea.

 

[Stovensen]

I see you're in Denmark. What do you think of the NBE pellet boilers made in Denmark. Are they any good? What kind of reputation do they have there?

I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you there. I don't have a clue. Since 2008 my focus has almost exclusively been on the Whitfield stoves and similar types.

My Whitfield stove replaced a very old coal/wood stove from 1898. My family has had this old house for six generations. It was built in 1898 and this coal stove was the original that came with the house The coal stove is danish made by Kerteminde Jernstøberi model 'Helios'. It's still fully functional and It was in use until 2008, when it was replaced by the Whitfield.

The 'Helios' stove is now stored away on the loft, but I can anytime swap it with the Whitfield, if this proves to have too many 'bells and whistles'.

'No pics? or... it didn't happen' , so here are some pics of the old Kerteminde Helios stove from 1898. The style is typical 'Art Nouveau'

 

[SmokeyTheBear]

Neat stove.

 

[subsailor]

Neat stove.

X2.

 

[thedude110]

BE SAFE PEOPLE. DON'T BE A DUMBASS RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND BECOME HOMELESS OR DEAD.

What, you couldn't find the flashing font?

But yeah, I'm not tossing oil in my hopper.

 

[rwthomas1]

My Lopi Pioneer is a top feeder and I only vacuum the hopper every 2-3 weeks. Only time I ever had an auger jam up was last week trying a bag of Dry Creek. Their pellets are extremely hard and one wedged just so..... Even when I do vac the hopper I don't have near as many fines as those pics. If the Lopi was that troublesome I would have sold it. Denmark is too damned cold to have an unreliable stove.

 

[Clay H]

FWIW, my igniter is out and I use vegi oil to start a fire manually. Soak some pellets in a bowl of oil and put them in the burn box and light with a torch.

 

[Harvey Schneider]

FWIW, my igniter is out and I use vegi oil to start a fire manually. Soak some pellets in a bowl of oil and put them in the burn box and light with a torch.

If you are using a torch, what do you need oil for?