Wood Pellet Problems and Associated Anxieties

Wood Pellet Problems and Associated Anxieties

The possible problems affecting a wood pellet heating system, from what I have gathered so far, would seem to be based around the following:

1. Pellets jamming in the auger and feed system.
2. Ash building up in the boiler or burner.
3. Poor ignition of the boiler at start up, possibly due to pellets being less than totally bone dry.
4. Problems with poor draught or too much draught from the chimney.
5. Questions on the life expectancy of the stainless steel burner grate, which is approximately €90 plus fitting costs.
6. Questions about the life expectancy of the Igniter Unit priced at €35 plus fitting costs.
7. Problems associated with the quality and storage of wood pellets.

Plus there are of course the unanswered questions leading to worry about the long-term availability, in sufficient quantities and at reasonable cost, of wood pellets.

Problems - Problems
and No Answers from the Agencies!

SEI not helping Sustainable Energy

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Is the no end to the
SEI Stupidity?
or
A Less than Clever way to Promote
Sustainable Energy

Just when you think the woodpellet scene is settling down a bit, along comes yet another letter from a very dissatisfied user.

The Letter:

"wexfjord" has left a new comment on your post "Wood Pellet Problems and Associated Anxieties":

Hi,

Just wondering about where to get an igniter for a Scottie pellet burner. I've been using the blow torch to ignite for a few weeks now.

I rang the importer and they no longer deal in them and referred me onto the nationally franchised company based in cork who specialise in these things. The ignitor they sent me is a bar type rather than the loop and it just aint cutting the mustard.

Seems to me that there is no back-up or continuity of service. Company in South Tipp were importing the systems and now provide no back-up. Company in Wexford that had local agency are no longer in the pellet boiler market and have no interest in providing back-up. Then there's the installer ( a plumber who admits to knowing very little about the internal operation of a pellet boiler/burner), who's work was commended by the SEI inspector and the guy who commissioned the unit who assumes no further responsibility for it.

We were happy to get the grant but that seems to be the end of the road with SEI. I'm on my own now with a unit that I can't easily get parts for.

Ps. Glad I resisted the temptation to opt for geothermal.

Thanks for an interesting blog.



Comment:

Just a personal suggestion, unhappy grant recipients might consider collective action to take SEI to task for it's stupidity and lack of care for the people it persuaded into wood pellet heating etc.

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