# Pellet Basket



## RON58 (Aug 17, 2008)

Anyone tried one of these rascals? Curious if they actually work.


----------



## czeigler (Aug 18, 2008)

RON58 said:


> Anyone tried one of these rascals? Curious if they actually work.



No,

I just dump mine from the bag right into the hopper.


----------



## cityevader (Aug 18, 2008)

do ya mean those baskets to put pellets into a fireplace or stove?


----------



## RON58 (Aug 18, 2008)

Yep, thats it. So ya can burn them in the "basket" in your wood stove instead of cordwood.


----------



## Wet1 (Aug 18, 2008)

I've never heard of a pellet basket that can be placed in a wood stove. I would think the pellets would burn to quickly in a wood stove given the large surface area.


----------



## RON58 (Aug 18, 2008)

There is a company called ENERGEX selling them. Call it a PROMETHEUS. Looks like a dang basket to me. There are a few listed on ebay too.From what I read they work. Look easy enough to fab one up just to try I guess. Just thought I'd ask before putting in the time and material.Oh well, got lots a junk laying around.


----------



## KsWoodsMan (Aug 18, 2008)

RON58 said:


> Anyone tried one of these rascals? Curious if they actually work.



I hadn't heard of them before today. Looks like the idea of the basket is to burn them from the top down. At least that was how it was described at http://www.thepelleteer.com/how_to_light.htm . 

Top down fires burn longer, cleaner, more efficiently and give a more consistant heat output compared to burning from the bottom up. 

There has to be a trade-off somewhere though. I guess it might be the convience handling the fuel and cleanup versus the initial investment of an actual pellet stove, weighing in the long term cost of higher fuel prices and availabilty. It gives you more options for burning. I like the idea of it. It might even be a good way to clean up some the curly fries here and there.

If pellets werent available you could still burn firewood in your wood stove. The opposite cant be said for a pellet stove. With a little ingenuety and some expanded metal from the steel supply they cold be built for much less than $100.


----------



## donatello (Aug 20, 2008)

Interesting idea... its good to have burning options. Looking at the link though, on the FAQ page it screamed of bull***t.
" Q. Does a pellet fire last as long as a cord wood fire?
A. In most cases, yes."
Is that hardwood pellets vs. hardwood logs or softwood?
If the person ONLY burns soft pine and switches to hardwood pellets, yes he/she would/should probably get a longer burn time...
I stoke my insert with oak/hickery to the max at night and it lasts all night. You can't get that kind of fill-up with that wire basket full of pellets. And yes, I understand about the efficiency factor of pellets but be realistic....


----------



## RON58 (Aug 20, 2008)

Thats my thought too. I can't see that basket of pellets lasting a night.


----------



## KsWoodsMan (Aug 20, 2008)

Not everybody that burns wood does it for the heat. It probably isnt aimed at the hardcore wood burner. 

Seems like it is aimed at the guy trying to transition to pellets cheaply. Maybe even someone wanting a fire without the mess of firewood.

JMHO - One way or the other , at $100+ I think they are getting more for the basket than it is reasonably worth.

1/2 hour to make a layout and a half hour with a few clamps, a hammer, welding table, and material and presto I saved $100 in an hour.

No mess fireplace/box, somebody will make some money.


----------

