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Author Topic: NCB 250 Coal  (Read 4007 times)

drex

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NCB 250 Coal
« on: May 31, 2014, 11:05:45 AM »

I have been reading and researching for a few months and think I finally decided on a new Natures Comfort boiler.  Im heating a 2500 sq ft old farmhouse which im also in the process of remodeling and insulating.  In the next few years there will be a garage and workshop going up and would like to heat that as well (hopefully with a finished room above for a man cave .)    I figure the ncb 250 would handle this demand but im unsure if have the boiler well oversized for a few years will give me issues until the garage goes up.  My other question is much trouble is it to switch from wood to coal in the coal units?  My plan would be to burn wood in the spring through the fall and switch to coal in the winter.  I live in northeast pa which is anthracite country, which i used to burn in my other house, but i also have a pretty endless supply of wood, which i burned in an alaskan wood stove this past year.  I went through 8 or 9 cord and really wish i had a boiler to heat my entire house instead of having my 1st floor at 80 and the farthest bedroom upstairs at 65.  The way it looks ill be traveling about 3 and a half hours to the dealer since he was the only one that actually got back to me.   Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated. 
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steve.b

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Re: NCB 250 Coal
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2014, 06:22:37 PM »

I have a 175 and it does great but wish I would've got the coal unit for sure. My brother and brother-in-law heat 2 houses with a 325 and have had good luck with theirs also. I would think your dealer will let you know what size you need.
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CountryBoyJohn

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Re: NCB 250 Coal
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2014, 12:43:48 PM »

Mr. Drex, I burned some coal last year.  There is a large learning curve to burning coal in these babies.  I burned bituminous coal as anthracite is hard to come by in Southern Indiana.  The bituminous burns almost like wood.  I toss in about 25% to 50% of a normal wood load and 1 or 2 5-gallon buckets of coal and it runs like normal.  If I get heavy on the coal and light on the wood, I lower my differential several degrees so the fan fires more often.

These are all things you'll get used to once you get your stove lit and burning.  The first season is usually chocked full of learning your stove.  It's doable.  You get a P&M, Heatmaster, NC, and you'll be able to burn coal no problem.  It just takes some figuring out.  Make sure you get the right size of stove.  I am in a similar situation, in that I am currently oversized with the plans of expanding in the future.  This can be a problem in a gassification unit, but not really in a conventional.  But, since you're burning coal, you won't be looking at gassification units anyway.

Good luck! 
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JDfarmer

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Re: NCB 250 Coal
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2014, 10:10:26 AM »

I have a coal 250. I use anthracite.
250 is for up to 6000sqft, however it's perfect for my 4500 house.
Works great but if you are not use to it, it takes a while to get in the groove.
1. you need to build a wood fire.
2. slowly add coal.
3. load the entire fire box with nut size coal, NOT smaller.
4. every 12-20 hrs add; two large logs on both sides, and load coal in the middle.
5. Shake every 12 hrs.
Coal fire needs burn ash in the bottom, hot coal in the middle and fresh coal on top.
If you shake too much, the coal fire can go out; it needs all those layers. If you don't shake enough it will also go out as it suffocates. 12 hrs is perfect; shake vigorously for 7-10 times back and forth.
Now, coal is very different from burning wood. You need to have the differential tight. as tight as you can do it.
172/168/5diff. This will give you 175-180; I have a digital them and monitor it; use wireless BBQ monitor.
If your diff is too large, the coal will go out in mild weather, and your time will go at 175/15diff on coal 160-190. When the fan turns off, coal keeps burning like a train; your temp will keep going up and up and up.
Also, coal needs very very little air; In Centrilia PA it's burning underground for years now.
So, if you have an air leak, you will over heat.

Lastly, I made two modifications to the 250NCB coal;
Get two steal plates. Lay one flat on top of the fire brick, and one vertical on top of the fire brisk leaning agains the stack both inside the fire box; it will prevent heat and flames running out the stack. You will conserve heat 20%.
We heated our 4500sqft house with water; with 4 ton coal and 3 cords of wood last ugly winter.
Good luck.

You want steal shaker grates, not cast.
In bitterly cold weather; I load it at 6am after shake grate, and 10pm after shake grate. Full bed of coal will go for about 26hrs for me, as long as you shake it, but than it's almost all burn out. So, 12-16hrs/2x a day loads are perfect under 20F.
Don't forget to change the diff if you switch from all wood, to coal!!!!! Coal 3-5diff.


I have been reading and researching for a few months and think I finally decided on a new Natures Comfort boiler.  Im heating a 2500 sq ft old farmhouse which im also in the process of remodeling and insulating.  In the next few years there will be a garage and workshop going up and would like to heat that as well (hopefully with a finished room above for a man cave .)    I figure the ncb 250 would handle this demand but im unsure if have the boiler well oversized for a few years will give me issues until the garage goes up.  My other question is much trouble is it to switch from wood to coal in the coal units?  My plan would be to burn wood in the spring through the fall and switch to coal in the winter.  I live in northeast pa which is anthracite country, which i used to burn in my other house, but i also have a pretty endless supply of wood, which i burned in an alaskan wood stove this past year.  I went through 8 or 9 cord and really wish i had a boiler to heat my entire house instead of having my 1st floor at 80 and the farthest bedroom upstairs at 65.  The way it looks ill be traveling about 3 and a half hours to the dealer since he was the only one that actually got back to me.   Any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated.
« Last Edit: September 13, 2014, 10:22:45 AM by JDfarmer »
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