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[woodedacres]

Scott do you think you would take the time to answer a few questions on this stove? I am having a hell of time getting it sorted out. Me and my boyfriend are ready to get rid of it and we haven't had it running a week. i have a call into the factory. no response so far.

[Scott7m]

I'll try to help....  I've had 3 calls this week from nc customers, "not mine". But they all said the same thing you just said... 

If you'd like to give me a call feel free, leave a message if you dont get me.... 

606-316-9697

[kartcrafter]

Im at least glad to hear i am not the only one struggling with my unit (Woodacres)...I too am about ready to have some one haul it back.  Wishing i would have purchased a Central Boiler at this point.  I have played with about every setting i know to play with and am getting lousy burn times as well as wide temp swings.  I can only get boiler temps up with the damper wide open, i am getting initial temp up to 190 (have my aquastat turned up) and within 8 hours firebox is empty and temp is back down to 120.   If I close up the damper, my initial temps never get up high enough and i still get lousy burn times.  I only get feedback that my wood isnt dry enough.  My dealer has been working hard to try to get to the bottom of it, but not much luck.   Any thoughts?   NCB-175

[kartcrafter]

BTW..for some background...I purchased a Natures Comfort NCB 175 unit just before Thanksgiving.  Heating a 2700Sqft farmhouse (pretty well insulated with fairly new windows) and running through a Burnham 121mbh Oil boiler system and heating a 40 gal water heater.  I was hoping to someday run a second loop to a workshop but at this rate I see no way that could happen.  Im only running underground 85' or so to the house.

I am routinely running through two short bed pickup loads of oak/maple in one weeks time with ambient temps varying from 40's down to the teens this week....and generally dont have sufficient hot water when doing so. 

[Scott7m]

This makes 4 very similar stories this week alone, I talked to wooded acres earlier.  If more air is giving you a more roaring fire that's a prett good sign that your wood isn't seasoned.  A good moisture meter will help you see this...  Wood that isn't allowed to season and stayed covered can have moisture content of 40%...   That's instantly killing half of the Woods bur value, down to around 4500 per pound...  Then figure your stove is only 50-60 % efficient and you'll see your only getting 3000 btu per pound from your wood

[mikenc]

I have a 175 installed in 2009. Mine is older model and i understand they have made a lot of changes. I heat roughly 3600 sq. ft & 52gal DHW, basement heated to 70 and up stairs to 73. Thats about all mine can handle to. Fill twice a day unless we get into single digets then have to add a few extra pieces. You might do a search for some older threads where damper settings was discussed on newer models.

 I Burn around 51/2 cords of wood a year from october to late march all as been seasoned around 2 years. Once you get your dampers adjusted you will probably see a differance in your stove if you are burning seasoned wood.
 

Best Regards
Mike

[woodedacres]

A thousand thanks to Scott for speaking with me and giving me an education on wood moisture and its importance in stoves. I have been online with my stove Since this last Monday. Yes terrible burn times, burning wood like it's cardboard. I noticed creosote beyond belief already. all indicators of down right terrible wood. Can't keep water up to temp. Well fortunately i bought a coal unit and went this morning and bought 1/2 ton of high grade anthracite. Dealer happened to be an acquaintance of mine. hooked me up with a very forgiving grade of coal. I am right now burning straight coal. hope it works.. draft is 2/3 open. i will cut back when i am convinced it is warranted

[Scott7m]

A thousand thanks to Scott for speaking with me and giving me an education on wood moisture and its importance in stoves. I have been online with my stove Since this last Monday. Yes terrible burn times, burning wood like it's cardboard. I noticed creosote beyond belief already. all indicators of down right terrible wood. Can't keep water up to temp. Well fortunately i bought a coal unit and went this morning and bought 1/2 ton of high grade anthracite. Dealer happened to be an acquaintance of mine. hooked me up with a very forgiving grade of coal. I am right now burning straight coal. hope it works.. draft is 2/3 open. i will cut back when i am convinced it is warranted

Don't be afraid to mix up your slabs and coal together....  It works well

[martyinmi]

   Harbor freight has moisture meter's and there only $12.99. I bought one early this season. It is an awesome tool that everyone who heats with wood should purchase. You will learn quickly as I and many others have that there are many species of wood that will not season in a years time. White Oak, for example, in my area with my climate takes at least two years to get down to 15%-25% moisture content. The slab wood I've been getting has been at least 25%, and sometimes up to 45% mc.
   
   Seasoned wood = better efficiency, more heat, lower wood consumption, longer burn times, less smoke, happier neighbors

Spot on diagnosis, Scott. You da man

[woodedacres]

anybody want to buy a 1 week old ncb250?

[woodedacres]

problem i have now coal burns awesome but when the boiler reached temperature the blower kicked off naturally and when the demand came back coal wouldn't reignite. i swear i hate this thing. it was my concern going to bed. woke up at 3am to a cold house..

[martyinmi]

   Can you buy some well seasoned wood from a supplier in your area? Or maybe go to a friends place and borrow some just to see for sure that high moisture content is at issue here?
   I feel for you. When I built my boiler years ago, I installed it in mid October, fired it up, and I was thoroughly impressed. I burned some seasoned campfire wood I'd had laying around, with the intent of cutting more wood on the weekend. That Saturday it got cold, and I brought home some white oak(live) that had been leaning over a hay field and causing problems with farm equipment. I could barely keep that stuff lit, and when it was burning, it didn't give off much heat. My neighbor came over, opened my firebox door, saw the water sizzling out of the ends, and told me to go and grab a load of his wood and just replace it with my oak. What a difference. Only hours earlier I'd been second guessing myself on my burn chamber design, and now hours later, I felt like I deserved some type of thermal engineering award.
   Hang in there. I've heard that 250 is a pretty descent machine. You will figure it out.

[Bull]

problem i have now coal burns awesome but when the boiler reached temperature the blower kicked off naturally and when the demand came back coal wouldn't reignite. i swear i hate this thing. it was my concern going to bed. woke up at 3am to a cold house..

Try changing the temp to a 5* difference  between your high and low setting on your blower.

[martyinmi]

  Bull, that is an excellent idea

[woodedacres]

just did it. it was at 10°

currently have a bed of anthracite about 4" thick. burning white/orange on bottom red near the top. subtle blue flame here and there. boiler set at 180°. need to run it that high because i have baseboard radiant heat with hot water boiler in the house. it needs to see 175° to open the valve. wood boiler is currently at 165°. it was 90° when i started at 3am when i noticed i had a flame out. it is currently 9:30am