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Author Topic: anyone running a 325-G?  (Read 7200 times)

JDfarmer

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Re: anyone running a 325-G?
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2014, 05:21:35 PM »

Before you do all that work, I must tell you that the only coal that burns well is blackshack Anthrocite.
No smoke, no clinkers, 18-26 burn time. If you can't get Anthrocite, I'd stick to wood.
Also, if you burn a little coal with a lot of wood you actually just burn your wood faster.
I burn 80%coal 20% wood and that works great. When you burn coal, and the temp is warmer than 35 outside you have to keep your diff at. 3-5F for coal or the fire goes out.
Now for wood, most people keep it at 12-15 diff. So, little coal with more wood is hard to make it work, because you need two entirely different diffs. I burn 5 ton Anthrocite with 3 cords the entire season;for a 4500 sqft house with Dom water, keeping the house at 73. 5 ton Anthrocite normally is around $1500, which is still worth it. I pay $500 but that's not normal. So I'd make sure that you have easy access to Anthrocite. That is the only coal that would give me the 18-26hrs. I tried them all.
Nature has been very helpful to me. Call them.
I did two modification to my boiler that reduced my fuel use and increased Burn time.
A steel plate flat horizontal laying on the bricks under the flue to prevent heat and flames going up the stack, and a steel plate vertical against the stack standing on the fire bricks. Each are 26x12 1/4 thick.

Good luck.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2014, 05:23:15 PM by JDfarmer »
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MD20/20

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Re: anyone running a 325-G?
« Reply #16 on: February 02, 2014, 05:54:33 PM »

That's the coal I can get, anthracite. NC didn't suggest any modifications, but then again,  I didn't ask. Do you have any pictures of you modifications. I'm not sure the 325G and the NCB 250 are the same layout.
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Central MD

RSI

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Re: anyone running a 325-G?
« Reply #17 on: February 03, 2014, 08:48:47 AM »

I will see what I can find out about them. I am guessing you need to weld something to a surface with water behind it from the at your own risk comment.
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JDfarmer

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Re: anyone running a 325-G?
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2014, 09:53:08 PM »

looks like the stack comes down quite a bit on the 325G. I'm not sure if you have much room for a shaker grate without running into the stack.
Also, how are you going to add a handle to the grate and have it come out to the outside of the boiler. My 250 coal when it's loaded with coal, the grate is HEAVY (probably a wheel barrel full of load of coal what I load, 3 bags, mine is dumped so it's hard to tell) . Even with a long handle on the shaker grate its hard to shake. They NC used to have a shaker grate that you can attach a handle to after you open the door, (old russian boilers have this too), but it's not easy. Also, you have to get air under the grates so the air will go thought the coals evenly. If the airflow is uneven the coal will not burn very well or at all in the areas with poor air supply. You also need fire bricks.
Hopefully someone can help you with this, but It doesn't seem to be easy. Have you asked Nature if they would buy your 325g back if you buy a 250coal from them?
Might be the easiest before you ruin your 325g trying to retro fit it. Or sell it on Cregs list.
My 250 coal is working so well, I think it would be worth it. But only if you are planning to burn more coal than wood. If you want to burn more wood, I'd stick to other models. Mine is not very efficient to burn wood. I did add two steel plates; one 26x12 flat on the fire bricks on the very back under the stack, and one plate vertical in front of the stack 26x9 standing on top of the fire bricks leaning against the stack. This prevents amber and heat from running out the stack, and significantly reduced my fuel use and the recovery time is very fast now.
Good luck.

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