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[steve.b]

Is there some kind of secret to loading the stove or do they all bridge the wood? I am new to this and work nights. I usually work 12 to 14 hours a night and am afraid that it will bridge the load and go out. Just wondering.

[Scott7m]

Is there some kind of secret to loading the stove or do they all bridge the wood? I am new to this and work nights. I usually work 12 to 14 hours a night and am afraid that it will bridge the load and go out. Just wondering.

Shouldn't have no bridging issues in a conventional style boiler

[artbaldoni]

I have been burning mine since Dec 2010 non stop. May have bridged 2-3 times that the fire actually went out. In cold weather I load at 12 hour intervals. Sometimes a little longer.

Check your temp setting and maybe look at the damper door gap. If the ap is too large maybe it could lead to a bridging issue. I think mine is around 1/4". Not sure its been a long time since i set it.It was wider than that from the factory.

I love mine. Good luck!

[SKAMPO]

If you burn a lot of rounds and not much split pieces it can happen more. Try checking the blower damper and try different ways of loading rounds so they don't bridge as bad. A little more experience and you'll figure out what works best.

[Guru]

I just hooked up a NCB175 to my house to try out for the year.  I am a NC dealer so I like to try different models to see how they compare.  I am heating a 2200 square foot house, DHW and a 600 square foot garage.  So far it is working great.  I did notice laoding a 10" round piece in the center and then split stuff around it seems to give me the longest burn times.  Also I have never had a bridging problem with the NCB updraft boilers. 
I will be experimenting with the boiler all season so if I come up with any other modifications or practices I will let you know.

[steve.b]

thanks for the replies

[JDfarmer]

I have a new 250 Coal. The blower is in the back, so actually if I burn wood, it burns great in the back, but also very well in the front. I have had zero issues with wood not burning all the way. If I let the boiler just go for 12-14 hrs, and not reload, all the wood will be just powdered ash, no matter how I load it.
I mainly use coal (anthracite), and I get 18-24-26 hrs with that between loads.
I do have shaker grades, it's a 250Coal.
We've been very happy with the boiler.
Our house is 4450 sqft well insulated, heating the 80g a tank of water as well. We keep the house at 72F
I do have a hard time getting more than 12hrs out of the boiler between reloads just on wood. With coal, no problem 24 hrs.

[Scott7m]

I have a new 250 Coal. The blower is in the back, so actually if I burn wood, it burns great in the back, but also very well in the front. I have had zero issues with wood not burning all the way. If I let the boiler just go for 12-14 hrs, and not reload, all the wood will be just powdered ash, no matter how I load it.
I mainly use coal (anthracite), and I get 18-24-26 hrs with that between loads.
I do have shaker grades, it's a 250Coal.
We've been very happy with the boiler.
Our house is 4450 sqft well insulated, heating the 80g a tank of water as well. We keep the house at 72F
I do have a hard time getting more than 12hrs out of the boiler between reloads just on wood. With coal, no problem 24 hrs.

Yep but the airflow in your coal model is nothing like the airflow in a reg 250, thats why it burns more evenly

[JDfarmer]

So, is the airflow better on the 250coal model?

Scott; can you explain how to adjust the damper door? I don't understand how open should it be. Should I open all the way, and close it until the fire is still burning well, or just open all the way?

Thank you

[/quote]

Yep but the airflow in your coal model is nothing like the airflow in a reg 250, thats why it burns more evenly
[/quote]

[steve.b]

I can load mine up and it will burn the middle but will not burn the sides. The slots in the bottom aren't clogged, but even with the cold temps I can still get 24 burns out of one load.

[JDfarmer]

That's great. What kind of coal are you burning?
And what are your settings?

I can load mine up and it will burn the middle but will not burn the sides. The slots in the bottom aren't clogged, but even with the cold temps I can still get 24 burns out of one load.

[steve.b]

I don't have a coal I just burn wood.