Need some info on an older 10+yr Newmac WB 100

[oldnewmac]

I was looking for info on this older stove and I cannot use the website as the current lineup has changed. The WG looks like the model i have (and I think mine burns coal too) and the WB does not have the ash tray.

Is anyone familiar with these older things? I was looking for specs on how much it can be expected to heat, house is about 1500 sqft reasonably well insulated with the newer insulated windows.

Also this will burn coal right? It has shakers in there but they are kind of warped.

 

[55Razor]

I have the WB100, which is the wood-only model, but I can offer some general information that may help. I also have nearly the same heating application as you describe, as far as square footage and construction, and it heated my house no problem in the coldest Michigan weather. Very well constructed, simple controls and operation. I could load it full @ 10:00 pm, and have enough coals left to restart @ 6:00 am. Very comfortable, even heat, because as long as there was a fire in it, a small amount of warm air would be steadily coming up out of the floor registers; mine was in the basement tied to the gas forced-air system. A couple of things to be mindful of, though. In a high-draft situation, it would pull a little more air in through the draft fan, but never to the point of causing a high-fire problem; maybe because I was mindful of that and would close down the sliding adjustment some. Also, the thing uses (2) 12" x 24" filters, which were getting pretty hard to find. Keep the outlet flues, over the blower area, clean; this area seemed to be the worst for ash and flaky-creosote buildup. FYI, I don't use this furnace anymore other than using it's ducting, blower, and controls to circulate warm air from my Tarm boiler. I certainly did not change because of any problems with the Newmac, but because I wanted to step-up in technology, put in radiant floor for comfort, and get the wood mess out of the house.

 

[oldnewmac]

Thanks, yeah i am new to the whole living up north thing where you need to worry about heating, used to just worrying about cooling.

Are these efficient burners? Do they ignite the secondary fumes produced by the logs burning?

 

[55Razor]

If you mean efficient compared to other whole-house, central wood furnaces, I would say yes; I was very satisfied with how well it worked, and was able to heat my home. If you mean efficient as some of todays newer technology, it's not, and wasnt/isn/t meant to be. As far as a secondary burn, no; the best you get on that end is that the exhaust is channeled through passages running through the return plenum, so the return air picks up some of this heat before going up the chimney. FYI, my Dad's home has one that has been used every winter for 30 years, with the only problem being having to weld a patch on/over an area of that secondary chamber in the return plenum.