Alternative to eberspacher

saltwater_gypsy

saltwater_gypsy

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Now back in Scotland . Boat for sale
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If you were thinking of spending serious money (£1,799) on a piece of kit with an unenviable reputation for poor design, unreliability,servicing difficulty and expensive spare parts you might choose to consider the alternatives.
If I could turn the clock back I would install something simple like a Reflex or Dikensen stove but I am stuck with the hot air system.
The current system is a D5LC ...are there alternatives?
 
I've just ordered a Webasto system in protest at my 2 year experience with an Eberspacher. They just seem a bit unsuited to a marine environment because of the noise & fagility.

However, the initial installation can have a huge impact on effectiveness too.

After the initial teething problems, we used Kreugers (RIngwood I think?) to make the best of a bad job and they were excellent. So, before you give up maybe give them a call. Against the odds, they seem to make Ebberspacher boilers run.
 
saltwater_gypsy said:
...are there alternatives?
Click to expand...

The other company I found when researching it was Wallis, who are a Finnish company. They specifically stated they run on red diesel.

I've no practical experience of them however as I got the Eberspaecher going again - for now!
 
Mikuni ..

Brilliant bit of kit .. Everything arrived in the box next day .. All worked first time .. 3 outlets 2 opening and one fixed .. 80mm insulated ducting .. Spot on and about £1200 .. Rang an discussed what was required and they made up a kit .. They included all the bits to put it all together .. :)
 
saltwater_gypsy said:
If you were thinking of spending serious money (£1,799) on a piece of kit with an unenviable reputation for poor design, unreliability,servicing difficulty and expensive spare parts you might choose to consider the alternatives.
If I could turn the clock back I would install something simple like a Reflex or Dikensen stove but I am stuck with the hot air system.
The current system is a D5LC ...are there alternatives?
Click to expand...

in my experience the hydronic water boilers are poor, but the air units like the D5 are quite good. Mines ( and lots of my friends) have been running them on high-suplhur red diesel for years without any bad effects, just clean thw little filter in the pump regulary. They do need a good battery to start, thats the other issue.

Parts can be got on ebay quite reasonably and you can service them your self as they are easy enough to start apart, theres not a lot to them.
 
I am in same position trying to avoid the ebber due to bad experiences with them. I had a look at the Wallis at the boat show where they had one running on the stand. It was a 30D the smallest at 3kw. What impressed me was a) how quiet it was and b) the use of what seemed to be a ballanced flue so the exhaust pipe was cool enough to touch. That cool exhaust makes installation much easier in a tight locker.

They start at 3Kw and kits are around £1750 for 2 outlets so about the same as Webasto. Only real downside I could see was that they are slightly more bulky being more of a suitcase type shape.
 
another vote for Mikuni

I had a D5LC which packed up. It turned out that salt water had got into the combustion chamber - an installation fault by the boat builder I think: the combustion air inlet was pressed against the hull and when well heeled some bilge water got sucked in - so not Ebberspantser's fault.

But they didn't respond when I contacted them to try to buy a replacement, and when I dismantled it I was so appalled by the poor materials selection and general 'design for unservicability' that I decided to change. Things like stainless machine screws direct into raw Aluminium castings, when a decent design would have used helicoils, and press-on spring-steel fasteners to hold on the heat shielding cowls and so can never be taken off without damage were what decided me. The other issue I have with Ebberspacher is that they refuse to sell you a service manual "in order to protect our dealers' revenue" according to their boat-show salesman.

In contrast Mikuni UK were as helpful as possible and the installation was straight forward. Only problem with the Mikuni MY31 is that the exhaust comes out vertically down, which fouled the hull when the heater was installed in the same place as the Ebber. To solve this I welded a stainless elbow to the small pipe which Mikuni supplied.
 
Propex ?

Have you considered Propex heaters ?
I do not have one but am considering one becuase on my boat at least it's easier to get a gas supply to a Propex than an diesel supply to an Eber or Webasto etc.
 
saltwater_gypsy said:
If you were thinking of spending serious money (£1,799) on a piece of kit with an unenviable reputation for poor design, unreliability,servicing difficulty and expensive spare parts you might choose to consider the alternatives.
If I could turn the clock back I would install something simple like a Reflex or Dikensen stove but I am stuck with the hot air system.
The current system is a D5LC ...are there alternatives?
Click to expand...

Mikuni

http://www.mikuniheating.com/
 
saltwater_gypsy said:
If you were thinking of spending serious money (£1,799) on a piece of kit with an unenviable reputation for poor design, unreliability,servicing difficulty and expensive spare parts you might choose to consider the alternatives.
If I could turn the clock back I would install something simple like a Reflex or Dikensen stove but I am stuck with the hot air system.
The current system is a D5LC ...are there alternatives?
Click to expand...

I spent £200 plus £150 for pipes and fittings. My Eberspächer has never failed and has kept us toasty since 2002. We stay in year round and for the last few months it has been running hard for a couple of days at a time...

I don't know the answer here, but either some are fitted badly, underused or the quality control in Deutschland is awful. I can't believe that as ebers are used all over the planet on buses, trucks and railway coaches and a myriad of other vehicles. They can't all be wrong, it doesn't work like that.

I will always buy Eberspächer after my experiences.
 
jdc said:
The other issue I have with Ebberspacher is that they refuse to sell you a service manual "in order to protect our dealers' revenue" according to their boat-show salesman.
Click to expand...

While I am certainly not defending Eberspacher it is only fair to say that I can't think of any manufacturers who would sell you a service manual. Certainly couldn't see Ford selling Joe Public a service manual for a Mondeo.
 
I have a service manual with my Bukh engine

Great piece of kit and the guys in Poole are very helpful so it is definitely not the case that manufacturers need to 'protect' their dealers - provided they do a good job that is !
 
Before buying I googled the various manufacturers + problems

Eber featured so frequently compared to Webasto,even after allowing for market share, that I went for Webasto after reading many of the complaints. Not scientific I know (and you do have to disregard a lot of cranks) but it worked for me.

As for Webasto, its too early to give them an unreserved thumbs up, but so far so good.
 
Wallas

My Eber gave so much hassle I replaced it with a Wallas 40D. Ten years down the line and never a failed start. Not used a lot the last eight years but even after ten months starts up first time. Used the same air trunks as the old eber and same fuel/elec lines, different exhaust.
 
Have Airtronic D2 fitted by previous owner to mine, it's only 2 years old (the Eber not the boat) and I hope it proves reliable. If boat had no heating I would have a Refleks...
 
Wallis every time. Installed on last yacht - never a problem in 10 years. Have installed on latest yacht and as before it works brilliantly - quiet, economical and easy to install.
We have the paraffin version as it uses considerably less current so can use full on when winter sailing if we wish.
 
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