Beneteau 311 diesel heater problem

[Axonproj]

Hi, I’m on a beneteau 311 with these heater controls. We have no manual for it. Does anyone know how to work it? It’s a bit cold here in Scotland today. We’ve managed to get it to run by randomly prodding it, but can’t repeat that success. Any clues would be gratefully accepted. Eberspacher is the name on the heater unit itself.

 

[fredrussell]

Eberspacher control units have the worst user interface in the entire history of technological devices. The unit on left is the heat setting, which I’m sure you have guessed. Just to begin with. press the ‘+’ button until indicator is at middle of scale. With heater running when desired temp is reached the heater will switch itself to ‘tickover’ mode until it senses temp has dropped and picks up speed again.

To switch the heater on, press the bottom right button on right hand unit once only and WAIT. Diesel heaters have a start up procedure, they don’t instantly start producing heat but go through various safety checks and the like before firing up. Same with turning heater off. Use same bottom right button ONCE to turn heat off and WAIT!! It’ll take a few minutes to go through its ‘closedown’ procedure.

The P button is to set the heater to ‘program’ mode where it switches on (and off) at a time you enter into the controller. So far, so good, but you will find decoding an enigma machine’s output an absolute doddle compared to working out how that program feature is set up.

However, the good news is that just turning machine on and off are simple procedures, as described above, as is turning heat up and down.

Forum rules state that whenever someone asks a question about Eberspacher heaters, they (you) MUST be advised to buy a ‘Chinaspacher’ - a cheaply made copy of what you have, but persevere - nowt wrong with Eberspachers!

 

[Axonproj]

Hi Fred, thank you for your detailed reply. When we switch the 12V system off and on, the right hand screen is flashing all its digits and symbols. The left hand screen is dark. I pressed the right hand display right hand button once. The screen situation was unchanged and is still unchanged 5 minutes later.

 

[vyv_cox]

When the screen is flashing it is waiting for you to complete programming. Just like a video player or cooker, it needs to be told the date and time. I find it considerably easier than has been suggested.

 

[penfold]

Never seen one(ones?) like that but the format looks rather like they've repackaged the 701 controller so it's in two tiny panels rather than one small panel. The doll's house toaster below the controllers is the Eberspacher's cabin temperature sensor. The 701 instructions may be of partial help.

 

[fredrussell]

…it needs to be told the date and time. I find it considerably easier than has been suggested.

I might have exaggerated a little…

 

[vyv_cox]

Never seen one(ones?) like that the but the format looks rather like they've repackaged the 701 controller so it's in two tiny panels rather than one small panel. The doll's house toaster below the controllers is the Eberspacher's cabin temperature sensor. The 701 instructions may be of partial help.

Mine are identical, Eberspacher D3L dating from around 2000. Looking at current parts lists this type seems to have been superseded.

 

[Axonproj]

We’ve had no luck. It looks like it should be heating, but there’s no sign of life from the heater unit itself. I wonder if there’s a fault? We’re leaving the boat now for the season, so no more time to experiment. Thanks for all your input.

 

[vyv_cox]

We’ve had no luck. It looks like it should be heating, but there’s no sign of life from the heater unit itself. I wonder if there’s a fault? We’re leaving the boat now for the season, so no more time to experiment. Thanks for all your input.

Assuming you have turned the temperature up by pressing the + button on the left hand instrument, the first thing to check is connections. On the D3L there is a multi-pin plug and socket about 1 foot from the heater. Make sure these terminals are clean and connected.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Perhaps it has been programmed to switch on next year.
I suggest you venture tentatively into programming mode and try to find a cause.

 

[lustyd]

Hi Fred, thank you for your detailed reply. When we switch the 12V system off and on, the right hand screen is flashing all its digits and symbols. The left hand screen is dark. I pressed the right hand display right hand button once. The screen situation was unchanged and is still unchanged 5 minutes later.

This is not installed properly. Ebers require a permanent connection to power to ensure they safely do their shutdown procedure when switching off. They’ll run for 20 minutes or so to cool down. Never cut power while it’s running.
When pressing the go button bottom right you should get a gentle breeze from the air duct and about a minute later you should hear the ticking fuel pump.

 

[fredrussell]

When the screen is flashing it is waiting for you to complete programming. Just like a video player or cooker, it needs to be told the date and time. I find it considerably easier than has been suggested.

I think Vyv is right, have a go at putting the time in, to be honest any time will do just while you’re trying to start it, you just want the right hand screen to be permanently on, not flashing.

 

[Segler01]

Hi, I am planning to install such a heating on my Oceanis 311 from 2004. Do you still have your boat and can tell me where the hoses of the heating were installed? Thx a lot!

 

[pete]

On my Oceanis 311 2001 the pipe headed forward from the cockpit locker, a TEE piece branched off across the locker to terminate above the stern cabin cushions and the main pipe continued forwards under the fuel tank, behind the wash basin, under the chart table and terminated there in the saloon.

 

[Segler01]

Hi Pete,

Thank you!

Did the hoses then also run starboard to the bow cabin? Under the upholstery or behind the backrest?
And was there also a waste tank between the washbasin and the diesel tank? Were the hoses underneath?

 

[pete]

Hi Pete,

Thank you!

Did the hoses then also run starboard to the bow cabin? Under the upholstery or behind the backrest?
And was there also a waste tank between the washbasin and the diesel tank? Were the hoses underneath?

There were only the 2 outlets and no holding tank.

 

[Segler01]

And did you use a 2 kW or 4 kW heater? And in which areas & temperatures did you sail? I am thinking which model is suitable here on the baltics where temperatures in April can be around 4° C (40° F) in the Water and air sometime not much warmer

 

[pete]

And did you use a 2 kW or 4 kW heater? And in which areas & temperatures did you sail? I am thinking which model is suitable here on the baltics where temperatures in April can be around 4° C (40° F) in the Water and air sometime not much warmer.



My Ebber was fitted as an option when the boat was new. It was an Airtronic 2.2Kw as far as I know certainly no bigger ( I no longer own the boat ) used in the UK.
I always considered the heater was too small for a boat this size and had considered replacing it with a larger Chinese unit.