Can anyone explain this? (Eberspacher exhaust)

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Viewing a boat on the weekend and I spotted this at the Eberspacher exhaust, can anyone make sense of it?

It appears to be a wound copper pipe (hollow) coming out as a T-piece at the exhaust.

With the Eberspacher running I couldn't feel any exhaust passing through, using the tip of my finger, but I could get a faint diesel exhaust smell. This is very worrying as this is located at the foot of the mid-ships cabin.

The boat is an S28

 

[ChrisKaye]

Think that's for letting out any water that gets splashed up the exhaust fitting and stops it actually entering and damaging the eber

 

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Think that's for letting out any water that gets splashed up the exhaust fitting and stops it actually entering and damaging the eber

That would make sense, as the exhaust is higher than the Eber and loops around, hence water *could* enter

But surely some exhaust gases can escape through there? Or is there a 1-way valve in the exhaust between the t-piece and the eber?

 

[Moody]

Viewing a boat on the weekend and I spotted this at the Eberspacher exhaust, can anyone make sense of it?

It appears to be a wound copper pipe (hollow) coming out as a T-piece at the exhaust.

With the Eberspacher running I couldn't feel any exhaust passing through, using the tip of my finger, but I could get a faint diesel exhaust smell. This is very worrying as this is located at the foot of the mid-ships cabin.

The boat is an S28

It's an exhaust drain coil (fitted as an option), there to drain away condensation and stop your exhaust rotting from the inside. By the look of your picture it has been doing its job at some point.

The downside as I see it is surely there's an opportunity for unburnt diesel to come out of there when purging or not functioning properly.

Many say that there is no need for it and to be honest it's the first time I've ever seen one, but I have had to replace a rotten exhaust in the past.

Neil

 

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It's an exhaust drain coil (fitted as an option), there to drain away condensation and stop your exhaust rotting from the inside. By the look of your picture it has been doing its job at some point.

The downside as I see it is surely there's an opportunity for unburnt diesel to come out of there when purging or not functioning properly.

Many say that there is no need for it and to be honest it's the first time I've ever seen one, but I have had to replace a rotten exhaust in the past.

Neil

Thanks for the info. Given that i'd be boating in fresh water, i'd be inclined to seal it up, and then drain at the end of the season

 

[Moody]

But surely some exhaust gases can escape through there? Or is there a 1-way valve in the exhaust between the t-piece and the eber?

On installation it should have been filled with water to stop the flow of exhaust gas (bit like a U bend). You could take it off, immerse it in water to refill, and then refit. Or you could just cap it off.

Neil

 

[zt260]

If it should have been filled with water why not get a syringe/turkey baster pop a bit of water in the coil save taking it off.

regds ash

 

[David2452]

It is indeed a condensate drain, leave it as it is, it will already have liquid in it, the only time they need charging is on installation. We usually only fit them on quite long exhausts or when the skin fitting is higher than the exhaust stub on the heater, quite common on a pro install when either of the former peramiters apply.
Also, it appears from your picture that you are drawing heating air from the same space as the exhaust, that is not recommended because of the possibility of pumping exhaust gas around the boat in the event of a leak, if diesel then not really as dangerous as the high CO levels from petrol but still not best practice.

 

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It is indeed a condensate drain, leave it as it is, it will already have liquid in it, the only time they need charging is on installation. We usually only fit them on quite long exhausts or when the skin fitting is higher than the exhaust stub on the heater, quite common on a pro install when either of the former peramiters apply.
Also, it appears from your picture that you are drawing heating air from the same space as the exhaust, that is not recommended because of the possibility of pumping exhaust gas around the boat in the event of a leak, if diesel then not really as dangerous as the high CO levels from petrol but still not best practice.

Thanks for the info. If anything comes of this inspection, one of the first things i'd be doing is ducting the air intake from the cockpit, as was in my previous boat