Can you fix an Eberspacher upside down?

[Colvic Watson]

Head in the engine room trying to fit the damn thing! Pictures in the manual have it with exhaust outlet etc facing down - but can it be mounted with them facing up? It would make the exhaust run a lot easier in this case! I checked the manual but it doesn't say anything about it. Even sideways would be easier in this case.

Thanks. Simon.

 

[pcatterall]

I test smaller Eberspachers upside down! D1s D2s D3s and (when I have them) D4s.
They seem to work perfectly well. Some Larger heaters D5s D7s seem less happy with this ( I wonder if the bigger chamber, the spray pattern and gravity start to have an adverse effect.
I have had the smaller heaters going like this for hours at a time with no ill effect.
No doubt someone will now come along and.......... !!

 

[Colvic Watson]

It's an Airtronic D4

 

[david_bagshaw]

The exhaust is at the bottom , so if the flame goes out , or fails to light, the fuel will dribble out of the combustion chamber, just leaving a damp chamber.

Now imagine the same scenario where there have been multiple start attempts and the chamber is sloshing with fuel, which then lights!

You wouldnt want to be the boat next door, the soot would be the least of your worries!

 

[Slipstream 34]

It's an Airtronic D4

http://www.eberspacher.com/downloads/technical-documents/marine_installation_22278.pdf

Have a look at page 10. It looks like upside down or on it's side is not recommended.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Thanks - that isn't in my manual. Shame it says no but better safe than sorry. I'll have to re-route the exhaust.

 

[Slipstream 34]

Thanks - that isn't in my manual. Shame it says no but better safe than sorry. I'll have to re-route the exhaust.

Love your video ! Lucky kids.. Davits look good too !

 

[pcatterall]

The exhaust is at the bottom , so if the flame goes out , or fails to light, the fuel will dribble out of the combustion chamber, just leaving a damp chamber.

Now imagine the same scenario where there have been multiple start attempts and the chamber is sloshing with fuel, which then lights!

You wouldnt want to be the boat next door, the soot would be the least of your worries!

never a workshop whoosh to date but the theory is correct, always a spoil sport around!!

 

[Colvic Watson]

Davits look good too !

Quality gear, hard to come by. Can't think where I got them

 

[Ian_Edwards]

Webasto

When I bought my last boat the Webasto (yes in know the OP is asking about an Eber, but they are very similar) was mounted at a very odd angle, exhaust down at about 30 deg and pointing down towards the centre line of the boat. Initially it ran OK, but coked up by the end of the 1st season (from new). I got it serviced and refitted it just slightly exhaust down, on the centre line of the boat. it ran without fault for 4 years and is probably running OK now, I don't know for sure, because I sold the boat.

So my experience suggest you should keep it the right way up, it'll probably run at any angle for a short period of time, but it'll probably run much longer mounted the right way up.

 

[Slipstream 34]

Quality gear, hard to come by. Can't think where I got them

Almost as posh as my new eber fuel tank !

 

[David2452]

NO, Webasto, Mikuni and Ebo (not Wallas for obvious reasons) do permit mounting evaporator heaters on their side, but I find even that is problematic down the line as an earlier poster has found out. I speak for air heaters here, for water heaters there are more mounting options but even then not upside down, it interferes with the absorption to the mat and **** has great difficulty exiting the heater.

 

[David2452]

Some Larger heaters D5s D7s seem less happy with this
No doubt someone will now come along and.......... !!

Here I am, if correctly set up the D7 exhaust is permitted to be 15 degrees from straight down only whilst starting, however when running they will tolerate up to 30 degrees, useful on quarry plant.

 

[pcatterall]

I can only report my experience. I am not making recommendations. The smaller heaters seem to run well and burn properly upside down. Fuel pooling on a non strating heater would, however, be an issue.

 

[Heckler]

never a workshop whoosh to date but the theory is correct, always a spoil sport around!!

plus if you think about it,the fuel actually dribbles around the gauze, gravity pulls it down. Some of them have a catherine wheel thing in them that sprays fuel around, so that should be impervious to gravity?
Stu

 

[David2452]

Some of them have a catherine wheel thing in them that sprays fuel around, so that should be impervious to gravity?
Stu

The Catharine Wheel thing is a flame and or air swirler and is usually after the mat, it is designed to help distribute heat evenly in the burner tube. The thing here as in all other aspects of these things is simple, the manufacturers make these stipulations to ensure the things run properly and efficiently for as long as possible, they don't do it for a joke, they don't do it to make life hard and they know more about the job than anybody and are in the best position to stipulate install and service procedures, so RTFM and follow it. I do appreciate that non dealers only have access to incomplete downloadable manuals and no addendum, specialist training or service bulletins but the basics are in even the ones you can download anywhere and this is basic.

 

[Heckler]

The Catharine Wheel thing is a flame and or air swirler and is usually after the mat, it is designed to help distribute heat evenly in the burner tube. The thing here as in all other aspects of these things is simple, the manufacturers make these stipulations to ensure the things run properly and efficiently for as long as possible, they don't do it for a joke, they don't do it to make life hard and they know more about the job than anybody and are in the best position to stipulate install and service procedures, so RTFM and follow it. I do appreciate that non dealers only have access to incomplete downloadable manuals and no addendum, specialist training or service bulletins but the basics are in even the ones you can download anywhere and this is basic.

RTFM yourself, I dont know whether you realise it but you come over as incredibly rude!
As it happens Jelly Ellie of this parish had an old Eber which had a catherine wheel inside which wouldnt work, she fixed it by cleaning the holes in the wheel that allowed the fuel through IIRC
Was in PBO a while ago, so RTFM to you too!
Stu

 

[David2452]

RTFMI dont know whether you realise it but you come over as incredibly rude!

Don't mean to, but, but it is still an air swirler, clearing it would of course fix many issues, I suppose my occasional exasperation when people seem to refuse to adhere to well practised and researched methodology, and lack of time, may appear as rude sometimes, as for the manuals (not PBO articles) I have read them thanks and been on the courses, and passed the exams and been granted dealerships.