Dangerous exhaust fumes. I'm more than angry.

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HONEYMOMMY

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So today we had our eberspacher heater replaced. When it was started up there was still some evidence of smoke fumes in the hatch.

Looked like the exhaust had a hole in it. So off to buy a new length of exhaust.

When we took of the lagging from the old one we found the exhaust didnt just have a hole in it but was basically in three pieces!!! :eek: My horror and anger was that it was obvious someone had just added newer lagging over the split areas to hold it together with a jubilee clipone one area to stop the lagging unravelling!! :eek:

How dangerous is that!!! :mad::mad::mad:

This type of negligence can kill people!!!!!
 
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Took this on my iphone so not a great pic. The really black bit is the part that was under the saloon with extra lagging to hold it together..
 
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:) Honeymoomy had a heater that was uneconomical to repair, so we replaced it with a like for like unit to avoid hassle of installing new controllers, duct work, exhaust etc..

On testing of the replacement unit I found the exhaust was leaking through the lagging.

It was only when we removed the old one that we realised it was not just a leak, but the whle thing had failed completely in more than one location.

What is frightening is the way that the pipe had been previously 'repaired' by simply wrapping more lagging around the breaks.

NOT clever!!!!
 
rosssavage said:
Honeymommy's heater is under the sole in her saloon. = BIG risk of substantial CO fumes filling the whole interior of the boat.
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Not downplaying at all but no mention of gasoline or diesel fuelled heater, difference beween death and just waking up bad headache.

I agree dumb, plain stoopid, whatever you want to call it however discovered and resolved will few ill effects, no point dwelling on the what may have happened.

I have CO detector in my engine test cell, regularly goes off when testing hateful gasoline motors, never triggers even when cell is thich with diesel fumes.
 
Could you not relocate the heater unit to reduce the risk of fumes entering the cabin should it fail again?

It doesnt sound as though it is located in a great spot to be honest.
 
Dave_Seager said:
Eberspacher are emphatic that "the heater must not be installed into any accommodation area." I certainly would not be happy with the set up that you describe.
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Does under the floorboards count as "accomodation area"?

On 99% of small boats that would mean "dont fit one" then?
 
Latestarter1 said:
Not downplaying at all but no mention of gasoline or diesel fuelled heater, difference beween death and just waking up bad headache.

I agree dumb, plain stoopid, whatever you want to call it however discovered and resolved will few ill effects, no point dwelling on the what may have happened.

I have CO detector in my engine test cell, regularly goes off when testing hateful gasoline motors, never triggers even when cell is thich with diesel fumes.
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OP: So today we had our eberspacher heater replaced...

Implied diesel? Anyway, yes, Eber diesel job.

I suppose the moral of the story is, do you know the condition of your lagged exhaust on an install you didn't comission?
 
Many years ago when I was a paramedic they fitted these heaters to the back of the ambulances and they were nothing but a pain for the mechanics.

Also recall an incident when a crew nearly killed several elderly patients after leaving one running as it was winter and getting delayed whilst the ambulance filled up with fumes from it.

W.
 
rosssavage said:
OP: So today we had our eberspacher heater replaced...

Implied diesel? Anyway, yes, Eber diesel job.

I suppose the moral of the story is, do you know the condition of your lagged exhaust on an install you didn't comission?
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Personal thing, but I hate a bunch of high drama when dealing with screw ups, form no part of any problem solving process.

Realise that OP did not install the exhaust and no pic of the lagging but from a cursory inspection it would have been been rank. I have this beef with surveyors who prod a poke the hull but never comment on mechanical stuff which is staring them in the face.

When you own a powered vessel you require a degree of technical competence, pointing the finger is a poor excuse.

Ebers are fitted under the bunk on large percentage of trucks.............
 
Part of the issue with this one is the fact that someone had intentionally disguised the failure by wrapping extra clean(ish) lagging over the exhaust, thereby hiding any evidence or witness marks of the leak / damage.

This is Honeymommy's first foray into boating, so perhaps a bit much to expect her to have enough technical competence to spot intentionally disguised damage straight away.

I certainly knew very little about boats before getting my first one - it's amazing how quickly you get up to speed though!
 
rosssavage said:
Part of the issue with this one is the fact that someone had intentionally disguised the failure by wrapping extra clean(ish) lagging over the exhaust, thereby hiding any evidence or witness marks of the leak / damage.
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"Intentionally" disguising the issue might be a little harsh - quite possible someone just thought it would be sufficient to 'fix' the problem rather than any intention to deceive - which might possibly amount to criminal negligence, particularly if a trade 'repair' ?

Did what you found suggest that the last BSS inspection failed to identify a possible problem that should have been picked up at that time?
 
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We have an alarm in the saloon already. The new unit and exhaust are now correctly fitted and working beautifully. Highly recommend Ross by the way. :D

The point of my post was to highlight how dangerous this could be and the importance of repairs being done correctly to ensure safety.


Being a mother of four and a nurse having seen too many pointless tragic deaths over the years, this angers me.
I don't understand how anyone would just add lagging knowing the risks. Using the rationalle that an alarm would save everyone is just lazy and dangerous.

New exhaust is cheap and replacement is so easy.
 
rosssavage said:
Part of the issue with this one is the fact that someone had intentionally disguised the failure by wrapping extra clean(ish) lagging over the exhaust, thereby hiding any evidence or witness marks of the leak / damage.

This is Honeymommy's first foray into boating, so perhaps a bit much to expect her to have enough technical competence to spot intentionally disguised damage straight away. QUOTE]

Exactly.

Technical knowledge when new to boating.....

We have enough knowledge to know that if an exhaust has a hole in it, it needs replacing.

http://www.carbonmonoxidealarm.info/CO-Alarm-Campaign-for-Boat-Owners.html

We are enthusiastic to learn and take an active role in boat maintenance and repair. The sensible part being... We know to employ someone competant and recommended by other boaters to repair things we find need attention.

Knowing our own limitations and not attempting repairs we don't know how to do safely yet, I would say is very sensible and appropriate to our level of technical knowledge currently.


The added new insulation was put on in such a way that it wasn't evident until removed, therefore I wouldn't have expected the surveyor to notice either.

As far as drama and pointing fingers comments.... Why not... Someone performed a dangerous repair that could have ended up with a tragic outcome. Intentional or done by someone with poor knowledge.. It doesn't matter, The point is someone did this...

If my post stops someone else doing this sort of thing them thats a positive outcome.
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