Dead eberspacher- cheap ebay deals

Tintin

Tintin

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Hi,

D3 eber has finally died.

Engineer suggests a D4, at over £1200.

Anyone got any views on what to replace with?

I have seen brand "planar" heaters on ebay - anyone used one?

Thanks
Chris
 
Comrade Red said:
Hi,

D3 eber has finally died.

Engineer suggests a D4, at over £1200.

Anyone got any views on what to replace with?

I have seen brand "planar" heaters on ebay - anyone used one?

Thanks
Chris
Click to expand...

The Russian built Planar heaters have been around for considerably longer than the Chinese clones. We replaced a failed Webasto for a price that would not have covered parts to repair it. Easy swap over, same mountings /exhaust. It works very well, though is 4.4Kw rather than the 5Kw of the original. If the Planars are designed to keep trucks warm in Siberia I reckon they are pretty robust.
Many people have also fitted the Chinese clones at under £200, with a fair success rate. They sometimes buy two to have a spare!
Webasto and Eber have finally lost the monopoly of eye watering prices. Not before time.
 
pagoda said:
The Russian built Planar heaters have been around for considerably longer than the Chinese clones. We replaced a failed Webasto for a price that would not have covered parts to repair it. Easy swap over, same mountings /exhaust. It works very well, though is 4.4Kw rather than the 5Kw of the original. If the Planars are designed to keep trucks warm in Siberia I reckon they are pretty robust.
Many people have also fitted the Chinese clones at under £200, with a fair success rate. They sometimes buy two to have a spare!
Webasto and Eber have finally lost the monopoly of eye watering prices. Not before time.
Click to expand...
+1 on that. in your case I would be tempted to go for a Chinese version ( now around £100)
 
Note that on eBay etc. the Chinese heaters often include 'Planar' in the title, even though they are not the Russian Planar (now 'Autoterm Planar') brand.

The general consensus seems to be that the Chinese ones are OK for the price. Not the same quality as the Russian or Webasto/Eber etc., no support, often arrive a different model from that ordered and/or bits missing, and you need to throw away the poor quality exhaust silencer etc. and buy one from another manufacturer, but they do the job and are so cheap as to be not worth the bother of repairing.

The Russian ones (available from e.g. https://planarheaters.co.uk or https://www.pfjones.co.uk) are CE marked, have full manuals etc. documentation and dealer support/spares back-up, and are said to be better made/quality control. Dearer than the Chinese ones but significantly below Eber etc. prices.

You pays your money. . .
 
I installed a Planar last year to replace a failed Eber. Can't recommend it enough, it's remarkably quiet and seems to sip at the batteries.
 
I fitted a planar this year as well
Really happy with it
If considering Chinese v planar be sure to take into account things that might not come with the Chinese one - skin fitting for example
 
Can't add much to what has already been said. I researched this recently and would frankly not consider the Chinese ones but the genuine Planar is CE marked, spares are available and there is a reputable UK agent, Endorse what has been said about e bay Chinese ones marked "Planar" They are NOT Planar and not of the same quality. Don't forget if you are replacing a failed one you don't need the complete installation kit, just the burner and control. Contact the UK agent. He will price for what you require and it will be loads cheaper than Eber.
 
Molteni said:
Best Chinese one I can find is HERE at just £94. Seem to be getting great reviews for build quality on Camper forums.

View attachment 81571 View attachment 81572 View attachment 81573 View attachment 81574 View attachment 81575
Click to expand...

Although I advocate the Chinese one and have tested 3 ( all good) This is a typical advert. look at the cut away image, it shows a very eberspacher internals including the control unit( ECU) but in fact the real item looks nothing like that inside! It works ok but is all far more micky mouse than shown!!
 
White_Belle said:
I installed a Planar last year to replace a failed Eber. Can't recommend it enough, it's remarkably quiet and seems to sip at the batteries.
Click to expand...

Ditto for me. Almost a plug n' play replacement - only had minor modifications to the wiring loom. All done in about 2 hours. Quiet, efficient, and as you say, significantly lower power consumption.
 
Minchsailor said:
Correction - you will also need to change the fuel pump; the Eber one is unlikely to deliver the correct volume of fuel per pulse. I've used the existing wiring.
Click to expand...

Interestingly, the Autoterm Planar heater we fitted came with a German fuel pump- made by the same company Webasto use. Same connectors as well!
 
Disappointed with the Planar dealer. I asked if I could reuse the existing ducting and exhaust. They said yes. When I asked how I buy the heater, loom, controls and pump they just sent a link to their full kits.

I asked again, but they haven't bothered replying at all, and I would rather not buy stuff I don't need and throw it away.

Shame, because others seemed to get a better level of service.
 
Comrade Red said:
Disappointed with the Planar dealer. I asked if I could reuse the existing ducting and exhaust. They said yes. When I asked how I buy the heater, loom, controls and pump they just sent a link to their full kits.

I asked again, but they haven't bothered replying at all, and I would rather not buy stuff I don't need and throw it away.

Shame, because others seemed to get a better level of service.
Click to expand...

Was this PF Jones? They are Planar dealers and offer a basic 4kW kit for £469 inc VAT. It doesn't include ducting, or a boat skin fitting, but does include a short bit of exhaust pipe and a small fuel tank.

https://www.pfjones.co.uk/planar-44d-12-gp-tm-air-heater-4kw-12v-universal-kit.html
 
Minchsailor said:
Correction - you will also need to change the fuel pump; the Eber one is unlikely to deliver the correct volume of fuel per pulse. I've used the existing wiring.
Click to expand...

That opinion is based on......what???? The pump is virtually identical to the eber and according to subsequent posts may indeed be identical.
 
boatmike said:
That opinion is based on......what???? The pump is virtually identical to the eber and according to subsequent posts may indeed be identical.
Click to expand...

Common sense - unless the OEM part number is the same, you have no idea of the internals of the pump - the fact that the external dimensions, pipe connections, electrical connections are the same is no guarantee of interchangeability.
 
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