eber fan not starting

[hairbox]

Hi all can anyone give me any clue as to why my eberD5 has become so erraitic when I switch on the fan does not start although sometimes it will and the heater fires up ok, in fan only mode it's the same.
I have checked wiring loom all seems ok batts ok

 

[cliff]

Intermittent fault , most likely wiring - did you check inside the unit? or it could be sticky brushes in the motor - ouch!.
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“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity”
Skype id:cliffillupo

 

[shmoo]

The handbook says they are quite voltage sensitive. The glow plug takes quite a few amps and can lower the voltage (if wires too thin or battery a bit low) to a point where the control unit deems it wise to shut down. If it is the case that the thing will start and run while the main engine is running, but not start otherwise, this may by your problem.

 

[Talbot]

If it is a fairly new machine (then the problem is likely to be the fuse carrier. This is a diabolically bad design prone to failure when one or other of the wires pull out of the bottom. If you have power to the switch unit, but nothing happens when you press start, it is almost certainly the heavy power line that is affected - but this is the same effect as low voltage from the battery. Thus if your voltmeter says plenty of juice, suspect the fuse.

 

[cliff]

10~14v for the 12v models or 20~28v for the 24v models - same as plotters and other instrumentation on board. Saves totally flattening your batteries.

Ebers cut out when the controller senses a voltage less than around 10volts at the control panel. Not that voltage sensitive IMHO. AS the original posters heater was working fine and has only recently developed an "attitude problem" one could assume it does have heavy enough cables from the batteries to the power feed on the unit or the unit's loom.

This sort of fault tends to be either a corroded connection or two or a duff controller although the odds are a duff connection or sticky/worn brushes in the motor. Considering the number of posts on here concerning Eber problems it can be assumed users of such items are well aware of the importance of good electrical connections.

I did one last year that defied even the "specialist's attempts" to get it to behave and I must admit the connections did look pretty good. I eventually cut all the connectors off and replaced them with new ones including the spades inside the terminal blocks and cleaning and re-tinning the control box spade connectors as I could not change them easily. The damn thing fired first time and has run sweet as anything since with the exception of a broken glow plug (they do not like being dropped!)

BTW the fan motor (12v) will run on from around 6v to 18v.

I would like to meter the voltage across the fan motor when starting up and also meter the voltage at the power in terminals on the unit's loom or controller.

In addition one could disconnect the fan motor and hook up a direct 12v supply to see if the fault is in the motor or elsewhere.
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“Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity”
Skype id:cliffillupo

 

[boatone]

Do you have a thermostatic switch in the line? If the ambient temperature is higher than the stat is set for then it will not start cos it thinks it doesnt need to.......

Took me ages to realise this was the problem with mine /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[tome]

The starting current of an eberspacher is huge (>20 Amps) for the first 3 minutes. It will seek out any poor connection and punish you. Once started, the current drops to a much more modest few amps.

Use a meter to measure the voltage during the start cycle. If it drops below 12V you will have a problem.

 

[hairbox]

Thanks for all the replys
you are right about the fuse holder being rather crappy as when I fiddle with mine the control thingy where you switch on/off lights go on and off. I have taken it of and tried to fix but still have problems.

 

[Talbot]

Put a voltmeter across it and make sure it is providing the power - this is the most likely cause of the problem - been there fixed that!