Eber Hydronic

[ip485]

Pleased to say that I now have an Eber Hydronic fitted (and pleased it was professionally fitted as I doubt I had the time). I havent used it yet, but I hope it will prove a useful addition. It is deisgned to heat the hot water in the calorifier, with the facility to use the engine and the Genset as well. The aim is to do away with the need to run the Genset or the engine while at anchor, and therefore an efficient and (hopefully) silent means of keeping the water hot. It will be interesting to see how well it works.

 

[rotrax]

With an earlier boat, a Gibsea 96, My friend Ivor and I fitted a Webasto thermotop with two heated towel rails and a long shallow radiator under the setee berth.

As far as heating went, the best I have experienced yet on a sea boat - experienced the same many times on canal narrowboats, which is why I chose it - and the calorifier got hot very quickly. The only negative was the clicking of the fuel pump which could be heard clearly in our cabin while waiting for the water and boat to heat up.

However, for the accrued benifits, not a serious problem!

I am sure you will be pleased with your new installation.

 

[JerryHawkins]

Having had a Hydronic 5 for about 14 years, I would offer one piece of advice - don't run it on red diesel. I used to have to strip and decoke mine at least once a year on red. Having switched to white road diesel, it has run without issue for the last 5 years. A recent strip to replace the combustion blower motor revealed it was very clean. Enjoy!

 

[rotrax]

Having had a Hydronic 5 for about 14 years, I would offer one piece of advice - don't run it on red diesel. I used to have to strip and decoke mine at least once a year on red. Having switched to white road diesel, it has run without issue for the last 5 years. A recent strip to replace the combustion blower motor revealed it was very clean. Enjoy!

Interesting.

AFAIK the combustion space and igniter are similar on ALL Erbspacher and Webasto, plus no doubt the Turkish, Russian and Chinese ones.

I have not heard of many others with your coking problem. Some users do reccomend a good thrash using paraffin from time to time which they say keeps the combustion space clean.

Our Webasto hot air heater has not been touched during the three years of our ownership and the previous owner had a new igniter fitted at five years. He assured me that that was the only issue. His son lived aboard for six winter months. It is now 12 years old since installation.

It is connected directly to the diesel tank, full of red, but is, as I was advised so to do, always run flat out.

I am now busy touching wood.............................

 

[burgundyben]

Holy thread resurection Batman!

When the water in the calorifier gets to max temp, say 80 degrees, how does the Hydronic know to switch off?

Is there a thermostat on the calorifier signalling to the Hydronic?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Holy thread resurection Batman!

When the water in the calorifier gets to max temp, say 80 degrees, how does the Hydronic know to switch off?

Is there a thermostat on the calorifier signalling to the Hydronic?

Maybe the heater only heats the circulating water to 80 degrees for both the calorifier and the radiators. If the returning water at the heater is still 80 degrees after it's been round the circuit the controller switches off the heater.

 

[burgundyben]

Maybe the heater only heats the circulating water to 80 degrees for both the calorifier and the radiators. If the returning water at the heater is still 80 degrees after it's been round the circuit the controller switches off the heater.

Are you suggesting the hydronic has a sensor on the water circuit return?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Are you suggesting the hydronic has a sensor on the water circuit return?

I don't know the details. I'm speculating. It would not surprise me if there was a temperature sensor on the return side in the boiler. Maybe it's on the supply side after it's been heated. How do domestic systems prevent the hot water cylinder and radiators getting too hot? Where is the circulating water temperature sensor in the system? It must be in or near the boiler, because it's not at the tank. There doesn't appear to be much difference in basic design between Webarspacher hydronic systems and a domestic one in a house.

 

[yotter]

Would fitting a Sterling Alternator to battery charger be a good option, thats what we use with a 100A alternator with 300AH domestic and 75AH engine battery. At normal cruising of 2500 rpm, we charge at circa 60 to 70 amps. This device boosts the charge voltage (and so current) to the house batteries but has a separate lower voltage output to the engine battery. Seems to work well, keep an eye on alternator temperature however, we fitted an extra cooling fan and remote temperature gauge.

 

[yotter]

ops wrong thread:-(

 

[burgundyben]

I don't know the details. I'm speculating. It would not surprise me if there was a temperature sensor on the return side in the boiler. Maybe it's on the supply side after it's been heated. How do domestic systems prevent the hot water cylinder and radiators getting too hot? Where is the circulating water temperature sensor in the system? It must be in or near the boiler, because it's not at the tank. There doesn't appear to be much difference in basic design between Webarspacher hydronic systems and a domestic one in a house.

In a domestic set up the room stat or the stat on the hot water tank can turn off the boiler.

I want to understand how it works on a boat with a Hydronic.

 

[vyv_cox]

In a domestic set up the room stat or the stat on the hot water tank can turn off the boiler.

I want to understand how it works on a boat with a Hydronic.

It works exactly like a domestic heating system. Powering the unit, assuming any room stat switch is closed, starts the water pump. If the internal temperature measured at the sensor is below the set point the boiler will start. When the water temperature reaches its set point the boiler will either ramp down or turn off, dependent on the model. The pump continues to run until the room stat opens (if fitted).

PM me if you need pdf instructions on Hydronic units.