Ebersbacher controller

[chrisclin]

While the rest of the UK is enjoying heatwave conditions, let me assure you that is not the case in the East Neuk of Fife! While attending the Anstruther Muster last weekend I tried turning on the Ebersbacher only to find no power on the 7001 controller. I've checked the run of cable at each of the joins and found power in each case. I now want to get into the controller to see what's happening there but I haven't managed to open it. Does anyone know the technique?

 

[chrisclin]

Well that's the first post I can recollect in the 20 odd years I've been a member where there have been ZERO responses. Can no-one help?

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Well at least I can offer commiseration. Do you mean the ECU or the control unit/switch. I just bought a new ECU, though I think secondhand would have saved me hundreds.

 

[Sandy]

Well that's the first post I can recollect in the 20 odd years I've been a member where there have been ZERO responses. Can no-one help?

Gosh it is a summer's weekend and lots of people are out sailing.

It might be cheaper to replace with a Chinese copy than fix.

But have a look at Le Tonkinos's eberspacher page.

 

[chrisclin]

Well at least I can offer commiseration. Do you mean the ECU or the control unit/switch. I just bought a new ECU, though I think secondhand would have saved me hundreds.

There is life!
It's the control unit I can't open. I suspect if I can't find what's wrong I'll have to look at replacing the whole thing.

 

[chrisclin]

Gosh it is a summer's weekend and lots of people are out sailing.

It might be cheaper to replace with a Chinese copy than fix.

But have a look at Le Tonkinos's eberspacher page.

You're right, it's far too nice not to be sailing. However, the nights are cold.
What a fantastic resource. It actually shows me how to open up the controller AND apparently there's a battery in there that expires. Maybe that's the answer.
Thanks

 

[Plum]

While the rest of the UK is enjoying heatwave conditions, let me assure you that is not the case in the East Neuk of Fife! While attending the Anstruther Muster last weekend I tried turning on the Ebersbacher only to find no power on the 7001 controller. I've checked the run of cable at each of the joins and found power in each case. I now want to get into the controller to see what's happening there but I haven't managed to open it. Does anyone know the technique?

can't help from experience but have you seen this? Mini Teardown: Eberspacher 701 BT Controller – Experimental Engineering

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[chrisclin]

can't help from experience but have you seen this? Mini Teardown: Eberspacher 701 BT Controller – Experimental Engineering

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

Thanks for that. It's amazing what's out there.

 

[tross]

If you do manage open up the unit, I would cheak the quality of the soldering. The use of silver-tin rather than lead-tin with contant temperature changes the soldering fails and creates millions of poor/cracked joints. You could use a small soldering iron with some lead-tin solder and remake as meany joints as you can - espcially where the component goes through the board.

These poor solder joints were a well know cause with the alarm going off randomly on just about every SAAB built after 2003/4

 

[ChromeDome]

Then you say power is in place, what voltage did you detect?

If below what Eber likes it won't start (allegedly to protect your batteries from draining).

 

[ChromeDome]

It might be cheaper to replace with a Chinese copy than fix.

I think a 5kW Tjainaspacher is near £200 these days on EvilBay. All in.

 

[chrisclin]

Then you say power is in place, what voltage did you detect?

If below what Eber likes it won't start (allegedly to protect your batteries from draining).

I take the point. However the boat was on shore power so 14.4volts was going through it, well above the minimum and well below the maximum.

 

[Sandy]

I think a 5kW Tjainaspacher is near £200 these days on EvilBay. All in.

The price has rocketed, pun intended, I only paid £130 back in March.

 

[ChromeDome]

I take the point. However the boat was on shore power so 14.4volts was going through it, well above the minimum and well below the maximum.

Out of the question, then

 

[ChromeDome]

The price has rocketed, pun intended, I only paid £130 back in March.

£99 on Amazon Germany today.

 

[Bobc]

I have a spare 701 controller if you need it

 

[chrisclin]

Well, following the instructions in the link given by Sandy, I managed to open up the controller - and there is a CR?016 battery sitting there - I presume the missing number is '2'. It looks as though it is almost completely discharged as the potential is only 0.1V.
Presumably the battery is to maintain the clock but there is no mention that I can find as to whether it is replaceable.
I've managed to detach the item and I will pass it to a friend who's a retired micro-electronics whizz with a soldering iron.
Thanks to all for your help
It's actually got warm enough so I was able to sail in shirtsleeves - on the Forth in a F4/5 Easterly!!! I'll need the heating soon enough, though.

 

[ChromeDome]

If the battery is 20 mm diameter and 1.6 mm thick it is a 2016

 

[oldmanofthehills]

Well, following the instructions in the link given by Sandy, I managed to open up the controller - and there is a CR?016 battery sitting there - I presume the missing number is '2'. It looks as though it is almost completely discharged as the potential is only 0.1V.
Presumably the battery is to maintain the clock but there is no mention that I can find as to whether it is replaceable.
I've managed to detach the item and I will pass it to a friend who's a retired micro-electronics whizz with a soldering iron.
Thanks to all for your help
It's actually got warm enough so I was able to sail in shirtsleeves - on the Forth in a F4/5 Easterly!!! I'll need the heating soon enough, though.

Having sailed from s cornwall to the inner hebrides last summer in 13C we were pretty cross our ebi had failed and chose marinas with electric for a fan heater rather than atmospheric remote inlets

Paid £500 to get it fixed this winter - but of course apart from quick blast at easter it has had no use as we were in brittany with temperatures of 25C+