Eberspacher current draw

Sans Bateau

Sans Bateau

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This post is for no purpose other than to provide data for anyone who needs or wants to know.

I was watching my nasa BM1 meter this morning whilst the Eber fired up. (exciting life I lead) The current draw was 8.8amps. Once the heater was up and running and settled down to tick over the heater was drawing .9amp. Switching on the led overhead lights and the CD/Radio player, it went up to 1.2amps.

Fascinating stuff yeh?
 
galadriel said:
This post is for no purpose other than to provide data for anyone who needs or wants to know.

I was watching my nasa BM1 meter this morning whilst the Eber fired up. (exciting life I lead) The current draw was 8.8amps. Once the heater was up and running and settled down to tick over the heater was drawing .9amp. Switching on the led overhead lights and the CD/Radio player, it went up to 1.2amps.

Fascinating stuff yeh?
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Did you watch how much the Eber drew when turning it off? :eek:
 
galadriel said:
Ah! Sorry, when you turn it off? Are you saying there is a large current draw as it cycles down?
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It operates the glow plug again for a few seconds. The current is no more than when it's starting up, and it's for such a short time that it only uses a tiny amount of battery power.
 
pvb said:
It operates the glow plug again for a few seconds. The current is no more than when it's starting up, and it's for such a short time that it only uses a tiny amount of battery power.
Click to expand...

OK, so we could expect up to 8amps on shutdown. Best thing then, get the Eber running before you turn the engine off, then leave it on all night 'till you start the engine for off in the morning. Yes?
 
galadriel said:
OK, so we could expect up to 8amps on shutdown. Best thing then, get the Eber running before you turn the engine off, then leave it on all night 'till you start the engine for off in the morning. Yes?
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Drawing 8.8A for 20 seconds consumes significantly less power than drawing 0.9A for 1 hour, let alone overnight, that you need not worry about it. :)

Chris
 
pvb said:
It operates the glow plug again for a few seconds. The current is no more than when it's starting up, and it's for such a short time that it only uses a tiny amount of battery power.
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With my D2, my auld analogue ammeter shows around 8 amps on startup, and around 14 amps on shutdown! The high consumption on shutdown lasts around 30s or so.
 
Cardo said:
With my D2, my auld analogue ammeter shows around 8 amps on startup, and around 14 amps on shutdown! The high consumption on shutdown lasts around 30s or so.
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On shutdown, the D2's glow plug comes on for 40 seconds. There's only one glow plug, so the current consumption on shutdown has to be substantially similar to the current consumption on startup. It can't be 6A more!
 
pvb said:
On shutdown, the D2's glow plug comes on for 40 seconds. There's only one glow plug, so the current consumption on shutdown has to be substantially similar to the current consumption on startup. It can't be 6A more!
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It is definitely significantly higher, mostly. On startup, the draw goes up to around 15a for 3 or 4 seconds, then decreases to around 8a for the rest of startup, around 30-40s. On shutdown, the draw is around 15a for the 40s you mention.
 
Cardo said:
It is definitely significantly higher, mostly. On startup, the draw goes up to around 15a for 3 or 4 seconds, then decreases to around 8a for the rest of startup, around 30-40s. On shutdown, the draw is around 15a for the 40s you mention.
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Eberspacher quote 100W as the power required at startup - that's around 8A at 12v. The glow plug operates for about 2 minutes at startup, so you should see 8A current during this time, after which it'll drop to normal running current of 1-3A. Perhaps there's something wrong with yours?
 
pvb said:
Eberspacher quote 100W as the power required at startup - that's around 8A at 12v. The glow plug operates for about 2 minutes at startup, so you should see 8A current during this time, after which it'll drop to normal running current of 1-3A. Perhaps there's something wrong with yours?
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That's about right, aside from the spike at the very beginning. However, there is a definite big(ger) draw for 30-40s on shutdown.

I serviced the heater last winter, it's been working fine?
 
Blimey, my D5 heater according to my Nasa BM1 uses 20amp for about a minute at start up and close down and 6-7amp when running! I never realised the D4 used so much less current, mind you we do run ours on full power all the time. After 1 hour it automatically switches off!
 
King Penguin said:
Blimey, my D5 heater according to my Nasa BM1 uses 20amp for about a minute at start up and close down and 6-7amp when running! I never realised the D4 used so much less current, mind you we do run ours on full power all the time. After 1 hour it automatically switches off!
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Wow - just fitted a D4 and didn't plan on it using 6amps running! Must check the manual for 50% running which is what it sits at most of the time.
 
Lazy Kipper said:
Wow - just fitted a D4 and didn't plan on it using 6amps running! Must check the manual for 50% running which is what it sits at most of the time.
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I dont think it will use so much, set the temp so you maintain about 20C in the cabin and it will just tick over.

As to the current draw at shut down, I'll look at this and see what it comes up with. I had no idea the glow plug 'glows' at shutdown.
 
Lazy Kipper said:
Wow - just fitted a D4 and didn't plan on it using 6amps running! Must check the manual for 50% running which is what it sits at most of the time.
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According to Eberspacher, the D4 uses a max of 40W when running at full power - that's about 3.5A - and only 13W (just over 1A) at medium setting. I think some Eberspacher owners must have inaccurate ammeters!
 
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