Eberspacher D1 Heater not working (with pictures)

[JollyRodgers]

One of the last remaining issues with my boat and I thought I better check it out and see if it is going to be a cheap or expensive fix.

I have a Eberpacher D1L 12v heater on a Sadler 32. It's not working currently and the owner before me really didnt have much to say about it other than "something is wrong with it, but we never both to look. It used to work, now it doesn't, it could be a fuse or it could be something more serious".

I've seen that I can buy a whole new D1L fully working on ebay for around £120, so worst case scenerio it won't break the bank by any means..

Firstly, I'm not exactly sure how to even start this Some people online were saying that the D1L doesn't start well if the batteries are low (and below 60% charged). I originally thought that because the previous owners had it on a swinging moor, that it may have just been 'broken' because of low charge. Boat is connected to shore power and still doesnt work, and the engine has been running when i've tried and still not success, so that rules out that option.

I wont individually link the images here, because there are quite a few- so I have made a photo album with titles on each image.

Link to photo album here: http://imgur.com/a/JpUam

I've tried pulling out the toggle, which sits on the wall above the calorifer/hot water tank and nothing happens at all. No noises/lights etc. I have tried turning on the unkown plug that is on the wall at the bottom of the chair for the nav desk (next to the engine calorifer/hot water tank) and no lights turn on for that either.

There are no buttons or switches directly on the D1L heater (which is in the transom locker, near the gas locker). Only a glow plug/pin.

Also no thermostat, so not sure how the actual heating works. Would I just flick it on and then turn it off manually when I got too hot?

Many thanks,
Alex

Service Manual for D1L: http://www.club80-90.co.uk/pages/downloads/tech/eberB1LD1L.pdf

edit: I guess what I am initially saying is that, how do I turn it on? Because if I pull it out then nothing happens at all. Similar to if you turn the aircon/heater on in your car without the keys in. If I am trying to turn it on incorrectly or need to something before pulling out the toggle then what is that? Just trying to workout how I can find out what is wrong and resolve it.

 

[pvb]

I guess the first thing to check might be whether there's any power reaching the push-pull switch. I think this has a light in the knob, which ought to light up when you pull the switch to turn it on. If, as you say, there are no lights, then it's possible that there's no power reaching the switch. So you need to check the power supply to the control box. There's usually an inline fuse in this wiring, in a black plastic holder, and it's prone to corroding. So try to find it, check it, and reassemble.

With no thermostat, you've guessed correctly that you need to turn it off when you get too hot.

 

[ghostlymoron]

You'll have to trace the wiring I would suggest starting with the on/off switch and seeing if there is power to it. Ebers I've encountered in the past have had some sort of heat control. I don't think the switch by the two socket outlets are anything to do with it. As it looks like a 240v job. It may be the control for the immersion heater in your hot water tank if there is one.
When you get a new boat, its a good idea to trace all the wiring and draw a wiring diagram me. When you find out about the connection, connecting red to yellow (I think) should trigger the thing to start.
£120 for a working Eber off eBay sounds cheap to me. You sure its not broken/for spares?
Edit. It does look as though the pull switch has an integral green light which should light up when its on.

 

[JollyRodgers]

I guess the first thing to check might be whether there's any power reaching the push-pull switch. I think this has a light in the knob, which ought to light up when you pull the switch to turn it on. If, as you say, there are no lights, then it's possible that there's no power reaching the switch. So you need to check the power supply to the control box. There's usually an inline fuse in this wiring, in a black plastic holder, and it's prone to corroding. So try to find it, check it, and reassemble.

With no thermostat, you've guessed correctly that you need to turn it off when you get too hot.

Fun, Fun. Whilst im on the pontoon, I dont mind using the electrical heater and if I have more than 3 people in the boat it usually warms up really quickly without any heating anyway. Just one of those things I feel like I should fix, especially useful if I am away from the marina too!

Should I unscrew where the toggle is for the push/pull bit and see what colour wires and if wires are connecting into that + the general state of it?

The transom locker where the heater is, is so insanely cramped it maybe hard to have a proper look around in it.

Is the Control Box the same as the ECU?

I believe from a video I saw online just now, that there should be a manual on/off switch on the actual heater too? Perhaps I could check this whilst im there and see if I can get it to turn on that way.

You'll have to trace the wiring I would suggest starting with the on/off switch and seeing if there is power to it. Ebers I've encountered in the past have had some sort of heat control. I don't think the switch by the two socket outlets are anything to do with it. As it looks like a 240v job. It may be the control for the immersion heater in your hot water tank if there is one.
When you get a new boat, its a good idea to trace all the wiring and draw a wiring diagram me. When you find out about the connection, connecting red to yellow (I think) should trigger the thing to start.
£120 for a working Eber off eBay sounds cheap to me. You sure its not broken/for spares?
Edit. It does look as though the pull switch has an integral green light which should light up when its on.

Seeing if there is power to it, by pulling it out and seeing if it lights up? I'm not taking the pi$s by the way, my knowledge of electronics is truly awful and pretty much limited to the inside of computers and fuse boxes during a powercut..

The switch was always "turned off" by the immersion heater, but I only ever got hot water when I had been motoring out of the marina/lock and the engine had warmed things up. :-S

Definitely agree about tracnig up all the wiring/electronics. That's a good idea. I only bought the boat a few months ago and havent done it yet. I'll draw up a nice clean diagram on the computer so I have a backup copy of it and include all of the instrument/wiring transducer in it too.

This was the link for the Eber. It doesnt say that it's broken ? - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eberspach...776?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cf93fa1f8

 

[pvb]

The control box is the ECU. There will be wiring going from the heater to the battery, perhaps via a switch panel. You need to look in this wiring for the inline fuse. There's no point investigating the push-pull switch, as this gets its power from the ECU, and if it doesn't light up it's likely there's no power reaching the heater system. There's no on/off switch on the heater itself. The rubber bung on top of the heater housing gives access to an overheat reset switch, you could try pressing this in case that's why there's no power getting to the ECU.

 

[JollyRodgers]

The control box is the ECU. There will be wiring going from the heater to the battery, perhaps via a switch panel. You need to look in this wiring for the inline fuse. There's no point investigating the push-pull switch, as this gets its power from the ECU, and if it doesn't light up it's likely there's no power reaching the heater system. There's no on/off switch on the heater itself. The rubber bung on top of the heater housing gives access to an overheat reset switch, you could try pressing this in case that's why there's no power getting to the ECU.

Ah that clears a lot up. Thanks. I'm going down tomorrow, so will have a look over things then and see what I can work out.

If I am still unclear, I will take a quick video and post back up here.

 

[ghostlymoron]

The one on eBay does say its working but it also says 12/24v. As far as I know there are no dual voltage units so its probably a 24v unit with a stepper. The auction still has a day To go during which time the price will often double.

 

[David2452]

The one on eBay does say its working but it also says 12/24v. As far as I know there are no dual voltage units so its probably a 24v unit with a stepper. The auction still has a day To go during which time the price will often double.

I can confirm your assumption, they are all either 24v or 12v never both. For the OP, if you do have to replace it, (which you may well as it is 30 years old) I would consider getting something a little larger, I would consider a D1 underpowered for a 32 footer.

 

[VicMallows]

That one (still no bids) does seem cheap whether 12v or 24v. It is a D1LC so not the same as the OPs.

I think OP's existing is more like this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eberspach...501?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4d31bf704d

....which is same as I have and know in detail inside and out!

(the overheat reset switch suggested by pvb is unlikely to be the problem in your case. The light in the pull-switch would still be on unless the bulb has failed; The fan would also still start unless the 2A fuse in the control box has blown. Most likely is still that no power at all is getting to the control box. ).

 

[VicMallows]

I would consider getting something a little larger, I would consider a D4 underpowered for a 32 footer.

David, You must like a very hot boat! My (ancient) D1L is more than adequate on my Sadler29 in mid winter.......but maybe that is because I am happy to recirculate the air, which I know you do not approve of

 

[David2452]

David, You must like a very hot boat! My (ancient) D1L is more than adequate on my Sadler29 in mid winter.......but maybe that is because I am happy to recirculate the air, which I know you do not approve of

Exactly Vic, recirculating the heat will clearly always make the boat warmer KwH for KwH but not nearly as fresh feeling and condensate free. Also I wrote D4 when I meant D1 which is only 1.8 kw, now edited.

 

[lampshuk]

I was in a similar position last year, dismantled and serviced the Eberspacher unit with new seals and ignition mesh etc, replacement fuel pump and after that it worked brilliantly.
Once.
After that it was dead as a dodo, though apparently in perfect health. I think they just conk out after a certain age. you might be lucky with the ebay unit, or you might not.
Now - thanks in no small part to David2452's help and support - I have a toasty-warm Webasto unit installed and working - half the size of the Eber and brand new.
Not cheap, but great peace of mind.
So +1 for Webasto and East Coast Marine.