Eberspacher heater location - Sun Odyssey 40

[robinwr]

Hi - recently bought a 2004 SO40 and need to service the Eber D5LC heater.

I had thought it was under the starboard aft cabin bunk floor but nope - it seems to have been fitted in the void under the starboard helm position. The heater pipes feed from there - the exhaust is on the starboard side of the transom and the noise when it runs comes from there.

Anyone have their heater fitted in the same place?

Problem is access - I either loose about four stone to climb into the aft void via the port aft locker and crawl through or does anyone know if the gas locker on the starboard side can be lifted out. At the moment it is siliconed in place but if it came out it looks like that would be a solution.

Any help gratefully received.

 

[maby]

Hi - recently bought a 2004 SO40 and need to service the Eber D5LC heater.

I had thought it was under the starboard aft cabin bunk floor but nope - it seems to have been fitted in the void under the starboard helm position. The heater pipes feed from there - the exhaust is on the starboard side of the transom and the noise when it runs comes from there.

Anyone have their heater fitted in the same place?

Problem is access - I either loose about four stone to climb into the aft void via the port aft locker and crawl through or does anyone know if the gas locker on the starboard side can be lifted out. At the moment it is siliconed in place but if it came out it looks like that would be a solution.

Any help gratefully received.

That sounds pretty much the same installation as friends have on their SO42 of a similar age. I walked past the boat a few weeks ago to see the guy sitting in the cockpit with a broad grin on his face while a lot of bad language issued from the port cockpit locker which was open. Thsi was followed by his petite wife in a boiler suit, covered in soot and carrying a bundle of spanners!

I may be able to pass on questions, but from what I can gather, he has not yet found a better access route - send your wife in!

 

[robinwr]

Great idea - she's not too technical and isn't good with her left and right so I'd need live video feed from an attached head-cam and red and green stickers on her hands (for some reason she can get the port and starboard thing) to talk her through the removal process. Alternative is to send number 2 son in - he's just qualified as a spark so he might be a better option. I'm going to stick a camera in there this weekend and confirm its location.

If you get the chance to ask the question I'd appreciate the answer. DDZ in Largs fitted it originally but they can't remember the boat so weren't sure.

Many thanks

 

[maby]

Not sure if I'm going to see them this weekend - we need to go back to the house, and the forecast is so terrible that I'm not sure they will bother coming to the marina. if you've had no luck by next week, I'll get contact details for you...

 

[savageseadog]

Most sailing boat diesel blown air heaters end up in an aft locker. It's mostly because the exhaust ends up in the least problematic position and the noise furthest away from the cabins. After that it's a case of deciding the best and/or easiest ducting runs before making the final choice. Do keep the heater off the sides of the boat because bilge water can run round the side onto the heater with a severe broach/roll.

 

[Mistroma]

Heater location

The D5L is mounted on stbd side under the gas locker in my 2009 42DS. Sounds as if yours might be in a similar location. Access is easy enough for me as there's an access hatch on rear bulkhead in the aft cabin.

Plenty of room once inside but the hatch isn't very large. If you don't have a hatch on stbd, check the port side as it is probably open right through.

I looked at the gas locker a few weeks ago and decided that removal probably just entailed taking off the locker lid, some screws and perhaps some sealant. However, I needed access from underneath first to disconnect the drain hose.

I did notice that the installation was poor in one respect. The bracket is bonded to the hull at an angle that gives the heater a permanent 45 degree tilt. So the heater is upright on one tack and at 90 degrees on the other. I must make up a new bracket to fix this problem.

I could help if you happen to be wintering in Ardrossan as I'll probably be down there at some point in next few weeks. I'm quite small and have worked on similar heaters before so could probably remove yours fairly quickly and leave it with you for overhaul. However, I looked at your profile and it sounds as if you are now based in Ireland instead of Largs.

 

[mcanderson]

May not be too helpful, but on my Beneteau 323 I needed to remove the wooden floor from the cockpit locker to get enough space to get to my Eberspacher D4. I also found that having a set of ratchet ring spanners and a head torch very helpful.

 

[robinwr]

Hi - thanks for all the advice. On board yesterday and was able to see the heater mounted horizontally on what forms the rear bulkhead of the aft cabin but on the starboard side underneath the gas locker. There is a cutout in the gas locker (which appears to be a formed insert into a hole under the starboard seat) which has probably been done to gain access to the gas pipe which is attached to this insert. Given how tight the space is in the port aft locker I can only assume that the heater was fitted with the gas locker removed. Will investigate this entry method as getting to the starboard side from the port side will be nigh impossible.

 

[robinwr]

Spent Sat removing said gas locker insert and found that this must have been the entry route to installing the heater - any suggestions as to how to fix insert in place without using the four hundred gallons of white silicone that the installer must have used. I'd like to be able to get at it again in a year to carry out a service of the glow plug and screen without having to go through the same procedure as last week.