Eberspacher Starting

[scottb34300]

Hi,

I have installed an Eberspacher D1LC into my boat. It connects directly to a 110ah battery. However, it will not start unless the engine is running. The battery is fully charged. How can i get it to start without starting the engine everytime?

Could it be the size of the wire etc?

All help appreciated.

Many thanks,

Scott.

<hr width=100% size=1>Scott.

 

[Talbot]

almost certainly the size of the wiring. I dont know what size you have now, or how long the cable run, but the voltage loss when using a thin wire and trying to extract a lot of power would seem to be the most obvious suspect. That loss then being made up when the engine is running due to the higher voltage from the alternator. Is your wire the correct eberspacher stuff, or have you made it up yourself? The bare minimum would be wire with a cross section of 4.5mm. I dont know the exact figures for the smaller heater, but my 4 kw airtronic has 8mm from batteries to main distribution panel and abt the same from there to the heater unit.

Further useful data:
The initial start up current requirement is high, while the glow plug is heated up, but thereafter, the current draw is ruled mainly by the fan speed. This is a second reason for using a thermostat and programme controller (i.e. to conserve electricity), the prime reason is that if you just cut all power to an eber just after it has been running (especially if it was at high heat) the system is not able to go into a cool down cycle and the heat has to go somewhere! Keep that main switch out of the reaches of the young crew!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[TonyS]

I agree with Talbot. If you have a voltmeter see what you are getting at the heater. It needs more than 10.6 volts when starting and consuming 20 amps to heat the glow plug, pump and turn the fan. I used mains flexible cable which is rated at 16 amps and doubled it.(ie 32 amps). It works perfectly without the engine.
Tony

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony

 

[TrailerSailer]

I've got a D1LC as well and use about a 2.5m length of domestic 10mm cross section cable. As this is solid strand there could be some vibration problems leading to cracked cable according to the experts. So far OK.

Watch for any non starts as the heater has a fault memory that counts these up (low voltage is one such fault out of many). When you hit the magic number - six I think - there is no option but to get the heater reset. Cost me about £50 including a good check over.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[gibbo26]

Check the inline fuse if fitted, these do not like damp conditions!!
Any corrosion will drop enough volts to stop it starting on battery alone without the extra voltage from the alternator.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[AndrewJ]

I noticed that mine would take awhile to start. Could it be that you're not waiting long enough for it to start?

<hr width=100% size=1>The only easy day was yesterday