Eberspacher - What a Rubbish Product

I think that's slightly unfair. I wouldn't dispute that a lot of people have problems with them, but when you look at how complex they are, then you have to accept that they need competent installation and proper regular servicing. And if you do, then it will be expensive, but it will also be reliable. If on the other hand, you buy a second hand ex-BT van unit, install it yourself, and never have it serviced, then it's probably going to fail. And it's so complex that you probably won't be able to mend it unless you fully understand how it works.

If you tried to design something from scratch with the same functionality, you'd most likely end up with something very similar, and equally as complicated as an Eber. And you'd have to treat it properly and service it regularly. Otherwise it would break.

I've got no connection to Eberspacher or their agents or service peeps or anything.
 
As I have said before on these forums - we installed a brand new Eberspacher and the only time its failed is when it run out of fuel which doesn't really count!

Too many people buy second hand Ebers and then don't even install them very well or with the right accessories and then make posts about getting them working. If the heater has been in a PO van or something, its probably already had thousands of hours of use.

Conversely one might argue that if they were such a duff product how come so many are sold. Its this large pool of heaters that means that they can be subsequently sold on second hand?

I maintain that its the old and knackered second hand ones that give the make a bad name in yachting circles. That and poor installation and lack of use on some boats. If they are not installed with the right controls perhaps they don't go through their correct warm up and run down sequences?
 
Not fair; mine (Eber warm air) is ten years old, properly serviced and never once failed. I've also a Webasato hot water heater on board which I fitted last year - fired up first time and never failed me yet.

rob
 
Too many people buy second hand Ebers and then don't even install them very well or with the right accessories and then make posts about getting them working. If the heater has been in a PO van or something, its probably already had thousands of hours of use.
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Absolutely right John. According to my "local" Eber man they keep getting the same ones back! (they can tell a units history by its serial no) One common fault is not allowing them to cool properly with the fan running before switching off which distorts the casing. This is not only true of boat ones but lorries too. A "bodge" will get them running again and then they appear at boat jumbles etc where people think they have a bargain. I fell for this once and regretted it. I bought a new D4 Airtronic though and traded the old one in for spares. It has run perfectly ever since. As far as the post office water heater ones re concerned though the story is a bit different. According to my chum who works for BT maintenance the heaters are provided cos Elfin Safety says they have to have them to wash their hands in hot water on site but they are rarely used. I bought one 4 years ago for £30 and it is still giving me hot water for shower and domestics when the engine isn't running.
Both are good. Both extend my cruising season considerably and I wouldn't be without them.
 
The main problem with them is poor installation, not surprising given the problems arising from installing on a sea boat. Fuel supply is the biggest single issue but there are other regulars including supply cable size and exhausts
 
Nah, sorry can't agree. Our Eber was fitted by a pro, is serviced regularly by Eber specialists and it packs up at least once a season. As I understand it the problem is that we don't use the thing regularly, for the reason below, I've heard it said that the best servicing for an Eber is to use it. My instincts are that it is too complex for the marine environment with fans, elements, filters that need regular cleaning plus an array of electronics to provide a thermostat and timer.

I now have a gravity fed diesel heater that pumps out more heat, uses no electricity (I don't spend much time in marinas), is mechanically controlled and I can service myself and am happy as larry.

I'll probably get the wretched thing serviced again this year, use it twice and then wonder why I bother. There's no denying that they provide quick heat but the noise, the battery use and the general aggravation puts them high up the list of things to use as an anchor should I need a mudweight.
 
Mine had a fault - board was changed under warranty, and has been great so far ever since (touch wood).

If I didn't read these forums I would conclude that it is a good machine!
 
If it packs in every year I would certainly question your assumptions that the installation set up is correct. It also shouldn't necessarily need servicing every year, it would have to be running a lot or there has to be something wrong if it does.

There is actually an argument that the space available in a yacht lends itself to a more ideal installation, compared to a commercial road vehicle or construction plant, where available space and restraints because of cab design often lead to complications. But a vehicle designer and manufacturer is more likely to get the installation correct, obviously not so with some yachts if there are annual repetitive failures.
 
I fitted my new D3L about 8 - 10 years ago. It has run faultlessly ever since, never been serviced in any way and is now used very rarely in the more pleasant temperatures of the Med. Nonetheless, it performs as intended when asked, a couple of times per season.

I took the fuel supply from downstream of the primary filter. It has never run on red diesel. I never turn the electrical power off before it has run through its cooling cycle. No idea whether these factors have any bearing on its reliability, but they might.
 
I think they are excellent heaters-------for lorries!!!

The multi-pin plugs and sockets are completely useless for the marine environmeent and always corrode.The fuel pump is a joke and should be integral with the heater head. The programmerr is not properly supported and the excess wiring dangles in the breeze.
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If it was designed for the marine environment it would have two units. One the heater and the other the control box complete with timer, thermostat ,fuses,programmer etc and a hard wiring harness in between.
As it is it is a design shambles and its a miracle it works at all!!!!!!!
 
A Dickinson Newport, as a result of a query to this board in 2004 when the feedback then was there were 2 or 3 worth looking at others include Reflex. Kuranda in the UK are agents for most of these, although I bought mine directly from the states. It was fitted by the yard for me, I'm no engineer.

Will Tomkinson [dmarine@dickinsonmarine.com] was very helpful (4-5 years ago, he might have moved on now).

Regarding Vyv's comment I think that red diesel is the root cause of the problem. The Dickinson will work on any crappy marine fuel and put with no end of abuse, it was designed to work on trawlers.....
 
Forums are amazing aren't they? You read complaint after complaint about a bad product then when one complains about the complaints you get killed in the "what complaints, mine runs perfect"

Laugh a minute on here.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The programmerr is not properly supported and the excess wiring dangles in the breeze.

[/ QUOTE ]
How can a description like that not point direct to a major instalation cock-up, my eber came with the boat and judging by other maintainence it had never seen any, I cleaned it up and refitted it and havn't done any more maintainence to it in 2 1/2 years, the only time it appeared unreliable was when I found the domestic batteries needed 4 litres of distilled water to top them up /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif replaced batteries and it's never let me down yet, has been run on red diesel, parafin, and heating oil with no problems.
On my previous boat I had a petrol outboard so used a separate tank to run a webasto and was advised to use parafin instead of diesel which I believe made it smell better outside the boat, the webasto was quieter too.
 
I am a great fan of Ebers and have to agree with a lot of what has been said by by the pro-eber lobby. They are complex bits of kit and have, quite rightly, lots of safety shut-down systems in place. You wouldn't want an out-of-control diesel "blow-torch" on your boat after all; better to be a bit chilly!

I think Vyv has hit the nail on the head with his comment that his has worked perfectly for years and HAS NEVER RUN ON RED DIESEL. Red certainly does seem to cause them to "coke up" much more quickly. My two ebers (airtronic d2 on last boat, hydronic 5 on this boat) were installed by me and have been serviced by me. The only part that has ever failed was a 24v fuel pump which was replaced under warranty - my local agent said they had had a "bad batch" of 24v pumps. All I ever do is strip-down, decoke and replace the glow-pin gauze. I only do this when the unit fails to start first time. This can be every 6-8 weeks in heavy winter use (on red diesel).

I do have a Refleks drip-feed diesel heater too and yes, this is extremely simple by comparison and uses no power - but, I can't phone it up and turn it on so that the boat is warm when I arrive!!!

Its horses for courses - safe "push-button" heat comes with certain draw-backs. I wouldn't be without my eber, but I also wouldn't pay the ridiculous servicing costs for someone else to look after it for me.
 
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