Eberspaecher Ducting End Cap

[lpdsn]

I'm looking to reduce the number of outlets for my diesel heater. It currently has five outlets with just a D2 heater driving it, so the system is next to useless. (I suspect the original owner was ripped off, but that's another story).

Anyway, it looks as though it'd be quite easy to convert it to just two outlets for the aft cabins. There's a T junction with, judging from my measurements, 75mm fittings. So the idea is to fit an end cap to one of these, after taking off the pipe that leads to the three outlets further forward. However I don't seem to be able to find a 75mm end cap on-line. I can find other sizes.

Am I not looking hard enough? Or is it normal to use a reducer with a smaller end cap?

 

[pvb]

Can't you just cap it off yourself? Perhaps use a piece of plastic glued on.

 

[PCUK]

Why not replace the T junction with a straight joint?

 

[NormanS]

Mine has one permanently open vent, and three closable vents. Why not fit some of them?

 

[Yngmar]

Let me add one to these already sound suggestions: After a long time of trying to get two hoseclips to clamp together a piece of air ducting (via some sort of duct joint) underneath the heads sink, where you can really only get one arm inside at a time, I gave up on it. As a temporary fix, I used duct tape to join the bits and seal them. Much to my surprise, duct tape worked shockingly well on air ducts! Half a year and many hours of hot air blowing through later, the joint is still sound and doesn't leak. I'd be tempted to slap that on the unused duct and declare it job done

 

[pcatterall]

As stated can't you remove the T and just have a straight run. (and join the bits with duct tape ....if yngmar can do it!!)
I don't like Ts anyway as they do reduce air flow significantly.
If the ducting is insulated and you can open or close vents you should have a bit of heat from a D2.
Or swap for a D4!!

 

[lpdsn]

A few suggestions. Thanks for those so far, but none have hit the nail on the head so maybe a bit more background needed to help people fine tune them.

I want to make the minimal changes possible, partly so that there is the potential to reverse them in the future. I'm not a great believer in diesel heaters so see no point in investing in a D4 when I have a D2 that works albeit in a poor installation. I'm willing to throw a few tens of Pounds/Euros at this but no more and I don't want a bodged solution. I can see the advantage of duck tape to seal a leaky joint, but I don't expect it to be suitable for blocking off a duct a foot or two away from the heater itself.

The open end of the T junction won't be anywhere useful when I take the ducting off it. It'll simply be heating the steering gear with no benefit to anyone in any of the accommodation, so there's no point in fitting any vent there. It needs to be closed off so all the warm air goes off the other way. The adjacent cabin is on the route I want to keep open.

And in the best boat maintenance tradition, it's also a very uncomfortable and awkward place to reach. I've worked on wiring nearby, so I know how hard this is going to be. Another reason for minimal changes.

My plan is to disconnect the unwanted ducting at the T junction and fit an end cap. Simple, except end caps don't seem to come in the right size. Has anyone on here achieved this by fitting a reducer and end cap?

 

[David2452]

A few suggestions. Thanks for those so far, but none have hit the nail on the head so maybe a bit more background needed to help people fine tune them.

I want to make the minimal changes possible, partly so that there is the potential to reverse them in the future. I'm not a great believer in diesel heaters so see no point in investing in a D4 when I have a D2 that works albeit in a poor installation. I'm willing to throw a few tens of Pounds/Euros at this but no more and I don't want a bodged solution. I can see the advantage of duck tape to seal a leaky joint, but I don't expect it to be suitable for blocking off a duct a foot or two away from the heater itself.

The open end of the T junction won't be anywhere useful when I take the ducting off it. It'll simply be heating the steering gear with no benefit to anyone in any of the accommodation, so there's no point in fitting any vent there. It needs to be closed off so all the warm air goes off the other way. The adjacent cabin is on the route I want to keep open.

And in the best boat maintenance tradition, it's also a very uncomfortable and awkward place to reach. I've worked on wiring nearby, so I know how hard this is going to be. Another reason for minimal changes.

My plan is to disconnect the unwanted ducting at the T junction and fit an end cap. Simple, except end caps don't seem to come in the right size. Has anyone on here achieved this by fitting a reducer and end cap?

I'm assuming that the "straight through" part of the Tee is what you want to exclude from the system, in which case remve the Tee and replace with an elbow. Should you wish to use a 75mm to 60 mm reducer and a 60mm blanking cap then the part numbers are End cap part # Webasto 9009319D
Reducer part # Eber 251226890050

 

[lpdsn]

I'm assuming that the "straight through" part of the Tee is what you want to exclude from the system, in which case remve the Tee and replace with an elbow. Should you wish to use a 75mm to 60 mm reducer and a 60mm blanking cap then the part numbers are End cap part # Webasto 9009319D
Reducer part # Eber 251226890050

Thanks. Much appreciated. Do you know if the reducer is likely to fit straight onto the T-piece, or whether I'd need a short piece of ducting between them?

It is the straight through piece as you assume, but getting two hands on the parts for any length of time to fit an elbow is going to be very uncomfortable. (Taking off the autopilot, quadrants and dropping the rudder would make it a lot easier, but that would require a lift out - hence trying to keep it simple enough that I can do most of the work one-handed )

 

[David2452]

Thanks. Much appreciated. Do you know if the reducer is likely to fit straight onto the T-piece, or whether I'd need a short piece of ducting between them?

It is the straight through piece as you assume, but getting two hands on the parts for any length of time to fit an elbow is going to be very uncomfortable. (Taking off the autopilot, quadrants and dropping the rudder would make it a lot easier, but that would require a lift out - hence trying to keep it simple enough that I can do most of the work one-handed )

The reducer is designed to snap onto the other fittings so no interface duct should be needed, I usually smear a little silicone on when fitting as they can be a little loose and allow air to escape. What dumb ass thought a poor little D2 could manage 5 outlets, 2 is really the limit, If it is not already fitted I would strongly recommend duct insulation if you want the best from it.

 

[lpdsn]

The reducer is designed to snap onto the other fittings so no interface duct should be needed, I usually smear a little silicone on when fitting as they can be a little loose and allow air to escape. What dumb ass thought a poor little D2 could manage 5 outlets, 2 is really the limit, If it is not already fitted I would strongly recommend duct insulation if you want the best from it.

Thanks. And thanks for the silicone tip.

The two outlets I'm going to keep are short runs to the aft cabins, so it should manage.

One day I might do something about the other three outlets in which case I think I'll have to go for retrofitting insulated ducting as you say. I suspect the 'dumb ass' was paid for a five outlet system when the boat was first commissioned.