Bathdave
Well-Known Member
Anyone got any figures for how many lph an Eberspacher is likely to use?
Fuel consumption on an eberspacher
- Thread starter Bathdave
- Start date
rob2
Well-Known Member
Which model? The manuals give consumption figures.
Rob.
Rob.
lpdsn
Well-Known Member
IIRC, my D2 says up to 0.6lph.
When I did the calculations a few years back, it was cheaper to run a 2KWh fan heater at my then marina's lecky rate.
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
If you're on shore power, a fan heater is far more efficient. It doesn't have multiple outlets though.
pvb
Well-Known Member
At typical marina shorepower prices, there's little difference in cost. I prefer to use my Webasto as it heats the boat more evenly.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
I usually do so too, but I plan to change to fan heating this winter. I've filled the diesel tank to exclude moisture, and I may as well keep it full.
Baddox
Well-Known Member
That’s a thorough and interesting comparison Yngmar. I never thought of the relative costs of diesel versus electric for heating; it does go some way to justify the 60:40 split though.
maby
Well-Known Member
Our Eber burns virtually nothing - because it is broken almost all the time. It failed late November last year and the main dealer finally reinstalled it in late July this year. It has run a few tens of hours since and has now failed completely again. This is a professionally installed, three and a half year old marine unit - not some ebay knockoff!
Buy Webasto - they just work.
Buy Webasto - they just work.
maby
Well-Known Member
It does rather depend on the size of the boat. 2kw is a bit low for ours and the 16A shore power is not happy running 4kw of heating plus incidentals like fridge and TV.
Momac
Well-Known Member
My Eberspacher is considerably better at heating the boat compared to my 2kW fan heater . As the Eberspacher is a D4 I guess that's 4kW heat output so the cost comparison would have to be with two 2kW fan heaters but don't try that as the electrical demand may well trip the shore power.
I have found the Eberspacher on my boat to be reliable and don't have any evidence to suggest it has been serviced in its 13 year life . Coming into its third winter with me. I always turn the controller up to full power for 20 minutes before switching it off so as to clear out any soot that might have accumulated while it has been trundling along at low power.
Also I try to find an excuse to give the heater a go once in a while in the less cold months as lack of use is potential worst enemy of anything on the boat.
I would say we used the boat and the heater regularly the last two winters and consumed about £50 in diesel for heating each season.
I don't regard that as a significant sum. I think we would have used the same or more in gas heating if we stayed at home. I believe the heater is using less than half a litre an hour at full power and a tenth of a litre per hour on a low setting .
My Eberspacher was thought to be faulty at pre purchase survey but the problem was caused by the batteries, which were shot.
I have found the Eberspacher on my boat to be reliable and don't have any evidence to suggest it has been serviced in its 13 year life . Coming into its third winter with me. I always turn the controller up to full power for 20 minutes before switching it off so as to clear out any soot that might have accumulated while it has been trundling along at low power.
Also I try to find an excuse to give the heater a go once in a while in the less cold months as lack of use is potential worst enemy of anything on the boat.
I would say we used the boat and the heater regularly the last two winters and consumed about £50 in diesel for heating each season.
I don't regard that as a significant sum. I think we would have used the same or more in gas heating if we stayed at home. I believe the heater is using less than half a litre an hour at full power and a tenth of a litre per hour on a low setting .
My Eberspacher was thought to be faulty at pre purchase survey but the problem was caused by the batteries, which were shot.
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
I'd guess that eberspacher s are more reliable than their reputation on here . Users only ask questions when they're not working and don't when they're fine. Most problems with boat heaters are due to low voltage cutout.
No Regrets
Well-Known Member
My D4 was last serviced in 2010, is run flat out apart from Summer months, and is faultless (awaits smoke and large bill!!)
Diesel consumption is not significant IMHO for the vast amounts of heat it provides to all areas of my 32 footer!
I use electric heating on shore when it's likely to be frosty, usual marina bill is £100 for three months, which is still far less than winterising, which I don't do. Boat is always warm dry and toasty when we arrive (Heating on 24/7: Two tubes in aft cabin and 2K'W running on thermostat in front cabin) Due to the fact both areas surround the engine bay, the motors are immune to the cold!
Diesel consumption is not significant IMHO for the vast amounts of heat it provides to all areas of my 32 footer!
I use electric heating on shore when it's likely to be frosty, usual marina bill is £100 for three months, which is still far less than winterising, which I don't do. Boat is always warm dry and toasty when we arrive (Heating on 24/7: Two tubes in aft cabin and 2K'W running on thermostat in front cabin) Due to the fact both areas surround the engine bay, the motors are immune to the cold!
David2452
Well-Known Member
No they are not, the major issues are fuel and poor installs.
pvb
Well-Known Member
And I'd guess that the majority of poor installations are bodged DIY jobs. This is all the more surprising when you consider the efforts which Eberspacher in particular have made to publish their manuals freely on the internet.
Alpha22
Well-Known Member
I bought a cheepy ex-BT unit off eBay.... DIY install. (followed manual as far as possible)
Always starts up..... runs for hours and hours. Usually run it flat out. 6 years in, one major DIY service (it was spotless inside) all is good.
pvb
Well-Known Member
Well done! You followed the manual, most don't bother, then they complain!
NormanS
Well-Known Member
My Eber D4 has worked faultlessly since I stopped using high sulphur diesel in it. I also run it on 2 or 3 litres of paraffin twice a year, in the belief that doing so may clean accumulated soot from the fins of the heat exchanger. I don't have any real interest in its running expense, I like to be warm, and to blazes with the cost, so it is on a lot, "summer" and winter.
David2452
Well-Known Member
Indeed, we noticed that (we already knew but owners did not accept it) about 6 months into the banning of high sulphur fuel on the Inland waterways and now have hardly any instances of premature coking on properly executed installs.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
I have one of the extremely unreliable Eberspachers on my boat, it's a D3l that was fitted in 1988. Runs like a watch and keeps the boat lovely and warm, doesn't use much diesel at all.
