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claymore

claymore

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A local coach breaker is offering an eberspacher unit for £30. I'd have to sort out the ducting, fuel supply and electrics - will this be a good move or am I on the verge of a great mistake and should I be spending £1k+ on a dedicated boat one?
 
Which model is it? I recently paid £250 for an ex truck D1LC and have paid about another £60 for the conversion kit to provide copper pipes etc to meet marine standard. Ducting yet to buy but will still come out less than 50% price of a new one. Also had to buy additional fuel uptake for tank but would have needed that anyway. Not fitted yet - job ahead for winter months.

boatone@boatsonthethames.co.uk
 
Go for it if you know how to fit it...and you will allways get help..if everybody found alternatetive supplies maybe the chandlers would have to re think...
 
Do It, whats 30 quid if it works out well. as for ducting, try your local heating and ventulating engineers suppliers. Thats were I got my replacement ducting and its the insulated kind!
 
The instruction manual for mine goes into great detail on how to fit into vans, lorries and coaches but not boats so you should not have any difficulties but fit away from drips/leaks if possible. Watch you do not burn the glow plug out, they are pricey to replace.
 
Thanks All

Thanks for that gents - All helpful - I'll do it.
Thanks to Ken for the offer of a sight of the manual - that might be really useful.
regards
John S
 
I looked into a similar offer, but by the time you've added up the extras you'll need eg insulated exhaust at £200+, skin fitting at about £200, ducting, outlets, clamps, brackets, wiring loom, controller, etc you'll end up approaching new marine kit price. Do you know how many hours the truck unit has run for? If it breaks down, you just know that spares are going to be expensive! I went for new. Everything I needed was in the kit and I now have a unit with a warranty, so if things go wrong...

Still; you pays your money and takes your choice!

Regards,

Jerry
 
Hmm, Jerry
The vehicle was about 3 years old and looked in good condition - what was left of it! I'd roughly costed the bits out to around £550 -£600 and I think I'm handy enough to fit it myself.
You've raised a concern about reliability - apart from the obvious comment that a new one ought to be more reliable plus you get a guarantee - do you think there is a reliability issue with using a 2nd hand unit? Some components just like to be fitted and forgotten it seems and messing with them often spells the end for aproblem free operation.
 
Having looked at the Eberspacher web page (www.eberspacher.com) it looks as tho they made some big improvements to the air heaters last year. One point they make is that they have made improvements to the "glow pin".
I guess cause you can buy a new one with three years warranty for less then a grand (depending on size) and probably even cheaper at the LBS is it worth the hassle of bodging up an old one, I dont think so IMHO.
 
No particular reason to suspect reliability problems. Do you know which model you're being offered? Mine is the new baby of the range the Airtronic D2 (complete kit price £995 from Espartech at Mountbatten in Plymouth). I needed a longer exhaust then standard but less ducting so they juggled the prices and I paid the same at the end of the day. I fitted mine myself over 4 'easy' weekends 3-4 hours per day. My advice would be get the latest Sailing Today mag (sorry PBO et al!) as they have an article about how to fit one (just too late for me!!). Take your time - I spent far more time thinking and imagining ducting routes etc before actually drilling or cutting anything :) I'll say this, though, its money well spent; we spend more time on the boat than at home now - even at this time of year!

Good luck. Jerry
 
Techy manuals @ http://www.espar.com/htm/tecmans.htm
My advice for what it is worth is go for it. Fitted my own - ex-lorry and it works just fine. Only place I could fit it was under the saloon floor with vent led down from the top of the coachroof. Similarily had to make my own exhaust (chimney) to go back out the top of the coachroof. According to Eberspacher there is a maximum length for the exhaust which mine exceeds by a factor of about 4. Had to make an insulated exit on the deck and a extension chimney for when it is in use and a converted pot lid as a cover when it is not.
It did involve a bit of thought and detailed work to install but works great at a fraction of the cost of 'marine' unit.
 
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