how old is your eberspacher and installation?

[ChattingLil]

How long would you expect it to last - assuming it's been serviced and looked after properly?

My HWMO has recently been promoted to Chief Ship's Engineer and he has fixed our eber (we hope). However, in the course of his researches he spoke to someone who thought spending any money on our 'old' system would be a waste of cash. Seeing as a new installation is a lot of money, and at best will have only 3-year warranty - how long would you expect yours to last? And after what age would you consider it not worth repairing?

 

[pvb]

The D3L on my old boat was 24 years old when I sold it earlier this year, and worked fine. I serviced it a few times, but nothing too regular. If it had failed with, say, a £300 repair needed I'd probably have replaced the heater, re-using the existing ducting obviously.

 

[billgray]

My D3 is about 20years old, ducting even older I believe. I service it myself - decoke, replace screen etc. Had two major repairs in the last 8 years but works well and I would be reluctant to replace and would look to repair.
Bill.

 

[Talulah]

Approx 10 years old Eberspacher Airtronic D4.
The Eberspacher ducting has nearly all been replaced with Silicon Heater hose. Costs more but it's a one time only hit. Unlike the Eber ducting which deteriorates with time.
The room temp sensor recently failed. Cost £25 to replace although a DIY repair replacing a thermistor can be done for a couple of quid.
I've replaced the gauze in the housing a few times as part of servicing and try to run a litre of paraffin through it once a year to decoke it.
The main clue that servicing is needed is white smoke from the exhaust.
If white smoke continues after the heater is fired up then the tiny filter in the fuel pump may need replacing. I just removed mine.

 

[Grumpybear]

D3LCC, 15 years old and still working. Replaced the fan unit (with a second hand unit) two years ago as motor bearings failed, and decoked the unit about five years back (replaced the gauze as removing it for cleaning proved to be non-reversible). Otherwise, only problems have been with damp or grimy contacts in the electrics inhibiting start up from time to time.

 

[David2452]

I think the main point you make is serviced and looked after properly, few people do preventative maintenance which can lead to big bills, once past 15 years or so parts availability other than fairly run of the mill items becomes difficult. More so now, in the past the things rarely changed so parts were still available, Mikuni hasn't changed for goodness knows how long and though most models are now unavailable, parts though on extended delivery for some items are still available. Eber and Webasto do change the models though and many parts are not interchangeable. Speaking of proper service, who has changed their heat exchanger at 10 years, PSV and truck companies apart that is? I recently was lucky to source a lot of older Webo & Eber spares, many of them haven't been available for some time and it's surprising what they change hands for so somebody obviously wants to keep older heaters going.

 

[VicMallows]

I claim the record! Installed my D1L in summer 1986 so now over 28 years. I don't believe in 'regular servicing' but am acutely aware when things need attention. To date: 1 glow plug; motor stripped and refurbished (by self) due to errant circlip, chamber cleaned at same time; electrical modifications to assist starting.

 

[Heckler]

How long would you expect it to last - assuming it's been serviced and looked after properly?

My HWMO has recently been promoted to Chief Ship's Engineer and he has fixed our eber (we hope). However, in the course of his researches he spoke to someone who thought spending any money on our 'old' system would be a waste of cash. Seeing as a new installation is a lot of money, and at best will have only 3-year warranty - how long would you expect yours to last? And after what age would you consider it not worth repairing?

Mine is a D3LC, fitted from new in 1999. Knowing what I know now, I guarantee that it hadnt been serviced until I bought the boat 5 years ago. I did my, documented in PBO, run on paraffin and apart from the bearings sounding a bit noisy now it is fine.
Stu

 

[l'escargot]

I've got a D3L which I believe is the original fitted in 1990.

 

[pcatterall]

AS you see it can last many years. Ideally/officially you should replace the heat exchanger every so many years. You maybe unlucky and need a new ECU which can set you back £300.

 

[NormanS]

I renewed my 20 year old Eber, three or four years ago, and am amazed at how much less electricity it uses. Seems to be more efficient, and STARTS and RUNS.

 

[vyv_cox]

I installed mine in about 2000. For the first three or four years of its life it was used a lot but only occasionally since then. It has never been touched since installation and still runs perfectly. Has never run on red diesel, if that makes any difference.

 

[david_bagshaw]

I have a D7L installed by builders, del Jan 86.

It has been serviced by Bowers in stoke in the mid 90s, and by my self otherwise. Along with having a 15

2 x combustion screen and wick and one motor, burner bearing.

use to be 1 x glow plug each year, until running it either on full output or 1/2 output ie not on the thermostat. since they last years.

 

[bigwow]

I fitted an Airtronic D4 four years ago and if I don't finish fitting it soon it's likely to last forever

 

[steve123]

My DL3 was fitted from new in 1982. Needed a decoke and a new exhaust when I bought the boat in 2003. The previous owner had to get a new ECU.
It sometimes takes 2 attempts to start, otherwise fine. Not currently used much as I'm based on the west coast of France. I run it for 20 minutes or so every month when on board.

 

[345000]

Hi All,

One of the best things you can do with these is run them on kerosene every now and then. It makes them run slightly hotter and helps to reduce carbon build-up, which is the big Eber killer.

Best Regards,

DS.

 

[ChattingLil]

Hi All,

One of the best things you can do with these is run them on kerosene every now and then. It makes them run slightly hotter and helps to reduce carbon build-up, which is the big Eber killer.

Best Regards,

DS.

We've heard that too. Has anyone got any idea how much kerosene you'd need to run it for the appropriate lenght of time? I was thinking a couple of hours? Would you just put it in fuel jerry can and run the eber fuel hose into it?

 

[David2452]

We've heard that too. Has anyone got any idea how much kerosene you'd need to run it for the appropriate lenght of time? I was thinking a couple of hours? Would you just put it in fuel jerry can and run the eber fuel hose into it?

A fallacy bought about when we had some warranty issues and techs were advised (USA only) to try an hour run on paraffin of kerosine to remove soft soot in relatively new heaters only before replacing burners. Not so effective on baked on carbon, we have tried experiments and whilst it sometimes works it is by no means a sure method and usually does not, mind you when it does it is quite dramatic. Running full time on Kerosine however has been proven to significantly reduce carbon deposits. All this is pretty acedemic now if you have access to ULSD red, which most marinas have, the inland waterways introduced it in a law a few years ago and the incidence of warranty claims and premature coking has materially reduced since that date, especially on heaters that have never run on the old high sulphur red.

 

[david_bagshaw]

A fallacy bought about when we had some warranty issues and techs were advised (USA only) to try an hour run on paraffin of kerosine to remove soft soot in relatively new heaters only before replacing burners. Not so effective on baked on carbon, we have tried experiments and whilst it sometimes works it is by no means a sure method and usually does not, mind you when it does it is quite dramatic. Running full time on Kerosine however has been proven to significantly reduce carbon deposits. All this is pretty acedemic now if you have access to ULSD red, which most marinas have, the inland waterways introduced it in a law a few years ago and the incidence of warranty claims and premature coking has materially reduced since that date, especially on heaters that have never run on the old high sulphur red.

Thanks for that, most useful.

 

[laika]

hmm..thumbing through the handbook for my volvo 041D now trying to work out how to de-coke it. Failing that I suppose I'm going to have to work out how to run some much wider ducting for one of these new fangled jobbies...thank goodness for asda fan heaters...