How to reset a Ebersbacher d4 airtronic cabin heater

[andrewgould97]

Once again the dreaded ebersbacher cabin heater has packed up. Do these things ever work properly? Before I finally chuck the thing overboard does anyone know of a way of resetting it?
It last worked a month ago in August, but since then have renewed alternator and batteries (this may be coincidental) and it gets power from the control unit but fails to fire up. I can get it to work in 'ventilation' mode which confirms that both the control unit and the motor are working. It says it is heating as you get that little symbol with threee upward arrows, but at that point there is no air coming through and no attempt at heating. Now someone has suggested that it locks out after an error an has to be reset. None of the manuals provide the correct information for the diagnostics or resetting. Does anyone out there have a clue how to reset it? Control unit was new this year and it was serviced, so reluctant to try that again.
Thanks, Andrew

 

[misterg]

Hello & welcome

Try the fault-finding guide here

What sort of controller do you have? The 7 day timer can retrieve diagnostic codes & reset the ecu *if* that proved necessary.

Andy

 

[Martin_J]

I did not think the D4 controller had lockout - that was something on the D1Lc range of controllers.

Does the fuel pump start ticking (and is the temperature set above zero bars)?

Before the fuel pump and fan are even started there is a check of things like the glow plug, the FMP (fuel metering pump) and the overheat sensor. If any of these have failed then the unit will not energise the glow pin, nor will it start the fan. Also - if the fan does start but not get to the correct speed - things will also shut down.

Easiest things to check first are glow pin and overheat sensor resistances...

See p14 of the Eberspacher D4 technical instructions below...
www.mellorautoelectrical.co.uk/product_uploads/12416150873.pdf


Any more questions just ask... and let us know how you get on because you may need the special tool (12mm deep/split socket) to remove the glow pin..

 

[ghostlymoron]

Do these things ever work properly?

There are many Ebers working satisfactorily - Nobody posts on this forum to say theirs is working, they only write in when they've gone wrong.
Having said that - your first action should be to interrogate the control unit for recorded faults (if you have the controller with diagnostic facility). This will tell you what is wrong. If you haven't got diagnostic facility, you'll have to resort to a repair man or borrow one.
Follow this link for accessing diagnostics and some fault codes. A full list of codes is available on the web but Buddha knows where.
http://www.eberspacher.com/downloads/technical-documents/timer_20391.pdf

Full list found (its quite a long!)
Fault Code Fault Description Causes / Repair
000 Normal Operation
001 Warning - overvoltage Check vehicle charging system.
002 Warning - undervoltage Check batteries and connections.
004 Warning - short in blower signal Check for short between pin 1 to blower relay. If no shor t
exists replace control unit.
005 Warning - short circuit in anti-theft Check for short between pin 2 and alarm relay.
alarm output
009 TRS - shut down Check for change of signal from (+) to (-) at pin 10 or a (+)
signal at pin 12.
010 Overvoltage Check voltage between terminals 9 and 11.
This must be less than 15.9 volts
(15.2 volts with glow plug on).
Check vehicle charging system.
011 Undervoltage shut down Check voltage between control unit pins 9 and 11. This must
be greater than 10.5 volts (9.5 volts with glow plug on).
Check batteries and connections.
012 Overheat Check for possible causes of overheat.
Check overheat switch resistance values.
(see component value chart).
013 Overheat at flame sensor Flame sensor senses temperature above 340°C (resistance
value above 2270 W ). Check flame sensor resistance
values and overheat switch resistance values
(see component value chart ) .
015 Too many overheats Control unit limits heater to 3 consecutive overheats (fault
code12,13). Remove cause of over heat. Reset control unit
using control unit tester or fault code retrieval device to
unlock control unit.
020 Open circuit - glow plug Check glow plug for break in coils.
Check resistance across glow plug leads
(1-2 W ). Check for continuity between pins 6 and 9. If afore
mentioned checks okay, replace control unit.
021 Short circuit - glow plug Check glow plug for short across coils.
Check pin 6 to glow plug for short.
If glow plug short detected, replace glow plug.
If afore mentioned checks okay replace control unit
025 Diagnostics ouput short Check for short between pin 4 and diagnostics and
output connection.
033 Burner motor speed deviation Motor speed varies from specification by more than 10%
for longer than 30 seconds. If too slow, check for
restriction, and check for shor t in motor circuit or control
unit. If none found, replace blower. If too fast, check for
damage to magnetic sensor control on control unit.
Replace blower motor if damaged.
Replace control unit otherwise.
21
Fault Code Fault Description Causes / Repair
047 Short circuit - fuel metering pump Check for short between pin 3 and fuel metering pump.
Test fuel metering pump.
048 Open circuit - fuel metering pump Check for open circuit between pins 3 and fuel
metering pump.
050 Too many no start attempts Control unit restricts heater to 10 start
attempts (20 starts if no flame is detected
during start attempts). Check fuel, glow plug,
combustion air and exhaust flow. Use control unit tester
or fault code retrieval device to unlock control unit.
051 Faulty flame recognition Allow heater to cool 15 minutes then try restart.
Check flame sensor resistance value.
052 No start safety time exceeded No flame detected on start attempt.
Temperature at flame sensor <100°C (1380W ).
Check flame sensor resistance values. Check
fuel, glow plug, combustion air and exhaust flows.
053 Flame cutout in boost mode Heater has started successfully the flame has
extinguished. Check fuel supply. Check combustion air
and exhaust flow. Check flame sensor resistance value.
054 Flame cutout in high mode Heater has started successfully the flame has
055 Flame cutout in medium mode extinguished. Check fuel supply.
056 Flame cutout in low mode Check combustion air and exhaust flow.
Check flame sensor resistance value.
060 Open circuit - external temperature Temperature sensor detects a value beyond it's range
sensor Check connections.
061 Short circuit - external temperature Check sensor resistance between pins 8 and 13
sensor > 2800W - open
<280W> 2800W - open
poteniometer (control switch) <280W> 3200 W - open
071 Open circuit - overheat sensor < 200 W - shor t
090 Control unit defect Internal failure. Replace control unit.
091 External voltage disturbance Check vehicle charging system.
092 Control unit defective Internal failure. Replace control unit.
093
094
096 Control unit defective (internal Internal failure.
temperature sensor) Replace control unit or use external sensor.
097 Control unit defective (power failure) Internal failure. Replace control unit.

 

[savageseadog]

Eberspachers are a load of rubbish, I'll save you trouble of throwing it away by exchanging it for some beer tokens.

 

[andrewgould97]

Thanks v much for all the replies, as I now have something to go on. Curiously, the diagnostics on the 701 controller does not come up with anything at all. according to the manual, if you hold the Heat button down (fatface symbol) it should show 'Data' then the diagnostic code, but it doesnt do this.

The trouble shooting guide looks promising. I feel it must be the power to the unit. After all it was working in August and all that has changed is new alternators and batteries.

Anyhow, thanks for all the advice and will let you know what it turns out to be. Probably something stoopid!

Andrew

 

[Converging]

I would look straight away at the fuel pump and check its delivering fuel. Its an easy check to do. The pump clicking does not always mean the fuel is flowing. Also check all the joins on the fuel line as if these become loose the pump sucks air and not diesel.

 

[Mrnotming]

eberspacher

If it had water lying in a dip in the exhaust run, it might be worth trying the coat hangar/ladies tampon solution to dry out the lodged water.Some boats have been cured with this dodge!
Good sailing and boating to all!

 

[andrewgould97]

Found the solution: Those who suggested the fuel pump can award themselves top marks! The wire had been pulled out of the fuel pump, so no power was going to it.
Interestingly, even though the controller looks identical to the one in the manual it does not have any diagnostics, or at least not accessible according to instructions. I think the controller is one of the most mysterious objects on board, quite a mystery to know when its on. Have found out now, for anyone new to Epersbacher reading this, that 3 vertical lines means 'ON' and a P with a line through it means 'OFF' . (I wonder why they dont have the words ON and OFF). Also the brown wire (not black) is the negative wire from the heater. Such little things seemed destined to throw amateurs like me off the scent.

thanks for all the help.
Andrew

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Hi ghostlymoron just a note to say that my Eber is working perfectly ....at the moment......and after spending £700 on it.
I still think that they were never engineered for marine applications and you just need to look at the bird's nest of wiring to see this.
For , andrewgould97 the simplest thing is to get a man with the diagnostic kit to look at it, get an estimate for repair and then decide what to do.

 

[pcatterall]

You may have the 'BT' timer as used in their vans, it doesnt have the diagnostic facility ( no blue/white lead?) If the symbol on the front is blue it is a 'proper' controller if it is white it is the BT version.

 

[trevora]

If it had water lying in a dip in the exhaust run, it might be worth trying the coat hangar/ladies tampon solution to dry out the lodged water.Some boats have been cured with this dodge!


As opposed to a gentleman's tampon?