Installing a Webasto heather

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bromleybysea

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I'm about to install a Webasto air heater. A couple of points- can I run the fuel supply from the spare way on the CAV primary filter? I can't get to the top of the diesel tank without major structural demolition so can't install a dip stick take off. Second questions is: the kit comes with copper fuel pipe- is their any reason I cant use all rubber fuel hose as on the engine? The instructions says that the copper line must be flared if it is joined to rubber hose at any point- is this strictly necessary as I'm sure the engine fulel connections aren't- I can see it would be best practice but I don't really want to go to the expense of a flaring tool for one small job. Thanks chaps. ( I expect you will be hearing from me agian on this one!)
 
A lot of what you read in instruction manual's are "best practice" and not always strictly necessary this is where your common sense comes in.

Assuming that the rubber pipe will be jubilee clipped over the copper pipe and the flare is to prevent the rubber sliding off.

I have used copper olives to produce a ridge on copper pipes ( tightened the compression fitting on the pipe and then removed the fitting) If you need to do both ends of the pipe you will need to saw one of the nuts off or leave it slid up the pipe.

Or you could carefully bell out the end of the copper with a philips screwdriver or steel rod, make sure the end is smooth and push into the rubber pipe and importantly, blow through afterwards to ensure the rubber has not blocked the pipe and the pipe is clear.

pete.
 
Can't help with the second part re copper vs rubber, but with the idea of taking off from the primary engine filter, try to make sure that air cannot be sucked back in from the Webasto line causing engine problems-think how you will bleed all the lines through if you were to have to in order to restart the engine..Would you have to fire up the Webasto to clear any air pockets?

Taylors specifically advise against this set up for that reason. And by the time the fuel lines have gone up and down and around the place I can see their point. My own cunning solution (or so I thought) was, pretty much like yours, to fit two primary filters with changeover valve to the engine and then run the heater off of an extra tap on one filter..
In the end I went for a separate line from the fuel tank( old Eber outlet).

Could you not drain the fuel tank, undo the shutoff valve to the engine fuel line right there and replace this with a threaded T piece right there at the tank and fit two shutoff valves, new fuel line to Webasto etc?
 
by coincidence....

I am starting in the install of a Webasto 3500. Our idea for the fuel supply is to go with a small separate tank and run it on Kerosine. Several technicians tell me that these little furnaces run a lot cleaner and longer without servicing if one uses the cleanest-possible fuel.
Over here in the states our pump diesel is #2, and is nowadays further laced with a witches brew of environmentally-correct added chemicals for vehicle use -- no problem for trucks and cars since they burn it up before any of the added substances change or separate... not so good for sailers where the tank contents can sit for six months at a time.
Rumor is that in the UK and Europe you use #1 diesel which avoids my "dirtier diesel" problem, anyhow.

Keep us posted on your install. I am still trying "imagineer" just how to route 4" duct work thru some spaces that a cat would have a difficult time getting into! :rolleyes:

Regards,
Old Cruiser
 
I fitted mine from the spare port on the CAV filter as you would like to do. I did fit a tap as well to isolate the heater side for the reasons mentioned above. As time progressed I forgot about the tap so it is left on permanently, with no adverse problems.
The whole system works well but I suppose I should turn the tap off after use.:o
As for flaring the copper, use a screwdriver as described above.;)
 
Our local Webasto fitter always uses the spare take off from the CAV filter so that is what I did. Apart from the possibility of using all your diesel for heating and leaving none for the engine there is the potential for getting an air leak as the solenoid fuel pump wears. A shut off valve would solve that but I have not bothered as yet.

The copper pipe is essential if you are fitting out for use on UK inland waterways. If you are doing that you also need to fit the solenoid pump in a metal box. For normal use at sea you are free to use fire resistant rubber pipe of the correct internal dimension if you so wish. As most boats use this for their engine supply I cannot see that you are increasing the fire risk.

I used the copper pipe apart from a short run from the CAV filter to the pump. There were several feet of copper surplus but rather than have to flare the end I put several coils in the end of the pipe so that I could use the manufactured flared end. The coils are recommended by some to absorb vibration and reduce the liability for pipe fracture but others suggest they may enhance the risk.

Both Webasto and Eberspacher advise against using red diesel and suggest using white road diesel. If you look at inland waterway forums you will find prolonged vitriolic discussions particularly about Eberspacher. One member even won a court case against Eberspacher for selling an item unfit for purpose as it could not be relied on when run or red diesel. Most of the complainants were liveaboards who use their heaters much more than the average yachty but if you run your heater on red diesel it will inevitably require more servicing than if run on white and the cost of extra servicing would be far more than any small increase in the cost of diesel for the average yacht - the only problem is the practicality of lugging cans of diesel about.
 
fuel system

Hi
i fitted a heater to my boat,came off the fitting on top of fillter then to a filter unit of a toyota lucinda estima,this has a non return valve in side and has a primer pump on the top as well,this unit also has a water warning float in side as well just conect one wire to earth and the uther to a warning light bulb,hopr this is of help
yuors ocean pilgrim
 
heather

Great stuff. Shame Heather didn't warm you up Seagreen. I hope her replacement was "hot"! As for the cat, as this is going in a Rustler 31, there are places where even a mouse would be challenged to find its way through. I will probably install the heater at the back of the engine space with a heating air intake to the outside somehow. Then I can bring the outlet duct under the engine, exiting in the cabin sole just in front of the comanionway.
 
I had a problem with the instalation of my webasto pump (I put it in the wrong orientation) as well as fixing this I also replaced copper with clear plastic suplied by Keto who service and install webasto.
 
bromleybysea said:
Then I can bring the outlet duct under the engine, exiting in the cabin sole just in front of the comanionway.
Click to expand...
I did something similar to this on my Sarum 28: just one hot air outlet firing straight up the centre of the saloon from under the companion way steps. It heated the boat quite adequately without needing circuitous ducting runs.
 
Beam me up

Sort of like self tailing wenches for sale, on eBay.

We tried installing Heather too,
but she's too cold as a bowsprit
and we've opted for the fiberglass molded version....
 
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