Mikuni Eberspacher or Webasto

[Sans Bateau]

Welcome to the forum, it looks like you are being guided in the right direction already. However, just in case you have some mad impulse to go for a Mikuni, as good as they may be, just check the current draw, its huge compare to Eber or Webasto.

Myself I have an Eber, self installed.

 

[temptress]

Anything except an Eberspacher. I have a Eberspacher fitted new and professionally. I would recommend you do not buy an Eberspacher.

IMO they are unreliable, expensive and I would NEVER fit one again. They are akward to service, spare parts are expensive and their customer sefvice and delailer network is a joke.


I know several other boat owners who regert making the choice for an ebber – mostly due to servicing problems and VERY bad customer service.


A few years ago I moved my boat over 200NM to get to a different part of their service network but still found the same problems. I’ve even tried speaking and writing to eber but they seem to just not care.

I regret fitting one. I never know if it’s going to work. The boat next door gave up on his ebber 3 years ago and fitted a new webasco in it;’s place. He has had no problems but I have had nothing but problems with mine.

This is all a pity because 15 years ago I lived on-board in Norway over 2 winters and the eber I had then was great but now it’s a completely different matter…………



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[JerryHawkins]

It really depends on whether you intend to service yourself or pay someone to do it for you. If DIY, then go for an Eberspacher as all the technical manuals are available to download from the manufacturers website. I have not been able to find manuals for Webasto or Mikuni (unless, I suppose, you are an authorised service agent).

I have had two Eberspachers, an Airtronic D2 on last boat and a Hydronic 5 on current boat. They don't need annual servicing (as another poster said) - they need servicing when they fail to start, which could be a couple of months or a couple of years depending on how much you use it! Mine have always worked perfectly - when they fail to start first time, just do a strip-down and de-coke and all is fine again.

Parts are expensive, but then (apart from one blower motor) my parts replacement consists of the glow pin strainer gauze and gaskets.

 

[michael_w]

I'm very pleased with my recently fitted Mikuni. Not having to deal with those arrogant and very expensive people at Ebersplutter UK ever again!

 

[rickym]

I fitted a webasto airtop 2000 to a Sadler 32 2 years ago. Works fine. Reliable and gives plenty of heat from 2 outlets (saloon and forepeak). Insulate the duct pipe as you don't want to heat the lockers (except possibly a hanging locker).
I was recommended by the Webasto people to run it at full tilt once a month to burn off any carbon within the unit. We always run it whenever we come into harbour by the time we have moored up the cabin is like toast! Doesn't draw much power either. Get the timer control as it can come on before you get up. I have had to resite the manual control so I can reach it from my bunk!