Mikuni v Webasto v Eberspacher v ??

RutlandMike

RutlandMike

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2 Sep 2006
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www.sam2.us
Can anyone recommend which type of diesel heater is the best for a 42 ft grp cruiser with 5 vents? I haven't been able to find a comparison site and I don't want to balls up such an important bit of kit (living aboard soon). Any advice gratefully received.
 
IMO - I will NEVER buy another Eberspacher. They are designed to be used in Trucks and have been very poorly adapted to the marine environment. I have had nothing but trouble with my last two and I know several people who have had similar problems.

The engineers keep saying things like - it in a damp environment - of course it went wrong.........

buy one of the others
 
Cannnot agree with Temptress on this. Eberspacher every time. Our first lasted 17 years, and has now been replaced by the more modern model which is superb
 
Got 3 Webasto on my Broom 42 (Rear & Cockpit, saloon & forward central heating, & a hot water heater) never had any trouble in 2 seasons. Support from Webasto dealer on fitting the hot water system was brilliant. Call Toby at Keto on 01202715171.
 
I had Eberspacher for 6 years and it worked most of the time but was very loud.
When it went wrong it was a sod to trace and the unit had to come out.

If it is for live aboard best put two small units on ready for one to be in the work shop.

I have webasto now and almost silent.

Just two years old and no problems to date.


I have no comment on milkuni.
 
Just to confuse matters further i have a 4kw Wallas which has been excellent. You don't have to call out a man with a laptop if it trips out a couple of times either.
 
I am very happy with my eber as well. only thing I did not like was the fuse block - poor design
I have 5 vents with an airtronic D4
 
Only yesterday I signed at last the Eberdispatchers death warant, after seven years of hell, umpteen spare parts, a court case and thousands of pounds in expence. Went for a Weberspatcher. £500 cheaper.

I'll let you know!!
 
No voices here yet for Mikuni, so here goes:-

I've done awful things to it (as in restarting it four times in quick succession - still works).
It's tucked away in the back of the boat where it's damp. Still works
Used it for 6 seasons with no new parts. Still works.
But is is a wet one feeding radiators - enough hot air around here already.
Yes it is noisy.
No lockouts, just keep trying.
Good website with diagnostic details posted.

Under the covers these machines are all the "same" - I'm sure that the major components, if not indeed all are made by the same companie(s). They were all designed as truck heaters, the wet ones to stop the engine freezing, the hot air ones to heat the cab. They merely have been "modified" for marine use.

Getting a large heat output into a unit the size of a generous box of chocolates means good control mechanism design and fast reactions to avoid meltdown when there is a malfunction. So they're likely to be noisy and a bit temperamental at times.

I'm happy with my Mikuni,
Lots ditto with an eber,
and lots with a Webasto.
As they units are similar - that's not surprising. It's all down to the support you get from whom-ever.
 
Depends of you're a competent DIYer or will be looking for dealer backup. If dealer, then select the heater based on whicheved dealer/service agent is nearest to you.

I've two Eberspachers (no experience of others); Airtronic D2 on last boat and Hydronic 5 on current boat. Service manuals for both are available on www.espar.com. Airtronic is very simple to strip down and rebuild. Hydronic also simple but you do need a couple if specialist (read expensive) tools to remove pins from plugs in wiring harness inside heater. If you go for Eber, make sure you get the latest timer modulator control unit as this also displays diagnostic error codes which at leats points you in the direction of the problem.

Never had a problem I couldn't fix. If you run them on red diesel then expect to strip and clean the combustion chamber annually (or more frequently if live-aboard) as the carbon build-up prevents the flame forming correctly and they shut down. To give an idea of time - used to take me 2 hours to remove, srip down, clean, rebuild and refit the D2. You could install a separate fuel tank for the heater and run it on road diesel (better) or parafin (best) to keep it cleaner.

Parts aren't cheap, but its the labour costs that are the real killer, so if you can DIY then they are reasonably cheap to keep going.

Had the Hydronic for just over a year now and have stripped/rebuilt it once for a clean. Had three fuel metering pumps (under warranty) for this one - its a 24v model and they seemed to have a bad batch of 24v pumps! Do consider water as well as air. Depends on your boat which is best. Fr my current boat is was far easier to get 22mm and 15mm Hep2O piping around the place then 75+mm air ducting. Heater supplies two 2kw fan matrix units and conventional double radiator and a heated towel rail in the heads - luxury!!! Could also heat a calorifier if required, but we have an instant gas water heater.

All the makes seem as good or as bad as each other; guess it all depends on the experience individuals have had with theirs and the service backup and costs incurred.

Stay warm!

Jerry
 
I have recently purchased a 2001 BROOM 35cl with Eberspacher heating. Hot air flows well from flapped outlets, but cold air is blown at the same time from mesh grills. Any ideas as to how this may be regulated? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Not quite sure what you mean by mesh grilles. Are you sure there isn't a separate cool air system, perhaps on the same circuit and with a switch which you haven't found yet?
 
We,ve had Eberspacher on all our last seven boats, (currently D5L in a 42' sportscruiser). Only one gave any bother, on an S37, and to be honest it was a pain to sort out, but once done it was fine (taken away by Krueger to be rebuilt).

The current unit works fine (five years old) and gives no problems at all (shouldn't have said that with winter on the doorstep!).
 
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