Using paraffin to de-coke an Eber D5LC heater

[robinwr]

Hi - seen a few threads on the subject of using paraffin to de-coke Eber Airtronic heaters. I've seen the tip from Espar (http://www.espar.com/tech_manuals/Troubleshooting and Tips/Airtronic Flame Tube Carbon Removal.pdf) and wondered if anyone has tried this and if so what effect its had on the performance of the heater. This tip refers to D2 and D4 models - does the same apply to a D5?

I've been trying to locate mine (D5LC) on our Sun Odyssey 40 (found it under the gas locker in the starboard aft locker) but given the difficulty of access was wondering was this a first and relatively straightforward way of cleaning the burn chamber without removing the heater. At times the heater has produced a white smoke on start-up (unburnt diesel I assume) and am now working my way up to a full service.

Experiences and thoughts appreciated.

 

[savageseadog]

I use heating oil, kerosene

 

[robinwr]

Been looking up paraffin and kerosene to see if i can figure out the difference. From what I can glean on t'internet there are two products - both comply to BS2869 and are called kerosene in the US - premium kerosene is Class 1 and standard kerosene is Class 2. Here we call BS2869 Class 1 paraffin and BS2869 Class 2 kerosene - paraffin is used in kerosene lamps, stoves and heaters and kerosene (28sec) is what we burn in our domestic heating oil boilers.

I'm working on the basis that it is the Class 1 kerosene I should use as it has a slightly higher heat of combustion (presumably the extra heat is a controlled method of burning off soot deposits).

Does the use of kerosene have a positive effect on performance and how often do you run kerosene through the heater?

 

[David2452]

The Eberspacher service bulletin has been around for some years now and came about as a result of frequent warranty claims because of people using rubbish fuel on canals and the early coking it caused.
You can try it and it will do no harm but may well and does in a large number of cases help considerably. Disconnect at the tank standpipe and use al 4l container (the usually available size) to poke the pick up into, then start the heater as normal and run it almost out and then reconnect. Be aware that you may need to bleed the fuel or at least try a few start attempts to bleed any air introduced.

 

[robinwr]

Thanks for that - another job on the todolist for the weekend.

 

[Martin_J]

Hi..
The only way to prove it was to dismantle my heater.. run it on paraffin for six hours and then dismantle it again.

It cost me a second set of gaskets because one of them shatters as soon as you try to remove it.. but a previous post of mine shows the before/after photos. It made a huge difference. Will try and find the post - suffice to say the inside was shiny silver afterwards as opposed to gooey and black beforehand.

 

[Martin_J]

Previous post - with pictures.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258433

 

[NormanS]

I use high sulphur Marine gas oil, (no bio) on my boat, and have had problems with Eberspacher coking up. I have been advised to use white diesel for Eber, and have installed a dedicated tank.

If kero (heating oil) would be good for Eber, it would save me a lot of money. Can anyone confirm that Kerosene would be as good as paraffin, which is extra-ordinarily expensive?

 

[robinwr]

Hi - saw this post this morning whilst googling but without the photos. Bit of a difference. The heater is not in a convenient place for regular servicing and I'm pretty sure it hasn't been serviced in the last four years so will try using paraffin this weekend and see if that helps. Many thanks - I'll update next week.

 

[David2452]

I would go for the white diesel, or ultra low sulphur FAME free red which is available from many inland marinas so if it's all for heating you can declare 100%, get the mixture set up right as this is also a fairly common reason for coking up especially in self installs and ex Bt and the like units. That can be done by a dealer quite simply on an Ebo or if you have a Mikuni or Webasto and have access to an exhaust gas analyser you can do it yourself.

 

[savageseadog]

I use high sulphur Marine gas oil, (no bio) on my boat, and have had problems with Eberspacher coking up. I have been advised to use white diesel for Eber, and have installed a dedicated tank.

If kero (heating oil) would be good for Eber, it would save me a lot of money. Can anyone confirm that Kerosene would be as good as paraffin, which is extra-ordinarily expensive?

I've used straight kerosene without an issue

 

[Nauti Fox]

Me too, ever since I fitted it several years ago. Occasionally I use red if I run out.

 

[Heckler]

Hi - seen a few threads on the subject of using paraffin to de-coke Eber Airtronic heaters. I've seen the tip from Espar (http://www.espar.com/tech_manuals/Troubleshooting and Tips/Airtronic Flame Tube Carbon Removal.pdf) and wondered if anyone has tried this and if so what effect its had on the performance of the heater. This tip refers to D2 and D4 models - does the same apply to a D5?

I've been trying to locate mine (D5LC) on our Sun Odyssey 40 (found it under the gas locker in the starboard aft locker) but given the difficulty of access was wondering was this a first and relatively straightforward way of cleaning the burn chamber without removing the heater. At times the heater has produced a white smoke on start-up (unburnt diesel I assume) and am now working my way up to a full service.

Experiences and thoughts appreciated.

This months PBO, I did an article with lots of pix, it does work. Get a 4 litre pack of paraffin, take the inlet from the tick tick pump to the feed and shove it in the bottle of paraffin, run the paraffin down then reconnect. The white smoke on start up ususally signifys that the "gauze" is getting coked up. It should clean this.
Stu

 

[ukmctc]

I remove my D3L once a year and clean it out using, turps, petrol, diesel, gunk, what ever is available, she works fine no white smoke at all. The D5 should be no different.
you have all winter, take it off and clean it all up.
mine runs on red diesel direct from my main tank.

 

[MAURICE]

Another thing to consider is using an additional small in line filter before the pump. Its amazing after one year how filthy mine gets. They are easily available on ebay for a few pounds.


Maurice

 

[Talbot]

I use Fuel set in my main fuel tanks and thus the fuel for the heater is also treated. This works as an injector cleaner on the engine and helps promote clean burning and less smoke. It works just the same with the heater.

It also helps to keep clean tanks and avoid the bug.

I always used it on my last boat, and fuel set at that time was the only additive approved by Eberspacher. I did not get round to doing this straight away when I got my new boat, and paid the price.

My tanks are now well dosed with Fuel Set.

 

[NormanS]

This months PBO, I did an article with lots of pix, it does work. Get a 4 litre pack of paraffin, take the inlet from the tick tick pump to the feed and shove it in the bottle of paraffin, run the paraffin down then reconnect. The white smoke on start up ususally signifys that the "gauze" is getting coked up. It should clean this.
Stu

I did try mine on paraffin, just as you suggest, when mine wasn't keen to start and was producing white smoke. It worked alright with the paraffin, but didn't seem to solve the underlying problem. Hence the extra tank for either DERV or much cheaper kero heating oil. I'll now try the kero, and see how it goes. Thanks to others.

 

[BoyBlue49]

Kerosene and Paraffin

Norman and Robin.

Paraffin and kerosene are the same product. Both 28sec.

Paraffin is the English version.

Kerosene is the American word for paraffin.

Two great nations separated by a common language.

 

[NormanS]

Yes, I know that, and paraffin is also often known as "lamp oil".

I think that paraffin, as used in boilers, is often referred to, even in this country, as kerosene. Perhaps it's a slightly lower grade than the extremely expensive paraffin obtainable in 4ltr containers.

 

[BoyBlue49]

It's the same.

Paraffin is paraffin, whether blue, pink, green or white, it's all the same what ever you call it or how ever much you pay for it !!!