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Alan and Debbie
Nov 9, 2008 - 5:57PM
Eberspacher heaters
Anyone had any experience of eberspacher heaters? We have a Taylors but it only heats one space and the flue is a pain to set up. We are toying with the idea of an Eberspacher Airtonic fitted in the engine bay with outlets in the heads, saloon and aft cabin.
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graham
Nov 9, 2008 - 6:14PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi Alan & Debbie,
We have a Mikuni MX40 on Dougal. It is a wet system and is installed in the rod locker in the aft cabin. From there we run 15mm plastic pipe to fan assisted heaters in the aft cabin, the galley area and the main saloon as well as a small domestic radiator in the 'heads'. The system also provides hot water thanks to an extra coil in the calorifier (installed behind the stbd fuel tank).
Highly recommended, warms the boat quite quickly, by closing a couple of valves we can use it just for hot water too (without having to run the engine).
Graham
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Dougal
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Eric Richardson
Nov 10, 2008 - 9:25AM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi Alan & Debbie
I like the system Graham describes, particularly for the hot water. I had a Webasto on Taliesin, which I took out, the ducting was a pain and always in the way. Both Eberspacher & Webasto make good wet heaters, the are very compact and can also be used to pre heat the engine making cold starting good in very cold conditions.
A cheap solution to the Taylor heater problem of cold feet and hot heads is to put a computer fan blowing the air downwards, its not marvelous but does improve things, I have seen it on a couple of boats.
Peter French had a reflector under his heater with suprisingly good effect.
Hope you are both well.
Eric
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Ex Taliesin
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Alan and Debbie
Nov 11, 2008 - 6:54PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Ouch! I just felt a severe pain in my wallet! Thanks both I wasn't aware of these units until your post Graham and having looked at the blurb it is certainly the way to go. We have a gas geyser for HW at the moment which works fine but I am always a bit uneasy about gas appliances aboard. You mentioned fan units Graham I haven't been able to find these, do you know the make / supplier?
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graham
Nov 11, 2008 - 7:32PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi Alan,
I am sure I paid a lot less than is currently being asked, but I suppose it was about 8 years ago.
The fan matrix units I used were Kuranda Kalori. Can be seen at http://www.kuranda.co.uk/kalori-heater- … /index.php
We used a single unit in the aft cabin and under the chart table, plus a double unit in the saloon and a domestic radiator in the heads.
let me know if you need further info. You may find cheaper prices by shopping around. Canal boat owners seem to pay less than us!
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Dougal
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Eric Richardson
Nov 12, 2008 - 9:40AM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi There
Just a thought, firstly a lot of motor homes use these systems, also some cars. I have a Webasto though only a small one installed in my Land rover Discovery (factory fit) It comes on either as programmed or at 5DegC to quickly warm the car and the engine. Larger versions are fitted in some workmens vans where they are used on site as dining facilities. So try thr various breakers yards but take care that you do not finish up with a 24volt model.
The one in my car is not really big enough for your needs but I know some are much bigger.
They can also be bought at trade price from some of the people who fit them in vehicles.
Eric
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Ex Taliesin
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Eric Richardson
Nov 12, 2008 - 9:48AM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi Alan
Forgot to mention it but small vehicle heater units can be stripped and modified to make compact heaters with variable speed fans behind them. I have done it on several occasions. Its dead easy to do and they come cheap enough from scrap cars. Plastic pipe as used in domestic plumbing with push together fittings allows easy plumbing and the pipes can be threaded pretty much as you wish provided that you avoid airlocks.
Eric
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Ex Taliesin
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graham
Nov 12, 2008 - 10:19AM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Morning Eric,
You are right about the airlocks, I had forgotten. When we first installed our system it took all day to get rid of the air, luckily because of the 'push to fit' plastic piping this was easy to do but still time consuming. The good news is 'touching wood' the air has never got back in. The system is connected to the pressurised water system with expansion vessel and this has kept it fine. The Mikuni has an automatic air venting system just like a domestic boiler which I am sure helps.
Graham
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Dougal
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martin and gillian waterman
Nov 27, 2008 - 9:07PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
hullo, after seeing a new eberspacher installation on Shillay (near us) I managed to obtain a secondhand one (a D1 ex BT van) from a chap in Maidstone called 'pieces of eight' who advertised in the 'boats for sale under £20000 magazine). I put it in the steering rod locker in the aft cabin with a small (about half a gallon) tank for the diesel in the same space along with the local main Eberspacher supplier then. I don,t still have the contact for my supplier unfortunetly. Anyway, it was quite a protracted job fitting it, ducting through to the saloon and exhaust through the transom with its special exhaust outlet. But, it was satisfying when it all worked. (It has a small outlet into the aft cabin as well which emits quite a surprising amount of heat). I shopped around for the bits and bobs as the heater came on its own. It does take about 20 amps to fire up (never has let me down) and settles to about 1.5 amps when running. I understand the battery has to be reasonably well charged to get it going. That's it for what its worth. Friends of mine have the Force 10 gas heater in the saloon, which seems very good and easy to use notwithstanding the concerns about gas. (it has a flue). Regards. Martin.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Kittijay
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Alan and Debbie
Nov 28, 2008 - 8:41AM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Many thanks to the responses to this one, lots of food for thought. I like the idea of the steering rod locker I hadn't thought of that one for a location. This project has been postponed for winter 2009/10 now as I have just got the bits for our fridge installation this winter. I'll be searching the web for heater bits from now on and bending ears at the Elstead.
Eric Richardson
Nov 30, 2008 - 9:22AM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi Alan & Debbie
I put the Webasto in the steering rod locker and ran the ducting behind the port side fuel tank, under the vertical locker in the galley, under the cooker and then into the port side locker under the seat to a vent. I also had a vent in the aft cabin.
Be careful not to run the ducting through the engine bay as there is little enough room in there any way.
I lagged the ducting where it was near the fuel tank, not wanting hot diesel.
I prefer the hot water system as Graham suggests and it makes hot water available at the galley full time.
See you both at the Elstead.
Eric
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Ex Taliesin
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Alan and Debbie
Nov 30, 2008 - 7:38PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Thanks Eric
We are going to go for a water boiler but it will have to wait awhile now. Although after this weekend laying up at 2degs we can' wait!
Had a bit of a starter problem this weekend with the 107, wouldn't turn over fast enough to start even though the battery was up to 12.8 V and I used a booster on it. On closer investigation I noticed that the body of the starter is slightly loose on the two long through bolts. So I whipped it out. Well no actually I didn't whip it out ------- what a job the air in Walton was blue!!! Anyway it's at home now so I'll have a closer look in the workshop next weekend. I'll let you know how I get on.
Regards
Alan
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Alan 'n Debbie
Feb 9, 2009 - 12:22PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Thanks for all your advice on this one. We picked up a virtually unused Webasto Water Heater on Ebay last week for £190! It was a landrover unit so the wiring caused some head scratching but I bench tested it this weekend and it works fine. Also picked up a brand new Kenlowe fan coil unit at a bargain price so we are well on the way to our heating / hot water install. Just need to find room for the calorifier, any suggestions?
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Star Dog
Graham Matthews
Feb 9, 2009 - 12:40PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi Alan & Debbie,
On Dougal the calorifier is just aft of the starboard fuel tank. It took some working out and you have to watch access to the bilge pump pickup and the cockpit drain seacock. I happen to know that Eric fitted one to Taliesin in the same location, I think he designed and made his to fit (ours was 'off the shelf'so I had to design a novel way of securing it.
Don't forget to consider a dual coil plus immersion heater model, we use all of these.
Well done with the ebay purchase, sounds a real bargain.
Graham
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Dougal
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Eric Richardson
Feb 10, 2009 - 10:35PM
Re: Eberspacher heaters
Hi Alan & Debbie
Yes Graham is right with this , I put my calorifier just aft of the starboard fuel tank. The point Graham makes about the immersion heater is valid, I did not fit one on Taliesin although I have on Easy Go. For marine use you need the type with a low power output say about 1kw as some Marina's have poor supply levels. Ideal you need a twin thermostat with the upper temp level having a latch out trip to ensure you never boil the water. If its a pressurised system you also need to fit a relief valve.
Give me a ring if you like and I can tell you exactly how my system worked and the clangers I dropped at the first go.
Eric
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