eperspacher use

[Rob-M]

After our Eberspacher packed up a few weeks ago we've had a Webasto installed and the installer told us they don't need regular servicing.

[cuthound]

On 17/02/2024 at 09:06, Sea Dog said:

I'd echo the sentiments of @blackrose above.

 

Eberspacher had a bit of a reputation for early failures some years ago and did their own investigation. Their ensuing report is a available on the web (Google is your friend), but essentially they found that when lightly loaded they coked up and eventually failed. The key is to work it hard then shut it down which is to say have a keen ear for it going into the low power mode - you can hear it run down and the dose pump ticking go slow.  I tend to use mine in 1hr bursts which allows me to warm the boat on a morning whilst the solid fuel stove comes back up to speed and gives a tank of hot water. Even in that hour half an ear is listening for short cycling. This usage pattern appears not too dissimilar to how @Rob-M got 20 years out of his.

 

Additionally, my own regime is to use "Reliability Centred Maintenance" principles and leave the damned thing alone if it's happy. Mine is 15 years old and has never been interfered with - others have had different experiences. I

 

That Is the advice I was given when I bought my boat 10 years ago, run the Webasto (very similar to the Eberspacher)  for an hour on and an hour off, don't let it run at half power and only get it serviced when it goes wrong.

 

To date I've had no problems with it.

[n-baj]

On 17/02/2024 at 08:07, roberto123 said:

 

 

I was wondering about the eperspacher though. Mine has a manual switch on/off as far as I can see. Do you keep it running 24/7 when living on the boat or just fire it up when you need hot water?

 

summer it’s on for about an hour for hot water for shower when I’ve not moved (I.e ran the engine) for a couple of days. This also heats the towel radiator in the bathroom as the other radiators are switched off.

 

March/April and September/October usually gets ran for a couple of hours in morning and evening with radiators on as it’s too warm to fire up the stove.

 

winter it’s on for about an hour and a half with radiators on whenever I need a shower as the stove is running. On one of my winter spots there’s a service block with a shower so as I tend to use that there’s times the eber doesn’t get switched on at all for over 2 weeks.

 

I personally wouldn’t like to use the eber as my primary source of heating. excellent though as a back up to the stove, heating up water in the calorifer and taking the chill off a spring/autumn morning and evening.