Webasto Thermo Top heating fumes?

[Chagall]

I've had problems for a while now with my Webasto heating pump, the burner and fuel filter have both been replaced in December 2011 because I just wasn't getting any real heat into the radiators.. (fuel filter under guarantee, burner not) Im now getting some heat I don't ever get hot water, the calorifier is the last in a run of 6 rads, ( 2large, 2 medium, 2 small) and so its been suggested that the run be reversed in order to heat the water first.

 

I mentioned to the boat builder about a diesel smell throughout the boat when the heating operates early morning for about an hour and a half...the fumes smell seems to hang around for most of the day and I can 'taste' it in the air ....the exhaust occasionally runs smoky but it isn't really sufficient to be blowing back into the boat, and anyway I have an inner well fitting door between the stern exhaust and stern doors.

 

my question is, is it usual to get this diesel smell in the boat after two years of running in the Webasto, is it something I will just have to get used to?... Its pretty unpleasant and makes me feel queasy at times, especially combined with the gas smell I've talked about before.

 

I've spoken with the builder about the gas smell, and he suggests that there is a very tiny leak tolerance allowed on gas appliances which normally I don't smell, unless it happens to be a bottle with more that its fair share of the ethyl mercaptan stuff! I currently have one of those gas canisters so along with the diesel smell Im getting a bit fed up.

 

I think the boat builder is weary of hearing my 'smell' complaints so Im asking you guys! Is it a problem that is usual and easily solved or do I just have to live with it?

[boots]

Never noticed any smell from our Webasto,

 

We recently had a problem with ours where the rads and calorifier were only getting warm (not hot) even though it seemed to be working fine. Turned out that it was suffering from fuel starvation - sadly the fuel pump was on its way out.

[PaulJ]

Sometimes I can smell the fumes from my stove. It doesnt leak at all, its just the way the wind sometimes blows the fumes down and back into the boat through any openings ie vents,windows,doors. I dont know if this may be your case, presuming it is the exhaust you can smell ?

You really shouldnt being able to smell gas though so would recommend that you have your system properly pressure tested.If its that tiny a leak explain that to your tester and ask to have the pressure gauge left on for a longer time.

[jelunga]

You should not get a diesel smell in the boat if all is correct.

We have a Eberspacher, similar. No smell.

[Roger Gunkel]

Are you getting a smell of diesel or a smell of exhaust? If the smell is diesel, that would suggest that there is a leak in the fuel supply to the heater and that it is only leaking when the pump is running. The fact that the smell remains for a long time would suggest that diesel is dripping somewhere, whereas exhaust smell should dissipate once the burning has stopped.

 

As regards the gas smell, is there such a thing as 'leak tolerance'? Sounds like builder BS to me unless others know better, as the fact that you can smell gas would suggest a build up. No tolerance of gas leak in a boat is acceptable as it cannot escape and will collect in the same way as water, low down until it reaches a dangerous level. As has been suggested, get an immediate pressure check carried out on your installation.

 

Roger

[Flyboy]

I've had problems for a while now with my Webasto heating pump, the burner and fuel filter have both been replaced in December 2011 because I just wasn't getting any real heat into the radiators.. (fuel filter under guarantee, burner not) Im now getting some heat I don't ever get hot water, the calorifier is the last in a run of 6 rads, ( 2large, 2 medium, 2 small) and so its been suggested that the run be reversed in order to heat the water first.

 

I mentioned to the boat builder about a diesel smell throughout the boat when the heating operates early morning for about an hour and a half...the fumes smell seems to hang around for most of the day and I can 'taste' it in the air ....the exhaust occasionally runs smoky but it isn't really sufficient to be blowing back into the boat, and anyway I have an inner well fitting door between the stern exhaust and stern doors.

 

my question is, is it usual to get this diesel smell in the boat after two years of running in the Webasto, is it something I will just have to get used to?... Its pretty unpleasant and makes me feel queasy at times, especially combined with the gas smell I've talked about before.

 

I've spoken with the builder about the gas smell, and he suggests that there is a very tiny leak tolerance allowed on gas appliances which normally I don't smell, unless it happens to be a bottle with more that its fair share of the ethyl mercaptan stuff! I currently have one of those gas canisters so along with the diesel smell Im getting a bit fed up.

 

I think the boat builder is weary of hearing my 'smell' complaints so Im asking you guys! Is it a problem that is usual and easily solved or do I just have to live with it?

My Webasto is over 4 years old and runs with no noticable exhaust fumes. A smell of diesel or gas indicates a leak somewhere. Get it looked at asap. Your boat builder is talking through his stern gland.

 

Ian

[keble]

My Webasto is over 4 years old and runs with no noticable exhaust fumes. A smell of diesel or gas indicates a leak somewhere. Get it looked at asap. Your boat builder is talking through his stern gland.

 

Ian

Agreed, ours too is 4 years old. No smell at all. And plenty of heat.

We did have a problem which I think was dirty fuel, but that's another story

[NMEA]

There should be no fumes if the unit is burning efficiently i.e. the CO2 is set correctly and the exhaust outlet is correctly sited too. A little unburned diesel smell is inevitable on start up but it should only last a couple of seconds and should be obvious only outside the boat at the exhaust outlet. Are the rads correctly balanced? Has the pump been checked for throughput? What is the water temperature at the boiler outlet and inlet? Is the boiler up to the Job? For instance six rads and a calorifier would be a bit much to expect from a Thermo Top C or lower rated unit.

[Chagall]

Are you getting a smell of diesel or a smell of exhaust? If the smell is diesel, that would suggest that there is a leak in the fuel supply to the heater and that it is only leaking when the pump is running. The fact that the smell remains for a long time would suggest that diesel is dripping somewhere, whereas exhaust smell should dissipate once the burning has stopped.

 

As regards the gas smell, is there such a thing as 'leak tolerance'? Sounds like builder BS to me unless others know better, as the fact that you can smell gas would suggest a build up. No tolerance of gas leak in a boat is acceptable as it cannot escape and will collect in the same way as water, low down until it reaches a dangerous level. As has been suggested, get an immediate pressure check carried out on your installation.

 

Roger

 

its difficult to say exactly what the smell is, its not smoky exhaust smell, its just a fuel smell but it doesn't smell like raw diesel, its just very faint all the time with a bitter taste often apparent. The builder couldn't smell diesel when he visited, its just not that obvious until you are in it for a while....

 

 

 

 

 

[Chagall]

There should be no fumes if the unit is burning efficiently i.e. the CO2 is set correctly and the exhaust outlet is correctly sited too. A little unburned diesel smell is inevitable on start up but it should only last a couple of seconds and should be obvious only outside the boat at the exhaust outlet. Are the rads correctly balanced? Has the pump been checked for throughput? What is the water temperature at the boiler outlet and inlet? Is the boiler up to the Job? For instance six rads and a calorifier would be a bit much to expect from a Thermo Top C or lower rated unit.

 

Ive had the heating engineer back a few times, he replaced the fuel pump in December last, I'm sorry I don't know if he checked for throughput, I imagine so since my complaint is that the radiators don't get hot enough. He maintains that since they are flat panel ones then the fronts are designed so as not to burn, but I can feel that at the back or where I can reach the fins are still not very hot. The water in my calorifier never gets beyond lukewarm even if the heating is on for hours... it does of course get very hot when the engine is running.

 

I do have a large calorifier because I have a bath and so need quite a quantity of hot water from time to time. It is a Thermo Top C

 

I think the smell is quite probably the gas problem.....and not a combined diesel problem. I just seem to notice the smell more in the morning and soon after the heating has been on. I've done yet another Alde bubble test, I get a single bubble after 28 seconds and if I keep it held down I get a bubble every 10, then 5 then every 3 and so on till its a bubble every second, but is that because Im holding the tester down for longer than I should?

 

forgive me if this sounds pathetically untutored regarding my system!

 

I will ask the builder and heating engineer to return once more.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bobbybass]

 

As regards the gas smell, is there such a thing as 'leak tolerance'? Sounds like builder BS to me unless others know better, as the fact that you can smell gas would suggest a build up. No tolerance of gas leak in a boat is acceptable as it cannot escape and will collect in the same way as water, low down until it reaches a dangerous level. As has been suggested, get an immediate pressure check carried out on your installation.

 

Roger

My BSS engineer..a few weeks back...said that stove manufacturers do often quote a 'leak tolerance' around the knobs..(Oooh matron)

He said this is often at odds with the BSS as inspectors may fail the appliance whereas its within the manufacturers accepted level.

I can't comment more than that...as I have no knowledge other than what he said.

 

My cooker was fine..as my wife doesn't use it...but my microwave..is knackered !!.

 

Edited May 20, 2012 by Bobbybass

[Chagall]

My BSS engineer..a few weeks back...said that stove manufacturers do often quote a 'leak tolerance' around the knobs..(Oooh matron)

He said this is often at odds with the BSS as inspectors may fail the appliance whereas its within the manufacturers accepted level.

I can't comment more than that...as I have no knowledge other than what he said.

 

 

 

 

Yes, thats exactly what he said. ....within the manufacturers accepted level. ....in a house it is rarely detected, it seems I may be too susceptible! Im seriously thinking of dumping the gas, but my experience of the diesel heating hasn't been favourable either, and by all accounts a diesel cooker would be scarily expensive?

[NMEA]

Ive had the heating engineer back a few times, he replaced the fuel pump in December last,

 

I was referring to the circulation pump, the fuel pumps rarely go out of spec for volume delivered, they either work or not.

[frangar]

I would say that unless you have a pilot light on when you used the bubble tester that you have a leak somewhere....I have one of the Alde testers and dont get any bubbles even after holding the button down for well over a minute.....I suggest you get a Gas Safe person in who is qualified for boats...not all are...and get everything checked ASAP. It is a good idea to use the bubble tester when a pilot light is on as well as its a good check to make sure its working correctly. The amount of leakage you suggest is quite a lot....can you isolate any of the appliances locally to try and narrow down where a leak may be coming from?

 

 

Cheers

 

Gareth