Calorifier issues

[blurstar]

Hello boaters, I have just moved onto a narrowboat which has an eberspacher heating system that I assumed would heat the radiators and the hot water but it seems it only heats the rads. Would it be possible to switch around some connections so the eberspacher does both or do I need to get a twin coil calorifier?

[alan_fincher]

If you only have a single coil calorifier, and the one coil you do have is already used to heat water from the engine cooling circuit, then I would say it will not be particularly straightforward to also make it possible for the Eber to heat the water.

People may suggest various work-arounds that give the possibility, but in all honesty I would say if you want multiple ways of heating the calorifier you also want multiple coils.

[Kae]

As above really, but more information definitely required!

 

Can you explain (or even better, upload a diagram) of your current system and then we can suggest different ways of achieving what you want (cost Vs complicity Vs efficiency).

[blurstar]

Thanks for the replies.

 

Multiple ways of heating the water are not really needed it would just be more convenient if the engine didn't need to be fired up every time hot water is required. Unfortunately I haven't got a clue how the system is set up, I'll try and have a look later and work it out when the rain stops chucking it down!

[bottle]

Multiple ways of heating the water are not really needed

 

Oh! but they are.

 

Welcome the forum.

 

As others have said a little bit more information is required.

[Grace and Favour]

Hi blurstar....

 

If you could take a photo of the plumbing connections on your calorifier, and upload and post it on this thread, then we may be better able to determine what can be (cost-efficiently) achieved

[blurstar]

Cheers guys.

 

Hi G&F, good thinking I'll do that in the morning, cost effective sounds good to me!

[PaddingtonBear]

Where are you, perhaps one of the gurus would come round and have a look.

[smileypete]

If it's only a single coil calorifier then you can still heat it via a plate heat exchanger and circulation pump. Not super difficult to do and saves replacing the calorifierfor a twin coil one.

 

Or if the calorifierhas an immersion heater or a blanking plug for one, sometimes an extra coil can be retrofitted instead, but you do lose the immersion heater capability.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[blurstar]

I'm on the Grand Union by Bulls Bridge. Had a look for the calorifier and eventually found it hidden away in a cupboard! It actually is a twin coil but somethings not right, I ran the engine for a couple of hours earlier and got luke warm water at best, didn't spend long in the shower! I have taken some photos which will hopefully appear below.

 

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[matty40s]

I think you need to refit your engine thermostat!!

You also may well have an airlock in your rad/eber system as the piping suggests that the eber heats the water too. Try turning all your radiators off and running your eberspacher.

[blurstar]

Oh yeah I forgot about the engine thermostat! I'll attempt to refit it and see if there's an airlock.

 

The nappies worked a treat, I have a nice dry engine bay now, cheers Matt.

[matty40s]

You may need to leave one rad on 1/2 open when you run the eber in case the expansion tank complains.

[blurstar]

I have tried Matt's suggestions today and still no joy. Maybe a coil has given up inside the calorifier or some other integral part has failed, think I may have to seek the services of a boat plumber!

[Captain Fizz]

Is that an uncapped gas pipe I see? (The valve with the yellow dot)

[Phil Ambrose]

Cap'n Fizz, I spotted that but noticed the tap/valve was in the open position so must be redundant, also looks like it goes into some Hep pipe.

Phil

[ditchcrawler]

I don't know what pressure your water pump runs at and what your relief valve is set to, but that looks like a domestic cylinder. Most boats run at about 3bar and the cylinders are rated 4 bar.

[blurstar]

It is a redundant gas pipe, think the previous owners may have had some kind of gas heating.

 

I don't know what pressure the water pump runs at either ditchcrawler, or even what a relief valve is.

 

I've got so much to learn!