Eberspacher packed in

[Dr Bob]

Need some help on my Eberspacher. I think the model is the Hydronic D4W. It's been working fine heating water for 3 rads and the calorifier. We have been off the boat for a week, returning today. I turned it on and heard the fan start as normal but after about 10 secs the fan cut out and everything stopped. I turned it off and then on again and after a couple of seconds pause the fan started for a very short period, well less than a second, and then stopped. I tried again off and on, with the same pause, short burst of fan < half a second, then dead.

I know nothing of these units except know the sound of them starting up and this one isnt even getting past the first 'run the fan stage'. Didnt even get to the fuel pump starting.

Does this sound like it is something that is easy to fix (otherwise I will have to get someone in)? On the first go, the voltage was 13.3V, but for the second switch on, I had reset the battery charger and it was 14.5V - and the batteries have been up at 14.5V most of the afternoon after turning on the battery charger when we got to the boat - and they had been floating at 13.4V+ with the solar all week. I dont think it is voltage related.

Reading the manual, it says dont repeat the start up more than twice in succession, so I am now reluctant to try it again. How many times can I try and restart before it has to be 'unlocked'?

I will check the wiring in the morning to make sure no loose connections and run the main engine to check the diesel is ok....but it was fine last week.

What is the unit doing in the first 10 secs of the fire up? Does this give a clue to what might be wrong?

[matty40s]

Go to the grey electrical box and undo the 4 screws, taking off the front.  Take the relay out for 10 seconds and then stick it back in , try the eber again. 

[davidg]

1 minute ago, matty40s said:

Go to the grey electrical box and undo the 4 screws, taking off the front.  Take the relay out for 10 seconds and then stick it back in , try the eber again. 

While you're in there open the black fuse fox and twiddle the three continental fuses round, then when you have time replace them with a blade fuse holder & fuses.

It sounds like the glow plug is coming on and dipping the voltage at the unit.

 

[Dr Bob]

8 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Go to the grey electrical box and undo the 4 screws, taking off the front.  Take the relay out for 10 seconds and then stick it back in , try the eber again. 

 

3 minutes ago, davidg said:

While you're in there open the black fuse fox and twiddle the three continental fuses round, then when you have time replace them with a blade fuse holder & fuses.

It sounds like the glow plug is coming on and dipping the voltage at the unit.

 

Matty, David, is it obvious where the relay and fuses are? I cant see much in the handbook. I understand what you are saying.

I will do it in the morning. We are on shore power so have lecky for the immersion and heating the back of the boat......but we wanted to be away Monday so need the Eber working.

[Rob-M]

Our grey box with the fuses in is inside the cabin, we had the fuses replaced when our eber wouldn't fire up. Apparently this is a common fault.

[Dr Bob]

28 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

Our grey box with the fuses in is inside the cabin, we had the fuses replaced when our eber wouldn't fire up. Apparently this is a common fault.

Thanks Rob. It does indeed sound like a fuse or voltage related problem.

54 minutes ago, davidg said:

While you're in there open the black fuse fox and twiddle the three continental fuses round, then when you have time replace them with a blade fuse holder & fuses.

It sounds like the glow plug is coming on and dipping the voltage at the unit.

 

Can you get spare fuses from most chandlers if one or more are duff? I will pull them all in the morning and look to see if any are burnt out, or if it is just a bad connection. If I replace them with blade fuses and holders, what rating fuses do I need? Again the manual isnt much good. I guess halfords is the best place to go for them?

[davidg]

If it is the fuses probably won't have blown. The pointed ends of the continental fuses fur up and no longer make good contact. Twiddling them round between your thumb and forefinger without removing them gets rid of the oxidisation and they work again....for a while.
As already said, it's a common fault. They are best replaced with blade fuses when you get the chance. The fuseholder should be black with one wire going in one end and three(? might be four, it is Friday night) coming out of the other with a knurled thumbscrew holding the lid on

[Dr Bob]

2 minutes ago, davidg said:

If it is the fuses probably won't have blown. The pointed ends of the continental fuses fur up and no longer make good contact. Twiddling them round between your thumb and forefinger without removing them gets rid of the oxidisation and they work again....for a while.
As already said, it's a common fault. They are best replaced with blade fuses when you get the chance. The fuseholder should be black with one wire going in one end and three(? might be four, it is Friday night) coming out of the other with a knurled thumbscrew holding the lid on

Thanks David. I will have a go in the morning when it is light and report back.

[Dr Bob]

9 hours ago, davidg said:

If it is the fuses probably won't have blown. The pointed ends of the continental fuses fur up and no longer make good contact. Twiddling them round between your thumb and forefinger without removing them gets rid of the oxidisation and they work again....for a while.
As already said, it's a common fault. They are best replaced with blade fuses when you get the chance. The fuseholder should be black with one wire going in one end and three(? might be four, it is Friday night) coming out of the other with a knurled thumbscrew holding the lid on

Before I start pulling the relay and twisting fuses, what do I need to know about 'only trying it twice' as the handbook keeps saying? Does it lock itself out if you do too many abortive starts? If so how do you reset?

[matty40s]

Pull the main isolating fuse out for 10 seconds.

 

It's been light for 3 hours now......

Edited March 17, 2018 by matty40s

[Dr Bob]

3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

 

It's been light for 3 hours now......

Having a leisurely start this morning. I'll run the engine for an hour before I start, to warm up the engine bay. Good job we have Pram cover, it looks cold out there.

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, Dr Bob said:

Having a leisurely start this morning. I'll run the engine for an hour before I start, to warm up the engine bay. Good job we have Pram cover, it looks cold out there.

Bob stop messing about with the fuses mate. Just cut some 4 inch nails down to the correct length and use those. Fuses are a stupid idea cos when they blow the unit stops working, Ive always thought they should just use thicker metal in them in the first place 

[rusty69]

4 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

l run the engine for an hour before I start, to warm up the engine bay

You should get some heating down there. Don't get an Ebersplutter or webasto though. 

[Iain_S]

1 hour ago, Dr Bob said:

Having a leisurely start this morning. I'll run the engine for an hour before I start, to warm up the engine bay. Good job we have Pram cover, it looks cold out there.

It is cold. We're sitting at the bottom of Napton; not sure if moving today ...

[rusty69]

Well Dr Bob. Did ya fix it, or you just stopping for a tea break?

[Dr Bob]

11 hours ago, davidg said:

If it is the fuses probably won't have blown. The pointed ends of the continental fuses fur up and no longer make good contact. Twiddling them round between your thumb and forefinger without removing them gets rid of the oxidisation and they work again....for a while.
As already said, it's a common fault. They are best replaced with blade fuses when you get the chance. The fuseholder should be black with one wire going in one end and three(? might be four, it is Friday night) coming out of the other with a knurled thumbscrew holding the lid on

 

15 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Our grey box with the fuses in is inside the cabin, we had the fuses replaced when our eber wouldn't fire up. Apparently this is a common fault.

 

15 hours ago, matty40s said:

Go to the grey electrical box and undo the 4 screws, taking off the front.  Take the relay out for 10 seconds and then stick it back in , try the eber again. 

Well done guys. It's beers all round when we meet - but remind me cause I will forget. Eberspacker thingy up and running.

Now, I opened the grey box and tried to pull the relay out. Only succeeded in pulling the top cover off the coil. Couldnt see how to pull the relay out. Look at pic below. I assume it is the black box on RHS. The bit that came off is the black cover above the white line. Not sure how the bottom separates or where to pull or lever. Any input?

Anyway undeterred I pulled the first fuse out and dropped it into the bilge under the engine. DUH! 10 mins later and a lot of choice words it was retrieved. Pulled the others out. Someone has already converted it to blade fuses. Put them back in. Finally managed to get the control unit to start by pressing both P and heat buttons and hey presto it started up. So a few questions

- how do I get the relay out next time I need to?

- Does pulling the fuses out reset the 'lockout' function? That is worth knowing.

- How do you make toast?

Not sure what the problem is/was as I have the blade fuses in there. Maybe just a bit of corrosion on the fuses.

Once again, many thanks to all who contributed - what a great forum this is.

[rusty69]

Dunno about eberspluters, but that looks like standard automotive type relay/holder.May require a bit of persuasion/wiggling with a penknife blade (turn power off first) beneath white bit.

 

Edited March 17, 2018 by rusty69

[Dr Bob]

24 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

It is cold. We're sitting at the bottom of Napton; not sure if moving today ...

It was nice and warm under the pram cover but I went out to fill up the water before the marina turn it off and it was truly baltic. Brass monkeys singing in high pitched voices everywhere. I think we will stay put till Monday and then motor round to the Folly then. I am sure we will catch up with you sometime in the next 2 weeks.

 

7 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Well Dr Bob. Did ya fix it, or you just stopping for a tea break?

Time for a bacon butty now.

[Dr Bob]

1 minute ago, rusty69 said:

Dunno about eberspluuers, but that looks like standard automotive type relay/holder.May require a bit of persuasion/wiggling with a penknife blade (turn power off first)

Where would you apply the pen knife blade? Just above where the purple wire goes in (just above the embossed marking) or would it be better to lever it on the sides? As just pulling the fuses fixed it, maybe I will never need to pull the relay.

Again, does pulling the fuses reset the lockout thingy?

[rusty69]

6 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Where would you apply the pen knife blade? Just above where the purple wire goes in (just above the embossed marking) or would it be better to lever it on the sides? As just pulling the fuses fixed it, maybe I will never need to pull the relay.

Again, does pulling the fuses reset the lockout thingy?

Beneath the white bit I would think (where. it connects to the holder/base).

But If its now fixed, leave it alone.

Edited March 17, 2018 by rusty69

[TheBiscuits]

14 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

Again, does pulling the fuses reset the lockout thingy?

Yes.

It's probably in the manual somewhere, and you can take time to read it now you've fixed the heating.

In case it breaks again, have you considered getting one of those fans for the stove? 

[davidg]

21 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

But If its now fixed, leave it alone.

Quite right, first line in the fault fixing flow chart.

Bottom of Napton looks warm from my front window, but I do have the fire lit

[WotEver]

4 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Beneath the white bit I would think (where. it connects to the holder/base).

Yup, that would be the place. As it’s stuck fast that does suggest some corrosion on the terminals so maybe jiggling it and pulling the cover off cleaned it sufficiently for now. Did the blade fuses appear corroded? If not then it probably was/is the relay. 

[Dr Bob]

46 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Yup, that would be the place. As it’s stuck fast that does suggest some corrosion on the terminals so maybe jiggling it and pulling the cover off cleaned it sufficiently for now. Did the blade fuses appear corroded? If not then it probably was/is the relay. 

Tony, where is the bottom of the bit that comes off the base? Is the white bit the bottom of the removable bit or is the black bit under the white bit part of the relay. I tried to pull the whole lot (relay and base) away from the grey box but it is attached. Where would the best place to get a replacement? Is this a halfords job or is it an eberspacher spare?

How many wires go into the bottom of the relay?

[rusty69]

The white bit is part of the relay. The black part is the base. I bought a load off e-bay, but a local motor factor will have them too.

 

ETA .I expect Maplin will have some going cheap in their sale.

Edited March 17, 2018 by rusty69