Small motorhome heating. (1 Viewer)

[John Mee]

We have an Eberspacher D5SWC which we're having all sorts of problems with. It heats the engine too, (or would if we could get it working) for which I see no reason. We have yet to benefit from it. So my questions are.

Is it worth persevering with?
Does it need the engine circuit?
What are not too expensive alternatives. We have no spare wall for a gas fire, but need water and heating.
I will fit a solar panel some time.

 

[tonyidle]

I'd persist with the Eberspacher. Any alternative is likely to be more expensive and less satisfactory. It heats the engine so that you can have an easy start and cab heating that works as soon as you turn on the ignition. It will work the other way too - the engine will pre-heat your hot water supply whilst you are driving.

 

[Minxy]

How are your batteries? These heaters tend to need a battery with a good bit of charge left in it to keep working.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kev and Carolyn]

Hi there. We used to fit the Ebo to boats up and down the country. The biggest set back with the Ebo was maintenance or lack of! The burner would choke up and die on regular occasions, the Burner combustion chamber used to pit and burn through !
If the unit you have has not been serviced every 3 years ( with respect to you guys ...it possibly has not ?) it possibly has been allowed to choke up the burner and thus cause flame out situations. Basically it Runs for a while then shuts down! The Glow plugs that fires the mix can / and will also burn out again because of not being cleaned out at regular intervals. We never had many issues with the electronics to be honest...
Its the stuff that tends to be taken for granted that fails us!
Nothing can run forever .....My old body tells me this loads of time! Like the Ebo....we need some check ups occasionally to tweak a few bits that either fail or ( In my case..drop off!) or adjust to suit with its age.
There is a diagnosis tool used on a laptop . It gives the codes left every time it fails or shuts down temporarily.
This can be done at most garages who cover the Ebo DW5..I must add though, this is an older unit you have fitted as they have been superseded now ....again and again! There are loads of variations now!
The answer to your question regarding perseverance? Any one who has a diesel heater fitted will tell you...they are all expensive when they fail! Some just fail less often!
Seriously...Have a guy come in to you for a check up. It is just a plug in connector on the dash or if its really old...in the units wiring loom itself. It will soon show up the issue. If you cannot get a guy from the local garage or diesel specialist....use a boat yard ! They are fitted across the flotilla of most boats on either the canal or the rivers.
Take a look at these..

or this one

If the links work it will give you an insight to what it may be that is at fault, also it will show you basically what you may have under the bonnet.
Either way...It may become an expensive trip which ever way you go? Better the devil you know sometimes!
I hope you can sort it . I do know its repairable but at a cost.
Keep us informed..All the very best
Kev

 

[John Mee]

Hi, Kev thanks for the info. The unit fitted hadn't been serviced in years, nor probably used and was seized. I can't even undo the screws to look inside. I took it to an Eber service chap and he said it would be cheaper to get another. I took a gamble and bought a refurbished u nit off ebay, pluged it in and it fired up, but then stopped and it would do this each time I tried it. It came with 3 wires cut and taped over, so I contacted the seller, who said they weren't needed. I was a bit unsure, so I reconnected them, but there was no difference. I thought then there could be an air lock, as I didn't know if the plumbing would clear out all the air when refilled. I bought some clear hose and connected it to the system so I could see what was going on and the flow to the unit was slow, presumable because the thermostat hadn't opened? Or just because of the way it was connected. (Autocruise original fitment) The unit failed to operate. Nothing. So no pump to assist flow, no nothing. I then started to read and thought maybe the ecu had locked, but my controller does not show any codes and isn't capable of clearing any.
So at present nothing is happening, it is all connected, filled with water without antifreeze, in case I need to remove it again (which is a bit dodgy in this weather).
I am now in Norwich (live in West Cornwall) and am going to visit my brother in law, who is a boiler servicer to the Queen and a whiz with all things mechanical, so I'll see what he makes of it.
Otherwise I will have to take it to the Eber man in Falmouth when I get back home.

 

[Kev and Carolyn]

John..The controller ..does it have a couple of lights on it? If so...You can get the code from the start up procedure . The lights will actually give a "Morse code " type of reading. Basically, the lights will flash short and long blips . If its possible to follow the light flash through, it will give a code to work from.
Check Heater D5WS Workshop manual - Butler Technik This is the other type of controller. Is this one yours?

See if its sheads light for you?

Kev

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kev and Carolyn]

Otherwise I will have to take it to the Eber man in Falmouth when I get back home.

Don't go running off to anyone other than a local boat yard first! They will be able to point you in the right direction if its not repairable. The fact it fired up and ran for a little while, would indicate either the ecu is not seeing a circuit or the pump (Built in) not seeing a pressure or feed from the fuel circuit. As shown in the youtube vids, you can run these from a 12v battery a can of fuel and a water bucket! The temperature will govern shut down if it sees high temp settings as being crucial ..Hence shut down. Seriously...a boat yard would be able to sort this Im sure. With respect to your Brother in law....Horses for courses! They are not a simple strip and fix! Been there too many times when someone has thought they could repair it to find out that they have actually screwed things up further
Trying to save you time and money my friend ..that is all.
Realistically a used item of any web site needs to be seen running first. Your unit may just require the codes removing and then re installing as if from scratch. This can be enough when it has been refitted.
Hope you keep on persevering with it. sounds like you are not too far from the answer. Sorry we are too far away from you. I could get my tool kit out of retirement and help you with it. That Im sure.
Kev

 

[John Mee]

Well took it to my Brother in Law, He poked around the unit, then asked where the fuse was. I didn't know, so he poked about the engine bay and found them up at the back of the offside wing. He pulled them out put them back and Concorde took off from under the van! A mucky fuse! That's all it was. Just got to fit the exhaust silencer and hope it makes some difference, otherwise we will not be popular on campsites. Piping hot water and nice warm van though!

 

[John Mee]

Just as a final question (for now) on this subject :-
As I can't get to put the silencer on the heater till I get back to Cornwall, does it make a notable difference, because the noise is quite embarrassing at the moment? I am sure someone will report it to the bomb squad as it is!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Kev and Carolyn]

Glad that you got it sorted in the end. Sometimes its always the smallest of things that create the largest of problems! As regards the silencer....It does make the difference! The unit running with out sounds like that of a rocket booster going off! If you can get to fit it..I personally would do. Even if its to prevent the locals from bludgeoning you in your sleep!!
Kev

 

[John Mee]

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear!