Eberspacher heater

[Simon]

We have a D4W diesel heater in our Murvi and are disappointed with the interior heating. We bought the vehicle secondhand last December and intend to get the Eberspacher unit serviced shortly, however the unit heats up the hot water quickly and I feel the heat exchanger for the blown air heating is too small. The hot air is blown into a `wooden box` from which the ducting is fed - this box had a gap along the top which I sealed with little improvement. I need to change the anti freeze soon so this would be an ideal opportunity to change this heat exchanger.

Webasto do differing sizes of heat exchanger,some of which the ducting fits directly on the front, but I cannot find any information on different Eberspacher units. Does any one know if it is possible to get larger Eberspacher units and do other people find the interior heating poor.

Looking forward to your replies.  

[vaila2]

You may find more info on these heaters on the US site, I think it is espar.com

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Simon, I have experience of the D5W heater and found it super with two Fan assisted exchange units delivering around 3500watts heat output. Getting into a defrosted nice warm van, no problems with fuel like you have with gas, it can be kept going whist driving - smashing. Ask Eberspacher about the extra heat exchange units and fan, http://www.eberspacher.com/hydronic4.php?section=waterheating. The down side for me anyway, was the amount of electrical power consumed, 10Amps for start up and around 5amps whilst running two fans and the unit. Routine service every two years replacement exhaust system needed every two years, as when they strip down the unit it always damages the now brittle exhaust. Cost of a new glow plug (£50 yes £50), overall cost for the service and replacement bits, just short of £400. My second service I did myself, easy to do but fiddly, you have to be careful to bleed the system, there is a bleed screw on top of th unit, be sure that it is used whenever you change the engine coolant, otherwise you will crack the heat chambre. Another fault I had to trace and repair was a connectivity issue on the two or three multiconnector plugs and sockets they use. I found in the end I had to remove the plugs and sockets, solder and sleeve the wires to get a good reliable continuity. I still like the idea, especially getting free hot water as you drive, but if you camp off site without electrical hookup, you do need two 110 amp batteries to run the unit, if you are on site with electrical hook up, why use your expensive diesel? Regards Terry

[Simon]

Many thanks for your replies.

I`ve tried the American site and downloaded the manuals, but they didn`t have any info on the heat excanger.

Halls Electrical quoted £112=parts+vat to service the D4W unit. Due to lack of space I feel I`d be better with one slightly larger blown air heat exchanger rather than two smaller ones. Did your van come with two or did you fit them yourself Terry and if so where did you get them. We go to quite a few shows so the heating facility is usefull and the two 90AH batteries cope with it well.

Simon 

[Terrytraveller]

Hi Simon, The unit was a factory fitted standard item for a Brownhills special Autocruise Starfire back in 2001, although I liked it very much. See http://www.aes2.co.uk/mhomeheating.htm I wouldn't have another as our camping style has changed since then, and now prefer main and background heat supplied by a convector fire supplemented by blown air. Regarding your installation, have you considered small panel radiators, or gearbox heat exchange matrix as shown in this link. I have one if you can use it, just pay for the postage. http://www.kenlowe.com/oil-coolers/automatic/index.html Or even running fixed copper/rubber pipework down the camper to provide radiating heat, you can consider the wet system as you might your central heating at home. So the possibilities are endless. Have you tried Google searching Eberspacher spares? Regards Terry