Eberspacher D5W solution

[ceilauren]

Hi Eberspacher Owners

 

A new boaters experience for your infomation.

 

We purchased a 12 year old Stoke On Trent semi trad last October which having been wintered at Kingfisher Marine in Northamptonshire we recently moved to Saul Marina on the Gloucester Sharpness. During our eventful journey in March via the water challenged GU, the very narrow Stratford South, the wide River Avon and the even wider River Severn our Eberspacher D5W (The old one) developed a fault.

 

Before any one starts, yes we do have a Morso Squirrel and yes we use it; the fault was more of a frustration than an end of the world situation.

 

Symptoms:

Turn on, fan starts, runs 5 seconds fan turns off and heater shuts down. Two days later tried again worked, next day didn't , three days later worked, next morning didn't

 

Having settled in at Saul I had a look at it following Jelunga's advice on previous threads, I tried the usual things , battery voltage, fuse, fuel pump, overheat reset switch etc. All were fine and so I was a bit stumped.

 

Enter Alan Stafford from SOS Boat Services - 07711 320522.

 

A little bit worrying when he told me that he had lots of experience on Eberspachers, especially the newer ones but that the only time he had seen this model was in a museum display case at the Eberspacher Head Office on a training course

 

He said "Don't worry we'll sort it"

 

Followed same procedure as me; checked battery voltage, in line fuse, fuel, connections etc; no joy

 

In addition to this however he opened up the Control Module box ( six small screw) and proceed to then check with a meter the old style ceramic bullet fuses hidden inside. Low and behold one 16 amp fuse, although on visual inspection appeared to be intact was not allowing any voltage to flow. Replaced and the heater then began to work fine.

 

On close inspection the fuse had melted very slightly at it's point resulting in a reduction in the tightness of the fuse in the holder causing the intermittent connections. Apparently this is a known issue with this type of fuse. Something else to check but of course it just might be the answer to some one else's frustrating problem with their boiler, personally I can't afford to lose any more hair.

 

Thanks to Alan, a very amiable guy who as well as sorting out the problem gave me as a newbie to boating some very practical advice for maintaining our boat. Would certainly recommend their services to anyone in the Gloucestershire area.

 

Thanks again to you all for the massive amounts of information I have gleaned from numerous threads so far.

 

Of course I have learn't that you shouldn't mention toilets, fenders, or heating so be gentile with this post. If you are I promise to post further information about our boat and our journeys.

 

Kevin

[Albion]

Hi Eberspacher Owners

 

A new boaters experience for your infomation.

 

We purchased a 12 year old Stoke On Trent semi trad last October which having been wintered at Kingfisher Marine in Northamptonshire we recently moved to Saul Marina on the Gloucester Sharpness. During our eventful journey in March via the water challenged GU, the very narrow Stratford South, the wide River Avon and the even wider River Severn our Eberspacher D5W (The old one) developed a fault.

 

Before any one starts, yes we do have a Morso Squirrel and yes we use it; the fault was more of a frustration than an end of the world situation.

 

Symptoms:

Turn on, fan starts, runs 5 seconds fan turns off and heater shuts down. Two days later tried again worked, next day didn't , three days later worked, next morning didn't

 

Having settled in at Saul I had a look at it following Jelunga's advice on previous threads, I tried the usual things , battery voltage, fuse, fuel pump, overheat reset switch etc. All were fine and so I was a bit stumped.

 

Enter Alan Stafford from SOS Boat Services - 07711 320522.

 

A little bit worrying when he told me that he had lots of experience on Eberspachers, especially the newer ones but that the only time he had seen this model was in a museum display case at the Eberspacher Head Office on a training course

 

He said "Don't worry we'll sort it"

 

Followed same procedure as me; checked battery voltage, in line fuse, fuel, connections etc; no joy

 

In addition to this however he opened up the Control Module box ( six small screw) and proceed to then check with a meter the old style ceramic bullet fuses hidden inside. Low and behold one 16 amp fuse, although on visual inspection appeared to be intact was not allowing any voltage to flow. Replaced and the heater then began to work fine.

 

On close inspection the fuse had melted very slightly at it's point resulting in a reduction in the tightness of the fuse in the holder causing the intermittent connections. Apparently this is a known issue with this type of fuse. Something else to check but of course it just might be the answer to some one else's frustrating problem with their boiler, personally I can't afford to lose any more hair.

 

Thanks to Alan, a very amiable guy who as well as sorting out the problem gave me as a newbie to boating some very practical advice for maintaining our boat. Would certainly recommend their services to anyone in the Gloucestershire area.

 

Thanks again to you all for the massive amounts of information I have gleaned from numerous threads so far.

 

Of course I have learn't that you shouldn't mention toilets, fenders, or heating so be gentile with this post. If you are I promise to post further information about our boat and our journeys.

 

Kevin

 

Now that is the sort of useful maintenance info that I wish more people would post as it helps others do their own fault diagnosis. So often people ask questions and get loads of advice and then you never hear the end of the story and what actually turned out to be the fault and the cure. Well done.

Roger

[cereal tiller]

Hi Eberspacher Owners

 

A new boaters experience for your infomation.

 

We purchased a 12 year old Stoke On Trent semi trad last October which having been wintered at Kingfisher Marine in Northamptonshire we recently moved to Saul Marina on the Gloucester Sharpness. During our eventful journey in March via the water challenged GU, the very narrow Stratford South, the wide River Avon and the even wider River Severn our Eberspacher D5W (The old one) developed a fault.

 

Before any one starts, yes we do have a Morso Squirrel and yes we use it; the fault was more of a frustration than an end of the world situation.

 

Symptoms:

Turn on, fan starts, runs 5 seconds fan turns off and heater shuts down. Two days later tried again worked, next day didn't , three days later worked, next morning didn't

 

Having settled in at Saul I had a look at it following Jelunga's advice on previous threads, I tried the usual things , battery voltage, fuse, fuel pump, overheat reset switch etc. All were fine and so I was a bit stumped.

 

Enter Alan Stafford from SOS Boat Services - 07711 320522.

 

A little bit worrying when he told me that he had lots of experience on Eberspachers, especially the newer ones but that the only time he had seen this model was in a museum display case at the Eberspacher Head Office on a training course

 

He said "Don't worry we'll sort it"

 

Followed same procedure as me; checked battery voltage, in line fuse, fuel, connections etc; no joy

 

In addition to this however he opened up the Control Module box ( six small screw) and proceed to then check with a meter the old style ceramic bullet fuses hidden inside. Low and behold one 16 amp fuse, although on visual inspection appeared to be intact was not allowing any voltage to flow. Replaced and the heater then began to work fine.

 

On close inspection the fuse had melted very slightly at it's point resulting in a reduction in the tightness of the fuse in the holder causing the intermittent connections. Apparently this is a known issue with this type of fuse. Something else to check but of course it just might be the answer to some one else's frustrating problem with their boiler, personally I can't afford to lose any more hair.

 

Thanks to Alan, a very amiable guy who as well as sorting out the problem gave me as a newbie to boating some very practical advice for maintaining our boat. Would certainly recommend their services to anyone in the Gloucestershire area.

 

Thanks again to you all for the massive amounts of information I have gleaned from numerous threads so far.

 

Of course I have learn't that you shouldn't mention toilets, fenders, or heating so be gentile with this post. If you are I promise to post further information about our boat and our journeys.

 

Kevin

That type of ceramic fuse has led to worse problems than high resistance!

 

i know of at least one written off boat caused by a ceramic fuse,some of the covers for them were made of a clear plastic which would burn like a candle when exposed to heat from a fuse which had poor contacts.

 

The best approach would be to replace the ceramic fuse unit with a BLADE fuse type.

 

The eberspacher d5w would probably draw 25-30 amps on start-up,the 16 amp fuse was never quite sufficient.

[jelunga]

That type of ceramic fuse has led to worse problems than high resistance!

 

i know of at least one written off boat caused by a ceramic fuse,some of the covers for them were made of a clear plastic which would burn like a candle when exposed to heat from a fuse which had poor contacts.

 

The best approach would be to replace the ceramic fuse unit with a BLADE fuse type.

 

The eberspacher d5w would probably draw 25-30 amps on start-up,the 16 amp fuse was never quite sufficient.

The fuse which blew is the one which supplies power to the glow plug. If if blows again you prob need a new glow plug. Do not do what I did and not cjean the vent holes in an annular ring inside the glow plug hole you need a right angle probe like a dentists tool to poke the carbon out. If you fail to do this the fuse will blow and the glow plug will have overheated and failed. Another £50 down the pan.

I know. I did not know about the holes.

Peter at Eberspacher UK advises you useceramic fuses rather than blade fuses because they can cope with the higher surge current on initial start up he says. That is why they fit them he says.

 

Sorry Chris not Peter

Edited April 19, 2012 by jelunga

[Dreamweaver 70']

I've recently had the same problem with my D5W (2001) at first it was a blocked fuel filter so after £174 later on call out charge it worked which was heavenly because it was -4 outside at night and not nice to wake up to in the morning. Switched it off after being on for 8hrs tried to start in the morning and ....... No luck it's broke again. Woudnt start after 5 seconds. So took the back cabin part again! And went straight for the fuse box in the control unit and hey pressto it was the 16amp fuse for the glow plug, looked like a candle rather than a ceramic fuse so changed all three fuses (16 and 2x 8amp) and hoped for te best flicked the switch and she ran!

 

Hope you find the helpful.

Mark on a warn Dreamweaver!

[Bobbybass]

Several years ago..I would get this problem.

 

In my case....the actual springs on the fuse holder...had lost their 'spring' due to the continual heating up. I found that if I was getting 'lighting up' problems....inevitably the fuse was moving again in the holder....as they were once again loose.

This caused resistance ...as I surmise that the fuse was vibrating in the holder and adding resistance.

 

I attached short...very heavy cables to the fuse holder..ran them through a hole in the control box..and connected them to an external...heavy duty fuse holder.

This has been extremely successful...I have no signs of overheating...and if the fuse blows..I do not have to dismantle the box to get to it.

 

Worked for me.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Bobbybass