Should I replace my Eberspacher?

[RichM]

I have a 16 year old Eberspacher D5W SC 12 volt, 5 kW. It's used to heat one rad + 2 fin rads and 1 towel rail, plus a 62 litre calorifier in a 55ft narrowboat. It is great when it works except for when temperatures get down to freezing, whereby I use my solid-fuel stove in combination.

I'm not sure on their lifespan but 16 years sounds like some age and it doesn't surprise me it needs regular maintenance. Would it make sense at this point to replace it with something newer/more reliable and if so would a similar Webasto unit be better?

Cheers

RichM

[Robbo]

If your’re a live aboard and use a lot I would get a pressure jet one.  I think webasto are bringing one out soon.

[mrsmelly]

6 minutes ago, RichM said:

I have a 16 year old Eberspacher D5W SC 12 volt, 5 kW. It's used to heat one rad + 2 fin rads and 1 towel rail, plus a 62 litre calorifier in a 55ft narrowboat. It is fine when it works except for when temperatures get down to freezing, whereby I use my solid-fuel stove in combination.

As it's getting very old and needs a fair amount of maintenance, what do people suggest i replace it with? Would a similar Webasto unit be better and if so which model?

Cheers

RichM

I have the webasto, its more or less a straight swop with minimal fuss, cant remember which it is 4 or 5 kw its a thermos top c. Bought two off ebay one is fitted the other as a spare still in its box. A bloke on ebay sells loads of em excellent feedbac and very cheap. Never failed to start and run faultlessly for well over a year of use now.

[RichM]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

I have the webasto, its more or less a straight swop with minimal fuss, cant remember which it is 4 or 5 kw its a thermos top c. Bought two off ebay one is fitted the other as a spare still in its box. A bloke on ebay sells loads of em excellent feedbac and very cheap. Never failed to start and run faultlessly for well over a year of use now.

I haven't done anything like this before. What's involved in swapping them over? Do you find the Webasto to be quieter and more economical than your previous Eberspacher?

[mrsmelly]

13 minutes ago, RichM said:

I haven't done anything like this before. What's involved in swapping them over? Do you find the Webasto to be quieter and more economical than your previous Eberspacher?

Personaly I prefer webasto over ebers but many hire fleets use ebers so?.................On this boat I went from a hurricane to this webasto I had it fitted by someone else cos I just did with my present knees etc and I find webasto very quiet. My buddy went from eber to webasto and I changed it for him and its very simple as provided the 12 volt supply is there modifying the water and fuel supplies is straightforward. Its more down to the cost of the units for you I would say. Sensible money would go for the pukka marine kit at £££ but I am a risk taker and paid £ for a recon kit from ebay. The whole kit except header tank was supplied and works without fault from day one, so good it is that I bought another as a spare from the same source. It works at 12 volt without fault but my batteries have never been lower than that as those were my old batteries just before I changed them and generaly they don't drop below 12.3.

[Sea Dog]

Sixteen years of continuous service sounds like a recommend in itself, and it may be that a new Eberspacher is a shoe in which will save you on fitting cost (or just make it easier if you do it yourself).  Whichever way you go, but especially if you stay with Eberspacher, save yourself a bit of money by getting a 4kW version. These units are more reliable when they work harder for a living - it's the low power running and idling that kills them off or makes them high maintenance.

[Momac]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

it's the low power running and idling that kills them off or makes them high maintenance.

I firmly believe that to be true. 

Two friends who I know to be anxious about burning fuel and turning the thermostat down have had to pay out for reconditioning - which is almost as much money as a new heater. One is Eberspacher the other is Webasto . 

My Eberspacher is as old as the boat which will be 15 years in April.

 

[Tony Brooks]

13 hours ago, Robbo said:

If your’re a live aboard and use a lot I would get a pressure jet one.  I think webasto are bringing one out soon.

The conversation seems to have gone down a Eber V Webasto route rather than pressure jet V vaporiser. I remember BMEA (I think) saying in his experience pressure jet are more  reliable but the only one in the format we are talking about was a large Webasto so if Robbo is correct I would go with him and investigate the upcomming Webasto.

[Naughty Cal]

10 hours ago, MartynG said:

I firmly believe that to be true. 

Two friends who I know to be anxious about burning fuel and turning the thermostat down have had to pay out for reconditioning - which is almost as much money as a new heater. One is Eberspacher the other is Webasto . 

My Eberspacher is as old as the boat which will be 15 years in April.

 

Our Webasto is as old as our boat so 14 years old. We have always run it flat out from when we bought the boat at 5 years old.

This time last year it decided to give us it's first problems. We came back to the boat to find smoke pummeling from the exhaust. The fan unit had failed.

Whilst we had the unit off to replace the fan we also gave it a decoke, new gaskets, new burner cartridge, new glow plug and replaced all of the ducting and lagged it all. Cost all in was £225 as we did the work ourselves.

It now works better then it ever has done since we have owned the boat and if anything gets the boat too hot, we end up sat with the heating on and windows and doors open 

We have a spare set of gaskets now so will give it a decoke again after this winter as it is such a simple job.

[Midnight]

14 hours ago, RichM said:

I haven't done anything like this before. What's involved in swapping them over? Do you find the Webasto to be quieter and more economical than your previous Eberspacher?

I once replaced a Mikuni MX40 with a new Webasto on a friend's boat. Quite easy really the hardest part was fitting the new header tank into a small cupboard space.

In regard of working them hard I was told by the Eberspacher guys at a boat show that fitting the larger version on a narrowboat was the cause of many failures. On the other hand I have had a 6kw Mikuni MX60 for almost 14 years and apart from regular servicing it just runs and runs. If it ever did fail I would be tempted to go the same route as Mr Smelly. IIRC there's a seller on Ebay who does guaranteed reconditioned units that only cost around £450. My preference would be based on the almost silent operation.

Edited November 16, 2017 by Midnight

[Tonka]

Before you go down the route of buying a Webasto from Ebay, which may not be a marine unit why don't you contact NMEA of this parish as he may have a marine reconditioned unit to sell you. That is what I did and I can highly recommend him and he was very helpful. Have you serviced the Ebersplutter ? If you pm me I can email you a manual for the D5w 

[Midnight]

2 hours ago, Tonka said:

Before you go down the route of buying a Webasto from Ebay, which may not be a marine unit why don't you contact NMEA of this parish as he may have a marine reconditioned unit to sell you. That is what I did and I can highly recommend him and he was very helpful. Have you serviced the Ebersplutter ? If you pm me I can email you a manual for the D5w 

What's the difference?

[Tonka]

Firstly the warranty that they come with. Secondly the cut off voltage. You really need to speak with a Webasto agent I. E Nmea who can tell you more than I can