Club 80-90 Forums

Hi people,

I have one of these fitted to my T3 Califonia can anyone explain how they work i have no idea at all!
Also if it is not getting hot what could it be? They look like they are serviceable as you can get glow plugs etc for them so would servicing help it to get the temp to to hot?

Thanks

Oldiebut goodie is your man. No doubt he'll be along shortly.
There's also a whole host of information in the Wiki (up the top of the page).

http://wiki.club8090.co.uk/index.php/Ca ... berspacher" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

here.

Fozziebear wrote:Hi people,

I have one of these fitted to my T3 Califonia can anyone explain how they work i have no idea at all!

It works by burning diesel (or petrol sometimes) initially using a glow plug to ignite the fuel until it's hot enough, then it self-sustains and the hot gas is passed through an Air-Air heat exchanger such that the combustion gasses never come near the air that is circulated in the cabin. There's a small pump which gets blocked quite easily, usually located near to the fuel tank and connected to the vehicles fuel line.

If you turn on the Eber the pump should start pulsing after a minute or so. If it doesn't pulse then its seized or disconnected somehow (although the control unit usually detects this).

Fozziebear wrote:
Also if it is not getting hot what could it be? They look like they are serviceable as you can get glow plugs etc for them so would servicing help it to get the temp to to hot?

Thanks

As per Kevtherev's advice, check the Wiki. The Glow plug is a good place to start, also, there's a wire mesh 'cage' around the glow plug which gets blocked up with carbon. They recommend you replace these, however I've found that you can blast it with a blow torch and burn the crap off to make it perfectly serviceable again. If it's started to disintegrate then it's time to replace.

I got a complete DL3C cheap (£50) but wasn't working, a transistor had blown in the heater unit and subsequently the control unit (separate on mine) had locked out, which to clear the error code requires either connecting to a PC via special interface or connecting to a genuine Eber LCD Timer/control unit.

Instead I was able to manually extract the data from the control unit EEPROM, reset it and got it working again for free.

If you have a multimeter to hand then there's a few things I can suggest to try as preliminary tests.

Thanks for the replies, on the control panel I press the switch to the right (heat) and turn the dial to 7 I hear something starting up and then after about 30 seconds it turns off but the green light still remains on the control panel any ideas??
Thanks

No ignition, so it purges the combustion chamber for half a minute.
Pump pumping fuel?
Glowplug glowing?

kevtherev wrote:No ignition, so it purges the combustion chamber for half a minute.
Pump pumping fuel?
Glowplug glowing?

Sorry I'm a bit of novice when it comes to these it starts up and stops after about 30 seconds i know that, how will I know if the pump is pumping fuel or if the glow plug needs changing?

Thanks

You should be able to hear the pump "ticking". Also try having the engine running while starting the Eber to see if that makes a difference.


http://www.CampervanCulture.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fozziebear wrote:how will I know if the pump is pumping fuel or if the glow plug needs changing?

Thanks

davegsm82 wrote:
If you have a multimeter to hand then there's a few things I can suggest to try as preliminary tests....

Also, locate the pump. Somewhere in the fuel line. Switch on and see if it starts ticking (after 30-60 seconds). If not then there's electrical problems to deal with first.

Hi Fozzie....have you checked the fuse in the bottom of the control relay? situated next to the black box (charger) I think you have to remove some woodwork to access but the 'large' control relay has a small glass fuse in its base.
The other point is that the ebber draws around 8 amps when in its 'start phase' this can lead to a fair amount of voltage drop to the unit and as it requires a minimum of 11.7 volts to start (from memory) there is a chance that it isn't working because the voltage is too low. The easiest way to check this is to start the engine and the increased voltage from the alternator should take any voltage at the blow heater at least 1 volt higher allowing it to work (if that was the issue) All wiring and earth points must be 100% to ensure good voltage supply.
However, unfortunately this Ebberspacher model is now obsolete so you are basically in the lap of the gods as far as spares go. Many of us (including myself) have bit the bullet and basically scrapped the original ebber internals (in the big black box hanging under the sliding door step) and used the original box to house a more modern Webasto night heater..Oldie But Goodie is your man for supply.

Martin

California Dreamin wrote:Hi Fozzie....have you checked the fuse in the bottom of the control relay? situated next to the black box (charger) I think you have to remove some woodwork to access but the 'large' control relay has a small glass fuse in its base.
The other point is that the ebber draws around 8 amps when in its 'start phase' this can lead to a fair amount of voltage drop to the unit and as it requires a minimum of 11.7 volts to start (from memory) there is a chance that it isn't working because the voltage is too low. The easiest way to check this is to start the engine and the increased voltage from the alternator should take any voltage at the blow heater at least 1 volt higher allowing it to work (if that was the issue) All wiring and earth points must be 100% to ensure good voltage supply.
However, unfortunately this Ebberspacher model is now obsolete so you are basically in the lap of the gods as far as spares go. Many of us (including myself) have bit the bullet and basically scrapped the original ebber internals (in the big black box hanging under the sliding door step) and used the original box to house a more modern Webasto night heater..Oldie But Goodie is your man for supply.

Martin

Thanks for that Martin i will try this later and see if it makes a difference with the engine running.
When i lift the rear seat up i can see a square silver unit on the left with eberspacher written on it is this the control relay or is that underneath that so i can check the fuse?

Thanks everyone for your help so far

That's the jobba....turn it upside down and you will see a fuse holder in its base, I seem to remember it being a bayonet fitting so push and turn the centre through 90 degrees to release the fuse. The fuse is a fairly low rating, 1 or 2 amp glass fuse, available from somewhere like Maplin's if it's gone (although you have to buy a pack of Ten)

Martin

Right the latest update is I tried with the engine running and still the same I switch to hot turn dial to 7 starts up and then turns off after 20-30 seconds when it turns off it makes a noise which I can only describe as a sort of squeaking noise does anyone know what this could be?
I've not checked the fuse yet as need a stubby screwdriver to undo the bracket that holds the silver box in.

On a side note when I press the switch to cold air it starts up and stays on no problem at all my question is why would you ever use the eberspacher on cold air anyway??

Thanks

Not familiar with these but I am with the Propex ones and the cold air routine normally runs automatically post shut-down for a couple of minutes. Its a safety feature than anything, otherwise residual heat left inside the unit would rapidly conduct to adjacent components/parts not designed to get that hot and therefore could be damaged.

Indeed^^ the cold blower side is almost independent, the blower starts and the unit checks to see if every criteria is met for 'Starting' the combustion. After a minute or more, there is an initial 8 amp or so draw whilst the igniter and pump are initialised, fuel is pumped in to the burner wadding whilst the igniter clicks to start the fuel burning (I am quoting how a petrol ebber works and I know there are subtle differences to diesel) once the fuel starts to burn the igniter stops allowing the combustion to self perpetuate...the pump clicks to 'pulse' a drop of fuel into the wadding and maintain fuel supply.

The fuse in the relay I told you about (if blown) most definitely stops the hot air side, however I'm pretty sure the cold blower still works (sounds like the fault you are describing)

The squeak could be a partially seized motor or debris that has found its way in to the blower catching the impeller/fan.

Martin