Eberspacher fault

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

Hi,

My Eber heater is playing up. I have to remove the fuse and replace it for the heater to start working, otherwise I just get cold air.

Any ideas what might be wrong?

Thanks,
dan

 

[sidepod]

Did you manage to get your Eber working?

I've just put mine back on the van after a major fault finding session.

It does seem like an odd fault you have there given that the same fuse/motor runs for both heat and cold air. The only difference between the functions is the operation of a small pcb relay inside the heater unit.

The cold functuion runs independantly of the control unit (silver box behind door pillar/drivers seat) where as the heat function is controlled via the control box.
If the heat isn't working then removing the fuse may be reseting the control unit?

Any further info on this?

S.

 

[TwentyOneThirtyFive]

No more info and also it seems to have been behaving itself over the winter (thankfully).

Not sure what was going on. I'm pretty sure it's not me being impatient as I left it on for a few hours one time, attempting to dry out the van. Came back and it was still blowing cold air.

dan

 

[Davor Butkovic]

Hi guys

Tried my heater today and works fine on cold function, however when I switch it to heat, light comes on but fan and heater don’t.
Anyone can throw some light before I start with fault finding exercise.
Tia
Dav

 

[sidepod]

So much has been written on this subject.

Search is your friend.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

Tried looking through all posts but non of the really relate to the problem I have.
Thanks Sidepod

 

[sidepod]

I’ve written tons of basic fault finding stuff.

Don’t mean to be flippant but I can’t write it out again.

Start with the plug.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

No probs, will be searching through all previous posts. I know you are always helpful Sidepod.

 

[flying banana]

Control panel reset?

 

[Gary&Heather]

Why are some people so touchy on this forum.

 

[sidepod]

No probs, will be searching through all previous posts. I know you are always helpful Sidepod.

Let me know how you get on. I have the VW trouble shooting guide for the Eberspacher if we need it.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

I will do, not had a chance today as my lovely wife got me ripping bathroom out, nice, but hopefully in the next few days or weeks I will get a chance.
What gets me is that clock is slightly loosing numbers, still functional I think, fan on cold works fine and lights on controller work on worm bit not the fan or the heater. Now, having read through few posts maybe resetting may be an option, but how do you do it on the old clock?, checking fuse in the mains fuse board could be another.
My van has gone through a major surgery over the past few months, was a LHD 2.4d now is RHD 2.5tdi. So you can imagine the level of chsnge. The whole of the wiring harness got changed and not sure if it may have been either lost, left disconnected or could be as simple as changing a fuse, but it does work on cold, so was hopeful it something simple. During the surgery, all electrics were disconnected and leasue batteries were completely drained too. Wonder IT zvat affected it. Anyway, Thanks for help so far guys.

 

[sidepod]

Now you tell us!! Heater drops out at 10.4V

Just switch the heater on and check voltage at the glow plug. If it’s there then chances are it’s the plug or earth.
If zero volts then it’s upstream.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

I wish that was the one, lesure batteries are fully charged. Will report once I check the glow plugs. Thanks

 

[Davor Butkovic]

Update;
Just had some time to have a look at my heater.
Managed to pull the cover off where fuse board is starting to do some tests following below drawing.
Power was going into control panel but nothing was coming out.
After couple of hours of analysing the drawing and checking control panel fuse as well as glow plug relay I realised that there was no power from control unit.
I then spend another hour trying to source a new control panel which is almost impossible.
My last shot was to bridge pin 1 and pin 4 on the control panel as I wanted to know that other components work.
All fired up and working, since switching it off it seems to be ok, my only question is for how long?
Has anyone sourced control panel from somewhere?
Is there an alternative product or do I need to keep an eye for one coming on for sale.
Dav

 

[sidepod]

I’m not sure which unit you are referring to, control UNIT or control PANEL?

Control unit is obsolete so you will struggle there. Track Ebay. I believe they were the same as fitted to T25 vans.
Mine failed due to a leaking kitchen window allowing water ingress.

The control PANEL should be achievable?

I opened mine up and re-soldered the connections between the two PCB’s. Cured the problem.

Keep going, you’re getting there.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

I’m not sure which unit you are referring to, control UNIT or control PANEL?

Control unit is obsolete so you will struggle there. Track Ebay. I believe they were the same as fitted to T25 vans.
Mine failed due to a leaking kitchen window allowing water ingress.

The control PANEL should be achievable?

I opened mine up and re-soldered the connections between the two PCB’s. Cured the problem.

Keep going, you’re getting there.

Hi Sidepod

It’s the obsolete control unit at the back of the fuse board. Had a look around and there isn’t many available 1 max 2 atm, from Germany and USA I think.
It’s strange as yesterday it was working, tried this morning nothing, when I bridge red and white cable it comes on, stays on, if I switch it off and straight back on again it comes on it just seems that something is not sending signal within the unit is my thinking.
Do you think there is a way to fix it maybe?
I will keep searching for replacement but one I found is £80 and seen them priced in the past fit up £180 for a second hand unit with no guarantee.
I wish they issued a replacement part or at least made later versions comparable.

 

[sidepod]

I’ve got one that’s partially dead. Inside (you can get into them with care) there is a large power relay. It may well be this that’s burned out. Easy enough to replace as it’s just soldered into a pcb.
May be worth opening it up to see if there are any obvs signs of damage.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

I’ve got one that’s partially dead. Inside (you can get into them with care) there is a large power relay. It may well be this that’s burned out. Easy enough to replace as it’s just soldered into a pcb.
May be worth opening it up to see if there are any obvs signs of damage.

Funny you should say that as soon as got home I tried it and it didn’t work so out it and to have a look.
There is it anything obvious other than when I bridge it over and after some time switch it off it makes a funny sound, a bit like scraping is what I can describe it as. It may be a relay now that you mention it as I often remember relay sound on my indicators when faulty and that sound is similar.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

I had it in bits again and it actually fan or whatever else that makes a noise on switch off.
Annoyingly with case off (a bit dangerous I know) while I can look at the relay and relay works perfectly had it run for about 15 min warm air coming through nicely, I though I’d give it a good old blow for good luck before putting casing back on.
With casing on ran for about 2 min and then switched it self off.
Obviously there is an issue with relay. Where do any of guys think I could get a relay from? What sort of relay is it?
It looks like standard automotive relay minus casing.

 

[sidepod]

Are you sure it’s the box that’s shutting down the heater and not the overheat trip inside the heater itself? I’d check this first. Just by pass it and see if the heater runs continuously.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

Are you sure it’s the box that’s shutting down the heater and not the overheat trip inside the heater itself? I’d check this first. Just by pass it and see if the heater runs continuously.

I will check that next. As I haven’t opened the heater box under the van before do all the screws around the middle of the box come off, that was my thought last time I looked.
Equally bridging over battery supply to white cable pin 4 to pin 1 that feeds glow plug, pump and rest of it seem to work fine when bridges over.

 

[sidepod]

Ah good point. Seems to suggest it's relay related. Perhaps get it running and keep a voltmeter on the coil contacts, see if the voltage drops out causing the relay to open. There is a failed start time out but I can't recall what the sequence is, it describes this in the D2L manual. Interesting problem.

 

[Davor Butkovic]

Another little play;
Switched straight on today, ran for about 15 min then turned off, it seemed hot enough in the van so thermostat may have switched it off, black grill really hot so perhaps explains why it was off, I could switch it off then back on but it would run for long which I guess may be due to heat.
I have recorded the noise that I thought was coming out of control panel and relay, however it is from within the fan. Sounds like a forced brake on the motor.
Bit more confused as it seem to switching on ok today, better than it did in last few days.
So noise is the next one, was hoping that I don’t have to take the fan/heater box apart.
Hold that thought.
Just tried again after cooling it and it seems to be knocking off after about 20 seconds which could mean that your suggestion may have a valid point of a thermal cut out switch or something similar.

 

[sidepod]

If you have an odd noise it could be a bad bearing in the fan or similar which could be contributing to heat build up/trip?

It’s actually quite easy to remove and open up the heater unit.

More fun.
Keep going, you’re almost the house expert.