propex v eberspatcher?

[kathyshack]

Disco has a removeable refillable domestic lpg tank.

no one is saying how fast a propex can empty a 4.5kg calor bottle, and i seem to remember the one in mine emptied one in less than 48hrs.....

disco, any details on this tank?

[Mocki]

petrol ebber.. oh, no thanks, to expensive to run, and too explosive......

[NewarkNutter]

I have a 2L air-cooled with LPG with a Leisure vapor tack off but I run a Petrol Ebber.
It isn't that expensive, they use very little fuel. They aren't so explosive either. All ebbers etc. work on the same principle, they vaporise the fuel using heat then ignite it in a closed combustion chamber with forced air. Under these condition diesel vapor is just as explosive. It is the same principle as oil fired central heating and primus stoves.
The main area I think the Ebber scores over a Propex is it can be used on the move, very important in an air-cooled at this time of year. You should have you propane/butane turned off when on the move because of two main dangers. The sloshing around of the liquid gas means that it could enter the vapor pipe to the appliance and cause uncontrollable flaring. Any one who has tried to use a cheap blowlamp to solder pipes under floorboards will know what I mean!
The other is the potential for large leaks in the event of a RTA.
The Autogas tanks with vapor take off for leisure use are fitted with a solenoid which is supposed to be connected so that it closes when the ignition is switched on.
Our Ebber is a fine thing, very reliable and I love the noise it makes, soothes me off to sleep

Andy

[Popeye- Doyle]

Whats wrong with a petrol eber ? They exist - why don't people use them ?

Ringo

I have one in my van and i have i never got it to work properly. I have been advised to upgrade to newer technolgy for reliability and for safety reasons. I am going for a Propex as i can feed it from my underslung LPG tank.

One question i have is: Do i strip the old petrol eber out or leave it in?

[..lee..]

when i get. i mean, IF, i get my webasto working i`ll let you know how fantastic it is.................










..........................................or not, as the case may be.

[Martin]

propex heaters are safe to use when moving.

they were designed for use on boats and have anti serge protection.

eeerrr petrol ebbers nope i think i will leave them well alone after some things that i have read in the press and seen the results.

[irish.david]

The main problem people seem to have with Ebers is that they can't get them to run reliably due to one of the various safety devices playing up. Some people then find a way to bypass these safety devices which is why you get some of the "eber fireball" reports. Almost all the components in the eber are off the shelf items that can be bought over the internet so renewing them isn't a huge hassle.

The main items for the petrol eber that should be changed is the glow plug and the thermostatic switches. During startup the eber uses tons of electricity as it's using the glowplug. There's a thermo switch on the combustion chamber that shuts off the glowplug when the temp gets hot enough to continue combustion without it. If this switch fails then the eber won't last more than 30 mins on a fully charged battery.

By far the most common eber fault is a failure on startup, especially on cold mornings. This is almost always due to a low voltage failure on the eber. When they were new the cabling runs in these vans was barely up to the job so after 20 years the aux battery that the eber is normally fed from probably isn't getting a full charge from the alternator. A good test is to measure the voltage at both the aux battery and at the eber during startup. You'll be amazed at the difference which is the voltage loss in the cabling. A "cheap" solution for Westies is to fit another 63 Amp/hr battery under the rear seat next to the eber control box. This gives you more capacity in your leisure system and acts a buffer when your eber starts to eliminate cable losses.

As long as you keep an eye on them there's nothing scary about petrol ebers. I wonder how many vans are driving around with DJ/MV engines and 20 year old pressurised fuel lines running over an engine with 2 banks of hot exhausts.

Dave

[ringo]

Hi Dave,

Have you ever changed one of these thermo switches ? Does it involve completely taking the eber to bits or is it easily accessible like the glow plug ?

Thanks

Ringo

The main problem people seem to have with Ebers is that they can't get them to run reliably due to one of the various safety devices playing up. Some people then find a way to bypass these safety devices which is why you get some of the "eber fireball" reports. Almost all the components in the eber are off the shelf items that can be bought over the internet so renewing them isn't a huge hassle.

The main items for the petrol eber that should be changed is the glow plug and the thermostatic switches. During startup the eber uses tons of electricity as it's using the glowplug. There's a thermo switch on the combustion chamber that shuts off the glowplug when the temp gets hot enough to continue combustion without it. If this switch fails then the eber won't last more than 30 mins on a fully charged battery.

By far the most common eber fault is a failure on startup, especially on cold mornings. This is almost always due to a low voltage failure on the eber. When they were new the cabling runs in these vans was barely up to the job so after 20 years the aux battery that the eber is normally fed from probably isn't getting a full charge from the alternator. A good test is to measure the voltage at both the aux battery and at the eber during startup. You'll be amazed at the difference which is the voltage loss in the cabling. A "cheap" solution for Westies is to fit another 63 Amp/hr battery under the rear seat next to the eber control box. This gives you more capacity in your leisure system and acts a buffer when your eber starts to eliminate cable losses.

As long as you keep an eye on them there's nothing scary about petrol ebers. I wonder how many vans are driving around with DJ/MV engines and 20 year old pressurised fuel lines running over an engine with 2 banks of hot exhausts.

Dave

[Mocki]

Ringo, the flame sensor is really easy to change, its really easy to get to, but you have to take the heater out, and split the plastic case.....

its 4 8mm nuts three pipe connections three electrical connections and 6 plastic rivits and your ready to change it......


( i must do mine! )

[irish.david]

Here's the farnell order information i used for all three of the thermoswitches.

732473 MICROTHERM
55H12T944(250/200) 1 Complete £3.29 £3.29
Description: THERMAL SWITCH, N/C 250C; Temperature, opening:250°C; Temperature, closing:200°C; Voltage, contact AC max:250V; Current, contact max:10A; Approval Bodies:UL, CSA, VDE0631, DIN EN; Centres, fixing:24mm; Depth, external:19
1006845 HONEST-WELL
T23A100ASR2-15 1 Complete £1.79 £1.79
Description: THERMAL SWITCH, N/C 100C; Temperature, opening:100°C; Temperature, closing:85°C; Voltage, contact AC max:250V; Current, contact max:10A; Approval Bodies:UL, VDE; Centres, fixing:24mm; Depth, external:17mm; Length / Heigh
1006842 HONEST-WELL
T23A050ASR2-15 1 Complete £1.79 £1.79
Description: THERMAL SWITCH, N/C 50C; Temperature, opening:50°C; Temperature, closing:35°C; Voltage, contact AC max:250V; Current, contact max:10A; Approval Bodies:UL, VDE; Centres, fixing:24mm; Depth, external:17mm; Length / Height,

Dave