Espar Replacement

Hi,

I know this has been a recurring discussion but I don’t see anything recent. My Espar coach heater does not fire. I took it to the local Thermo King facility; they looked at it and expressed puzzlement. They couldn’t do anything with it and, as we know, their diagnostic tool is useless in this proprietary application. My first impulse is to replace it with a new Espar and a separate thermostat; that looks to be about $2,000. Ouch! This may push me over the edge to get a more easily serviced RV but I can’t sell it with a non-functioning heater. We’re also planning an October trip to the Southwest, where it’s cold at night.

I know Dennis, at Linden Engineering, was evaluating Webasto heaters to replace these; I’ll call him but he’s 1500 miles away. Does anyone have other suggestions?

Bill
 

Wasaabi

Sprinter Westfalia #133
My understanding is that the majority of Espar problems are usually minimal in nature. If you are able to remove it (not hard) then you can try to power it up by jumping power to it. Search forums for info on that. Once apart, there are some very basic maintenance procedures that can be done that usually fix the issue. Particularly because Westy users just don’t put much “mileage” on these Espars, unlike truckers. It seems the issue with mine - fried controller - was the worst of the various stories here. But the replacement controller fixed the issue and allowed me to add the altitude module. Also, once you replace the board and add a separate thermostat, the Espar becomes a standard (non-Westy) unit that any Espar dealer can fix. My point is, all the parts are replaceable, and going that route is probably your easiest and cheapest bet.

The guy in Indiana that used to fix these for $100 flat fee apparently no longer does, although maybe it’s worth checking with him. If not there must be someone else out there that can do it if you’d rather not mess with it.
 
Well my brain to my espar heater went out last year. Now the brain which is attached to the heater is proprietary to Westfalia. The heater did not work at all. I got a new brain from a place in the Portland Or. area. The new brain will not work with the proprietary Westfalia temp controller however. I bought for 100 bucks a Espar D1000 thermostat. I had to change the wiring harness to match the wires. Not hard, there all color coded. Now it works and the new controller has a diagnostic function and the ability to reset the heater if it has a fault. This may work for you if your heater is essentially good but the brain is not. Total project cost about 500 dollars. The brain is not that cheap. An Espar service place could easily do this. hope this helps.
 
Thanks. That’s very helpful. The question I’m wrestling with is whether to try the control board/temp controller replacement or just install a new Espar D2 heater; that’s roughly $1,800 installed. I’m guessing that the new control board and temp controller would be about $800 installed, with labor taken into account, if the local guys will even do that. The downside is, obviously, cost; the upside is that the new heater could be serviced anywhere. If I have to set up a separate thermostat anyway is it false economy to keep trying to get an already fifteen-year-old heater to work?
 

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
A. What Espar Models--CAUTION:

Whatever replacement Espar model you're getting, look for one which is for more air pressure and/or volume.

Our model is a D4S (NOT the smaller and popular D2 used by many DIYers, and NOT a regular D4). The "S" stands for "Suoercharged"???

Our Westies have three vent outlets, over a 10 foot length or so.

Presumably, the D4S has some special characteristics to handle our setup. The D4S may no longer be available but there are some other sub-models which may work. In the following older post, I found a D4S, a D4 Plus, a D4 Camper, a D4 Camper Plus.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30365&highlight=Espar&page=2

Search for OneManVan's postings. He did quite a bit of research.

Compatiblity:

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50346&highlight=Espar

B. Espar versis Webasto

Dennis at LindenEngineering had put in a Webasto heater replacement for a Westy owner but there were no follow-up posts. Dennis liked the Webasto more than the Espar for reliability although the Internet camps seem evenly split.

On the James Cook Friends Forum, Westy folks have replaced with a Webasto (but be careful of the year when replacement was done as later years had a newer Webasto model replacement).

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50388&highlight=LindenEngineering+Webasto

C. Better Installation

Both OneManVan and Dennis/LindenEngineering found issues with the thin gauge wires and voltage drops. I believe OneManVan posted on which wires he doubled.

D. Ideas?

If you are handy and/or have the time, you could buy a complete Espar D4? replacement. Then:

Take the old Westy computer board and put it on the new Espar replacement. If it works, then you won't have to change central computer console.

But, the old Westy computer board does NOT have one or more of the high altitude retrofit abilities AND it may NOT be compatible with the replacement Espar.

Here's where one control was installed:

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36411&highlight=Espar

Another Westy owner had the control installed above the kitchen drainpan.

I think a location accessible from the upper bunk would be handy.


Please post whatever you find and do. Thanks.
 
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Wasaabi

Sprinter Westfalia #133
Are you sure it is the ECU? It could be the atomizer or something cheap and easy to replace. Like Mr1987joker, I also did the ECU/D1000 upgrade. I had the expert from Indiana evaluate/upgrade the unit although I am confident that I could have done it myself now that I’ve done the research and had it apart. He said it was in almost new condition. These units are quite robust, so if you are planning on keeping the Westy long term, if I were you, I would pull it off and either send it to someone or replace the parts myself, keeping the base unit. Yes, there is some wiring and time to spend on it, but the result is a system you understand and can fix if you have a problem on the road in the future.
 

MrTomacco

Mr. Tommaco
Well my brain to my espar heater went out last year. Now the brain which is attached to the heater is proprietary to Westfalia. The heater did not work at all. I got a new brain from a place in the Portland Or. area. The new brain will not work with the proprietary Westfalia temp controller however. I bought for 100 bucks a Espar D1000 thermostat. I had to change the wiring harness to match the wires. Not hard, there all color coded. Now it works and the new controller has a diagnostic function and the ability to reset the heater if it has a fault. This may work for you if your heater is essentially good but the brain is not. Total project cost about 500 dollars. The brain is not that cheap. An Espar service place could easily do this. hope this helps.
What place in Portland?

Thanks

Rob
 

Teddy

New member
Hey Bill! I'm in Rochester and just installed a cheap ($186) Chinese knockoff diesel air heater, same design as the D2. I have put about 50hrs of use on it in the last couple of weeks and am nothing but happy with it.
 
Ted,

Sorry, Just saw this. That's interesting from two perspectives.

1. The heater.

2. The fact that there is another Westy in Rochester that we didn't know. There are several of us here.

Right now, thanks to some help, in AZ, from John Olsen, who has diagnostic tools and expertise, my Espar is working again. Who knows how long that will last?

I'd be interested to see your installation and to meet you.

Bill
 

hoflix

New member
Hey Bill! I'm in Rochester and just installed a cheap ($186) Chinese knockoff diesel air heater, same design as the D2. I have put about 50hrs of use on it in the last couple of weeks and am nothing but happy with it.
I've been contemplating the same idea for quite a while...
I'm guessing you replaced everything (as in, fuel pump and controller too, using the Chinese version it came with).
Any issues with high altitude?
 

onemanvan

Active member
I happened across an Ebay listing for a "Chinese knockoff" Diesel Air Heater ( $117 includes free shipping )- further searching revealed dozens of similar listings ranging in price from $100 to $300. This particular listing includes a digital thermostat whereas most of them have an analog thermostat. Obviously anyone opting to go down this path would need to perform 'due diligence'. At this time I have no interest in purchasing one or investigating further. However I reserve the right to change my mind at anytime:) https://goo.gl/HF9jPh

YouTube reviews:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YthaCqkMOs&t=3s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjDDlI_42a4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cIWUD-OM4A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMAyPzDxu4U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j5qW9kKBLM&t=617s
...
 

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