ESPAR Hydronic M10

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

Hi guys,

Long story short, I put an Espar, Hydronic M10 on my truck within the last week. I had previously set in up in my garage using test equipment to do fuel flow analysis, and amperage draw; the heater worked awesome. I finally got around to plumbing into the truck. I retrofitted a jobbox in the bed of the truck and kept everything in it. I've got a 7 gallon fuel reservoir mounted inside as well. I plan to run kerosene in it during the cooler months. I tested it for a few days before permanently installing the power wiring and switch wiring. It worked flawless for three days, probably 8 hours of run time. I decided to finish my install by adding the switch to the cab, and adding the power wires up to the fuse box rather just a standalone battery in the truck bed. Once I had it permanently installed, my problems never quit. I had trouble starting the system. It would click on and then off really quick. The green light faded like the water pump was bogging down and then shut off. I would need to start the truck and run it or else the water pump would just bog down and shut the system off. But after I started it with the truck running, I left it run for 30 mins after that. So the system worked great. I tried a restart, and it would do the same thing, no be able to spin the water pump. I tried several more ideas, all resulting in the same thing, nothing. I think now I am in a controlled lock situation from attempting too many times to do a restart, because it won't do anything. Literally nothing. The green light comes on on the switch but nothing on the unit will respond. I read undoing the power does a full reset, but that hasn't seemed to work. Any ideas?

I've emailed ESPAR, but haven't gotten a response.

 

[mwilson]

We are an Espar dealer. I don't recall that particular model. I can check with the tech Monday.

 

[mwilson]

I'll be doing some work Sunday and if I get time will see what I can find you for resources.

 

[mwilson]

Wondering if you have it plumbed correctly? Where have you made your water connections?

 

[Shadrach]

Wow that's way overkill for a Dodge. We always use the D5 models. It is 17100 BTU's. Even on a KW with an ISX 15 litre we still use the D5 model. The M10 is over 34000 BTU's. Like anything else there can be a problem with having too big of a unit, although that won't be causing your problems right now. There is a tag on the heater with the part number, usually 2 digits a space then 4 more. Mine says 25 2219. Get that so Mike can look up details for you.

You have it mounted too high. It is very possible you have an air lock in the system. Our techs always mount them down low, usually on the frame of the truck, KW or Dodge. I have the proper Dodge kit on my 03 and it is mounted just in front of the fuel tank. The fuel pump need to be mounted within 2 metres ( 6 feet ) of the fuel tank, so no problem there.

As per the Espar install manual : The installation location for the heater is the engine compartment. The heater must be mounted below the min. cooling water level (compensation tank, cooler, vehicle heat exchanger) for automatic venting of the heat exchanger of the heater and the water pump. In a truck, the water heater is preferably fastened underneath the driver’s cab in the longitudinal beam near the vehicle engine.

Hope this helps. David

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

If you look at a connection per connection basis, it's hooked up correctly. But as per location on the truck, I'm way different. I mounted in the truck bed in a knaack tool box. I have a 7 gallon fuel reservoir mounted in the tank. Everything is in there, right now, including the 12v battery, and 12 to 24v converter. The only thing running actually connected to the truck is the water lines. I ran them through the bed, below the cab and up to the engine bay. I used a one way check valve and plumbed my espar lines into the heater core line. When the espar runs, it can't flow backwards because of the check, but when truck runs and not espar, it "should" pass through the check valve and not push coolant through the espar. That's how I imagined it, but no guarantee that's how it's working. It may still flow though the espar if it's least resistance.

In case someone is wondering, no I didn't go buy a kit. I work for a Cat dealer and we had to remove a few of these good working units. I went through our wiring schematics, and parts manuals for the installation on a machine and mimicked the installation. It's push button switch, so no timer is used. Too bad, because I'm reading that those timers are also code/fault readers. I bundled everything in the box and put it in the truck bed because I didn't like the under the cab option. Like we've mentioned, it's way too large of a heater, so mounting under frame was a little bit of a burden. And I'm picky about salt and snow, and didn't want it getting all the winter time road debris.

Anyway, Everybody is right so far. I found Cummins CrossPoint here about 30 miles away is a espar dealer. I will be calling them on Monday. They said they're espar specialist was out for the weekend. I'll just idle the truck a little longer for now. I'm sure I need to get a diagnostic tool hooked up. But because of the "retrofit" job that I did I didn't put in, or know about, a diagnostic tool at the time.

Thanks folks, I didn't know how many people used these on pickup trucks. Good to hear

 

[mwilson]

Is a timer upgrade available perhaps?

I think convection is a factor even with the water pump if the truck engine is not running. They are finicky in regards to plumbing. Even the electric fuel pump has to be at specific angle for proper operation. At least on a D2 that's the way it is.

 

[mwilson]

I have to ask this as I like to start with the basics...this unit did come off a Cat with a 12 volt system?

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

Nope, it came off of a 24v system. I've got a 12 to 24v converter doing that for me. It works awesome. This thing draws so little amps it's pretty impressive.

And yes, I've got it mounted somewhere near 25* angle. Going from memory, the picture showed 15* to like 80* angle for installation. Basically, not horizontal, and not vertical, and with outlet facing upward.

I had ran it for 2-3 days, flawlessly, and impressively. All I wanted to do was "clean" up the install. Make the wiring look neater, and shorten the fuel supply line. So I did just that. I shortened a few wires and reconnected them. And then I shortened my fuel line from about 10 feet to about 2 feet. I had first thought that the system needed to bleed because of cutting the fuel lines. But after I had a few failed starts, I got it running and it ran for another 30 mins. Then it did the same thing, clicks over, but shuts off without circulating water. Tried a few more times. Now it wont do anything, nothing at all. Green light comes on, on the switch, but pump doesn't respond at all.

 

[Shadrach]

So did you get this thing working?

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

Yes, I indeed got it working. Just forgot to update. It works absolutely perfect. The problem I had around last thanks giving was due to some bad wiring. I had a ground wire that wasn't making good connection. All last winter, and all this winter it worked perfect. I thought, since it was in a knaack toolbox, that I would remove it, during the summer and put quick disconnects on the water lines, that way it wasn't in my truck bed all year round. But I found that I just left it in there and didn't have any issues. Apparently, other than my dirt bike, I either haul small items, or very large items that would've needed a trailer regardless. I did not do the remote timer. I still could, but just choose to walk out at hit the push button switch.

At home, I leave it plugged in to the block heater anyway, so in the morning I don't have any issues. I just run turn the espar on for 30-40 mins while getting ready for the day, and key the trucks defrost on, and ta-da, warm truck and less idle time. When out of the road though this is where it benefits me. I'm anal about heat ups and cool downs. If I'm going to be stopped somewhere for long enough the truck would cool down, I run the espar unit to keep it warm. So it basically stays at operating temp all the time, unless I'm permanently parking it. Which, then, I plug in the block heater.

Some people like what I did. Some people think it's pretty dumb, lol. But all in all it was a project I wanted to get done because it was on my mind for four years and I'm happy as can be with it. Sometimes I get some faces from people walking past my truck in the dead of winter and hearing this loud "whistling-whooshing" sound from the truck bed. (I never got around to installing a proper muffler, lol). But it's worth it. The right people question it, and it sparks great conversation. Ill try to put some picture up of the install, never used pictures on the TDR yet.

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

The reason for doing all this in a tool box was for easy removability; if I didn't like it, it didn't work, and it wasn't permanently attached underneath the truck where it would get road debris and salt on it.

 

[Shadrach]

Great thanks for the update.
David