How do I reset my Espar programmer?

[GWS]

I've been having nothing but trouble with my Espar this winter. Lately it hasn't been starting at all. I know its getting fuel, since you can see it dripping from the exhaust outlet. The fuel line is unobstructed and free of any pinches or kinks. I suspect a faulty glow pin, however I am not getting any glow pin related fault codes. The only code I see is 52 (no start safety time exceeded). Now, however I cant even attempt a start since it shows fault 50
(too many no start attempts). The manual says I need to reset the 7 day timer (ie clear the memory?) but this process is not expained anywhere in the manual for the 7 day timer. Does anyone know how this is done?

 

[Happy Camper]

If you do not get a real good reply to your post you can e-mail Matthew Frais at Espar in Canada, at
mfrais@espar.com

He is their resident engineer.

 

[David_VT]

FIXED MINE MYSELF!!

All this beating around the dirt roads had caused the plastic fuel line to back out of the rubber hose at the ESPAR. It was probably making and loosing suction.

I traced it from the tank (by feel) to the ESPAR and the tubing fell out in my hand at the ESPAR when I touched it.

Cut it to make a fresh end, stuffed it back in, made the connector tight this time #ad
and after two tries I could see the fuel being sucked into the ESPAR!!!

Good luck, hopefully yours is just as easy to fix!!!

PS: It was real nice to just slide around on the snow rather than to fight with a creeper. #ad


I can not blame the product or directions, I simply did not make the hose clamp tight enough. #ad


[This message has been edited by David_VT (edited 02-18-2001). ]

 

[David_VT]

I just started having this problem this week (F52&F53). In fact I had to plug the beast in last night #ad


I was worried the intake or exhaust might be plugged with snow and crawled under to look last night. Nope... I have a fear that the fuel line is loose on top of the tank which we both know will be a b*#*h to check out.

I have had great luck with email support from espar. Try above's suggestion and if that does not work, cruise the ESPAR site and look for technical support links.

A full reset is easy. Just kill the juice. ONLY IF YOU DON'T RECALL how to unplug the ESPAR, you can always pull the truck's battery (+) cables on both batteries.

I get a full reset every so often when I leave the blower on high and run the ESPAR until I kill the dual batteries. As soon as I try to start the truck in that condition the manifold heaters turn on along with the fuel pump and wipe out my ECM memory, reset the ESPAR, etc etc... #ad
#ad

 

[GWS]

Thanks David_VT. I tried unplugging the timer and removing all of the espar's fuses. When you plug it back in, the timer
flashes and requires re-programming, but the fault memory is not erased so I still get F50
which will not allow me to attempt any additional starts. I emailed espar tech support but have not yet recieved a response. I wish my problem was as simple as yours, but my fuel line is fine. I resent the approach Espar takes which is to get the customer to do all the work in finding the problem. Once it has been determined the problem is not with the fuel line, exhaust or intake, then they should simply send a new (or reconditioned) unit, allowing the customer to return the defective unit to Espar. Instead, they will only supply the necessary part, which in my case will probably turn out to be the glow pin. I would take it to an Espar dealer, but the nearest one is 350 miles away. I certainly wouldn't buy the product again.

 

[David_VT]

Sorry for your bad luck. I will review my directions and try to help you.

I have also forwarded this thread to ESPAR, hopefully they will contact you directly.



[This message has been edited by David_VT (edited 02-19-2001). ]

 

[David_VT]

You are correct in that via the web or our original installation kit, no Dodge focused document nor 7 day timer document tells you exactly how to reset the ESPAR after an error #50.

Good luck!

David

[This message has been edited by David_VT (edited 02-19-2001). ]

 

[GWS]

David_VT, I finally called Espar Canada tech support and they faxed me the technical bulletin on this procedure. If you give me a fax number I will send it to you. So now, the memory is reset but I'm still getting F52's. I can smell the diesel fuel when it tries to start. Now I'm convinced the culprit is a bad glow pin. You would not believe how difficult it is to get parts from Espar. They want you go in and dissasamble the unit, remove the faulty part, reassemble everything so you can keep driving your truck, and wait for them to send
the replacement part AFTER they recieve your defective piece. Then you tear the Espar apart ONCE MORE to install the good part. So far, on a scale of 1 to 10 I give their customer service a grade of 2!

 

[David_VT]

GWS, How far into the cycle does the ESPAR run before it kicks out? Reading the numerous documents I downloaded, it looks like a failure of the glowplug will be sensed and the controller will not allow anything else to happen. Seems it should be very binary in behavior.
I have never seen diesel flow out of the exhaust, seems odd.
In the manuals we were send, you should be able to see where the glowplug is in relationship to the furnace. With the thing so small, I would be surprised if a normal ESPAR will not give off heat at some location when the glowplug is hot, even without a fire going.

Again, good luck!

 

[GWS]

David_VT, from what the Espar tech told me, the unit simply times out. The fuel pump starts, the water pump starts, and the fan motor starts. If the glow plug doesnt ignite the fuel, then the flame sensor will shut the system down after a certain, measured time interval has elapsed. A second attempt automatically ensues, and if this attempt is unsuccessful, the unit will not start again, and the programmer will display the fault code. Sometimes I have seen a little smoke blowing out of the exhaust. With the fan motor blowing I can easily smell the raw diesel and it literally drips from the exhaust outlet. When the unit is operating properly, you can hear the quiet "puff" of flame as the pin ignites the fuel, just prior to the blower starting.

 

[David_VT]

GWS, I just heard back from my contact at ESPAR. He is very interested in seeing this resolved. I have confidence that you will get some results in short order. #ad


Again, good luck
David

 

[GWS]

Thanks very much for your help David_VT. Your contact at Espar Canada emailed me and asked to ship the unit to him for repair. I also had a call from Espar Michigan, where I purchased the D4W, and they said they would send me any part I need. We're going to start with the glow pin. Stay tuned.

 

[David_VT]

GWS,
IMHO, I would not mess with the internals too much if the glow plug does not do it. Take them up on their offer to repair the unit if that part does not do it for you.

ESPAR has really seemed like a straight up company in all my dealings. It is my hope that you will agree once your situation is all cleaned up. #ad


I have really come to depend on the ESPAR for cold weather starting. Having let that fuel line pop off forced me back to the old block heater for a day, a place I don't want to be again!!
David

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

I know I'm a few years behind on this, but hoping for some help. What was the end result with this problem. I put an Espar, Hydronic M10 on my truck within the last week. It worked great for a few days. I finished permanently wiring it, and installing it after I determined it did what I wanted it to for a few days. Once I had it permanently installed, my problems never quit. I had trouble kicking off the water pump, 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 I ran it 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 think no I am in a controlled lock situation from attempting too many times to do a restart. I read undoing the power does a full reset, but that hasn't seemed to work. Any ideas?

 

[Ozymandias]

I think I have an idea what your Problem is, the Pump of the M10 could be to big for the small tubing of the Rams Heather System, especially the small vertical metall tubing on top of cylinder head is very restricted, have you didn't noticed that.
I got an 5Kw Espar in my Dodge and also Espars in my other Cars, all works perfecty within their environment.

So I think your heater is to big. Check out this restriction in your system, may it works without this metall tubing.

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

I do agree with you, to a certain extent. If I would've had this problem immediately with the system I wouldn't have thought you were right. But I had probably 5 or 6 hours of the heater running in the truck as it was before I permanently ran the wiring. Other than simply cutting the wiring the only change that I had made from "trial" installation to permanent was I shortened by fuel line, so initially I though it just had to re-prime the system. The cylinder head fitting is 1/2 NPT to 5/8" hoses. To the actual truck heating circuit is still 5/8. The ESPAR is tee'd off that heating line and uses a one-way-check, the tee's make it so the espar has about a 15' run of 3/4" hoses. So the inlet and outlet of espar heater is a 15' run, totaling up to around 30' of espar water plumbing.

I'm with you on your idea, and I had thought about that. If it hadn't worked for 5 hours of heater run time previously I would've be looking to get a new pump. But it's definitely worth considering.

The pump was a perfectly working unit that I acquired off of piece of cat military machinery. The engineer hooked me up with all the contents of the kit. Otherwise, no, I would've never tried to put a M10 on a pickup truck. haha

 

[Ozymandias]

Yes outside the fitting has ½" and the Rubberhose is 5/8 - but the fitting inside has at least the diameter of a cigarette, very thick walls.
But I really don't have a clue why the heater worked 5 hours fine and then quit. Sorry.
Hope you'll find help in the other Thread you started about the same problem.
My heater is installed inline, full flow, Engine to Espar to Heat exchanger, no valves, all water flows always through the Espar.

Regards Ozy

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

I guess I didn't think about running the coolant through the espar 100% of the time. I figured it would be best to route it with a one way check like the installation diagrams show. Maybe I would've been better to plumb it like you said. Shouldn't have assumed I guess. I just assumed it was best to avoid flowing through the espar when it wasn't in use.

 

[Ozymandias]

I installed all my heaters that way, along with the instructions from ESPAR.
The way with valves I know only from RVs and Big Rigs with the possibility to choose from heating the engine, the cabin or both together.

Last installation I did is 3 weeks ago in my wife's Jeep Compass.

 

[buzzinghalfdozen24]

sweet. Heck, if this all backfires on me I'll just sell the m10 and get a d5.