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Old 10-11-2018, 12:31 PM   #1
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Espar problems/advice

Starting to get cold around here and my Espar unit has decided to stop working. It's 14months old a gasoline unit used maybe used 8-10 times. Recently I was having some electrical problems. So here's the history. CCV ran my + wire from the vans main fuse box (rear passanger side) to the batteries (middle drivers side) up over the gas tank. But when they dropped the tank to install the Espar and run that wire they failed to properly tighten the nut on the bracket that holds the rear of the tank on. The tank not being properly secured was pinching rubbing that + wire causing a constant shorts blowing a 50amp shortstop breaker and blowing the 15amp fuse for the Espar thats in the fuse box. Eventually that + wire got severed and I recently rerouted it. But due to that insecure bracket on the gas tank the rear of the tank fell off in the middle of Baja. We were able to secure it with a new nut on the bracket. So now the Espar unit will only turn on when I replace the fuse. It runs for like 10mins blowing cold air and eventually shuts down or would blow the 15amp fuse in the fuse box. The owners manual says their should be a 25amp so I have replaced it with a 25. So it just runs and shuts down. Their is also strong gas odor outside where the exhaust for the unit is. When I just try turning on the unit again with round control knob nothing happens. It only turns on when take the fuse in and out. The round control knob lights are on when I leave the fuse in. In the past if I had the control knob in the off position the light would not be on but now it stays on constantly even in the off postion. So I'm thinking of dropping the tank this weekend to see if the line was damaged when the tank fell off a few weeks ago. After that I'm not sure where to go??? Or is it something more electrical due to all the shorts that were happening? A reset button or something??? The unit is also very difficult to get to. As of yet I can't find someone in my area that has any knowledge of these to work on them, and returning to CCV once again is out of the question. This problems stems from a problem they supposedly fixed just 2 months ago from trying fix to a former employees shoddy work. So any advice or somewhere close to the 4corners I can take it ?

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Old 10-11-2018, 03:25 PM   #2
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Just off hand it sounds like there is no ignition, which would explain the gas smell. Or that gas smell could be a break in the line.



I would check the wiring and the gas line first and foremost. After visual maybe turn it on and get under the van and look around while it's trying to run. You will hear a clicking noise which is the fuel pump. If it's clicking then check for gas leaks on the line and where it enters the bottom of the van right into the unit. If the gas smell is still there and you can't see any leaks in the line between the gas tank, fuel pump, and the unit, see if it's coming from the exhaust pipe.



If the smell is coming from the exhaust pipe and there are no leaks in the fuel delivery lines and pump, then you have an ignition issue. It get's complicated then because you have to pull the unit and maybe replace a glow plug.


I take it your controller has no display so trouble codes are not coming up. From what you described the unit is going through the paces and not lighting. It will then shut down if nothing happens.



But yeah, check that fuel line. Unless something happened electrically to the unit then I highly doubt the glow plug is shot after 8 uses.
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Old 10-13-2018, 01:20 PM   #3
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1st pic that's gas stain
2nd melted line.

Flux thanks for taking the time to chime in and 1Adler taking the time to ring me up. Really appreciated! Think I found the problem. Another bad routing by CCV. Fuel line has been melted. They placed the line and my main negative wire just resting right on top of the protective plate that's between the muffler and the frame. I imagine any sensible person would know that it gets rather hot there! Could of easily used zip ties and secured the line on the cross member of the frame going to the gas tank. Hopefully that's all it is! And i can find the right size tubing locally? And reroute it.
At this point I kinda feel fortunate that the incompetent work CCV did on my electrical didn't cause the van to catch on fire or worse. Anyone that had electrical work done there I would do a serious check especially if it was done by Big Bob!
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Old 10-13-2018, 02:19 PM   #4
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Something i did because I am anal and kind of a weirdo is that I wrapped the plastic fuel line in a heavy rubber fuel line that I split. I just figured that anything could happen, chafing, a rock, heat whatever. I measured the OD of that line and got some with the same ID at an auto parts store, cut a lengthwise slit in it and wrapped it around the Espar line. It looks like they used split loom used for wiring, which is good, but the heavy rubber will be a bit more protective.


Esparparts has that fuel line. I would consider replacing it and not splicing it due to creating possible air pockets. But a splice should work.



I am glad your van did not catch on fire. Was this after the fuel pump??
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Old 10-15-2018, 12:14 PM   #5
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Flux....Just ordered a new fuel line and a digi max thermastat. Mine was installed with a Rheostat. Also found out I have a B1LC compact not a B4. The melt in the line was before the FP. Definitely going to do my best to protect the line much better than it was. Rubber hose sounds like a great idea. Hopefully I will get the heater up in running again this weekend. Was told by esparparts that the B1 didn't need a high Alt sensor which is a relief.
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Old 10-15-2018, 12:50 PM   #6
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B1LC is a fine unit and I would have bought one of those if the B4 wasn't like 100 bucks more. Nice that you don't need the HA kit, I have one and I need it. Regularly camp above 10k and it gets chilly.



Did you go with the external temp sensor?


Glad you got it figured. The digimax will give you error codes.
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Old 02-12-2019, 08:22 PM   #7
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Hello all....back in the cold.Returned to Co.last week and got the van out of storage.Finally took the old burnt out CCV fuel line and replaced it and rerouted it with new FL. When I bought new fuel line I also purchased a D1000 to replace the basic round control knob. So this is the real head scratcher. Espar fires up fine heats great but it won't shut off using either controller unless I pull the fuse. Searching the Web comes up with nothing about not being able to shut the unit off . Only not running or starting. The new Digi Max on/off won't shut it down or the time setting. Anyone with the some wisdom or a Espar whisper please chime in.
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Old 02-13-2019, 05:53 PM   #8
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So after a little more investigating and speaking with a Espar regional sales rep. that sells heaters to the trucking company I work for. I Found the problem (picture). Still not sure how the heater was even still able to operate??? We had a little roommate move in for a couple days last Sept. while camping in Baja. I guess the dirty rat liked the taste of wires. So I gotta replace or splice the control wiring going into the heater. This would be rather easy, but another just dumbfounded installation by CCV is going to make this a real headache. They installed the heater with the cover to all the necessary components facing the interior wall instead of facing outward (picture) with no room to access anything. Not even the recommended 2 inches away from anything flammable (felt carpet). So I have to disconnect basically everything & unbolt the unit from under the van to pull the heater out just to get to the unit compartment. I may try and reinstall it correctly if the holes will line up with existing holes with the heater facing the other direction (cap outward) or just move it entirely and drill some more holes in my floor just so its not a fire hazard. Moral.....Don't sleep with your doors open, and avoid CCV interior conversions.
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