Espar Hydronic 10 locked

[Manateeman]

I have a Espar D10 W. It’s run by a Espar 7 day timer with which I should be able to retrieve fault codes and unlock the heater.
I might have had a leak which caused the heater to shut down. Trying to restart it, locked the control unit. The header tank was empty but I didn’t check this before trying to restart. After a few tries, the control unit locks out.
I’ve read the instructions on how to use the 7 day timer to pull up the fault codes but no codes and the word diagnostic does not display.
My serial number is 25-2230. Earlier Hydronic 10 units could be somehow unlocked without a diagnostic tool but I don’t think I can with my heater and I don’t know how to do it.
I’ve looked at all the manuals and troubleshooting guides Espar has online but I’m stumped. When I hit the start button ( red and looks like flames) the flame symbol lights up neat the time (120)... I can hear a click, then the flame symbol disappears within 2 seconds. Nothing else.
Switched the main breaker and checked the 5 amp fuse. The heater ran perfectly till now. Anyone know this unit?
Mark and his manatee friends lighting a bonfire on the beach.

[GordMay]

Technical Manual Hydronic 10/ Hydronic M (Water Heater)
➥ https://www.esparofmichigan.com/cms/...hydronic10.pdf
➥ https://www.butlertechnik.com/downlo...air_manual.pdf

[Manateeman]

GordMay. Huge thanks. As always, you go straight to the correct answer. This is the correct page for my heater. Thank you.
The manual for the heater sort of tell you how to pull the codes but you also need to have the manual for the 7 day timer. Which, the manatees must have used as napkins. Anyway, hidden in the timer manual, is the extra wire labeled optional, which truck drivers use to keep the heater going all night...and...it powers up the codes and clears the lockout. Fortunately for my model but not for all. I’ll call Espar and confirm.
The heater naturally has bolts into the aluminum without TefGel. If anyone is going to get an Espar, please pull the bolts one by one and use TefGel because someday you’ll be faced with a repair.
We have two Hydronic heaters, one on standby for cabin heat and scuba. They work fine. I’d carry a spares and do all the bolts if going far.
Happy trails to you
Mark and his “we drank the rum cause we were freezing” manatees

[Manateeman]

Talked with Espar. Added power to where they told me but no codes.
Found an old post by Dockhead on them.
Looks like it’s toast for me.
Anybody had better luck with the new M2 models which are suppose to be so advanced or is this more marketing fibs.
Happy trails to you
Mark and his drinking cheaper beer now, manatees

[Davidhoy]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

Talked with Espar. Added power to where they told me but no codes.
Found an old post by Dockhead on them.
Looks like it’s toast for me.
Anybody had better luck with the new M2 models which are suppose to be so advanced or is this more marketing fibs.
Happy trails to you
Mark and his drinking cheaper beer now, manatees

Would you mind sharing the contact info for Espar? One of the previous owners of my boat installed a hydronic heater system in the boat, but it does not work at all, never has since I bought it. Fortunately I live in South Florida, so it's not that big a deal, but I would like to get it working again at some point as I dislike broken things on my boat.

[bcboomer]

I got sick and tired of baby sitting my Espar hydronic heater. The warranty repair procedures are a joke. The repair depot actually experienced the same failure I complained about but, since it didn't generate a code, they couldn't get warranty approval from Espar. I bought the diagnostic tool and spent hours looking at the read outs on my laptop.

When I talked to a commercial installer he admitted my model had so many controller failures that he was surprised I still had it working at all.

When I looked at the specs for a replacement the number of service hours they predicted meant I'd need to replace it or rebuild it in 18 months.

After experiencing the rediculous disassembly methods of the Espar I looked at Planar.

They are easy to repair with normal tools, you don't need a diagnostic tool and they are less expensive. I had a temperature sensor that was erratic and the dealer replaced it in minutes with no argument. He even showed me how to dismantle it in case I needed to replace something down the road.
In more than 2 years of use I've never had to run kerosene through it like I had to with the Espar. It's been totally reliable. In the winter we run it every day for 15 hours or so and 24/7 if it gets below 0 C.

A bonus is that it is a LOT quieter. My wife hated the noises of the Espar and, as we all know, happy wife means happy life.

[Manateeman]

Espar has an 800 number...800-387-4800 which is in Canada. There is a big dealer in England Butler Tech and you can download all the info including workshop stuff online. Also look at Heatso but more money.
There is a tag on your heater, tell me what is says and I’ll tell you what I know.
We bought two, different models and a Webasto Air Top 5000.
My grandfather had a coal stove and it never failed even in storms. I was in charge of keeping it clean and making stuff on top. A lot less time and money.
We’ve had generally good luck with the diesel air and water heaters but Espar has problems...very frustrating when they quit. We knew that, so we installed a spare. L O L.
We will see if the new type (M2) works better. We run on 24 volt house so my blower boxes, matrix boxes, came out of a Bradley fighting vehicle and are really up to the job and you can get them new surplus.
I think Espar is on generation 3 and a lot of copies are out there because of the huge truck market. I’ll look into planar. We passed on hurricane and kabola.
My grandfather liked his little cod stove...it’s hard to beat simple. They still make them and enameled with tile or stainless around them, they look real yacht like.
Paul Luke made a fireplace for yachts. Now that’s class.
Happy trails to you
Captain Mark and his microwave popcorn and beer manatees

[Tugwit]

Originally Posted by Manateeman

I have a Espar D10 W. ...
I’ve looked at all the manuals and troubleshooting guides Espar has online but I’m stumped. When I hit the start button ( red and looks like flames) the flame symbol lights up neat the time (120)... I can hear a click, then the flame symbol disappears within 2 seconds. Nothing else.
Switched the main breaker and checked the 5 amp fuse. The heater ran perfectly till now. Anyone know this unit?

I have an Espar D5WSC, also with a 7-day timer. I recently replaced the ship's batteries, and afterward the timer exhibited the same symptoms that you describe--after pressing the start button, the furnace appeared to begin its normal start-up procedure then died within a second or two. No fault code was displayed, and I was unable to perform the usual (documented) procedure to retrieve and view historical fault codes.

I removed the main furnace fuse (20A) and re-inserted it after 48 hours in an attempt to "reset" the timer (Espar suggests that the timer retains its memory for a period of time to ride out power interruptions). No joy...the timer did not revert to it's initial condition where a flashing display prompts the user to enter time/day, and the timer exhibited the same problem trying to start the furnace. Nor could I program a timer procedure to start the furnace at a future time.

Oddly, I was able to get the furnace running while the timer was "broken" by following the “retrieving the stored fault codes” procedure: pressing “Heater ON”, then pressing and holding the “Clock” key and pressing the “P” key within 2 seconds. The display briefly showed “AF:--“, then a blinking “--:--“ (plus the heater-ON icon), and then the furnace started and ran normally. No fault code was displayed.

Inexplicably, the solution was to simply unplug the wiring harness from the back of the timer. After immediately plugging it back in, the timer display begins flashing to prompt the user to enter time/day...which I did. Thereafter, the timer has been working normally, including the ability to program a timed, future start. Dunno why, and that little fix to reset the timer is nowhere documented (that I can find) in any of the Espar manuals.

[Manateeman]

Tug wit. If this works the manatees will send you a case of beer.
We just ordered some new parts to finish installing our spare Hydronic.
Espar tech support never gave me this info to try so I appreciate your post even if it does not work. It’s so frustrating because you don’t know which part to replace. Thanks again.
Happy trails to you
Mark and his “let’s buy a coal stove” manatee crew.

[johnn33]

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