Narrowboat Electrician - Webasto Thermotop EVO Installation

New install of a Webasto Thermotop EVO on a narrowboat.
Never had a diesel heater before so all parts of installation will need to be done.
www.buymeacoffee.com/electriciaD

[@stuartfordham8090]

Saving this one. I have a thermo top to fit to my narrowboat. your videos on this channel and others are great, very educational. thank you

[@CraigPerry]

Thanks for posting this video - there were a ton of details here that helped me. I’m in the process of figuring out why my new-to-me unit won’t fire but this helped massively with what good looks like. Thanks!

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Thanks that’s great to know.

[@robtheplod]

Excellent vlog, thanks for taking the time, it is appreciated!

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Thanks guys, glad you liked it.

[@ChrisBlackshaw-vh1js]

I have just installed a new Webasto Thermo Top Evo on my boat and your video was really useful - thank you.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Glad it helped

[@arrowflyer5544]

Perfect timing. Thanks. I’m finalising all the minutia of detail for my own fit-out and am at the heating detail. This was so helpful to understand what’s involved.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Th'ats a result for me as much as you then. That's why I do these videos. Good luck with that.

[@taegget]

Super helpful, I'm doing a webasto installation tomorrow and really needed this. Just starting off in this industry, being a normal electrician before though.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Glad it helped Thor.

[@keithweybury5212]

Great vlog Marty and thanks very much. Keith

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Thanks Keith, appreciate it

[@stevecapper9321]

nice Job mate keep up the great work looking forward to the next video. Steve & Sandra.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Thanks guys, Still got some decent jobs on before winter breaks. One being a full lithium installation on a widebeam. But still lots of other things, normally starts slowing down now, but still plenty to do.

[@davidcook380]

Great Stuff Martin

[@Dirt-Diggler]

Oooo shiny 😎 Those cheap heaters are ok but when you see the real deal you can certainly see the quality 👍 decent silencer and a pukka filter ! The mikuni heater in my ambulance came from a boat, it needed a service but the owners bought a Chinese copy to replace it 😮 as it was cheaper than a service kit and a flashy control unit upgrade, they gave me the old heater 😏 Nice compact and neat install you've done there 👍

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Cheers for the comment DirtDigger, I personally won't fit the chinese copy heaters, not worth the risk for me. I have been working with Webasto for about 5 years now and the quality is always spot on and have factory support, but I rarely need that now. I see a lot of the van type silencers fitted to boats, they are an increased risk of exhaust gas leaks. The Mikuni heaters are quality too, I have done a few jobs on those, but there aren't many about in the boat world. Appreciate the comment, thank you.

[@Nerd3927]

@@narrowboatelectrician The Chinese Diesel air heaters are quite ok, and easy to service. I have been using them for a few winters now. The clips, pipes, silencer and hoses that come with the Chinese heaters are rubbish and dangerous. A proper installation will set you back an other 250 euro in parts so it only make sense if you already have good installation and you just want a new heater and can't afford a real brand.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

@@Nerd3927 I understand matey, from a professional point of view, I can't risk installing or even working on them.

[@tjwatts100]

5kW from such a compact unit is impressive.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

They are good kit Tim

[@aljotock]

As always, awesome video thank you. As a DIY’er without access to the Webasto software, how can I ‘force’ my EVO into fuel priming mode for after I service (clean out the burn chamber) 👍

[@narrowboatelectrician]

You can't unfortunately, but you shouldnt need to as the line should still be fuel of diesel. Priming is used for supply line, not the burner itself.

[@morriscorreia7282]

👍

[@SplashadventureUk]

Hi, I have found your videos very interesting and informative. I've been thinking of installing a similar system on my boat, just wondering where you sourced your kits from as the kits that come up on a Web search are van kits. Cheers Neill

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Hi Neil. I get all my Webasto from Evesham Marina. They are authorised Webasto partner. Got some good prices too.

[@SplashadventureUk]

Cheers for that, look forward to your next video

[@badr8b8t]

@NarrowboatElectrician You mentioned van version. Any chance you know of any rescource so as to consider fitting a webasto to my van to warm the engine block. Great video.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

The van version is a slightly different installation kit, I can supply those too.

[@markwebster2056]

I always find your vlogs very informative. With the Webasto and Eberspacher are there any problems with the addition of a Nest type thermostat as I hear that cycling the heater puts too much strain on them and they can fail prematurely.Would be nice to be able to turn it on remotely.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Hi Mark, thanks for the positive comment, makes it all worthwhile. Neither like being turned off when not fully up to temperature, when you turn off at operating temp you get a nice clean shutdown. Newer units like the EVO with ramp up and down between 5kw and 2.5kw to maintain the water set point ( 76 degrees). Thing with a thermostat is that they turn the heater off, then it has to ramp back up on a start sequence to get going again. I know Webasto do not recommend that. But if using a remote such as Nest to turn on and off, you can control that like you would at the local controller, so there would be no issue with that.

[@markwebster2056]

@@narrowboatelectrician many thanks for the prompt reply, much appreciated. Keep up the good work and remember in the cold weather keep well insulated..........oh, never mind.

[@aljotock]

I’ve just had a Webasto thermotop 50 fitted and it came with a HEATMISER Neostat V2 (£60) for the thermostat. It combines with the HEATMISER neoHub Gen2 (£160) to give u wireless capability so you can control it from your bed via the boats own Wi-Fi or indeed from the other side of the world if the occasion arises. I agree that turning it off before the unit has reached it full working capacity would be detrimental to it but I just take into consideration run time when setting the temp. Up to you but has done what I wanted 👍

[@TheFoolishboy9]

Perfect marina heating system. Just make sure you put the good diesel in the tank, not the cheaper heating oil.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Yes Dave, they are only for diesel, not heating oil. Good clean diesel at that.

[@bernardsmith152]

Nice install Martin. Do you have a preference Webasto or Eberspacher for reliability ?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

I prefer Webasto, but it’s what I know. Eberspacher have a lot of fiddly breakable parts, so I thing Webasto is more reliable and durable. That’s just my opinion and not based on research.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Same answer for you Bernard.I prefer Webasto, but it’s what I know. Eberspacher have a lot of fiddly breakable parts, so I thing Webasto is more reliable and durable. That’s just my opinion and not based on research.

[@harryarteza3435]

Thanks for the insightful video. Can I ask - I have an older hydronic webasto. A 2014 model. It makes a high pitched whining noise whilst in operation. Engineer came out to inspect and changed fan. Noise is the same. Engineer came back and advised that is normal. It's quite loud and makes it hard to sleep. Your install does not make this high pitched noise. Should I swap to this new model or is this engineer wrong? Webasto Engineer who came out twice. Thanks

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Hi Harry, Hydronic is Eberspacher so not sure what you have. It’s likely the circulation pump. If they have been run with no antifreeze the bearings wear. Nothing else is really running others than air fan and pump.

[@lesmurray1732]

Hi Martin. We have an Ebaspacher on our boat. Is there much difference in them and which do you think the best?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Hi Les, they both work exactly the same way, but all the component parts are different. The older Eberspächer units had many parts where Webasto are more modular. I think Eberspächer have gone down that road with their new generation of heaters, but I haven't really dug into those. From what I see, Webasto are the more common here in the UK with Eberspächer being second in the amount of installed units. At one time I was going to add Eberspächer into the fold, but they were not doing any training at the time. To get to this point with Webasto took a fair bit of time and monetary investment, and I don't think I need to do that again for Eberspächer. As to the question which is best, of the older units, I'd say Webasto, but with Eberspächer's next generation ones, they do look much improved.

[@willwalthamforest8706]

At 7.10 I can't quite see exactly how you're attaching the mounting bracket. My heater has no threads at the 3 mounting points. Are these self tapping, if so what size is needed because the EJOT PT10s that came in my kit seem too big.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

The heater comes with three self tappers that screw into those blind holes using an M10 socket. Sorry for delay.

[@andrewthomas3326]

I'm thinking of hav8ng one of these to replace our webasto dual top in our motorhome. Can you tell me how good they are battery consumption wise?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Battery consumption is very low, less than an amp, but these would not suit a motorhome unless it was a big one. Webasto recommend output (5 kw) +10% as a minimum for radiator sizing.

[@jeffr8670]

Hey there mate, anychance you could come and diagnose an issue with my webasto top c, installed on my narrowboat? Cant get the thing to turn over. Recently got a new one too, was working fine and now its not

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Depends where you are mate, I dont travel outside of Gloucestershire.

[@OldFloatingSeaman]

Hi , Any ideas as to what i can swap the old fashioned controller out for please? Would like something that i can program, instead of just the three options they currenlty give you. My current one is the model that has the flame on the left, for quick start, and i believe it is called a Thermo Top C which heats the hot water as well as the rads. Sorry i can't be more specific, but I cannot upload picture on here.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Hi, anything that has a volt free contact that is suitable for 12v DC.

[@OldFloatingSeaman]

@@narrowboatelectrician Thanks for getting back to me. So the Brown Switch Wire, doesn’t carry any voltage?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Brown wires on Webasto's are the ground

[@OldFloatingSeaman]

@@narrowboatelectrician Stand corrected, just looked at the schematic and it must be the ‘Out’ they use as the switch.

[@OldFloatingSeaman]

@@narrowboatelectrician Hi, Just getting back into the boat as i have been laid up. What purpose does the +15 OPEN wire do. I have sourced a 7 day timer, but only requires three wires, so not sure what to do with the +15 Open wire mentioned. Thanks in advance.

[@peterzariczniak2026]

Can I install something to turn it on with my cell phone ?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Yes Webasto can be controlled by any device with a volt free contact. Webasto have a device called Thermconnect.

[@stevecapper9321]

I need a job doing on my narrowboat with a wabasto that needs a better thermostat we have no real means of setting the timer we just set a temp to start and a temp to finish this thermostat is very hard to get your head around we need this one out and a better on fitted was wondering if you are interested. ?? S C UK.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Where are you Steve?

[@stevecapper9321]

@@narrowboatelectrician we are on Overwater marina near Audlem Cheshire near Nantwich... 😀

[@stevecapper9321]

@@narrowboatelectrician Overwater Marina near Audlem and Nantwich Cheshire. 😀

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Sorry Steve. I dont leave Gloucestershire anymore. I am swamped just here.

[@stevecapper9321]

Well never mind mate at least your busy be thankfull for that the money is at least coming Which is what everyone needs will find someone to do the job maybe the engineers one the marina can recommend someone at this end love your videos keep them coming interesting but a bit of tech overload for me I not into electrics I leave that well alone I would end lighting myself up ...😂😂

[@GINNERMAN]

I have one of these installed - a number I can’t find any info on is the fuel consumption. Can anyone shed any light?

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Ah! It varies depending on the system. As it’s analog between 5Kw and 2.5Kw you’ll never get an exact figure. So best guess from me is 0.3 - 0.5 litres an hour.

[@narrowboatelectrician]

Actual for 5Kw is 0.31 to 0.62 litres an hour. For diesel that is. Evo 4 is 0.31 - 0.49 litres an hour.