# Frankia 840 BD Luxury Class information



## Bobtbadger (Nov 5, 2012)

I'm just about to buy a 2007 Frankia 840 BD Luxury Class (Coachbuilt) van (at Southdowns Motorcaravans, Portsmouth). I'm looking for any input from members, good or bad, that I might find useful.

Does anyone have any brochures/user guides etc they could email? 

The van is fitted with an Eberspacher water/wet radiator set up (not Alde) which I believe also has a heat exchanger to get heat from the engine in motion. Does this system work on mains electric as well? I had a webasto blown air heater on a van a couple of years back but that was purely for heating so I've got no experience of this set up.

Thanks in advance

Chris


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

We bought a second hand Frankia I8400GD 12 months ago and we are pleased with the quality, space and performance. We've had some issues to iron out but we love it.

We have the twin single beds at the rear but the rest looks identical to the 840BD except for the cab area. We had a 7.1m van before that with the same bed layout and Truma blown air heating. 

This van is so much more comfortable because of the extra space and the lounge layout makes such a difference over 3 months wintering in Spain etc. It was almost worth the change to get away from Truma blown air which we found so drying and irritating for the eyes.

All the niggles will have been ironed out by the previous owner. The van has done few miles - I can't see any problems.

Can't help with the brochures - try ebay? Can't help with the Eberspacher auxiliary heating system either - despite Teemyob's infinite help and patience, I still haven't a clue exactly what it does or how. I can see it underneath the chassis beneath the passenger seat area but the manuals don't explain it's function. If you find out please let me know!


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

erneboy a member on this forum has experience of this heating setup


send him a PM if he doesn't spot this thread

I have a 2009 brochure & price list but want to keep them with my camper (T7400BD) 

bought mine new in 2008 and have no intention of changing it 

( the 8th camper I have owned so that should tell you that I like it )

I could scan it but there are quite a few pages so it would take some time ( if scanner still works as it was playing up last time I tried to use it)


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

There are various options with the heating. It is possible to buy a boiler with an electric element fitted but ours didn't have it. Yours may have, it will be easy to see if it's there. Open the locker and have a look, also there would probably be switch for it in the kitchen.

It's a great heating system, though a right bugger to bleed if you ever have to drain it.

Heat exchangers are also optional, so again check it out. Ours didn't have one so I don't know what you should look for, sorry, Alan.


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

BotBadger - I emailed the Factory and they sent me a user manual as a pdf. Any good?
N


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

My van has Alde heating and the eberspacher as an auxiliary system,this is controlled from the dash. TBH I have had a go at using it but haven't figured out exactly how it works.


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

BigTree

I recognise the button on the dashboard with sea-like wavy lines on it but nothing seems to happen when it's pushed whilst on the move except that it lights up red.

There's also a slider knob at the passenger side of the cab which the user manual says controls the vents under the windscreen (with a red dot and a blue dot at either end of the slider's range) and what that does is a mystery to me too (despite Teemyob's best efforts to explain!)


N


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Alde is a boiler that heats water & central heating via gas or 220v mains electricity this is controlled via the ALDE control panel

it may or may not be plumbed into the engine cooling system to take advantage of waste engine heat whilst driving by using a heat exchanger - depends on what you got - can be retro fitted plenty of info on this forum !!!


if you do have the heat exchanger then when driving you can use the heat from the engine to circulate around the camper by switching the heating to ON on the ALDE control panel leaving the GAS & 220Vac OFF 
you need to set the required room temp high enough for the pump symbol to light !

The Eberspacher heating system mentioned by the OP is a alternative Diesel fuelled heater to the ALDE that is under the body of the camper and has a hot water cylinder & plumbing in the boiler cupboard ( & Erneboy says there is an option for an electric immersion heater inside this cylinder)

Don't confuse this Eberspacher with the eberspacher additional heater found on many Frankia ( & others) MB Sprinter conversions that is outside & underneath the vehicle cab & below the passenger seat or ( drivers on LHD  )
this Eberspacher heater is actually a MB installation & can be wired as a booster heater only working when engine running or a engine pre-warmer that will warm up the engine before starting This is controlled by a switch on the sprinter dash board just to the left of the steering wheel and is a button with a couple of wavy lines on it & a red led that's lit when on


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

NomanB

"I recognise the button on the dashboard with sea-like wavy lines on it but nothing seems to happen when it's pushed whilst on the move except that it lights up red. "

sounds as though you have the booster option which is basically a heater booster to give extra heat whilst driving 

with the engine running press the wavy button and once the red light is on go outside by the nearside front wheel and listen & smell


you SHOULD hear the Eberspacher start up ( like a jet engine at first ) and the smell of burning diesel ? you may also be able to hear the pump as it starts to pump the fuel - it pulses every couple of seconds!

this is providing additional heat to the cab matrix

it won't work if you are low on fuel say quarter of tank ,or if the dash heater temp setting is set to cold try it & let us know what happens, if it doesn't work then it may be faulty


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## NormanB (Sep 8, 2005)

Thanks Trek, I can't get access to the camper for a while but will try it whilst on route to Spain on 12th of next month. Roll On!

What you say gels with what Trev gathered from what I could tell him about the Eberspacher Auxiliary Heater - it's under the cab, passenger side, so it's going to be the Engine pre-heat/engine matrix booster option.

Do you have the vertical slider just above the passenger footwell on the inside of the cab? Is it simply a fresh air shut-off control to the front screen outlets?

N


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## frankia2014 (Sep 15, 2014)

NormanB said:


> BigTree
> 
> I recognise the button on the dashboard with sea-like wavy lines on it but nothing seems to happen when it's pushed whilst on the move except that it lights up red.
> 
> ...


the slider knob is a flap for the screen demister vents that is tubed from the living heater. If you turn on the blower fan in the control box above the hab door lift the knob upwards and you will feel the air unless somebody has lifted the dashboard and not reconnected the blower hose

Trevor


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

Hi NormanB

If you have a single position switch then you have the booster heater, which will only work with engine running

If you have a two position switch. up and down then this is the engine prewarmer and booster

The engine prewarmer is great especially as I have a couple of glow plugs gone so few mins on pre warmer then starts easily even in ski resorts


Got mine changed from booster to full blown heater, but you will need an enthusiastic Mercedes dealer to do some reprogramming


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