A bilge blower ?????

[f_inscreenname]

I turn my blower on before I start my boat and run it while under way. The problem is when I get going the blower makes this high pitched squeal like its burning up. Slow down and it goes away. Do I just have a bad blower or should I not run it when at speed. The cowl faces forward like a hood scope (came from the factory that way). When air is forced down the scope am I burning up the fan or should still be fast enough to draw air even at speed or at least let air bypass without burning it up (or squealing like mine does).

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

See if you can get to the vanes in the blower and spray some lube on the shaft.Then turn it on and spray more lube into the intake end of it.If the squeal is the same one I had that should do the trick.Charlie

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

Tried that. Worked fine in the driveway (like everything on a boat will)but at speed squeeelllll.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

Then I would just turn it off while under way.It is not necessary because you probably have more air coming in while under way than it can blow.The force of the air is making it go faster than it can.On the other hand it is a cheap replacement part.Your call,I would leave it alone.Charlie

 

[DJ]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

f_inscreenname,<br /><br />Is your blower on the hose that has a vent facing forward? If so, the air may be "overrunning" the fan as you move along.<br /><br />Usually, boat bilges have one vent facing forward and one aft. I would prefer to see the blower on the vent that is facing aft. This way it pulls air through the bilge instead of trying to blow air out by pressurizing it.

 

[Eubie]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

Mine used to squeal all the time so I replaced it..problem solved. The fan was just vibrating really bad.

 

[mole2]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

You should run the blower for about 5 minutes before starting the engine, when idling and when underway at slow (no wake) speed or trolling. Once you go to higher speed you can shut it off. When at a higher speed air is forced in through the vents negating the need for the blower.

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

I like to fish so I start and stop a lot. As cheep as they are I think I will try a new one. If it does the same thing I will just have to turn it off and on or I think they make a switch that will do it for you. Something to check into.

 

[ED21]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

I think the bushings on the motor just wear out. Probably do to corrosion from the marine environment. If spray lube doesn't work, replacement will.

 

[Bondo]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

Good Advise Here.....<br />Ideas,<br />1) Your blower is on the Wrong Vent, as stated by DJ, It's Supposed to be Sucking from the Bottom of the bilge, Connected to the Aft facing vent ....<br />(If it's blowing Out,+ the Vent is blowing In, No Doubt, you'll be getting little or No venting, Underway,+ Over-loading the Blower)<br />2) Blowers are Cheap.... Buy a New One........<br />And, get it blowing the Right Way ......<br />

I like to fish so I start and stop a lot. As cheep as they are I think I will try a new one. If it does the same thing I will just have to turn it off and on or I think they make a switch that will do it for you. Something to check into.

You Could wire in a Relay,+ hook it up to the key switch, or where ever you care...... This way it'll Still work from it's own switch,+ be over-ridden on which ever circuit you Choose......

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

I here what you are saying but reversing the two vents on the bow is not a option. The cowls on the bow were installed in 1972 before most boats used bilge blowers. They vented the hull by air pressure the cowl caught. It was a after thought by a past owner to add a blower for when you are not moving (smart guy). Been working on the boat for years to get it back to original (looks wise). It came with two forward facing cowls on the bow and four rear facing cowls on the transoms deck and that's the way it shall stay even if it means burning up a blower every couple years (they are cheep so what the hell).<br />PS The blower blows in the right direction.<br />Here is a couple pix so maybe you can understand why I feel this way. http://photos.yahoo.com/f_inscreenname <br />I have new seats that match the rest of the interior, good by aqua strip. <br />Thanks for your help anyway

 

[Boatist]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

F_in<br />Your cowl look just fine. The blower should be on one of the stern cowl blowing out. The input hose to the blower should go under the engine as low in bilge as possible but not so low that it will be covered with water. Gas fumes sink and the idea is to blow the fumes out before they get high enough that a engine spark could ingnite them.

 

[Bondo]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

Yep,<br />Boatist is Right on the Money..........<br />Put your Blower in the Stern, Where it Belongs......<br />Free-Flow into the bow, Blown Out the Stern.......<br /><br />I've Never seen a Blower on the In-bound Vents.....

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

I think the reason for the past owner put the blower under the deck is because of space. There is no space behind the motor (outdrive) and the back seats are a little less then 3” from the transom. The only place I could mount it would be under the motor (many problems there) or I would have to run 3” hose to about mid boat then back out (doesn't seem like it would work to well). It would be nice to find one that acts like a sail boats prop. The blades would fold back when the outside pressure was greater. Oh well sounds like I am trying to reinvent the wheel. I think I will just buy one every couple of years. A small price to pay. Thanks again

 

[Boatist]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

In My opinion putting a blower on your input vents up front is a total waste of money. It is not going to force gas fumes out from under the motor. It would be like puting a fan blowing into your garage with the garage door open and trying to blow fumes out of your bathroom. It just will not do anything but make some noise.<br /><br />Try this get a bottol of something strong smelling (perfume) and dump it in the bilge right under your fuel pump. Now stand at the rear and have someone turn on your bilge blower and see if it blows the smell out of your rear cowls. Even if it does now go up and smell around your engine and see it you can smell it. If you can and it was a fuel leak then BOOM FIRE maybe no second chance for you and your family.

 

[Bondo]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

I Agree with Boatist......<br />Looking at your photos, It Looks like you could shoe-horn a Vent-Mounted blower onto the vent right there at the backside of the engine hatch..... Even a 3" blower would be an Improvement....<br />The Idea is to Draw-From the bottom of the Bilge, Not to Blow-In, Wherever.............

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

All right guys first of all I aint stupid. I understand the principal of a bilge blower and what it does. <br /> (my boat)The blower blows into (by hose) what the best way I can explain as a semi tunnel that 2 1/2-foot wide and tall and runs the full length of the boat. It is accessible from the top by hatches (non-hinged covers) and the motor cover. The 60-gal belly gas tank sits in the middle of the boat in there and a couple of batteries and the motor at the back. So if I were to have a gas or fume leak it would settle to the lowest point. That would be the full length of the “tunnel” bow to stern so I understand why they put it where they did. Air in the front of tunnel and fumes out the back vents. <br /> Like I said in my past posts “venting back then (1972) was an after thought.” I really think the cowls on the front deck were originally to bring air to the motor (like a hood scope) for the carb and not for fumes. The original owner was a very old charter capt and I think ex-navy and followed the rules of the water. When the USCG cam out with that I/O boat needed blowers I am sure he went right out and bought one and installed it. Like I said there is not a place under motor cover or transom to mount a blower with out doing some crazy hose running and making it useless or it being under the motor or something like that. If it was that easy I wouldn't be posting here and it would have been done a long time ago.<br /> So what I have is this;<br /> 1. Air must be blown into the front (bow) of the tunnel before starting to remove fumes that may settle in the tunnel all the way to the bow <br /> 2. No place to mount blower in back without problems (look at the motors picture in past post) If you look you can also see the tunnel that is level with the deck in front of the seat and runs all the way to the bow. You can also see the back of the gas tank (black thing in front of battery case). Then there is another battery in front of the tank. Also if mounted in the back there would be no way to force vent the bow and crazy hose running.<br />3. Now that I have put a lot more thought into it. Would the blower being inline from the cowl to the tunnel restrict airflow when I am at speed?<br /> And just an FYI. Not to be a ***** about it but I would never put my family at risk on my boat. Most people that know me know that I spend more time in my boat in my driveway (by choice) then on the water. I boat a lot by myself on a lot of weekdays in little rivers (no one for miles) so if I thought there was a chance of the smallest of problems I wouldn't go out. I also grew up on an 18-acre island off the coast of Maine. I can’t even remember not being the owner of a boat even if it was a plywood flat bottom rowboat. Not bragging but my 80-year-old grandmother and myself rescued two-lobster man from their burning boat with that flat bottom when I was 10. They couldn't swim with all there gear on (no jackets) and were hanging on to the outboard (still running) while the rest of their boat was in flames. It was so hot that when I rubbed my eyebrows most of the hair fell out. I was 10 and thought it was cool and a tan in Maine was really cool. Now I have to ride past the spot where The Baltimore water taxi flipped over. They still haven't found three of them and one is a 6 year old boy (his 8 year old sister is still in critical). It hits close to home for me. My kids are younger boy 2 and a girl 4 (the same sexes and age difference). I couldn't imagine only having 3 1/2 more years with them. As for my wife she is my best friend. So just to say again I do not put my family at risk for any boat ride. Not your boat, not mine. Not saying by myself or with agreeing passengers we don't go balls to the wall 65mph+ (with respect to other boaters and their safety) with my 32-year-old, early 1970’s technology powered boat.

 

[Boatist]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

F_inscreenname<br />To start with I think you have a great looking boat. Boats never look that good without someone putting a lot of time, care, and love into them.<br /><br />To answer your question, Yes the blower when turned off will greatly restrick air flow. If it is the squirrel cage type then very good when on but almost no flow when off. Many boats today the output cowl will go into a air box on the bottom of the air box you will have two hoses. One goes to the blower then to the bottom of the bilge. The other just goes all the way to the bottom of the bilge. This way have good airflow with the blower and also good natural air flow thru the other hose when the blower is off. You can get inline bilge blowers not much larger arount than the hose itself.<br /><br />Coast Guard classes I have taken give very specific instruction how to install. With a closed engine compartment the input hose should flow in at a level above the carburetor. The output hose and blower should go as low as possible in the bilge but not so low that it will ever be blocked by bilge water. I belive blowing air in low in the boat will increase the danger as it will cause gas fumes to spread.<br /><br />First Coast Guard class I took they brought 3 pictures of blown up boats. The whole transom was blown out and the windsheilds were blown foward. Each of these were from explosions with deaths. Two of the three were from boats that had no fuel leaks at all. These two they stopped at a fuel dock and filled the tank. Due to wind conditions the fumes from the take vent and fuel inlet blew back into the boat. First guy did not run blower at all. He got almost 150 yard from the dock before enough air got blown in to allow fumes to expload. Second boat ran his Bilge blower at least 10 minutes. Then he headed out and same thing. This boat bildge blower was mounted high on the transom but had no input hose down under the engine. Coast Guard says boats almost always 100 or more yards from fuel dock before they blow up. Reason is fumes displace so much air that it is too rich to burn, Just like a flooded engine. As you pull away air get blown in and when you have a good air fuel mix boom.<br /><br />Two questions.<br />1: Do each of your four rear cowl vents have a hose that goes below the engine or below the fuel tank?<br />2: Do your front two air vents go above your carburetor or above your fuel tank?<br /><br />I wish you the very best. It is obvious that you work hard at keeping your boat in the best of shape.<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/products/7/3011_seachoice_inline_bilge_blowers.html

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

First THANKS<br />As for your questions;<br /> 1-two of the rear vents by hose go to under the motor, two by hose go to about mid motor<br /> 2-one front vent goes to two areas that are between the inside deck and the hull on either side of the “tunnel”. Most boat are full of foam there. One goes to the blower then is piped into the “tunnel” at the bow.<br />The gas tank fits almost flush with the hull except for a small space at very bottom 1/2” high by 1 1/2” across so water can pass from the bow to the stern where the bilge pump is. <br /> I can feel air flow at the stern when just the fan is running (when in driveway). I guess I have a couple good things going my way. I always fill up at the local gas station (refuse to pay those water prices). Then trailer to the ramp. Forcing air through the vents. I always open my motor cover before first start up. Battery switch is in there and I like to watch the motor start.<br /> I think the air box idea is it. I remember my 18’ I/O Larson was set up that way. It lets me use the fan when there is no forced air pressure into the cowl and when the air pressure gets to great for the fan (at speed) the air can go through the second hose off the box. That's perfect!!!!!. <br />Again THANKS

 

[airman]

Re: A bilge blower ?????

Have you considered installing a sniffer? These things are great. My propane sniffer told me when my battery charger went berserk and boiled off a battery. It likely saved my wife (and the boat). It seems that no matter what you do there will be concerns about how well your bilge will vent.