engine compartment blower

[sam]

My engine compartment blower is becoming very noisy. It runs all the time when the engine is on. I doubt that it was designed for continuous duty cycle though.

Two questions. 1. Has anyone change that blower out? If so, with an exact replacement or a differnt unit?

2. Does your blower run full time the engine is on? I am considering adding an off/switch in the circuit to allow shutting the blower down when cooler temps exist. I have found that the blower significantly reduces the engine compartment temp in mid summer on the gulf coast. The vent hose came loose once and when I noticed and reattached it, it made a noticeable difference.(really, really difficult to work your way back into that port aft area, need to  be 4 feet tall with six feet arms and weigh about 100 LBS. I do not have those dimensions!)

Thanks for your comments.

Sam

LONGHAWK, #9

[Michael Boyle]

Hi Sam,

I have a 15month old 43 sailing in Solent UK and have changed my blower for a couple of reasons.

1   My 43 had the gas bottle storage under the seat behind the port wheel. I decided to cut the surround out and make port lazerette similar to the starboard side. The gas bottles I have stored under the cockpit steps in a purpose made wooden box. It would be possible to alter the hull and sink a small recess such that 25kg bottles could be stored but as we are usually within easy reach of UK or French chandlers the 10kg surfice. Storage and acess is brilliant in the new lazerette. I have moved the exhaust and bilge pump outlets and removed the gas outlet to give better access. I also fitted a right angle bend on the blower to move the pipework and tidy the access.

2   When loading one of our bikes caught the blower--that wasn't noisy--and broke its attachment to the hull. This entailed fitting a new one. I fould out that the blower runs continually when engine on--regulations and for cooling (even though English summer doesn't need cooling). The new one I have fitted is very noisy in comparision although same rating and through put and I will be fitting a different one and insulating it to reduce the noise during the next few months. I have fitted an inline blower (might be why its noisy) and attached to stringer lower down in the lazerette.

Getting to fixing bolts on the existing blower was difficult not least because the plastic cover for the outlet was fitted with three small screws and tube of silaflex. I had expected the blower to be on a thermoswitch and only operate when compartment was hot but EU regs require the space to be continuously vented.

I could take some photos and post next week if interested.

 

Michael

[sam]

Thank you Michael for your reply. I would appreciate the pictures-always good to see how others have modified things. What brand and model was the blower that was originally installed and what did you replace it with?

Thanks

Sam