Blowers

A

Aquarius

New Member
Oct 11, 2007
166
South by South
Boat Info
310 Sundancer 2007
Engines
350 Mags V Drives
Should I have my blower on everytime my generator is on? Also, if i have my boat in gear and throttles as low as they will go just putt-puttin around do you guys have your blowers then too?
 
Aquarius said:
Should I have my blower on everytime my generator is on? Also, if i have my boat in gear and throttles as low as they will go just putt-puttin around do you guys have your blowers then too?
Click to expand...

Not saying I’m right, just saying what I do.

#1) Generator – blower is on about 4 minutes or more before its started to a few minuites after its off.

*** If the above results in the blower being off then go on to #2 ****

#2) run blower for 4 minutes or more before I star the engines. Once I have the engines running I shut off the blowers.

Again, always default to #1.

I know Frank, my blowers are not rated for continual use.
 
Don't have a generator, so I can't answer that question based on experience.

On the other question, I do keep the blowers running when we are going slow. But we have a 30 to 45 minute no wake speed run to get from our dock to the ocean. I am concerned about keeping the engine temp reasonable. We used to have low speed overheating issues before we bypassed the sterndrive pickup with a through hull and strainer. But I still do it out of habit.

Having been to AL many times in the summer, I would imagine that you might want to consider running the blowers as low speed temperature management as well.

Henry
 
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Yes. Yes. I have experienced vapor lock (actually not me, but the generator) when running the genset on the hook, without blowers. Running blowers helps keep the ER cooler.
 
blowers are not there to keep engines cool. If you are running them to keep engines cool . . .you have a cooling problem.

blowers are there to keep fuel in the bilge from creating a flammable mixture which the engines (aka the ignition source) could light off (boat go boom!). Theoretically, at low speeds there is inadequate ventilation provided by the vents such that forced ventilation (the blower) is required. At high speeds, theoretically, the vent design is such that the blowers are not required.

My use is not in 100% keeping of the manual and these theories. . .
 
comsnark said:
blowers are not there to keep engines cool. If you are running them to keep engines cool . . .you have a cooling problem.

blowers are there to keep fuel in the bilge from creating a flammable mixture which the engines (aka the ignition source) could light off (boat go boom!). Theoretically, at low speeds there is inadequate ventilation provided by the vents such that forced ventilation (the blower) is required. At high speeds, theoretically, the vent design is such that the blowers are not required.

My use is not in 100% keeping of the manual and these theories. . .
Click to expand...

Blowers exhaust air, and gasoline vapors if you have them, from the bilge. The fact that the air happens to be hot, and is replaced with cooler air from the outside is not a bad thing. I happen to know, and it's not a theory, that my ER stays cooler when the genset is on if I run the blowers. Those little red warning stickers that Sea Ray sticks on our boats are to help keep them out of court.
 
comsnark said:
blowers are not there to keep engines cool. If you are running them to keep engines cool . . .you have a cooling problem.

blowers are there to keep fuel in the bilge from creating a flammable mixture which the engines (aka the ignition source) could light off (boat go boom!). Theoretically, at low speeds there is inadequate ventilation provided by the vents such that forced ventilation (the blower) is required. At high speeds, theoretically, the vent design is such that the blowers are not required.

My use is not in 100% keeping of the manual and these theories. . .
Click to expand...

I agree, we did have a cooling problem and addressed it with a better way to supply cooling water. That being said, SouthPaw is right, replacing hot air with cool air is not a bad thing, and every little bit helps.

Henry
 
Henry Boyd said:
I agree, we did have a cooling problem and addressed it with a better way to supply cooling water. That being said, SouthPaw is right, replacing hot air with cool air is not a bad thing, and every little bit helps.

Henry
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Just to be clear.....the vapor lock was not a main engine thing, but an overheating of the ER caused by the genset running while on the hook.
 
Oh . . . I didn't mean to imply that this doesn't cool the er, or that cooling the er is a bad thing. I just mean that if the engines are overheading. . .it isn't because the blower isn't running.
 
Yes - Anytime genny is on.

Yes - When idling around. Once on plane, blower can be turned off.
 
Aquarius said:
Should I have my blower on everytime my generator is on? Also, if i have my boat in gear and throttles as low as they will go just putt-puttin around do you guys have your blowers then too?
Click to expand...

Yes to the generator.

I run the blowers at no wake speeds if we are going to do so for an extended period...20 minutes.
On a hot summer day I'll turn them on after coming off plane. I've also been known to forget to shut them off and they run for quite awhile. I also turn them on while in a lock (motors off).
 
My owners book, to my surprise says, run blowers anytime the motors are running this includes the generator. I also ways run blowers before start up, after fueling and on/off while at speed when i think about it. I especially run the blowers at shut down to cool of the er and stop some "thermal loading" this may be for 20 minutes or untill i feel the exhust air is cool. Rember blowers suck air out of the er.
 
No. I don't see the need to run them continuously. If I did, I would first replace them with blowers that are rated for continuous duty. Intermittent duty rated blowers have been known to overheat and burn up. While this problem is rare, it seems poor practice to run the blowers to prevent a problem while inviting another more serious one.

If you are worried about fuel vapor or exhaust gases gathering in the engine room, then you need to inspect the fuel and exhaust systems more frequently. These things don't just suddenly fail. They gradually degrade until they reach a point where they'll leak. Identify, and repair components that are degrading before they leak solves the root cause eliminating the need to band-aide it by running the blowers.

Best regards,
Frank
 
At the end of the season last year, I had my blower take a $hit on me. I think the bearing went out because everytime I turn it on, it sqeals like hell. It's on my list to replace this spring. Cheap part at under $30 bucks.

Doug
 
douglee25 said:
At the end of the season last year, I had my blower take a $hit on me. I think the bearing went out because everytime I turn it on, it sqeals like hell. It's on my list to replace this spring. Cheap part at under $30 bucks.

Doug
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I replaced one of mine last year. If I had it to do over, I would have gotten the nicer ones for an extra $100.
 
Hampton said:
I replaced one of mine last year. If I had it to do over, I would have gotten the nicer ones for an extra $100.
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Which ones are $100? I haven't even seen them priced that high. Shoot me a link if you have one.

Thanks.

Doug
 
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