Guys,




Bilge blower

I’ve got one of these bilge blowers on the port side, and only the one duct leading to the area outside the engine stringer on that side. It’s always kinda bugged me that it didn’t seem that it would adequately vent the bilge in a reasonable amount of time in the event we had a fuel vapor issue. In light of the recent catastrophic explosion in Florida, it’s been more on my mind. So I bought another one and intend to mount it on the starboard side and duct it from the same area on the starboard side and out the starboard vent, mirroring the port side. My question is, do we suppose it will be OK to just splice the wiring from the other side? Or should I run dedicated wires from the switch? It only draws 2.5 amps.

As a side question…. What’s the purpose of the other vent hose? It is connected to the vent port above the swim platform and hangs next to the bilge blower duct hose (there are two port holes on either side). The only “purpose” I can come up with is a supply of fresh air for the bilge blower to pull back out of the bilge, which is obviously not the purpose. Otherwise, I can’t really see why you’d want to direct fresh air almost below the engine.

Thanks. Brad.

I had a single blower on my Laser as you described. I added another and just spliced into the wiring. One switch turns on both blowers. Been a few years and no issues with switch/breaker/fuse.

Brad, most systems are designed to circulate air when under way. Using a feed and draw process.

The outgoing air is sourced in the lowest bilge area. Thr inlet air enters in the upper portion of the engine bay. The engine(s) will be drawaing a lot of CFM in the engine bay.

I like to use the 3" race car brake ducting hose. Same concept as the marine wire plastic style, just more resistant and reliable. It isn't that expensive.

Generally, the bilge blower fans are not very high quality. Chenge them often. Same with the bilge pumps.

The blower should have voltage and amperage draw on the tag. Check what size your wiring is. If it's not sufficient, you can use it as a feed to a relay, that switches fused power from the batts.

Something like that.

Tartilla,

So the second duct hose is for outgoing air? Fair enough. But I’m thinking of the Checkmate that Saris built the engine for, where they had the sundeck propped up on a block of some sort and ratchet strapped down, trying to feed more air to the engine at WOT.

What’s there now is 4” ducting. I bought a length of the same for the other side.

That bilge blower seems to be pretty durable. It appears to be the original unit, 22 years and counting. I ordered the same one. Hoping it’s still the same quality. Specs show it draws 2.5A.

Thanks. Brad.

Liberator221,

Did you just splice into the wiring at the existing blower? What I’ve currently got is a stalk of wiring, with about 2” of exposed wiring branches off, leading to the bilge blower. It may actually be easier to just run a tandem 12v from the switch at the dash, and ground it to the strap at the transom. Just curious how you did your wiring, specifically.

Thanks. Brad.

Don't remember for sure Brad, and the boat is not home right now. I think the blower was just wired with butt connectors, so I cut it out and jumped in there with another set of wires to feed the addditional blower then went back with butt connectors.

Your oem second hose that goes from the swim platform to the bilge area is there so if water gets splashed into the vent, it will drain down into the bilge and not get water on anything you wouldn't want it to be. They gotta make it ready for salt water use.

Mirage,

I would LOVE to agree with that, but there are two wide open vent ports mirrored on the starboard side with no hose at all. I'd think that, if PQ was going to go to that effort (they cut a hole in the inner gunwale for it), they'd have probably done so on the starboard side, as well. Also.... While you might be right, it would appear it was unnecessary to have gone to the trouble. To my knowledge, we've never gotten washed over enough to get water in the bilge; we literally NEVER have water in the bilge unless we get caught out in the rain (or some dumbazz forgets the drain plug.... again).

Thanks. Brad.

I have two blowers in my boat with one switch, 12awg. But like Tortilla said get a relay and then you do not have to worry. I Used these on my little boat and they seem to work great, much better √outage to the accessory, why run current through a small switch.

While at it change to some good blower hose, those factory ones suck, you can see where yours has tears.

I`ve had vented hatches and would use the blower wiring for underwayter lights at 2 amps x 2 = 4 amps .
No issues.

I don`t understand your vent tube routing so.. you don`t have one IN (under engine generally) and another OUT to outside the boat?