West Marine/Caframo air dryer

Oct 9, 2008
1,739
Bristol 29.9 Dana Point
West marine air dryer, made by Caframo of Ontario, CN.
First note is that it says, "Made in Canada" on the bottom, but the motor is a Euroka made in China.
So have to call BS on the label a little.
Not a huge deal. I'm sure this happens everywhere.

Anyway, have had it 6 years. Recently when in use, the fan has been very slow, almost stopped. When I turn it on its side, back to normal.
I called WM and Caframo. Polite and willing but no knowledge of this unit to provide.
So I took it apart myself. They don't want you going this. Said as much on the phone, and the unit is riveted not bolted.
I popped 3 of the rivets. Easy with small flathead and needle nose.
Not much in there. Just the motor, and a heating ring around the perimeter.
Dug out some dust and hair around but not in the motor. I think the remedy was moving the fan/shaft/rotor up and down many times. Maybe cleared something.
Plugged it in, back to normal.
Replaced rivets with machine screws had in stock. Tapped themselves into the aluminum housing for tight fit.

I found nothing via net and phone on doing this if the fan slows, so posting here maybe can help another.
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Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
They are expensive and they are just low wattage heaters with a fan to move air around. I've chosen to use a dehumidifier like this:
https://smile.amazon.com/Hysure-Por...2335&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=dehumidifier&psc=1

I drilled a hole in the cup and installed a tiny tube that I put over the sink in the head (no underwater through hull, then leave the head door open.) so the cup never needs me to empty it. It's cheap and actually removes the moisture instead of just moving it around.

Ken
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
During my first winter in the PacificNW I ran a small heater set low and used the Tea Oil to battle the mold and mildew issues that plague our boats in this moist winter. I did fairly well, but found some moisture and mold in a few spots. Chlorine bleach wipes and the mold was corrected but still the problem would come back. So I attached the problem with a dehumidifier. I chose the 35Pint Hisense DH-35K1SCLE Energy Star 2-Speed Dehumidifier. It sits on my counter and dries the boat right out. I have had the unit going on 2 years and very pleased. No bad orders and no mold found in the corners. Cost to run is about $25 a month.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Ken, how much water does it extract while you are away? Where do you catch it if not a thru hull? It's not encouraged to leave the valve open. I considered draining to the bilge but that's not actually removing water then until the float switch kicks on.
 
Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
Ken, how much water does it extract while you are away? Where do you catch it if not a thru hull? It's not encouraged to leave the valve open. I considered draining to the bilge but that's not actually removing water then until the float switch kicks on.
The head sink drains above the waterline, so it just drains outside. I don't know how much water is removed because it drains continually. I'm guessing a cup a day or so. It's much more than those Dri Z Air things. Before I installed the drain tube, it filled the cup daily (which shuts it off)

I suspect it depends on how dry your boat is whether or not this little guy extracts enough.
Ken
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Now that you mention it, my head sink thru hull is slightly above the waterline. I was thinking of the galley sinks for a more central location. So the head area works well enough?
 

Dale

.
Oct 30, 2015
2
Catalina 400 MKII 243 Shady Side MD
I have a similar if, not the same, dehumidifier. I also have drilled a hole and now leave it in the sink to drain overboard. I have a second in the head that does not have the hole, it collects about 2 cups of H2O over a weeks time in the Annapolis, MD area.
 

MitchM

.
Jan 20, 2005
1,011
Nauticat 321 pilothouse 32 Erie PA
sounds like this little de humidifier is a better purchase. lots of boaters leave their expensive marine air conditioners running on the de humidity cycle for weeks at a time . thanks !
 

pateco

.
Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Here in S Florida, I was having a huge mold problem. I found a larger dehumidifier at a yard sale. It filled up about 2 gallons and then shut off just over the first night. After examining it more, I found that it was already plumbed for a drain line to bypass the tank. When running you can see the water draining out the hose, into the sink. It took three days to get the boat from 85% humidity down to 40%. Now it does it in about 3 or 4 hours after I come back from a sail. Well worth the investment.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Chip. Had the same experience in our PacNW winters. Boat is dry when I arrive no mold or mildew smell. Now if I could only solve my dirty fuel issues.
 

pateco

.
Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
Chip. Had the same experience in our PacNW winters. Boat is dry when I arrive no mold or mildew smell. Now if I could only solve my dirty fuel issues.
Are you buying dirty fuel, or is it going bad in the tank?
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Just saw this query.

When I bought the boat in February 2015 the two 79 gallon tanks were mostly full. The boat had been used by the previous owners as a Seattle city apartment from 2011 on. So the quality of the fuel was at question. But with prices at $4 per gallon and clean up offers running $800 to polish and $2500 to clean the tanks and install ports to the tanks, I decided I could run the engine and change the filters till the tanks were nearly empty, then deal with the problem.

I am just about there as you can see from the other posts where my friend exposed my fuel shortage habit. It is really a fuel contamination problem masquerading as an out of fuel issue.

I am exploring cutting holes in the tanks installing 6" oval ports and doing a tank cleaning this winter. Once I get the old fuel and associated contaminants addressed I should be in a position to implement good fuel management. Maybe even get a good handle on how much fuel the engine really uses. Pretty sure the current fuel in the tanks is burning at about .8 gallons per hour than the projected .6 gallons.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
West marine air dryer, made by Caframo of Ontario, CN.
First note is that it says, "Made in Canada" on the bottom, but the motor is a Euroka made in China.
So have to call BS on the label a little.
Not a huge deal. I'm sure this happens everywhere.
Every country sets its own standard on what 'Made in xxx' means. Some have more stringent limits on imported parts and sub-assemblies than others. Whatever the case, I'm sure WM is following Canadian code for 'Made in Canada'.

If you want to see a real mess, take a look at Swiss requirements for watches! ;^)
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
at $4 per gallon and clean up offers running $800 to polish and $2500 to clean the tanks and install ports to the tanks, I decided I could run the engine and change the filters
John, you can get a couple of diesel filters and a cheap fuel pump and mount them on a hunk of plywood for less than $100 with enough hose to go from your existing filter and back up to the deck fill. Routing the line back up to the deck fill will provide a bit of agitation in the tank. An hour of this activity will be enough to cycle the tank a couple of times and if you did this twice a year, it would likely do what an expensive polish would.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
couple of diesel filters and a cheap fuel pump
Thank you for sharing that idea. It is exactly what I did the end of August. It helped, but there is still a lot of crud in the tanks. I need to improve on the system. Les gave me several filters that he did not want any longer and I ran them till they clogged. It improved the fuel in the starboard tank. I suspect I have crud in the tanks that may date back to the late 70's. Additionally, there are baffles. In tanks this big baffles are the normal way of slowing down the movement of fuel as the boat heals and bounces around in the chop. I need to try and dislodge the stuff behind the baffles and get it to where it can be removed. It is a "Not any Fun" project that's time has come. Right up there with replacing windows.
I'm just hoping when I make my next trip to the boat the wind will be calm. Last time I was there the wind was blowing 15. Who wants to clean tanks when the wind is calling?
 
Jun 27, 2014
117
Jeanneau Moorings International 50 Everett
Chip. Had the same experience in our PacNW winters. Boat is dry when I arrive no mold or mildew smell. Now if I could only solve my dirty fuel issues.
jssailem,
The first step to solve your dirty fuel problem is to replace and greese the o-rings in your fuel filler.
Second step is get a small pump and long tube, work the tube into the lowest corner of the fuel tank and pump out all the water.
edit - Step three, use biobor or similar biocide.
The dirt in fuel is the waste from bacteria that lives in water and eats fuel. Most water (unless you buy bad fuel in the first place) leaks in through the filler cap.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
The dirt in fuel is the waste from bacteria that lives in water... Most water... leaks in through the filler cap.
Yes that was the problem. No o-rings on the fuel caps. One of the joys of a previously owned boat. I've been sucking up and burying the little buggers and their waste in a succession of filters for the past 2 years. About every 20-30 hours of running time a new filter is due. Stuff is black and looks like coffee grounds.
Now that I have a 12 volt continuous flow rated fuel pump I can work the problem. Working on the filters. Trying to lower the cost and still filter the little bugs.