40.5 transom vent removal

[Frank P]

Hello,
Does anyone know how to remove transom vent cover on models similar to 40.5 as shown in the attached PDF below?. I would like to remove this with minimal damage.

Any help would be great!

Thanks
Frank

 

[Rick D]

Never have removed mine. Was thinking of adding a blower to one side as others have done, but never had the cover off. Whatcha up to?

 

[Bill Roosa]

If you look in the storage locker you will find the attachment hardware down near the floor. I believe it just unscrews/bolts.

 

[Frank P]

Thanks Bill, I look around some more. I am not sure if all years are the same but mine has an extra wall glassed in around the vent tube on the inside. I will need to cut it away to check for the fasteners.

Rick, I have a small 2kW generator in that compartment. It tends to overheat due to lack of air flow. I want to enlarge the vent to 4" and add a blower. I also want to put a hinge on the vent cover so I can flip it up when the generator is running to provide unrestricted flow. There are enough gaps and holes in the compartment floor to provide intake air from the inside of the boat.

Frank

 

[Rich Stidger]

Frank,

I have a Westerbeke 5KW genset in my starboard locker and I used the transom vent as with a 3" fan to ventilate the compartment. The fan runs whenever the genset runs. The picture below shows the white fan at the left edge of the picture. The vent is a 3" vent so all I did was to remove the hose from the aft cabin connection and connect to a fan. I plugged the aft cabin port to stop any fumes or exhaust from entering the cabin.

Westerbeke requires ventilation to help cool the electrical end of the genset. The engine is of course fresh water cooled with a heat exchanger.

I have never had a problem with heat build-up with this system. I would suggest that before you go to a lot of trouble changing the transom vent that you simply try a 3" in-line fan. Be sure to use a fan that is rated at 100% duty cycle and is also ignition protected if you need that feature.

 

[Frank P]

Thanks Rich,
My cooling fan is actually integrated into the motor and hot days and full power the genset shuts down due to over temp. as there is too much blockage with the 3" vent hose and vent cover.

That is a nice installation. Where did you put your batteries?

 

[Rich Stidger]

Frank,

My genset also has a fan inside the electrical end. But the 3" transom fan exhausts plenty of air to keep the compartment under 130-140 degrees.

Is your genset air-cooled? If so, maybe you do need a larger vent because you have the engine heat as well as the generator heat.

My batteries (four golf carts) are located on the port side to balance the genset. BTW I also hi-jacked the port vent to ventilate the engine compartment. I have a hi-output alternator that routinely runs at 200+ degrees and will heat up the engine compartment high enough to trip my automatic halon fire extinguisher. Not a good thing....