Engine room blower - push, or pull?

[Gunni]

In the process of sorting out our boat a few years ago I realized that the Plastimo in-line bilge blower that pipes to the engine bay was not working. I am too big to reach it and so had my smallest electrical guy diagnose and replace the blower. I swear it initially pulled air from the engine bay. This past week I noticed it is blowing air into the engine bay! There air two air intakes for the engine bay just above high on the cabin top. I want that hot air to exit the transom of the boat.

Question: How do other Beneteau owner's blower systems work?

 

[jeepbluetj]

I can't speak about Beneteau specifically. But every bilge blower I've ever seen sucks air out. When you think about it: for gas boats or if you have propane blowing into the boat monumentally idiotic. Suck is the way you want it to be.

Need to spin the blower around.

 

[Ron20324]

Yeah, suck if you have only one blower, as normal.

 

[DougM]

The purpose of the blower is to evacuate potential fumes out. exhausting the old air in effect creates space to be filled with fresh air. The blower also can serve the function of exhausting hot air out of the engine space after the engine is shut down.

 

[Gunni]

Thanks all. So has anyone ever had the blower fail by reversing itself? I know if the polarity of a Calframo cabin fan is reversed the fan runs backwards.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

I am too big to reach it and so had my smallest electrical guy diagnose and replace the blower.

Any chance the little guy was so pi$$ed off from working in the tight space, he came back later and reversed the leads just to get back at you ?

Reversing the +/- leads on a simple DC motor will reverse the rotation.

 

[Philip_Oceanis 361]

I have most probably that same plastimo blower in my Benny 361 (which by the way I replaced some months ago). Definately it's job is to move the hot air out of the engine room. I always like to check that it's working by feeling, with my hand, the hot air coming out from the back of the boat.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Reversing the +/- leads on a simple DC motor will reverse the rotation.

Or put it in backwards ?
They usually fail when the cheap bearings on the motor freeze up.

 

[Benny17441]

I think your smallest guy may have switched the wires. Perhaps he resented the designation.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

If the blower is in a duct tube it is possible that the blower was reinstalled into the duct backwards and the wiring is correct.

 

[Gunni]

Yeah, I will have to crawl down there and see which is easier; tracing the wiring and reversing the polarity or rotating the blower 180 and get the air moving the right direction. Thanks all.

 

[Ron20324]

[QUOTE="Gunni, ...Yeah, I will have to crawl down there and see which is easier; tracing the wiring and reversing the polarity or rotating the blower 180 and get the air moving the right direction. Thanks all.[/QUOTE]

Once you figure it out, draw an arrow on the tube, and mark a + and - near the connections.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Bring a stubby or 90 degree Phillips head with you on the first trip into the hole, the screws are inboard on the mounting flange of the blower just enough to make them a pain with a regular length driver. On my boat I've got standing headroom once I squeeze thru the seat/hatch, getting out is tough, if I weighed more than 150, maybe impossible.

 

[Gunni]

Thanks for the tip Ted! I weigh 215, don't fold up so well any more, and hate small spaces. But I can pull myself up and out.