Hunter 41DS engine room blower replacement

[MFD]

Hi All,
Finally (I was wondering when it would happen) the engine room blower does not work anymore. I noticed it has both a relay and the motor itself and have not ordered parts quite yet.

I dug around in the port lazarette, engine room, and what I call the 'potato locker' - the storage area under the cabin sole just in front of the fridge. At this point it appears that maybe I need to pull the refrigerator and probably will find the motor about halfway up towards the aft side?

I have the two-cabin model with the large single aft berth.

Before I break out the tools and start taking stuff apart to find the blower motor I am curious if anybody else has done this and might have any tips or tricks.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Georgedoyle]

We had a non-working blower when we bought our 49. Turned out to be the relay. Blower was fine and is still working. Ours was easy to reach. Not sure if the relay is accessible on your boat.

 

[gfrazzle]

Our blower has worked since we bought the boat in 2009 but we have never used it. What do you use it for?

 

[MFD]

I don't use it much in the winter, but my understanding primary use case is ensuring a touch of cold air for the diesel to consume, plus alternator heat.

 

[Daniel K]

The blower can be accessed through the ‘floor’ of the aft cabin hanging locker on port side of vessel, or behind forward panel of same locker. Thought this was the most buried and oddest place I’ve ever seen for a bilge blower. I hope this helps.

 

[Parsons]

I don't use it much in the winter, but my understanding primary use case is ensuring a touch of cold air for the diesel to consume, plus alternator heat.

Good luck finding it. I think those in-line blowers do not really move enough air to affect the heat inside the engine compartment. I know that there is very little engine cooling that occurs from the air around the engine - it's all cooling water. Keeping the alternator cool(er) is important, but I'll bet your inlet duct is at the bilge level, not the top of the engine so almost worthless for that. In short, (1) I would not hurry to replace the blower from a real-impact on longevity of equipment, and (2) relocate the inlet duct to right behind the alternator.

 

[Sol Cazador]

We had a non-working blower when we bought our 49. Turned out to be the relay. Blower was fine and is still working. Ours was easy to reach. Not sure if the relay is accessible on your boat.

I am not sure that this will assist but I have a 2008 Hunter 45DS. The in line blower is under the aft master cabin bed (port side) and is easy to change once you find it. I used to run the blower at all times whilst motoring but I was advised by the marine electrician that it is not as cooling mechanism and should be run 3 to 4 minutes prior to starting to exhaust any diesel fumes from the engine compartment. I turn on the blower for 3-4 minutes, start the engine and then turn it off.

 

[seadaddler]

Been running blower for years any time motoring and helps remove heat and smell from heat.

 

[senang]

2005 Hunter 38. Blower (more suction) is under the aft owners cabin berth. The label on the 12V control panel states “Blower”. Situated halfway under the berth I have difficulty seeing the use of it for the engine bay.
To be usefull for the engine running conditions I would expect the blower intake to be in the top part of the engine room. In that position it evacuates the hottest air in the engine room. Where it is situated now on my boat it is only a marketing gimmick.