Bilge Blowers
A bilge blower is important
not only because the USCG may require it, but also because your life may
depend on it. The Coast Guard stipulates the use of a mechanical ventilation
system for all non-open type boats built after July 31, 1980 which run
on gasoline. Even if your boat is older, it still must conform to USCG
minimum ventilation levels, and may require a bilge blower to satisfy
those guidelines.
Venting your bilge of potentially lethal gas fumes is no job for a jury
rig. Bilge blower units are designed and constructed specifically for
their life in the trenches - electrical components are "ignition
protected" to prevent sparking and causing the explosion that they
are installed to avert, and the units are built to withstand over-heating
and corrosion.
Bilge blowers are available to move air in two ways - some units feature
a squirrel cage configuration, while others favor a "tunnel",
or "in-line" design which utilizes a small fan. The type you
choose will depend on the space available and on how you plan to mount
it. Both types evacuate air very efficiently, and are available in sizes
which handle 100-250 c.f.m. (cubic feet of air per minute). The size
you need is determined by the volume of your engine compartment (see
below).
The
minimum recommended time you should run the blower to ventilate the
bilge is four minutes. Before switching it on, however, rely on one
of the most sensitive odor-detectors you have - your nose. No bilge
blower will rid the compartment of spilled fuel, which will continue
to emit vapors. Whether your boat is subject to regulations or not,
bilge blowers make good sense.
A Rough Guide to Selecting Blower Sizes
For engine spaces up to:
70
cu. ft - 100 c.f.m. blower
71
to 100 cu. ft. - 150 c.f.m. blower
101
to 300 cu. ft. - 250 c.f.m. blower
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