bilge ventililation

chris650

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
158
hello everyone. I put up a post similar to this awhile ago. I am posting pics of the setup this time though. Is this setup for my bilge correct? The last time I posted, I resieved varied answeres. I am mainly concerned about my side vents...Should the louvers be facing towards the bow, or turned backwards towards the stern? Some say towards the front in order to intake fresh air, and some say towards the stern to create vacuum while underway without the blower on. While looking at these pics, keep in mind that the blower on my boat vents out the transom. There has to be only one correct answer. Thanks for viewing!
 

Attachments

  • 008.jpg
    008.jpg
    129.9 KB · Views: 0

chris650

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
158
Re: bilge ventililation

Regarding the pic...that grate is covering up a box that has two holes . One is the blower that has a hose attached, and the other is a free hanging hose. Both terminate deep into the bilge . My side vents have hoses that terminate at floor level.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,304
Re: bilge ventililation

on my boat, one side is facing forward, the other facing aft. Air intake on the side facing forward, blower exit on the side facing aft. I am guessing by the one single aft pic that you have two side vents and the aft discharge. if that is the case, both side vents would face forward to scoop air as you move forward with the discharge coming out your grill.
 

chris650

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
158
Re: bilge ventililation

yep. That's exactly what I have. But what of the argument that people make saying no, you want the vents on the side of the boat facing aft, so they don't take in water?
 

chris650

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
158
Re: bilge ventililation

I am gunna post another pic in a few minutes. The ones I have wont upload.
 

chris650

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
158
Re: bilge ventililation

port side bilge vents. Hose on left goes up to the blower.26.JPG
 

chris650

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
158
Re: bilge ventililation

starboard vents. Hose on the right is unpowered and exits aft.27.JPG
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: bilge ventililation

Any other thoughts on my situation?

Yep, plenty!

Side vents need to be facing aft. The very last thing you need is sea water going in there. And if the blower is on, then they will suck air, no question of that.

I also wouldn't run the inlet hoses all the way to the bottom. You want the blower to pick up from the bottom, but you want the 'new' air to arrive well above it, so as the blower sucks, the new air will be drawn down, hopefully passing and taking with it any nasties you want to get rid of.... And when the blower is not on, they'll act as heat extractors.

One more thought you may consider. The first photo in the thread, of the transom. Your stern light. Don't think that one is marine rated... Looks a lot like one I put in. Lasted about a week, then corroded the globe contacts :facepalm:.... Here's the cheap and easy (and VERY permanent) fix. Remove the entire thing from the boat and work on it on a bench. Now gut all the innards out of it and get yourself one of those nice LEDs like the flash in a phone camera. They are called Cree LEDs. Anyway, get one of those and a 5W resistor for it. (I can't remember the value I used. You have to just play around with different values until you get the current draw to about 750mA). Then wire it all up and set it inside the light holder (resistor and all), at about the same place as the original bulb was, and fill it with a clear epoxy, just up to the level of the LED. Then you have more light with less power drawn, doesn't get hot, and will last FOREVER! Just one thing to be aware of. When you wire it into the boat, it is polarity sensitive. ;) (I used a polarised connector like THIS.)

Cheers.....
 
Last edited:

chris650

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
158
Re: bilge ventililation

thanx chris! Very good info. Its hard to see from the pic, but the blower hose ends at about the oil pan, and the non powered hose next to it sits a little higher. So with the side vents facing aft, my set up looks ok then?
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: bilge ventililation

I'd pull the 'non-powered' hoses a little higher... Other than that, yeah, go for it....
 
Top