blower motor stopped working

[daniel2229]

The engine compartment blower on my boat stopped working on our last outing. The light on the switch is not lit either. Is it a blown fuse?

I use the blower each time I start and when I travel at slow speeds in the no wake zones. I went fishing for an hour or so, and when I went to restart, no blower. At first I thought dead battery, but the engine started normally.

If it is a fuse, where do I look for the fuse block? Under the dash or in the engine compartment. I didn't have a chance to look when we returned from our trip.

The bigger question is, why did the fuse blow in the first place?

Thanks,

Daniel

 

[Coors]

Re: blower motor stopped working

I don't know you're boat, but usually, the fuse bus block is under the dash. Start by checking the fuse, and follow the wire- blower may have died.

 

[daniel2229]

Re: blower motor stopped working

The boat has only about 15 hours on it, but I know how computers will come DOA out of the box.

I wonder if the blower motor can be replaced by a generic one or if it must be a Seaswirl part?

Mmmmm.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Any blower motor will work..IBoats has them. Just need the right hose dimensions. And all it takes is a good unknown splash in the side outlet of water that could get to the motor. If salt water, they will lock up fast. See if you have a slight 'loop" in your outlet hose. That will prevent water from getting to the motor. If not, get a length of hose and do it right

 

[daniel2229]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Scaaty,

Good advice. I think I'll drive over right now and check out the fuse and the hose.

I'll get back soon.

 

[daniel2229]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Well, it was the fuse. It is only a 4 amp, so no wonder.

Now, I'm not the kind that puts in a penny or fuse three times the size, so I will just get a fist-full of replacements and watch the situation. If I go through two or three more in the next couple of weeks, I'll know it must be something more.

I looked at the blower motor. It is a 4" in-line motor and looked like it was named Rule, but I could see that well because of the hoses. It is white in color, has an arrow pointing way from the bottom of the boat, and anchored to the bottom of the engine compartment by a bracket.

I have four vents aft. There are four hoses altogether leading into the engine compartment. The two on the port are tied together and just hang loose from the cowling down about 24 inches. One on the starboard is hanging from the vent as well, and one is attached to the motor. The other end of the motor is attached to a hose that extends down to the bottom of the engine compartment where it would do the most good scooping up those CO gases. I guess the blower creates pressure out the one tube while the other three pipe in fresh air.

I will revisit in a couple of weeks to give an update on the situation.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: blower motor stopped working

If it's the Rule 240 4" inlet and outlet it should have a 7amp fuse. If it's the Rule 140 3" inlet and outlet it uses the 4amp fuse.

 

[daniel2229]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Reel Poor,

Great info. I'll have to tilt back the dog house to get a better look at the blower unit, but I am sure it said 4". If so, that would explain why the fuse went off so soon.

Thanks so much!

 

[ziggy]

Re: blower motor stopped working

scooping up those CO gases

carbon monoxide can be a threat on a boat too. but yer bilge blower is venting fuel vapors. if there are any. fuel vapors are heavier than air and go to the bottom of yer bilge waiting for a spark. boom. ya don't want fuel vapors in yer bilge. bilge blowers help elievate this problem by helping vent(suckin them off the bottom of yer bilge) the fuel vapors to the outside of the boat via the blower and ram air from the fwd faceing vents, air and vapors exiting the aft faceing vents, which also will have a low pressure behind them and help suck vapors out of the bilge......

bilge blowers pobably suck up co vapors too. but those co vapors would mostly come from yer exhust, from the outside back of yer boat or a onboard generator. co vapors can seep back into yer boat as theres a vacum behind yer boat too, just like a car and can bring co vapors foward. co is colorless, oderless, and not detectable w/o a co detector......fuel vapors however smell a lot. like fuel.......hence the best fuel vapor tester is yer nose sniffin the bilge.....sniff, sniff.........

as for yer blower, if it gives ya the blues. R&R it. a most important piece of equipment on any i/o......sounds like ya should confirm that it's a rule 240 somehow. maybe it being 4" is enough confirmation too. (looking closer maybe to see the mod #, somehow) if it is. up the fuse to a 7amp.........

 

[daniel2229]

Re: blower motor stopped working

I did check out the part number, and it is the Rule 240 4" blower. I checked a web site, and they list the amp draw at 4.3 and the fuse as a 7. That's why the 4 amp fuse fried.

I doubt if I have that problem again.

Thanks for all the help!

Daniel

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: blower motor stopped working

I did check out the part number, and it is the Rule 240 4" blower. I checked a web site, and they list the amp draw at 4.3 and the fuse as a 7. That's why the 4 amp fuse fried.

I doubt if I have that problem again.

Thanks for all the help!

Daniel

 

[Scaaty]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Yep, I'd say 4amp kinda wimpy for a blower motor. Run the 7 for awhile though, and feel the blower wires..if they seem getting hot, we might need to go a little deeper into this. Good luck..

 

[daniel2229]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Scaaty,

I live outside of Dayton, Ohio where all the GM SUV's and Suburbans are made. My friend Doug is an engineer at the now defunct Delphi, a one time GM plant and supplier. He said that when parts are purchased in large amounts, there may be 200 trucks to be made but only 150 parts in supply. GM uses what is called "on time" parts delivery so that there are not huge amounts of parts lying around the factory floor not being used. So sometimes a part from one supplier is used up and the parts that are needed to finish the trucks may be purchased from another company. The parts may not be exactly the same but are technically interchangeable.

He thinks may have happened to my boat. Maybe a 3" Rule 140 was used in a bunch of boats along with the accompanying 4 amp fuse -- then they ran out of 3" blowers but had some 4 inch blowers used on another model, say a 210 Seaswirl. So the 4" Rule 240 was switched but did not get the proper 7 amp fuse.

Mmmmm, sounds like that could have happened. Doug says it happens more than you know.

I put in the new 7 amp fuse, and my blower works. I'll know better this weekend when I take it out.

 

[daniel2229]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Spent five hours out on the lake today. Probably used the blower for at least 90 minutes of that time with no interruptions.

Got a new fishing rod and reel for Father's day and inaugurated it by catching a couple dozen bluegills! That was fun!

 

[Coors]

Re: blower motor stopped working

Great!