Explanation of the "blower"

[Pike]

So this is a basic question and I could prob look it up in the manual but I'm sitting in Jury Duty right now.

What is the blower and what does it do? I have an idea but I'd like to hear it from someone here.

What I was told and what I do is let my blower run 4 mins before I crank the engine. Is this correct? Do I need to run it any other time?

Thanks

[Wolf-]

So this is a basic question and I could prob look it up in the manual but I'm sitting in Jury Duty right now.

What is the blower and what does it do? I have an idea but I'd like to hear it from someone here.

What I was told and what I do is let my blower run 4 mins before I crank the engine. Is this correct? Do I need to run it any other time?

Thanks

The blower is designed to reduce fuel vapors that may have become trapped within the engine compartment. It does this by forcing air from the engine compartment out into the environment and by drawing in fresh air which mixes with the contaminated air lowering the vapor to air ratio.

In the stop and go of watersports, I tend to leave mine on nearly all day, turning it off to dock or float.

[04OUTBACK]

Good idea to run if you are idling for a long period.. running through a long no wake zone...

[Sled491]

All above correct, was more important in the old days with Carb motors, but is still a good practice. I usually open my engine cover while waiting to launch just as an extra precaution

[Pike]

So what happens if you do not run the blower? BOOM? :shock:

[Buttafewcoe]

Although rare, the BOOM does happen, y there are blowers to begin with and y said to run them 4 mins b4 cranking motor.
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Like old boy said, I even open the motor box cover, although for a different reason (putting the plug in) for an added measure of safety.
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Hope this helps
.
B

[SiglooLSV]

...but I'm sitting in Jury Duty right now.



Ask the guy on trial what he thinks.....
:D

[INlakeOutback]

Just last weekend we were sitting near the public launch and a guy put in a wave runner. Sitting on it he cranked it over and BOOM! He was blown off the back doing a back flip the whole damn thing exploded, fiberglass everywere he was left floating on his back. Turns out he was ok but I am guessing he wishes he would have run his blower.

Gas fumes in a closed space without ventilation + ignition = BOOM!

[Buttafewcoe]

I have yet to witness one going up, but I know of it happening
.
B

[Sled491]

Wow

[Catdog1]

Gas vapor is much heavier than air, so it does not tend to find its way out of the bilge without forced ventillation. And opening the engine hatch is likely to not get the gasoline vapor out.

It takes only a couple of tablespoons in vapor form to detonate.

Starter and alternator are specially shielded to resist open sparking and other parts are beefed-up to Coast Guard Standards to prevent leakage or reduce sparking. Pliable marine fuel lines, for instance, are heavy-walled compared to automotive fuel lines.

When the boat is in motion a couple of air scoops force air thru tubes into the bilge at midships, and pass air thru the bilge, out the back vent.

Blower is to ventillate at low/no speed. Time is probably a CG standard engineering calculation for how long a particular fan must operate to move enough air volume to make the air non-explosive.