Ventilation

M

MOOSE

Member
Having just installed a Power Tower to elevate the radome on our 22' cruiser, I find I now have an extra 7/8" hole in my cabin roof where the radar cable formerly ran. My choices seem to be to patch the hole or take advantage of it by installing yet another piece of equipment. (what kind of decision is that?) Have any of you folks installed a solar or 12V vent, like one of the Nicro models, and if so, do you find it of value? Any other ideas for use of the hole would be welcomed as well; it's about 6-8" aft of the Power Tower.
TX
Al
 
My J/24 and San Juan 28 racing sailboats all had Nicro solar vents on them as well as passive vents. Kept the moisture level inside down to below mildew levels. No reason they'd be different on a motor boat.

-- Chuck
 
:P Well, heeeeeeeell yes!!

I've had one of those "Solar-Nicros" for years now and would-not go-without one. My "thinking" was to have a nice-smelling boat (to-come-back-to) after having to "lock-her-up" when visiting harbor-towns.... (You-know) when the sun is out and heats your interior of your boat --due to all those windows!
Only thing I have to do to it is keep some grease around the mating surfaces to better seal the thing. Mine will drip slowly, if I do not. I do that so I can remove it, if need-be.
Ok that's all your getting from me.... **poof** I'm out....... :moon
 
Hi All;
This thread seems to lend itself to a project I am working on for Sea Angel and hope to install this weekend at the marina.

While on the Ches. Bay a couple weekends ago I traveled through a cold front that caused all the windows to severely fog up. It was a very short period, but it got me to thinking about ventilation and defogging. If I had a fan that I could direct on the inside windows... clear view, but do I need the full speed and noise?

Boater's World had some 12VDC oscillating fans on sale for <$20.00. I bought 2 and modified one to confirm the practical fit for the test.

I mounted 6 diodes in series and a miniature switch just above the main power switch to the fan motor. The 2nd switch is wired across the diodes. When the 2nd switch is 'ON'/'HIGH', the diodes are shorted;i.e., taken out of the circuit, and the fan runs at full speed. When the 2nd switch is 'OFF'/ 'OPEN'/'LOW', the fan runs at reduced speed. At full speed the fan draws abt 1.5amps and at low speed it draws abt 5/8 amp. 6 diodes appeared to be the physical size limit I could place in the fan base, along with the available switch. These diodes are heat shrink insulated in 2 groups of 3, folded back against itself and all 6 are then heat shrunk again, leaving 2 leads out to attach to the 2nd switch terminals. This 2nd switch is wired in series between the fan power switch and the fan motor's positive power lead.

From the electrical side, each diode [1000V PIV, 2.5amp; p/n: RO-170] will drop abt 0.6VDC across it. I will try to cram 8 diodes in the next base to slow the fan speed even more and reduce the voltage by another 1.2VDC to the fan motor. The advantage of the diodes is the lack of heat generated and space required. A suitable resistor would be too big and create too much heat.

If you are not familiar with the diodes, rectifiers, they look like miniature cylinders with a wire coming out of each end. They will have a colored single band on one end. This end will be towards the return/ ground side of the fan's power leads.. You will solder each diode in line with the 'band' end soldered to the 'non-band' of the next diode. This places them in series so each diode will perform a 0.6VDC reduction of voltage available to the motor load, thus reducing the source by 3.6VDC. So with a 14VDC source, the fan will only see 10.4VDC with the 6 diodes installed in line.

Sorry for the wordiness, but I hope this helps and not confuse.

I can make a VIDCAD drawing of this if anyone wants , but I hope this will give you some ideas on how to exploit the little things around the 'RADIO SHACK' parts bins.

73s
 
the fan set up sounds like neat thing.
Slam in a solar vent it would be a perfect use for that now open wound in the roof. Like RF says it helps keep the smell factor down when the boat is stored. It also kind of helps brighten things up ...kind of like one of those solar tubes in a house. I stuck one behind the radom and love it..here's a pic http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _photo.php
 
Ken,
How well does the solar vent work for the fogging problems. I have a fan up front but unless I have the middle window cracked the fogging can still be a problem.
Jim, Work Release
 
I can't help but think the roof vent helps, as well as my little plexiglass window wingthings but I stiil have to give it the "fog gone" treatment and pack a small squege.
Those window wings are handy as snot, I can run with the windows open a bit and not get sprayed in a cross wind. I can also leave the windows open a bit when it's parked and not worry about rain getting in...cheap, easy, must have in my book...pic-
http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_ ... _photo.php
 
I installed the fan today. I ran power from the Cabin Lites switch. It proved to work better than I thought it would. I mounted it to the overhead shelf with the base against the forward mounting screw to the roof safety handle that suspends the shelf.

73s
 
Moose: The only other use I can think of for that hole would be one of those twist grip operated spot lights that you see on the side of police cars. They make a roof mount version for big trucks/snow blowers/military/fire trucks and such that mount up thru the roof. The control handle is at a different angle. The on/off, fold lens down to stow position, swivle up/down and 360* swivel is all controled thru the handle grip. If that wouldn't give it the tugboat/workboat look I don't know what would. No fancy electric motor to go bad like those expensive remote jobs.
 
Back
Top