Electric bilge blower help, please

[mikebabb]

On the instrument panel of my 23'1985 outboard Seacraft there is a switch for an electric bilge blower. When the switch is thrown, nothing happens. After removing both the fuel hatch and the hatch aft of the fuel hatch, I found nothing resembling a blower. On this site, the specifications for the sterndrive understandably provide for an electric bilge blower, but are silent on the outboard model. Am I correct in assuming that the outboard model did not ship with an electric bilge blower?
Thanks, in advance, for any advice.
Also, thanks to the good people who maintain and contribute to this excellent site. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Miles Offshore]

should be the starboard side aft just inside the vent - it will probably be screwed in up on the bulkhead (follow the dryer hoses- i extended mine so that i had easier access- good luck- craig

[stevebrownell]

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit...but I had a quick (stupid) question along the same lines. Can someone confirm that an inline blower should be installed so that it is pulling air into the engine compartment, or is it the other way around, venting the compartment with the flow going out of the hold.

[nestorpr]

It isn't a stupid question, you'd be surprised how many people do it wrong! The bilge blower should be sucking the gas fumes OUT of the bilge, not the other way around. If you install it backwards all you're doing is adding more oxygen to the fumes present and spreading them all over the bilga so the explosion will be even more powerful and will not confine itself to the engine room but will be spread all over the boat. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[mikebabb]

Craig,
Thank you. My vent is on the port side. Just topped off today at $2.49 a gallon on the Outer Banks so I know where the vent is. I will follow your suggestion - greatly appreciated - on the port side. No problem with the thread digressing. Safety always is the paramount issue. Thanks to all.

[Miles Offshore]

sorry mike , i meant port side aft

[stevebrownell]

Many thanks!
Adding to project list, ASAP.