Cabin blower smell

[alex_m24]

We have recently bought a Merry Fisher 805 that has a TAMD31P Volvo Penta engine and when the cabin blowers are turned on there is an obnoxious smell in the cabin(so much so I cannot turn it on).

I'm still trying to find my way around the boat so I haven't managed to properly troubleshoot the problem but in the meantime I'm wondering if anyone has any hints or tips on where to start.

It seems a fairly simple system that is located in the forward cabin locker with a heating matrix run off the engines coolant and two fans blowing air over it, I don't really see where the issue could be stemming from? I have had the cover off but there is nothing obvious.

 

[jaypea]

Hi Alex....you might find it helpful to re-post this on the Motor Boat Forum.
Good luck in your search, problem sounds unpleasant so hope get a speedy resolution.

 

[scruff]

Does the smell persist?

I have an eberspacher which has a smell when starting up, but disappears after a couple of minutes.

 

[Yngmar]

Probably something (mould, fungus, etc.) growing in the matrix, which is usually full of nutritious dust and moisture on boats (when not used in a while), an excellent breeding ground. Best take them out, clean and disinfect by blowing out the dust with compressed air, then Dettol spray, then dry again with more air. Don't use it until then, as some of the spores can make you quite ill.

 

[QBhoy]

Alex

Your blower should have the intake for it taking air from the area or one of the areas you are heating...or at least not from the engine space or any other questionable space.

 

[alex_m24]

Does the smell persist?

I have an eberspacher which has a smell when starting up, but disappears after a couple of minutes.

The problem is there constantly

Probably something (mould, fungus, etc.) growing in the matrix, which is usually full of nutritious dust and moisture on boats (when not used in a while), an excellent breeding ground. Best take them out, clean and disinfect by blowing out the dust with compressed air, then Dettol spray, then dry again with more air. Don't use it until then, as some of the spores can make you quite ill.

The smell is more like an oily/exhaust fume kind of smell rahter than something organic but taking the heat exchanger out and cleaning it is going to be my first port of call in case there is some kind of contamination on the matrix that is being heated and burned off, it's an old boat though so this would surprise me.

Alex

Your blower should have the intake for it taking air from the area or one of the areas you are heating...or at least not from the engine space or any other questionable space.

The suction of the blower comes from the locker space the heat exchanger is located in so shouldn't be drawing any air from the engine space and this is what is confusing me slightly. The locker is adjacent to the engine bay but its an open locker so shouldn't be drawing air from there at all really.

 

[Mister E]

Could there be a water leak in the heater matrix?
Is there anti freeze in the system?

 

[alex_m24]

Could there be a water leak in the heater matrix?
Is there anti freeze in the system?

I was talking to a colleague earlier and this suggestion came up. The boat is new enough to us that it could be a possibility, it doesn't appear to be losing coolant from the level but I suppose there could be a pinhole in the matrix somewhere that is leaking and then getting burned off creating the smell.

Thanks, i'll add this to the things to check first