Bilge Heater

Oh Me!! - 280 DA

Oh Me!! - 280 DA

New Member
Oct 4, 2006
67
Cumming, GA
Our 280 has a bilge heater and stays plugged in at a slip. Will the heater come on automatically at a certain temperature or do we have to turn it on manually? I have not found a switch. Also, what do folks do with the cockpit sink and the swimdeck hose? We plan to use our boat all winter. I do have all the canvas up now.

Thanks
 
If it's a bensaco, they turn on at 40 to 44 and turn off at 50 to 52 or so. I like them because I have never seen one fail.
 
I installed a Bilge Safe heater and they come on automatically (no visible switch) and turn off when the engine room reaches 55 degrees. They also supplied a spray can of freon so you could spray it on the temperature sensor to test it and see if it works.

As far as the water faucets you mention, I diconnected my hoses at the manifold in the bilge for those going to the cockpit sink, the transom shower and the lazarette faucet and dockside water inlet. I then installed 3/4 inch plastic pipe caps with teflon tape on the manifold. That way the rest of the water sysem can still be used and it is protected from freezing by the bilge heater and the cabin heater.
 
Hey Jan,

As it has already been said heater should come on automaticly at x temp. You can have it tested with a can of freon. As to the freshwater system you may want to drain/winterize it. That is what I've done on mine. May want to check with the marina and see how often it is below freezing at Bald Ridge.

PS. Are you going to be at the poker run/low country boil Nov 11th.

Chuck
 
Thanks for the tips. I will go and see what brand it is. I live about 7 miles from the marina, and it does freeze occasionally, but not too much!

I plan on going to the poker run if it is going to be a decent day! NOt windy and raining! They start at my marina, so that makes it nice! Are you going?
 
Oh Me!! - 280 DA said:
Thanks for the tips.

I plan on going to the poker run if it is going to be a decent day! NOt windy and raining! They start at my marina, so that makes it nice! Are you going?
Click to expand...

You are welcome.
Yes if the weather is good and I don't get slammed at work we are planning on attending. Will do it backwards though. When we do Lanier we trailer down to the north end of the lake (Laurel Park, I think) where US 129 cross the river and put in then go south on the lake. Talked with Cynitha about it and she said she would send me the map so we could go by the check points on the way down. Hope to see you there. We missed each other at the customer day back in the spring if I remember correctly :smt017
 
You are right! I saw your boat, but not you! We will be in L7 or L32 at Baldridge or at some of the checkpoints! We may be moving to L32 because of deeper water!

Should be fun!
 
Lets hope the weather is good. Looking forward to it. Hope to see you there this time.
 
How are the heaters mounted in the bilge area? Are they permanently attached or do you remove in the summer? Do you hard-wire in or plug into an outlet? The one pictured online at West Marine, appear to have a plug on the end. What is involved with installation? Thanks for any input....
 
On a 340 and up you would mount between the center stringers in teh middle of the bilge. Not sure on a 300 and if there's enough space.
 
If it's a boatsafe heater, you can test with a can of spray freon (I think that is what it is, it came with our heater).

There is a hole about the size of a pencil on the bottom end side of the heater. Spray the freon in there, wait a couple of minutes and it should come on. This is how you test the heater.
 
Just had another thought that has not been hit on in the thread yet, but make sure you plug your blower vents or you will be losing a lot the heat through them. :smt001
 
We do not plug our blower vents or tape\canvas over the hull outlet.

Our theory is to continue to let fresh air in the bilge 'just in case' since we boat year round. We have never had an issue and it gets pretty cold here.
 
What can I say, I guess I'm just cheap and did not want to lose the heat :huh: :smt043 :huh:
 
Covering the vents makes sense. First, it conserves energy .. we all should be responsible where we can (personal opinion). Next it also reduces wear on the heater running less often.

Those Bensaco's are great. Simple like pre-war technology and built likke a tank. I have never ever seen one of them fail and we have about 30 in our marina.
 
I am all about saving energy and I am the first one to conserve.

However, in this case, the engine compartment was designed to allow air to ventilate through these vents. I personally will not do anything that interferes with this design.

Plus there is a chance you may forget to unplug the vent the next time you fire up the engines.
 
mrsrobinson said:
Plus there is a chance you may forget to unplug the vent the next time you fire up the engines.
Click to expand...

Not sure where your vents are, but mine are right next to where the shore power hooks up so I make it a point to remove the shore power and covers when I board her then turn the blower on making sure the bilge is well vented before turning her over?
 
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