Leaving an oscillating fan running?

[Tatheelrod22]

For the first time ever in quite a few years of sailing I find myself with a "slip kept" boat that's 4 hours from my home. At best for the next two years I'll be an every other weekend type guy. I left it last Sunday with a 15" oscillating running off of shore power. The fan is brand new and is placed in a good spot. The marina is well protected so no real swells plus she's a 15 ton boat.

I woke us this morning wondering if I should do that for two to three weeks at a time? Am I just looking for something to worry about? Should I buy a timer and set it up to just run a couple hours a day?

[Dr. D]

Many years ago I had a similar set up, though with a smaller fan. I returned to the boat after a couple of weeks and found that the fan motor wiring had shorted. The plastic housing of the fan got so hot it melted; luckily, no other damage done and no fire started.


Small motors produced now are likely far hardier. Still, I turn off all devices like that before leaving the boat.

[Sailmonkey]

It’s a risk.....we leave a dehumidifier running for weeks on end.

[wingless]

There should be moving room air on an idle boat so that moisture remains as water vapor instead of as water.

On my boat I keep the two built-in AC units running only the interior fans on low whenever the boat is inactive.

[hellosailor]

I'd have reservations because, as Dr. D. said.

If I wanted to keep some air moving, I'd use a muffin fan (computer fan) that has minimal moving parts, minimal wiring, and is designed to run 24x7. They're fairly cheap and can be had for 12vdc or 120vac as you choose. In a wide range of power and air movement.

While they eventually can fail, they usually just fail to rotate when that happens. Never heard of one causing a fire.

[wingless]

FYI, in order for those small fans to attain the UL rating, one of the tests is to remain powered indefinitely w/ a pencil obstructing the blade rotation w/o causing any problems.

[a64pilot]

I understand your concern, but think about how many devices are left running in unoccupied houses, with very, very few problems.
In Summer I’d leave the AC on, in Winter the dehumidifier, it will add more heat than you might think.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Tatheelrod22

Am I just looking for something to worry about?

Yes!

If you aren't worried about the fan running are you also then going to disconnect shore power? If you do that are you now going to worry about the batteries? Or that the beer is going to be hot when you show up?

Relax and be Happy

[thinwater]

I've had several boat fans start spitting sparks and smoking (Hella). Probably would have failed safe, but I didn't like it.

There are things I would leave running, but fans seem to have above average risk. Don't know why. I also doubt it really helps, so long as the boat is ventilated.



No way.

[CharlzO]

Perhaps a programmable device timer to have it run part-time instead of full?

[flyingfin]

You are better off with leaving a dehumidifier running for a few hours a day, on a timer.
Dump the condensate overboard via the sink in galley or head. A fan just moves the moist air around

[cabo_sailor]

Here in south Florida humidity is a killer. So far all the portable dehumidifiers I’ve looked at drain into a very small reservoir. Does anyone know of one that has a drainage hose that I can drain into a sink?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Tatheelrod22

For the first time ever in quite a few years of sailing I find myself with a "slip kept" boat that's 4 hours from my home. At best for the next two years I'll be an every other weekend type guy. I left it last Sunday with a 15" oscillating running off of shore power. The fan is brand new and is placed in a good spot. The marina is well protected so no real swells plus she's a 15 ton boat.

I woke us this morning wondering if I should do that for two to three weeks at a time? Am I just looking for something to worry about? Should I buy a timer and set it up to just run a couple hours a day?

A Skimmer 25 displaces 3,000Lbs. Where do you get 15 tons from ?

[sparrowhawk1]

I'm in South Florida too. almost all boats at marinas have the air conditioner running constantly, cools but also dehumidifies draining overboard. Personally I've had 12 volt fans melt, also bilge pumps. So now I always have a fuse (circuit breaker) specifically rated for the fan or pump on its own circuit. I'm glad to hear about the safety of computer fans, as standard procedure I turn off all fans when I leave but now I might leave the computer fan that's in my portlight on.

[cabo_sailor]

I’m not real comfortable leaving the AC on. I keep thinking how much water it’s pump puts out and what would happen if a hose failed. But maybe I’m not thinking it through. If a hose failed the AC would shut down and turn off the pump. So maybe it’s no more dangerous than some other thru hull failing. I confess I don’t go all thru the boat closing thru hulls when I leave the boat.