Adding airflow: ventilation ideas (2004 444)

[SFBayJustin]

Soliciting ideas for improved ventilation:

With such a large salon, I'm finding it difficult to move a sufficient volume of outside air through the boat. I recently added temperature, humidity & air quality sensors (PM25 & VOC), and can clearly identify when VOCs -- presumably from the engine room -- are finding their way into the salon. I'm going to continue searching for explanations for the source of the VOCs, but once they're in the air, the only fix is running a large box fan from the after stateroom door, blowing toward the salon.

The round, active solar fan vents seem too small to make a dent, except perhaps to create slight positive pressure in the cabin (driving engine room smells "down" and out the engine room vents). Any other ideas?

[km1125]

Wonder what's causing them to spike like that? How many different things are monitored that are part of AQ? Looks like both CO2 and Formaldehyde specifically, but then generically total VOC?

I wonder what it would look like it you were running the bilge blowers during times when you'd anticipate a spike in the readings... would it eliminate it? (that would prove your theory on bilge-originated sources). Have you put the sensors OUTSIDE the boat and monitor the ambient AQ for a few days to see what you might be experiencing in the area?

[bud37]

I would say VOC's are pretty much a fact of life in a boat....off gassing wood, carpet, cushion foam, fibreglass, coring....your new hoses, sealants, engine room etc, etc. May be temp driven ( rising gasses during heating ) and when you are there.

I like your monitor....should be a big help in focussing on passive and active ventilation.....boats have had this problem for as long as I can remember.

Some folk I know have had the solar vents in cabin salon roofs, hatches etc . Sailboats though but still the down below problem ( airflow).

Have a walk thru a big marina and take a look at the real high end trawlers, maybe some ideas there. Thats it for me....good luck with your project and post if you find a solution.

[Viper]

You should post the hardware you've used in case other members are interested in monitoring the same thing. Anything available from this source for monitoring mold levels? That's always a concern on boats.