Saw an interesting AC set up today

[deniseO30]

I was looking at a large old boat online today and next to the Perkins diesel was a automotive compressor with a belt to an electric motor! I've forgotten how reliable and simple that set up is! It was pretty common in the early days of hvac before they realized that the compressor and motor can be sealed in a can. The motor could be DC or AC although the amps for DC would be very high. Just something noteworthy I thought I'd mention.

[T37Chef]

Uncle, I give in! I admit it, I thought I was a tough guy and can tolerate a little heat, after all I've worked in kitchens for years without AC but the recent heat wave has me really thinking about how to put A/C on the boat. I mean come on...106 degrees the other at BWI Airport??? and thats without the heat index added...WTF???

So Denise anymore ideas?

I have been looking on-line for one of those overpriced Marine Air Portable A/C units. A few I have talked to who have them said they do an okay job during the daytime, but on a 37' boat it would not cool it much? Ugly little things too IMO


What about the RV units? I wonder if they would fit over my Salon hatch well, at least they are not a god awful ugly as those Marine Air ones and some are 15,000 BTU compared to the Marine Air at only 6700 BTU, plus some have heat as well Google Image Result for http://www.rvsupplywarehouse.com/content/product/large/3654.jpg


The other option and the cheapest, but my least desirable is fitting a window A/C unit in the companion way in a hatch board? Argg, I can buy a new one for $100

Built in A/C is not in the cards for now, if ever so no need to go there, anymore ideas with the automotive version with the electric motor?



We could just not go to the boat when its that hot

[QuickMick]

ive got one of these:

Amazon.com: Carry-On 7,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner: Sports & Outdoors

and it does a pretyy good job... the boat came with an emerson quiet cool in the vee berth, but it is pretty shot... one benefit of the carry on i see is that for service you can take it where you want to and not be at the mercy of 'mariana approved' providers...

that being said, i am in north texas and have only turned on the cruiseair to test it.... i have had fine luck/comfort with this:

Windscoop™ Ventilating Sail by Davis

much cheaper, lighter, portable, no elec.. etc etc etc...

stay cool my man!! :P

[chef2sail]

Chef,

We have one of the 6700 BTU hatch air conditioners which is three years old. We store it on the floor of the V berth under the filer. Wheh we pull into our slip...or the marina...we pull it up through the forward hatch using the spinaker halyard and plop it into place in 5 minutes or so. Quite a routine and system.

It is sufficient for our boat which is a similar size as yours and takes care of the extreme heat evenings at the dock. If we wanted to we could use a HONDA EU2000 to power it at anchor, but weve always been fine in the breeze .

Dave

[deniseO30]

OK guys.. stay with me! I'll send the consultation bill to .....

For those that know how to solder or braze, know how to use refrigerants. layout and wire controls. It's easy to take a window unit,separate all the components

Scrap the condenser coil. get a cupronickle heat exchanger, water pump, some copper tubing and refrigeration valves build an enclosure around the evap and fan, don't forget a way to catch and drain the condensation from the evap. add some flex ducts, hook it all up wire it, you would need some relays and a thermostat. but they should be 12 volt rather then the 24 volt the hvac industry uses. Oh.. this is all based on finding places to install this "system" on you boat

Thermostat is basically 2 or 3 switches. You would need 3 wires. one for fan, one for compressor relay, one for the control voltage source. It' s good to know relay and contact terms too. http://www.ehow.com/how_2090373_read...-diagrams.html

and.

http://www.wiringdiagrams21.com/2008...agrams-symbols

the relay should/would need is a DPDT with 12 volt dc coil. automotive type would work. the compresor relay is heavy duty. a automotive type solinoid would work. Mode of operation would be; the ac calls for cooling on rise in temp. makes the circuit to the fan and comp. (the pump is wired in with the system too) I'm not even going to explain reverse cycle wiring!

When your done, it would look like a "marine" ac unit in the end anyway. 4-600 for a window unit 1500 -2000 for "marine" that does the same thing. but the labor would be pretty time consuming. All that and you would also need to know how to evac, charge and know how to get the cooling pressures correct.

If you have a larger boat a "water source a/c or heat pump is basically the same as a Marine ac or reverse cycle unit. Big differance would be cabinet metals that rust out.

Most residential ductless units start around 9000 btuh, but they would really need modifications to work on a boat. On ship it would be like doing a hotel or motel. You could use just the wall hung part of a duct less system but you would need a water cooled condensing unit that would have to be built most likely.

I've not been on my boat in 2 weeks because of the heat! ARRRRG and it' only 10mins from my house! WAAAAA

[deniseO30]

Chef those RV units are great! Except for the topside weight should it be mounted permanently.

[T37Chef]

Can we get a diagram please :-)

I am going to go look at one and see if I can find a way to mount it on my salon hatch, I like the lower profile of them compared to the Marine Air unit.

[T37Chef]

those RV things even come with a remote...gota love that LMAO

[PalmettoSailor]

Originally Posted by T37Chef

Can we get a diagram please :-)

I am going to go look at one and see if I can find a way to mount it on my salon hatch, I like the lower profile of them compared to the Marine Air unit.

Another option if you can find space would be one of the free standing type AC units that uses vent hoses to carry the heat out.

We used a small $100 window unit on our 32' Oday and it would barely keep up but it kept the boat at least tolerable during the day and comfortable at night even on really hot days like we've been having. I forget exactly what BTU it was but I remember it was more that the $800+ through hatch marine units so I don't know how happy you'd be with one of those on a boat as big as a T37.

The biggest problem with window units is the weight and all the sharp corners that make them hard to store on the boat. If you could find a place to strap in one of the freestanding units, it would only take a few minutes to run the vent duct and get it going and there would be no heavy lifting.

Good Luck.

[Billy654]

deniseO30 very interesting.

Good ideas I hope others will post what they are doing to cool their boat.