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Reverse air not heating well

2K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  LakePirate 
#1 ·
What would cause my reverse air air conditioner to not heat very well this weekend. It has always heated and cooled very well before.
 
#2 ·
Is it low on refrigerant? When was the last time you used it? How is the water flow through the heat exchanger?
 
#3 ·
Where are you located and how cold is the water?

Reverse-cycle heating relies on pulling heat from the water, so it is less effective as water temps drop.
 
#4 ·
I think SecondWind is on the right track, depending on where you are. The most likely issue is that the water you are floating in is too cold - less than about 40F will result in no heat. The next most likely thing is growth in the heat exchanger and cooling water lines, requiring an acid wash. A refrigerant leak is possible but less likely than the others if the original installation was decent.
 
#5 ·
I'm on lake texoma and the water temp is in the high 40s. I've had the boat for two winters and it's always heated extreamly well. The last time I used was for cooling though and if I remember it may have not cooled quite as well either. The water flow is good. Maybe it just needs refrigerant. How do I do an acid wash? Is that something I can do or does it need to be someone specialized? We don't use it that much for heat but do use it when docked during the summer. So I would rather fix it now before it gets hot.
 
#6 ·
Is growth an issue on your boat bottom? If it is, as I suspect, then growth in the heat exchanger is more likely than low refrigerant (which is also possible). Flow can look good even if the heat exchanger isn't capable of enough heat transfer.

Acid washing your A/C heat exchanger is a very reasonable DIY job if you are handy. It does require working with very hazardous chemicals and could result in serious personal injury if mishandled.

I'll tell you what I do and you can decide if it is appropriate for you.

I have a small (spare) submersible bilge pump with a long power cord ending in a cigarette lighter/power plug. Put the pump in the bottom of a large bucket, like a 5 gallon mud bucket. Disconnect the A/C cooling water outlet from the thru-hull, and the A/C cooling water inlet from output of the circulating pump. Using additional hose as needed connect the bilge pump up so that fluid flow will run in reverse. Put enough water in the bucket to dilute muriatic acid available at most hardware stores. I use "Acid Magic" which includes other ingredients that reduce the risk of damage to metal parts in the A/C. Remember: "do as you oughta, add acid to watah." Pouring water into the acid will result in spatter and out-gassing. Try not to breath the fumes - they are very bad for you. Run the acid through the A/C for about 15 or 20 minutes. I then use baking soda to neutralize the acid. If you don't neutralize the acid it qualifies as hazardous material and there are disposal issues. When you are done, run the A/C circulation pump manually for a couple of hours to ensure any residual acid is washed out.

Alternatives: remove the A/C (easy if it is a single-frame unit) and take it to someone who can acid wash it for you, or even better remove it and boil it (which will require recharging the refrigerant). You can also have someone come to the boat and do it all for you.
 
#7 ·
Put the pump in the bottom of a large bucket, like a 5 gallon mud bucket. Disconnect the A/C cooling water outlet from the thru-hull, and the A/C cooling water inlet from output of the circulating pump. Using additional hose as needed connect the bilge pump up so that fluid flow will run in reverse.
Excellent suggestion.... Good thinking!
 
#11 ·
LakePirate there are certain checks you can make to determine if it's working right.

In the cooling mode the intake and discharge water should be about 10 degrees warmer. The cooling air should be about 18 degrees cooler. these temp checks need to made at the cooling coil, not in the duct downstream.

In the heating cycle (just the reverse) the water in and out should be about 10 degrees cooler and the heating air around 18 degrees warmer.

In general, factory built units don't need refrigerant unless the system has been tampered with. Most problems do come from all the above things mentioned by others. Air flow, water flow are all the first causes.

Does the compressor run continuous when the unit is on? Or do you hear it short cycling? which can be controls, low or high pressures from too much or too little refrigerant. electrical probs.

Worse things that can happen are refrigerant break down due to very high condensing temps (caused by hot weather cooling and bad water or air flow. A stuck or partially closed reversing valve. compressor has bad valves. (gas bypassing)
hope this helps!
 
#12 ·
Do you have a filter on the raw water loop for the heat exchanger? If so, how long since it's been cleaned or replaced? Mine has been on Lake Lewisville for about a year, and I just noticed the filter is looking a little "green". I assume the conditions are similar there.

OTOH, Didn't Texoma get a zebra mussel infestation in the last year or so?
 
#13 ·
I'll have to check the temps and filters this weekend. The air filter was clean, I did check that one. Since the water flow looked good I figured it wasn't due to water circulation, but I'll check those too.

Yes there were reports of Zebra Mussels but I don't think they have started causing problems yet.
 
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