AC systems in boats
 

Ive been reading a lot about ac units it boats and im kinda curious on how ac units in the bigger boats work. are they alot like car ac systems? or do they run of a generator which just powers a standard 110v/220v unit. im trying to figure out a way to somehow add a compressor to the engine and just have it belt driven much like a car to cool my cuddy. my cuddy isnt very big so this could work. the biggest problem i see with this is how to effectively cool the condenser. u could air cool it in the engine compartment but there is already a bunch of heat there and would create high pressure issues. then of course since your on a boat water cooling the coils would be the best but how would it get installed so the coil wouldn't get destroyed. could you somehow modify a closed engine cooling system that u see on salt water boats? i do residential hvac and some vehicle ac so i kinda know what im doing, but incorporating it into a boat seems like a challenge.

Re: AC systems in boats
 

Never heard of that kind of setup. I believe , don't hold me to this , but I am pretty sure there is no "Auto Style" A/C configurations in boats.
I have only seen AC current units on a boat.
The cost would be outrageous , I would think , to do the setup you are describing.
Way cheaper to use a portable in the hatch and a Gen Set for sure.
But , it would be a interesting project.:wink_thumbup:

Re: AC systems in boats
 

VERY Interesting... lol.

Re: AC systems in boats
 

see my post on an AC im getting put in>>>>>>>>>>> SEE Gloty post......

Re: AC systems in boats
 

Don't know if you've ever seen this, but here you go.

Cold A/C in my Shabah Z-250

He modified a standard $100 window unit for marine use, and it's pretty genius. However I'm not sure how long it'll hold up, and he hasn't been on the site since September of last year... However if you're an HVAC tech, you can use his writeup as a guideline and I'm sure with some further research you could come up with something!

There is a system that uses 12v, but if I remember correctly it's ungodly expensive, and I think it must be used while the engine is running.

Other than that, your only real options are:

-Spring for a 110v marine system (~$1500-2000 + labor),
-Get one of those Cruisair portable AC units that fit in the hatch (~$500-$1000 and lug the 64lbs back and forth every time, plus having to stow onboard somewhere if you travel)
-Do a portable window unit setup, and just bring along a portable generator (ie honda 2000).

Of course, the easiest option is unfortunately to deal with it, and make use of some good 12v fans for now, and when it's time to upgrade, find one with A/C! That's what I did! :D

Re: AC systems in boats
 

ive saw that post about that ac setup with the window unit and that would be the next best thing!.........yes having this ac setup im taking about would only work when the engine is running , it would be essentially the same thing as a car AC. im thinking a converted AC window unit and a Honda generator.........i would buy a boat with ac next time but next time wont be for a LONG time!

Re: AC systems in boats
 

I went to Lake Powell a few weeks ago. We knew it would be 110°+ there so thinking ahead I purchased a $100 window unit from Walmart and with about 5' of 1x2 and an old sail I constructed a louver to direct the cold air down the hatch. I mounted the AC unit to a 3/4" sheet (cut to fit the footprint of said AC unit) and glued foam pad to the bottom side that would mate with the boat's finish. It worked awesome. At 5000 btu it almost froze us out of the cabin. I ran it while docked of shore power only.
Did it make me look like a hill billy? Who cares! I was a comfortable and that's what matters :)

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Re: AC systems in boats
 

Hey ,
Hillbilly has worked for 200 yrs plus , it can't be all bad!!

Re: AC systems in boats
 

I've done it too. With the old Z250, I Bought the $100 wal-mart air conditioner, stacked it on top of the box, left the cabin door open, and turned it on. I put the cockpit cover on to hide my hillbilly engineering. The next morning it was like a sauna in the cockpit under that cover. I learned after that about how important it is to let the rear of an A/C condenser vent and not trap the heat. After that, I never put the cockpit cover back on while using the A/C unit, and I let my inner hillbilly shine to everyone that walked past my boat. :)