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Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
On my newer CrapAir unit, it appears the reversing valve is stuck. It will operate and blow heat like I've died and gone to hell, but it won't go the other direction and cool. Condensing unit runs, but just won't push the gas back the other way. Unit was new in December 2007, so I think it might still be under warranty, but I can't find a competent CruisAir-approved technician for warranty work in Miami. I've asked CruisAir for advice, but I'm still waiting on a response. Do you guys have any clue as to how I can fix this myself? The magnetic coil in the solenoid valve wasn't working, and I've just put a new one on there...still no joy.
Whatever happened to "quality"? My 29 year old CruisAir units look great and run like Olympic champions - the new CruisAir stuff is crap and has brought me nothing but torture and grief.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Try tapping it and cycle it also. Just don't get to carried away hitting it.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I agree the rubber mallet works like a charm
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
If the reversing valve is where I think it is, it's buried in a rat's nest of wires and tubing and I'd need a teeny tiny hammer to tap on it.
What I can say, is that I will not buy CruisAir again. Ed and I are noodling the idea of installing 4 self contained units in place of this monster (and they won't be CruisAir either!). We need to calculate the required size and the electric draw.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
When I go to the master switch, the HEAT/COOL switch in the master SR that contols the entire system as to whether it's in heat mode or cool mode, I can hear a click (coming from the ER where the condensing unit is located) from OFF to HEAT, and another click going back to OFF when I move the switch back and forth. No click between OFF and COOL. The click occurs without any equipment firing up which is normal.
For those of you who have had a stuck valve, is this a symptom of a stuck valve, or could this somehow be electrical at the valve, but not at the switch. The reason I rule out the switch is because when in COOL, the termostats do kick the compresor on when you lower the temp on the dial. If the main switch didn't work, it wouldn't know it was in COOL mode and tell the condensor to come on.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Start with a known good. Get yourself a multi-meter and make sure when the thing is in cool mode that power is getting to the valve. Got power, move on.
The valve doesn't actually operate solely by the solenoid--the solenoid opens a small pilot hole and the pressure in the line actually moves the "plunger". What this means is that you need pressure in the system to "stroke" the valve.
What I would do is turn on the system and have the compressor running. Then I would get to the wiring on the valve and stroke it back and forth. You can do this at the thermostat, but you need to make sure the compressor stays on continuously. When you switch from heat to cool, you go through off and the compressor may not like that.
While stroking bang it with something metallic.
But as always, check the simple stuff first.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Yesterday, while working on the boat I walked up to the parking area to get something out of the car. There was an ac guy in his truck. I had been needing a new 230VAC trigger - my forward ac unit would not turn on the sea water pump. I bought a trigger from him (30 bucks) and we ended up talking about ac. He's a Cruisair and Webasto dealer.
He said what some have said here...current Cruisair is junk compared to the old stuff and their warranty is now based on time of purchase AND hours of use. He recently was called to work on one that was within the warranty period as far as purchase date but was over warranty on hours of use by TWO HOURS and the factory would not authorize warranty repair. To service the new stuff he has to plug a computer into it which reads out all the appropriate data - sort of like OBDII on your car. So if the computer shows you are a minute out of the "hours" warranty or shows anything that indicates a "user error," whatever that might be, NO Coverage!
They are built totally to price point, with quality designed to get the equipment through the warrantly. As he pointed out, lots of folks have ac units purchased in the 60s that are still running. You WON"T buy one today that will be running in 2050...You'll be lucky if it's running in 2015!
Thought it was interesting coming from a dealer...
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
The reversing valve on ours is in plain view. It is a little 1 1/2" cube thing that is mounted sorta crooked on the front of the unit. Angella, this problem sounds like a wiring or thermostat problem to me. Those things almost never stick in the heat mode because the units are almost exclusivly used to cool, especially in Miami. You could move to the Great Lakes. You would be much happier with that heating unit.:)
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MikeP
Yesterday, while working on the boat I walked up to the parking area to get something out of the car. There was an ac guy in his truck. I had been needing a new 230VAC trigger - my forward ac unit would not turn on the sea water pump. I bought a trigger from him (30 bucks) and we ended up talking about ac. He's a Cruisair and Webasto dealer.
He said what some have said here...current Cruisair is junk compared to the old stuff and their warranty is now based on time of purchase AND hours of use. He recently was called to work on one that was within the warranty period as far as purchase date but was over warranty on hours of use by TWO HOURS and the factory would not authorize warranty repair. To service the new stuff he has to plug a computer into it which reads out all the appropriate data - sort of like OBDII on your car. So if the computer shows you are a minute out of the "hours" warranty or shows anything that indicates a "user error," whatever that might be, NO Coverage!
They are built totally to price point, with quality designed to get the equipment through the warrantly. As he pointed out, lots of folks have ac units purchased in the 60s that are still running. You WON"T buy one today that will be running in 2050...You'll be lucky if it's running in 2015!
Thought it was interesting coming from a dealer...
Everything went to hell when Dometic bought Cruisair . When Cruisair was privately owned, they were one of the finest companies to deal with. It is epidemic in the industry that excellent companies that made an excellent product are being gobbled up by big conglomerates. Then the great companies are absorbed and you only have the option of the inferior junk product. Hynautic and Morse being bought up by Teleflex is a perfect example. Try to get Hynautic parts anymore.
Same goes for Detroit Diesel. More and more DD parts are being discontinued and a lot of parts have increased in cost by 400%. I guess MTU thinks we will buy new engines from them when the price parts out of our reach or just plain can't get parts.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
krush
Start with a known good. Get yourself a multi-meter and make sure when the thing is in cool mode that power is getting to the valve. Got power, move on.
The valve doesn't actually operate solely by the solenoid--the solenoid opens a small pilot hole and the pressure in the line actually moves the "plunger". What this means is that you need pressure in the system to "stroke" the valve.
What I would do is turn on the system and have the compressor running. Then I would get to the wiring on the valve and stroke it back and forth. You can do this at the thermostat, but you need to make sure the compressor stays on continuously. When you switch from heat to cool, you go through off and the compressor may not like that.
While stroking bang it with something metallic.
But as always, check the simple stuff first.
On marine units the Rev valve is energized in the heat mode. No power in cool mode.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Maynard Rupp
The reversing valve on ours is in plain view. It is a little 1 1/2" cube thing that is mounted sorta crooked on the front of the unit. Angella, this problem sounds like a wiring or thermostat problem to me. Those things almost never stick in the heat mode because the units are almost exclusivly used to cool, especially in Miami. You could move to the Great Lakes. You would be much happier with that heating unit.:)
I doubt all four thermostats that go to that unit all went bad at once. The thermostats don't control the heat/cool mode - there is a "master switch" that changes the mode. All four thermostats work for providing heat. The last time this unit was run was in January when I ran heat for a few nights. If I ever get this thing un-stuck, I'll NEVER put it back in heat mode again!
I wasn't clear earlier - the solenoid coil I replaced goes to the valve that dumps the gas off when running only the smaller units in the line. This is a modulating condensing unit.
To work on this, I need to be in two places at once. When Naomi and Susan come over later, if I don't make any progress on the electric side, I'll have them giggle the switch in the master while I toy with the beast in the ER. (It's a full moon - we three girls are going for a nighttime sail down the coast on the Hobie!)
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
captddis
On marine units the Rev valve is energized in the heat mode. No power in cool mode.
I now remember you saying this before after I said the same exact thing LOL. I was a couple beers in.
Truth is I always check the wiring diagram because some things are powered cool, others are powered heat...some 24 VAC, others full 120 or 240 VAC. Different brands do different things, so I always do some research or figuring first. I think trane often does energized cool, others do energized heat.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
krush
I now remember you saying this before after I said the same exact thing LOL. I was a couple beers in.
Truth is I always check the wiring diagram because some things are powered cool, others are powered heat...some 24 VAC, others full 120 or 240 VAC. Different brands do different things, so I always do some research or figuring first. I think trane often does energized cool, others do energized heat.
Only married a week and you are already drinking?
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
captddis
Only married a week and you are already drinking?
Sadly the Mrs. shipped out to Guam yesterday for 2 years--so yes I'm drinking LOL. I should be out to visit her soon for a couple months. I like being a Navy wife.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Doesn't SOUND like a stuck reversing valve to me. I had one, when they stick, the units will come on, but just don't heat or cool properly. Also, the no-power position is cooling, I've never heard of one getting stuck in hat mode...not even sure if that's possible? I did eventually free mine up. What I did was turn it on, then manually disconnected the pwero to the vale, reconnected it, disconnected it and back and forth dozen, if not hundreds of times...it worked itself free eventually...now I make sure I put every unit into heat mode monthly during the summer and AC mode monthly during the winter...even if jsut for a minute or two.
If you end up going to self contained units, just be aware that they are a LOT louder. That's what I had on my trawler...loud but VERY reliable and very efficient. I could pump out 100+* vent temps when the harbor was iced over. Check out Mermaid brand AC: http://www.mmair.com/marine_division One of the best features is you CAN use a "marine" thermostat...but you can also use any regular household thermostat to control it. Quality is very high and they are designed from the start to be self-installed.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stormchaser
Doesn't SOUND like a stuck reversing valve to me. I had one, when they stick, the units will come on, but just don't heat or cool properly. Also, the no-power position is cooling, I've never heard of one getting stuck in hat mode...not even sure if that's possible? I did eventually free mine up. What I did was turn it on, then manually disconnected the pwero to the vale, reconnected it, disconnected it and back and forth dozen, if not hundreds of times...it worked itself free eventually...now I make sure I put every unit into heat mode monthly during the summer and AC mode monthly during the winter...even if jsut for a minute or two.
If you end up going to self contained units, just be aware that they are a LOT louder. That's what I had on my trawler...loud but VERY reliable and very efficient. I could pump out 100+* vent temps when the harbor was iced over. Check out Mermaid brand AC:
http://www.mmair.com/marine_division One of the best features is you CAN use a "marine" thermostat...but you can also use any regular household thermostat to control it. Quality is very high and they are designed from the start to be self-installed.
Dave, my unit comes on, everything runs, and just doesn't cool. I think it's stuck in heat, not cool. It will blow heat nicely in the heat mode. Unfortunately, in this situation, electricity is not my forte. I usually call upon Ed or Pascal for using that meter thingy, and they're both out of town. :(
As for the self-contained units, is there any reason why it would be bad to build a lead soundshield to drop over them (like a box) to absorb some of the noise? That's another skill I have learned lately - I made the genny a REAL sound shield instead of the crap Westerbeke calls a sound shield. I like the fact that a failure in a self-contained unit doesn't take out the entire system for all of the staterooms, and the fact that I can install the self-contained unit myself. Also, manufacturers of these self-contained units now boast about how quiet and effcient they've become. Anyone got any experience with these newer ones on the topic of noise? Thanks for the Mermaid link. I'll check it out.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
While I am not really a Mermaid fan [unless they have blonde hair].
I like their heating system that uses a heat strip inside the blower. When in the heat cycle neither the comp or pump run. No worries about freezing the condensor and the heat can be used out of the water.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Angela
Dave, my unit comes on, everything runs, and just doesn't cool. I think it's stuck in heat, not cool. It will blow heat nicely in the heat mode. Unfortunately, in this situation, electricity is not my forte. I usually call upon Ed or Pascal for using that meter thingy, and they're both out of town. :(
As for the self-contained units, is there any reason why it would be bad to build a lead soundshield to drop over them (like a box) to absorb some of the noise? That's another skill I have learned lately - I made the genny a REAL sound shield instead of the crap Westerbeke calls a sound shield. I like the fact that a failure in a self-contained unit doesn't take out the entire system for all of the staterooms, and the fact that I can install the self-contained unit myself. Also, manufacturers of these self-contained units now boast about how quiet and effcient they've become. Anyone got any experience with these newer ones on the topic of noise? Thanks for the Mermaid link. I'll check it out.
If you cover them , no air will circulate. no cool or heat.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
No need to be an electrics expert to do what I did...I'm sure not. The reversin valve will look like this:
http://americanhvacparts.com/Merchan...ith%20Coil.jpg but the 3 pipes will be facing up and it will be painted white. You can see the power connectors in the pic. While the unit is running, disconnect one wire...wait a few seconds, reconnect for a few second, disconnect...and keep going.
I wouldn't build a shield around the unit..it needs air circulation for the coils.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
captddis
While I am not really a Mermaid fan [unless they have blonde hair].
I like their heating system that uses a heat strip inside the blower. When in the heat cycle neither the comp or pump run. No worries about freezing the condensor and the heat can be used out of the water.
Have you had a bad experience with them? What was wrong with them? I've never heard one bad word about them. In the island/sailboat cruising community, they are THE unit to have or at lest WERE about 2 years ago...
As for the heating strip...Cruisair offers that too...its the aux heat option. I have it on the new systems we just put in. . I can run reverse cycle heat, then when water temps get too low, run the aux heat and have no water pumps running. Nice to have both.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
The condensors are the weak link. Steel/copper. Also no low press switch.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I think on my next go-round with new AC, I'm not going to mess with heat. I use heat about 5 times a year, a night here and there. I'll use cube/space heaters if I must during those times. When I needed it this past January in the salon, I just did lot of baking on those nights and left the oven open afterwards to let the heat out - that was enough to keep the chill off. When it's just me on the boat, I only need to heat the crew room where I sleep. My prediction is that as long as Sanctuary belongs to me, she'll never be north of Miami during the cold season, so messing with aux heat just isn't worth it to me. Tortola is my real destination and they don't need no stinkin' heat down there. :) If someone down the road who might own her later (probably when I'm dead and gone!) wants to put it in...go for it.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Cruisair reversing valves are made by Ranco. It took me a while to figure that out. http://www.icca.invensys.com/ranco/HVACR_rev.html. I bought a valve for a 16,000 btu unit from a local A/C supply for $60 that was $210 from Cruisair. If you change to a different A/C maker you might find the same valve.
To get the system fixed cheap and get the best quality repair you can remove it from the boat yourself, buy the valve and either solder it in yourself (silver solder requiring acetylene) or bring it to any A/C contractor and give them a little cash. After it's soldered you can paint the valve and clean up the unit and reinstall. There are 2 110/220V cables, the multiconductor cable to the control, temp sensor wires, the refigerant lines, and the water hoses. You can get a quote for a vacuum pumpout and recharge from any repair shop. I wrote another post with the tools required t set yourself up if you want to be entirely self-sufficient and it's basically $150 for R-22, $40 for gauges, $300 for a turbo-torch and tank and $225 for a vacuum pump = $700. It's break even pretty quickly!
I think that reversing valve are like thru-hulls and need to be exercised to work. If you get it to work by tapping it carefully it might be fine.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I got all them tools, but I'm in VA, not Florida. When soldering up the valve ya gotta be careful that the heat doesn't make it's way to the new valve and mess it up.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Angela, Angela...Stop please. You are not finding the cause of your problem. Don't swear off using the heat function. It works fine. The only problem that I have ever heard of with that heat/cool valve is when people go a long time without selecting heat. You need to excersise that valve monthly or it will stick in the COOL mode, not the HEAT mode. I don't know what kind of thermostats you have. We have the old 3 knob system and it works great. You sound like you have several thermostats talking to one AC unit, or are you saying that ALL your AC units are stuck in the heat mode? I can't believe that. You girls are drinking some heavy stuff. Your boat must have at least 4 AC units. Each should have their own thermostat, right? I haven't seen too many different thermostat systems, but I have never heard of a marine unit that has a heat/cool switch. The ones I know of just have a temperature setting and the AC unit gives you whatever is needed to keep that selected temperature. Mine just have a rotary knob, but still will cool on a hot day or heat on a cold day. There is a Cuban guy named Jose that is around Dinner Key and has worked on my AC. He is pretty sharp. His card and phone # are in the marina office. I can't remember what he calls his outfit though. I am in Detroit and his card is aboard our Hatteras.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I called CruisAir about my warranty. Parts are still covered, but labor is not. Bummer. I was referred to a dealer other than Thomas Marine who is not allowed on my boat anymore. I’ve got a CruisAir person coming on Wednesday. Some of the gas lines on the unit have overheated and burned the paint off so there may be more bad things going on in there than just the reversing valve. I spoke to this new guy in great detail. He knew the condensing unit I had and admitted that CruisAir hasn’t done well with this one and that it’s prone to fail. He said the design was revived by CruisAir at the request for Lazzarra Yachts (not sure if I spelled that right) and while it wasn’t really intended to retrofit into our old systems, CruisAir’s been selling it for that application anyway. Regardless, I’m stuck with it for now. Lesson learned and I have to move on one way or another. While I still have some warranty for this unit, I have to live with it until I can fund the cost to replace it with four self-contained units.
Maynard, this system has individual thermostats and evaporator units in each of the four staterooms. All four systems in the staterooms run off of a single 24,000 BTU condensing unit that modulates as it senses whether all four rooms are calling for cooling, or whether only the littlest room is calling for it and would then modulate itself down to that level of need. I have the Honeywell brick-style thermostats, not the rotary knobs. All of this is original equipment. It is my understanding that this particular system (the modulating unit with the 8 solenoid valves to dispense gas as needed) was only installed on the Series I 58MY and on some Coast Guard boats. I’ve heard that from a few different, unrelated sources. There is a main toggle switch that goes between Cool, Off, and Heat. That switch controls whether the staterooms run heat or cool. All of the staterooms have to be in one mode or the other. In other words, the master can’t be cooling while the crew is heating. I have seven AC units on the boat overall. The four units that run on that one condensing unit that serves the staterooms is the one that’s been a thorn in my side. The other three evaporator units run off of two 29-year-old CruisAir condensing units like champs.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Wow Ang..That is a really complicated system for sure. Usually there are several compressor units, each with a single evaporater and a single thermostat. I have seen some of these boats with 5 seperate units. You might need a smart guy to straighten this one out.:(
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Well, having several evaporator units isn't unusual...but having them with separate controls is. On mine, the salon unit is a split system, one large compressor (20k I think?) , and two small er evaporators/air handlers... 2 10ks. The galley/bow stateroom is also a split unit. But each compressor has only 1 thermostat.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
This is why I often hear "what the hell is all that?" from a new AC tech when he enters the engine room. I'm used to it now.
Complicated? Very...if you have to work on it. The idea of the system, however, was brilliant. It seems to me that Hatteras designed this to stay within the confines of 50 amp service, even when calculating start up amps used, yet sufficiently cool the entire boat which required 7 AC units while giving the occupants of each stateroom individual control over the comfort of their room. Yes, things are more efficient today and we can probably get away with eventually replacing this with four individual units without blowing the breaker, even with start up. I really, really like the concept that the couple in the master stateroom does not control how warm/cool the couple in the guest stateroom has to be (or however the other rooms are configured on the 53MY or 58YF); likewise for other guest rooms. There weren't many of these systems put into service and as a result service techs didn't have much interest over the years learning them and staying on top of it. So, the knowledge base for these is quickly fading away, and today, we are in this mess of difficulty finding anyone who truly knows this system. I know when I find someone who knows it because I can "hear" the belly ache over the phone, followed by "Oh, THAT one."
If CruisAir made a replacement condensing unit that was reliable, this set up would still be very desirable. But the replacement condensing unit is only manufactured when someone needs one and special orders it - then, they go build it. At its cost, given what I've learned about CruisAir reliability today, I won't make this mistake again. Once this unit bites the last bullet, it's outta here.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I can run all 4 units with 6 airhandlers and not blow the 50amp. But BARELY...
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
stormchaser
I can run all 4 units with 6 airhandlers and not blow the 50amp. But BARELY...
That’s why I got what I got...without this funky system, I would need to run 6 condensing units and 7 air handlers to reach the level of sophistication that I have now. I think we can benefit from newer technology today. Ed will be here over Memorial Day weekend, and we’ll start doing the math in an effort to intelligently plan for the next system.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I see this is an old post and you may already have your problem solved, but I had the same problem with my enclosed flybridge A/C. Considering my vintage (1979 60C EFBSF), I probably have a similar A/C system configuration to what you have.
According to the previous owner of my Hat, they thought (or someone advised them) it was the Tstat control. I replaced the entire three knob control with a new one. Same problem continued....Heat only. I checked all the wiring schematics and all checked. Apparently someone has crossed wiring in the past or I have a PC board problem. For the interim, when I realized heat mode of the reversing valve requires the valve to be energized, I unplugged the valve, sealed off the connectors with rubber boots and it has been working fine in cool mode (which is all I use up there 95% of the time anyway) until I get a chance to reevaluate all the wiring. So for now, I have been able to move that item down to item # 365 on my list. I would just make sure to safely and thoroughly protect and cover both ends of the dis-connection.
I am with you (and all others) on the despair with Cruisair. The older units kick butt without any problem. The new, more delicate units (as with MTU engines vs. DD) need more TLC. Definitely not preferable offshore.
This is a company I have been checking into: Flagshipmarine dot com (Check out the high pressure central system. Seems like a very efficient concept). This company seems similar to Cruisair before it was junked out/complicated by Dometic. All off the shelf parts, easily serviceable, high quality construction and affordable, etc. However, I don't have experience with their systems, or know anyone who does. They just seem like someone to check into if you are considering a total system replacement. Maybe others have knowledge of them.
Good luck!
Alan Dubuisson
1979 60C EFBSF
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
Quote:
Originally Posted by
adubuisson
I see this is an old post and you may already have your problem solved, but I had the same problem with my enclosed flybridge A/C. Considering my vintage (1979 60C EFBSF), I probably have a similar A/C system configuration to what you have.
According to the previous owner of my Hat, they thought (or someone advised them) it was the Tstat control. I replaced the entire three knob control with a new one. Same problem continued....Heat only. I checked all the wiring schematics and all checked. Apparently someone has crossed wiring in the past or I have a PC board problem. For the interim, when I realized heat mode of the reversing valve requires the valve to be energized, I unplugged the valve, sealed off the connectors with rubber boots and it has been working fine in cool mode (which is all I use up there 95% of the time anyway) until I get a chance to reevaluate all the wiring. So for now, I have been able to move that item down to item # 365 on my list. I would just make sure to safely and thoroughly protect and cover both ends of the dis-connection.
I am with you (and all others) on the despair with Cruisair. The older units kick butt without any problem. The new, more delicate units (as with MTU engines vs. DD) need more TLC. Definitely not preferable offshore.
This is a company I have been checking into: Flagshipmarine dot com (Check out the high pressure central system. Seems like a very efficient concept). This company seems similar to Cruisair before it was junked out/complicated by Dometic. All off the shelf parts, easily serviceable, high quality construction and affordable, etc. However, I don't have experience with their systems, or know anyone who does. They just seem like someone to check into if you are considering a total system replacement. Maybe others have knowledge of them.
Good luck!
Alan Dubuisson
1979 60C EFBSF
I like those. Whenever we get enough funds up to decide whether or not to fix the Frankensteined Cruisair system, I might bring this up. We have the V-berth which just runs a fan with the condenser controlled by the state room unit. Then the other unit cools the salon. The state room unit is really messed up. First off, there is no trigger to switch on the water pump. Then the compressor is forced on... no turning it off. It also pulls a lot of amps.
The salon unit is ok as far as I know. My dad just HAD to move the boat to a different spot, and now we don't have 50A service... so the AC/Heater hasn't been run in probably 2 months now. Very bad, but he doesn't understand the importance of running things. He gets mad at me when I turn things on and off. I do it to exercise it, not to just play around. I'd much rather something break now when we don't need it rather than break next summer while out fishing the rigs or something.
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Re: Freeing a Stuck Reversing Valve on AC
I was searching for a solution to the same problem.... heat only from a smaller Cruiseair on 120 volts. In my case, the unit was recharged about six weeks ago (needs this about every 18 months) and was running well. Yesterday we got heat only and the rotary knob thermostat no longer clicks as it is turned back and forth. Thermostat?? Can just that knob be replaced?
Bobk