New member/owner looking for guidance.

[Thelog]

Good evening,

I am a long-time admirer of this site and its members. I have been shopping for a Hatteras Yacht for the last three years, and your forum has proven invaluable along the way in terms of research and what to look out for in a Hatt. My wife and I just recently purchased a 1978 46C with 8V71TI's, that appears to be in great shape. Right now I feel a bit overwhelmed with learning all of her systems and keeping up with maintenance. I am very hands on, and plan on doing as much of the work myself as I can.

Having said that, within the last week, my AC in the salon has stopped cooling. Also, the starboard drive shaft packing gland has a quick drip and at times, a constant trickle. As for the AC, it is a Cruisair 16k. It is also blue in color. Not sure if that's a big deal, but the white one next to it looks much newer... They are both split units. Can someone please recommend an honest local AC mechanic that services south Miami-Dade County (Homestead)?

Reference the packing box, I'm pretty sure the shaft is 2" and the packing is held in by a coupling that is tightened by two bolts. I have gotten to the end of the tightening range, and it's still dripping very quickly. Am I correct that I need 1/2" flax packing? Incidentally, I am also looking for an honest mechanic knowledgeable with DDEC, and one who can walk me through changing the packing "in-water" the first time. After reading the thread on this topic, I'd really like to have someone there who knows what they're doing.

Thank you in advance for your time. I never wanted to waste anyone's time previously by asking hypothetical questions. I am very happy now that I can continue to learn from the members of this forum, as a proud Hatteras owner.

[Tim Powell]

Ac can be many things there are some good guys here who can make suggestions and trouble shoot. First question will it come on. Will the fan blow. What about circuit breakers has it tripped? I will give you some very simple steps even these steps tax my ability with ac.
I. is the cooling coils hot this is the coils on top of the compressor
2, there is a small fuse on the controller box is it blown
3. Is the sea water flow good check the strainer.
4.Inside the boat is the temp lit up
Any body will need the answers before they can make suggestions
As for packing on the shaft.
Get you some teflon packing material it is white.I am not sure what size(some of the other guys will know something tells me 1/2 inch) but may as well get a couple of feet and stick the excess somewhere. unloosen the bolts sure some water will come. Put the packing in place be sure to wrap it completely around the shaft the ends should meet.If you have to install a second wrap be sure that where the ends meet are not at the same place . It should be flush with the tube you are putting it in, (i would dig out the old but not necessary). I believe the rule of thumb is 1/4 turn till the water stops then add a 1/4. Run it and check. Should be a slow drip not a constant run.
iT IS EASY. If it is your first time like me i thought it was a master mechanic job it is not. Just basic and you will not learn letting someone else do it.
Good luck and look forward to your post.
To be fully excepted we need pick of you and the boat with wife is excepted. LOL
WELCOME TIM
I live in NC but there are a bunch of guys who can guide you to repair people in Florida.

[oscarvan]

Incidentally, I am also looking for an honest mechanic knowledgeable with DDEC

Welcome. Still in the looking stages myself. Have asked a few hypothetical questions, and people have been kind to the noob....

So, if I'm wrong someone will slap me upside the head, but I believe your engines are mechanical. The EC in DDEC is "Electronic Control" which you don't have. No computers to hook up. So you need someone that knows the old ones.

I have had luck with going overboard (literally) and stuffing a rag around the shaft into the shaft log. Slows the flow down quite a bit. May cut down on the pucker factor the first time.

Cut the new flax beforehand so you have the time to do it accurately and have them ready to go.

There's a video here, not the best one..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHdThk7J43o

[Pascal]

Welcome

First define stopped working.

Is the blower running.
Does the compressor start
Does the compressor keep running or does it shut down quickly
Does water flow out of the discharge. If yes, as it is likely combined for both, disconnect the water discharge for that condensor and see if water flows out of it (sometimes one condensor can be clogged)
What kind of control do you have? Digital or three rotaries? If digital, any error message?

AC systems need to be descaled every one to two years down here. You can do it yourself or have a tech do it.

Whatever you do, DO NOT CALL THOMAS SYSTEMS. I can't even believe they re still in business... For the past ten years I ve had good service from True Marine 786 234 9807 (Robert) both on my boat and the 70 footer I run. They do AC as well as general refrigeration like sub zero, Uline ice makers, etc..

[Angela]

Whatever you do, DO NOT CALL THOMAS SYSTEMS. I can't even believe they re still in business...

Amen!!! And a big, fat "DITTO!" over a bullhorn to that comment. Thomas Marine is the local CruisAir dealer in Miami.

[Thelog]

Thank you all very much for your responses. I'll have to wait to get to the boat this weekend In order to answer some of the questions, but I can answer most now.

The AC blower does run.
The compressor does run and keeps running although it gets much hotter than the other unit does.
The controls are three dials.
The strainer is clear.
Cooling water does flow, but I'll have to run the isolation test to make sure it goes through that unit also.
The breakers are good, but I didn't know about the fuse at the unit. Will have to check it.

Thanks for the tips on the packing, and especially the leads to good (and bad) technicians!

As for the DDEC, that was my error. I thought it meant Detroit Diesel Engine Corporation. Lol. The engines are definitely as basic as it gets. The only electrical wiring I see is for the starter and the temp/pressure switches.

Thanks again!

Vic.

[oscarvan]

The compressor does run and keeps running although it gets much hotter than the other unit does.

Cooling water does flow, but I'll have to run the isolation test to make sure it goes through that unit also.

My money is on this.....

[Bob Bradley]

Mine used to need a Freon charge every year or two. I guess it had a slow leak. That eventually led to its replacement. Don't sweat the water coming in while you're repacking the gland. It takes a LOT of water to sink one of these things, and I presume you have working bilge pumps. Here's a tip. To precut the packing to size, just wrap it around the shaft just forward of the stuffing box. (Or 3.14 x the diameter of your shaft - pi * diameter = circumference).

Oh, and welcome to the site. You're just in time for all the cabin fever posts. Just check out the sandbar for examples.

[SKYCHENEY]

Sounds like the system is low on Freon. It doesn't take much to make the compressor hot.