I need some help fo air conditioning change out on 53MY

[Shaunc]

So its summer in Florida and I can boil and egg by walking out doors.

And my ac's are acting up so I had my ac guy over and he said there are 2 bad compressors and recommends I change out my old R22 split systems for new cruisair self contained units as the R22 are not worth fixing, the cost of the gas etc, etc.

I read on older forums here that some guys say the cruisairs are not so great and are not well made.

Has any one done this? The self contained units seem really difficult to install into a 53MY and if so any advise on install and any feedback with the units used.

I need to make a decision fast as sweaty .........s are not to comfortable here right now.

 

[Pascal]

When you say two of your ACs are acting up, what are the symptoms? Are you sure the compressors are toast? Do they throw the breaker? Run but don’t cool? If the rest of the system is in good shape, replacing the compressors is a lot cheaper

Some people have switched to self contained which is a cheaper solution. Downside is the noise, having to run longer water lines and finding enough room as they are bigger than the air handlers requiring some carpentry work.

I m not a huge fan of Cruisair. They use a lot of proprietary electronics are pretty expensive. Look at Flagship and Ocean Breeze, both made in FL

A few years ago i installed a MarvAir self contained. I got it on sale at defender for $999. It worked fine but a bit loud, it was a temporary solution before redoing the whole boat with chillers. I think MarvAir was purchased by Dometic since.

If you re going with Selfcontained shop around and consider installing yourself. The labor making room and running water lines is going to be $$$

 

[Shaunc]

Hey Pascal, they dont throw the breaker but run and just dont cool. I have had my ac's guy look at at them and he put a hard start kit on both and he said the compressors are frozen, but not burnt out so there is no damage because of this.

I wanted to switch out the compressors, but they I am told its not a good idea because cruisair wont warranty a retro fit into old systems. Then there is the old R22 I am being warned against.

I was going to do the install myself, the aft salon is the one down and that poses the biggest challenge to get the lines into that cabinet and then the master. I believe i can do the carpentry to get both to fit.

While the old cruisairs have lasted a long time, I am not sure of their quality from what I have read.

I will look into the other brands, thank. And idea of cost of the others?

 

[hatterass]

I have installed about 20 new AC units in many Hatteras including my 61MY and My 36 SF. I have used Cruise air/ Dometic many times, they are expensive and for the price do not thing they last that long. I have used Marinair out of Ft. Lauderdale for years. I think a better product and they come with a hi and low pressure gauge right on them. Very nice guys and easy to work with. https://www.marinaire.com/Marine-ai...60792KURVleRs14ZoqTbT3z7Uvm82wjRoCj8oQAvD_BwE

 

[jim rosenthal]

I would look at Flagship and OB, too. I think old CruiseAires were really good but their modern stuff isn't as good. Other manufacturers can give you a better deal, as Pascal says.

As far as self contained units go, I'd rather run Freon all over the boat than salt water, that's for certain. Or closed chilled-water system.

This time of year, the weather is working against you, because everyone's AC is acting up....

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

I have installed about 20 new AC units in many Hatteras including my 61MY and My 36 SF. I have used Cruise air/ Dometic many times, they are expensive and for the price do not thing they last that long. I have used Marinair out of Ft. Lauderdale for years. I think a better product and they come with a hi and low pressure gauge right on them. Very nice guys and easy to work with. https://www.marinaire.com/Marine-ai...60792KURVleRs14ZoqTbT3z7Uvm82wjRoCj8oQAvD_BwE

If you want to replace compressors, get Bristols. They are what dometic uses at half price or less. I did this last year. R22 unit.

 

[Pascal]

Aft salon and master should be pretty easy. Aft salon console has a lot of room in there. If you pull the panel under the window you should have space to run water feed line where the copper Freon lines are, in the wall. Or run it down thru the VIP then up thru the master closet. Discharge could go down in the master closet, along the condensate drain and into the aft port sea chest.

Master should be doable too, if you set up the self contained on shelf above the exhaust and duct the air up. It will lessen the noise to. Feed water lines can be run along the exhaust hose thru the VIP from the ER. You can plumb the discharge to the sea chest that’s right there

I don’t understand how your guy say the compressors run but are frozen yet don’t trip the breakers. If they re frozen they will trip the breaker. If they run they re not frozen then they should be working as long as pressures are right.

The old blue Cruisair s were really good and some are still ticking... now if yours are original to the boat, and if the air handlers are too, I don’t know if they’re worth fixing... sooner or later the tubes and the air handlers will just fail due to age and corrosion

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Aft salon and master should be pretty easy. Aft salon console has a lot of room in there. If you pull the panel under the window you should have space to run water feed line where the copper Freon lines are, in the wall. Or run it down thru the VIP then up thru the master closet. Discharge could go down in the master closet, along the condensate drain and into the aft port sea chest.

Master should be doable too, if you set up the self contained on shelf above the exhaust and duct the air up. It will lessen the noise to. Feed water lines can be run along the exhaust hose thru the VIP from the ER. You can plumb the discharge to the sea chest that’s right there

I don’t understand how your guy say the compressors run but are frozen yet don’t trip the breakers. If they re frozen they will trip the breaker. If they run they re not frozen then they should be working as long as pressures are right.

The old blue Cruisair s were really good and some are still ticking... now if yours are original to the boat, and if the air handlers are too, I don’t know if they’re worth fixing... sooner or later the tubes and the air handlers will just fail due to age and corrosion

A compressor can freeze up and not trip the breaker. I had that situation last year. It was pretty hot, but never tripped. Just thought the capacitor was bad at first.

 

[Shaunc]

Jim has brought up my other concern is that i have to run water all over the boat and not a fan of that.

I guess i need to jump on the phone and call some of the places recommended but at least I see there are enough guys who are also not happy with cruisair products.

I am confident I can do the install myself so that will help the process.

I will follow your recommendations Pascals and stat looking around to figure out how to run the lines as , yes they are original to the boat.

Thanks for the input

 

[dsharp]

Ask your ac guy if you can change out the compressors and use R427A. You need to change the oil and drier but you would need to do that with a compressor change out anyway.

 

[Pascal]

You could probably run a slightly larger hose from the engine room to the master closet and tee off to both the master and aft salon. There is plenty of room along the exhaust hose thru the midship stateroom

 

[Chasemmc]

I as well have three to remediate. Galley, Master, and aft salon. Appears from reading the strings that centralized compressors with long freon lines are giving way to self contained units with extended cooling lines.Recommendations on brands and the most effective method for a DYI?Don't mean to hi jack the thread, but it appears we have a common issue.

 

[Shaunc]

Jump in!!!

Its unbearably hot in Florida so this is a priory right now. My Salon Ac sits on the starboard side of the salon so I need to mess with the lines and water supply. I probably need to upgrade my pump to get all that way from the port engine room.

 

[Pascal]

In mine the aft salon air handler was on the port side, right above the master closet

Stbd side will be more challenging. If your pump is in the port ER you will probably need to add a pump in the stbd Er but I don’t think you ll be able to bring it up thru the head ceiling. You ll probably need to pull the paneling and run it thru the wall

 

[Shaunc]

Thanks Pascal

I am really trying not to demolish the boat in the process of installing the salon AC.

 

[Chasemmc]

All mine are located under galley with the generator. I do have a separate thru hull and sea cock in the port engine room formerly used for a water maker.Could i use that? It would save a lot of tear out.What size pump would be involved and could i discharge through one of the existing through hull drains?

 

[Shaunc]

OMG!!!!!!

So I did some exploration this morning.

I do not see anyway of replacing the salon AC with out major demolition

The lines appear to run under the salon floor from the port side engine room to the cabinet at the rear of the salon on the starboard side.

I dont see any way of getting water lines into the cabinet.

Plan B ????

No idea what that is.

 

[madhatter1]

I have a great and fair AC guy in St Pete if you are interested in a 2nd opinion on repair and condition of existing units.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Could you leave the copper lines in place, and just vacuum them out and replace the compressor unit, or the compressor unit and the airhandler/evap unit?

 

[Reefgeorge]

Changing the compressors is what I did. You just have to make sure that the heat exchanger coils are in good shape - no corroded ends when you pull the hoses off, no heavy acid cleaning over the years. After that then its a matter of if the control board is still good. Relay and capacitors are not as expensive. R22 is very expensive so that's a consideration. I stocked up so its a different call for me perhaps. Make sure he installs a bidirectional filter dryer if you go that route. If not then a new condenser comes with 417A I believe which can be used as is or evacuated and R22 used if desired. There is some disagreement on the compatibility of the oil. Many have said good things about Ocean Breeze here.

George