Cruisair

[Liquid Asset]

I am going to start converting my A/C's to new self contained units so that I can get rid of the enourmous A/C shelf in my engine room. Do yall have any sources for Cruisair units online that is the best deal? Where do you all purchase your units from?

I have 2 units that are toast and need replaced. I would like to go ahead and replace them. Any suggestions would be appreciated for a source.

 

[Fanfare]

Take a look at the new self-contained units, but you may want to keep the engine room set up. The things on the shelf are the compressors for the ACs. They go on and off frequently and are noisy. Mine whir and vibrate when running, and rattle on starting and stopping (but they are getting older, although all have been replaced at one time or another). They also produce a lot of heat. You'll get this with both kinds of units, but the older types keep it in the engine room where it really doesn't matter. The new kind put it in the cabin. You will still have the sea water pump to put the cooling flow through the compressors, but with the self-contained ones you will have to pipe this water individually to each unit around the boat. You may have to insulate these sea lines to prevent condensation from dripping on things, not to mention leaks in different places. Check your compressor shelf after running a unit all day. Mine gets condensate water all over it from the refrigerated coils. Fortunately, it evaporates harmlessly.

My impression is that the self-contained units are intended for boats without air conditioning, where just a single unit is needed. For those of us with multiple ACs the engine room may be best.

 

[67hat34c]

you may want to get custom made units. cost is very reasonable. if you get them made with a Copeland scroll compressor, they will be very quiet. Cruise air uses Tecumseh piston compressors which are durable but noisy.

I have Ocean Breeze in mine. did not use the scroll but have panasonic rotary compressor that is quieter than pistons but louder than scroll. I have been pleased thus far with the Ocean Breeze units. They made very high efficiency unit for us, 20k btu that runs on 120v that when running only uses 1500w. They are made in stuart FL. which at the time was good for us since our boat was also there. There is also an excellent AC man in Stuart, Anchor Air which is a one man shop.

If you want to contact them I will dig up the info.

 

[Liquid Asset]

The problem I have with the remote A/C units is all the tubing. We have leak in two units, and I have had two A/C repair men out and both of them say they woudl not replace the unit without replacing the tubing. Plus, it is flare fittings, which I am not comfortable with on an A/C unit. I went on a boat in my marina that just converted his remote unit to a self contained and you could not hear the compressor over the blower fan. And no matter what you do, you are always going to hear the blower fan.

I just dont like the enormous labor cost that woudl be involved in replacing the coper tubing to every A/C. I can replace a self contained unit by myself if need be.

I was looking at the Mermaid A/C units. Does anyone have any opinions of these. I like the fact that the plant is only a little ways south of me and if I have to return it to the manufacturer it is only a quick drive away.

 

[67hat34c]

I have herd they are fine. They may also customize for you. I would strongly recommend the Copeland scroll compressors.

All A/C companies use basicaly the same components. the compressor being the main one. the 3 big ones are Copeland, Tecumseh, and Panasonic. all are good compressors. the reset of the stuff is simply copper and or cupro-nickle tubing, chassis and controlls. For reverse heat there is a reverse switch that can go bad, better to use heating element instead of reverse heat. We went with reverse heat for efficiency, our gen is only a 4kw. If your gen is large enough to handle heating elements then go with that instead of heat pump, simpler design and less stuff to break.

another benefit of self contained units is that they are maint. free, sealed systems much the same as a refrigerator.

 

[34Hatt]

"I was looking at the Mermaid A/C units."" When I was looking for a unit I liked the warranty on the mermaid but was told stay away because they have to go back to the factory for any problem. For me in N.Y that was a problem for you its not so I would consider them and the Ocean Breeze since they are both in Fl.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Pat, based on the limited amount I know I would not shy away from self-contained units- the big disadvantage is that you are running seawater all over the boat to supply them. This means a bigger seawater pump and all that plumbing. The advantage is that the units are precharged etc and you don't have to pull new copper tubing through the boat.
Another thing to consider is that they add weight rather high up in the boat, because all the hardware is now up in the passenger spaces. Modern systems are lighter than older ones. They are quieter, however a sefl-contained unit which contains a compressor AND airhandler will probably be a little louder than the topside part of the old split system that had only the airhandler up above.
I was told on good authority that Marine Air Systems units are very good, but that the ones they sell through retailers such as WM and BUS are not as good as the self-contained ones that their dealers get. The warranty is also not as good, which tells you something. My HVAC friends tell me that scroll compressors are the best around- quiet, efficient, and durable. They rave about them. How long they've been around I don't know.
One of the things I DON'T like about my current AC installation, which is factory from Hatteras, is that the Vberth unit is mounted high up in the anchor locker where it puts weight in front up high, exposes the unit to sea air vapor, and results in more noise in the Vberth. It would have been far better down under the bunks and ducted up to the Vberth area. The compressor for it, of course, is in the engine room, which is good- the heaviest part is down low in the boat. If I have to replace it, I will probably put a split system in again but move the airhandler down lower in the boat under the bunks, and duct it. You may have a similar setup from new in your 50C.
Let us know what you decide to do...I am interested to hear about it.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

Jim...Apparntly Hatteras fixed that issue in the later 36s. Our 1986 has the V-berth air handler under the bunks and on center and low. They have a wood duct that goes vertically in the bow/anchor locker. It only sticks out about 5"and is all to port of the centerline door. The magumba relay box for the windlass is to starboard.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Yeah, Maynard, that space in Blue Note is a storage area that doesn't get used much anyway. The airhandler part of a split system would just fit in there, and the copper tubing is already coming through near there. When/if that becomes necessary, I will move it down there. Heavy items right under the deck when there is alternative space down lower don't make a lot of sense to me.