New to market air conditioner

[MERIDIAN 2]

Does anyone have real time experience with MARIN AIR air conditioners? Just found out about them and, on paper they look interesting, even though they are made in China. Good prices and good reviews on their website.

 

[Baker]

Is it MarinE Air or Marin Air. Marine Air has been around forever and also part of the Cruiseair people.

 

[Shrew]

These folks?:

https://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/rebranded/marine-air

Marine Air Systems has been around for 40 years. As common a Jabsco, mercruiser, Perko.

 

[Shrew]

I've never heard of this company before:

https://www.marinaire.com/

Seems like a weird play on 'Marine Air'. Like foreign knock-off merchandise "Rollex" "Chumpion", etc.

 

[DavidM]

Even though it is Chinese made, they have a comprehensive website and their 16,000 btu 120V unit looks impressive. It has all of the protection features of a Cruiseair, a SS drip pan, amperage draw looks to be the same and interestingly it has high and low side pressure gauges installed.

And it is cheap, $1,642 including Fedex ground shiping. I would take a risk on one if I needed a new A/C.

David

 

[BandB]

One word of caution I'd toss out and that is the ability to get it serviced wherever you are as opposed to Dometic products which are serviced everywhere.

 

[Heron]

And it is cheap, $1,642 including Fedex ground shiping. I would take a risk on one if I needed a new A/C.

David

Yup...Cruise the site. Pretty impressive

 

[DavidM]

One word of caution I'd toss out and that is the ability to get it serviced wherever you are as opposed to Dometic products which are serviced everywhere.

Well, in general I would agree. Service support is paramount when deciding which engine to use in a repower.

But frankly self contained air conditioners are throw away items. Any thing mechanical like a compressor replacement will cost more to fix than the unit is worth.

I will bet most self contained marine A/Cs don't work because of peripherals- raw water blockage, fouled coil, plugged air inlet, etc. Any decent A/C guy can deal with these things.

It is the electronic stuff that is more likely to fail internal to the unit and I am not sure that a Dometic unit is any easier to diagnose than a Chinese unit. You just swap out control boxes, circuit boards and see if it works. I suspect that their US headquarters can help with that during the warranty period. After the warranty has run out, see the second paragraph.

David

 

[Benthic2]

Here's another thread that gives them mixed reviews:

MarinAire AC Units - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

 

[BandB]

Well, in general I would agree. Service support is paramount when deciding which engine to use in a repower.

But frankly self contained air conditioners are throw away items. Any thing mechanical like a compressor replacement will cost more to fix than the unit is worth.

I will bet most self contained marine A/Cs don't work because of peripherals- raw water blockage, fouled coil, plugged air inlet, etc. Any decent A/C guy can deal with these things.

It is the electronic stuff that is more likely to fail internal to the unit and I am not sure that a Dometic unit is any easier to diagnose than a Chinese unit. You just swap out control boxes, circuit boards and see if it works. I suspect that their US headquarters can help with that during the warranty period. After the warranty has run out, see the second paragraph.

David

I only partly agree with what you've said. First, among the few users posting on another site, one had major issues and the other had repeated issues although was very complimentary of their help each of the five times he had issues.

Now, I figure it would fail when I was in Galveston or Boston or Chicago or perhaps in the Virgin Islands. At that point then, following your logic, I would then replace it.....with the unit I should have bought in the first place.

No thanks.

As to the web site others are praising, designing a nice web site isn't difficult. However, the only part of the site that I like is the girl on the home page. I see a lot of amateur jargon on the site. Home page they mention "15 points ahead, in contrast to their nearest competitor". What does that mean? What kind of points on what scale? Just nonsense tossed out. They then say "designed to fit most marine vehicles". Odd wording.

On the About Us page they make a big pitch that they're US headquartered. So are 5 of their 150 employees in the US or what? They're still a China product and I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that.

On their History page, they brag about the award from the "US Commerce Association." That is a scam award from a company that will send an award plaque to anyone who will buy one. So basically bragging about a bogus award.

I also believe their name to be a blatant attempt to trade off the goodwill of another company.

Now, the pretty girl whose picture I like, they obviously felt the same as it's shown 5 times on their facebook page where they also prominently display their scam/bogus 2011 award from the US Commerce Association.

 

[DavidM]

Here's another thread that gives them mixed reviews:

MarinAire AC Units - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

I read the whole thread. Some of the responses sounded phony like made by a shill for the company. And there seemed to be total confusion between Marinaire and Marineaire to the point where I can't believe any of it.

But what it said didn't sound good if the evaporator corroded out and it really was a Marinaire unit. Not sure how that could happen as all marine A/C units have copper evaporator coils with aluminum fins.

And finally one of the respondents said the company had been in business for 5 years and he met the owner. Does that make sense for what looks like a new product line?

All in all, I don't know what to make of this all.

David

 

[BandB]

I read the whole thread. Some of the responses sounded phony like made by a shill for the company. And there seemed to be total confusion between Marinaire and Marineaire to the point where I can't believe any of it.

But what it said didn't sound good if the evaporator corroded out and it really was a Marinaire unit. Not sure how that could happen as all marine A/C units have copper evaporator coils with aluminum fins.

And finally one of the respondents said the company had been in business for 5 years and he met the owner. Does that make sense for what looks like a new product line?

All in all, I don't know what to make of this all.

David

They've been Marinaire since 2009, when Ayla Zengin changed their name from White Depot LLC.

Yes, a couple on the other site did read like shills including the first post which was from a newbie there.

 

[k9medic]

I just put One in my salon to replace a cruise aire.

It’s pretty nice, very quiet, and about $1000 cheaper. Everything was almost plug and play. It even has a remote.

 

[Comodave]

I like Mermaid. I have put them in 3 boats with good results.

 

[tallswede]

I have two split units in my boat and both are on their last legs. I need replacements and am considering using all in one units. I'll have to make some ducting changes to do this though. I have a question for those of you who use self contained units. Are they loud? My compressor units are in the ER with evap/blower units under bunks and above my fridge in the galley so all I get in the cabin is fan noise. How do those all in one units sound in your boats?

Kevin

 

[Spike]

I installed 2 of the 16,000 Marin units to replace older Dometic units that were not worth repairing. They were the same footprint and installation couldn't have been easier, basically "plug and play". The only issue is the control panel was smaller. I used starboard to make a plate to cover the larger hole and mounted the smaller panel in that.

They have worked great for over 4 years and wouldn't hesitate to use them again if my other unit dies. Being full time for over 2 1/2 years the unit in the master SR gets almost 24/7 use.

Seems some people have problems with their marketing but the actual units work just fine. And no...I'm not a shill.....

 

[DavidM]

Self contained vs split units:

I have had both on various boats, so from that perspective:

Split units place the compressor unit in an out of the way place, sometimes in a deep lazzarette, sometimes in the engine room and send freon via tubing to one or usually more evaporator/fan units just like your home's central air system. Thus they allow easier distribution without long air ducts. Tubing is easier to find a route than 3-4" duct.

The evaporator/fan isn't that much less noisy than a self contained unit which adds the compressor noise. The main disadvantage is potential freon leaks. Good installation can solve that problem.

Self contained units combine the compressor/condensor/evaporator in one unit just like a window A/C unit. This requires ducting of the air output to remote locations.

My first boat had a split system with two evaporator/fans. It worked very well. Four or five subsequent boats all had self contained units. They also worked well.

Either can work for you and it often depends on access for duct runs on which you choose.

David

 

[Baker]

I get Dometic all in one units(16k) for $2k. I think I would stick to tried and true and tested for the added 300 bills. Both of mine are recently replaced so I don't see myself having to replace them anyway.

They can look good and look impressive but use crappy materials. Heck a fake Rolex looks just like a real one!!!...but the quality of the parts is what makes it.

 

[roofer77]

I have .one ..it works great