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07-19-2017, 06:10 PM
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#1
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Guru
City: Palm Coast
Vessel Name: Southerly
Vessel Model: 1986 Marine Trader 36' Sundeck
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,231
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"Time for a cool change"
Among other changes, it is time to replace my forward AC. I never liked the Marine Air and its passport 2 control panel. It finally gave up. 22 years old.
It is my understanding after much research, Marine Air and Cruise Air was swallowed up by Dometic.
My question is, if you replaced your AC, what did you replace it with? I have a 16,000 btu aft Cruise Air and the one I am replacing is the forward 16,000 btu Marine Air.
What are my options for the easiest replacement and is this something I can do myself? (I do most boat work myself)
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07-19-2017, 06:49 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: New Orleans
Vessel Name: Panache
Vessel Model: Viking 43 Double Cabin '76
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,253
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I'm a gig fan of Mermaid. https://www.mmair.com/
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07-19-2017, 06:50 PM
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#3
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Guru
City: New Orleans
Vessel Name: Panache
Vessel Model: Viking 43 Double Cabin '76
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,253
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that would be "big"
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07-19-2017, 07:37 PM
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#4
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Guru
City: Stuart FL
Vessel Name: Lucky Lucky
Vessel Model: Pacific Mariner 65
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,759
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I replaced two of my 3 with units built by Ocean Breeze located in Stuart FL. I've been very pleased. You'll be surprised at how efficient they are compared to your old units. Don't think this is a DIY job---at least not for me.
__________________
Howard
Lucky Lucky
Stuart, FL
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07-19-2017, 07:45 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
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Look at Marin Air from Miami, inexpensive, 16K has built in pressure gauges for troubleshooting.
Mine have neen great for 2 years, great customer response and service.
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07-19-2017, 07:56 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
City: Ft. Myers, FL.
Vessel Name: Chasing 80
Vessel Model: Chris Craft Constellation 460
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 142
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I've replaced 3 Marine Air 16000 units with Dometic and have been very happy. The footprint of the 30 year old Marine Air and new Dometic are almost exactly the same and the brain box is pretty much the same also. The biggest difference is the cut out for the control head. The new ones are much smaller. I used a piece of starboard larger than the original hole and made a cut out for the new panel.
Other than access issues getting the old ones out and the new ones in this is a very easy project. Just pay attention to how it's wired as you take out the old brain box and follow directions wiring the new one in. I found it helped to take cell phone pictures before I started removing wires.
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07-19-2017, 08:12 PM
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#7
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Veteran Member
City: San Diego
Vessel Name: Fishbone
Vessel Model: 1990 Nova/ sedan
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 38
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just replaced a cruiseair 16000 unit with one from flagship marine. excellent build quality, all american with no proprietary parts. replacement parts are all available off the shelf. uses a regular household style thermostat.
the unit dropped into place like it was meant to be there
Marine Air Conditioning Systems - water, air and keel cooled.
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07-19-2017, 08:16 PM
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#8
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Veteran Member
City: Crystal Beach, Fl
Vessel Name: Salt Wife
Vessel Model: 44' Endeavor Trawler Cat
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
Look at Marin Air from Miami, inexpensive, 16K has built in pressure gauges for troubleshooting.
Mine have neen great for 2 years, great customer response and service.
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A lot of great reviews for N
Marin, don't need one yet, but will keep them in mind!
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07-19-2017, 08:18 PM
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#9
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Veteran Member
City: Crystal Beach, Fl
Vessel Name: Salt Wife
Vessel Model: 44' Endeavor Trawler Cat
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
Look at Marin Air from Miami, inexpensive, 16K has built in pressure gauges for troubleshooting.
Mine have neen great for 2 years, great customer response and service.
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A lot of great reviews for Marin, don't need one yet, but will keep them in mind!
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07-19-2017, 08:34 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
City: Toronto ON
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 128
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07-19-2017, 08:37 PM
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#11
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Guru
City: Quebec
Vessel Name: Bleuvet
Vessel Model: Custom Built
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 4,374
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Remove your AC, open your windows and feel the breeze
L.
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07-19-2017, 08:47 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: Adelaide
Vessel Name: Kokanee
Vessel Model: Cuddles 30 Pilot House Motor Sailer
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,218
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lou_tribal
Remove your AC, open your windows and feel the breeze
L.
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That's easy for us to say with limited hot & humid conditions.
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07-19-2017, 08:51 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
City: LAFAYETTE,LA
Vessel Name: Relenti
Vessel Model: Atlantic 30, 1983
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 451
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hmason
I replaced two of my 3 with units built by Ocean Breeze located in Stuart FL. I've been very pleased. You'll be surprised at how efficient they are compared to your old units. Don't think this is a DIY job---at least not for me.
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Great folks and will build to suit.
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07-20-2017, 06:56 AM
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#14
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Guru
City: Palm Coast
Vessel Name: Southerly
Vessel Model: 1986 Marine Trader 36' Sundeck
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,231
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
Look at Marin Air from Miami, inexpensive, 16K has built in pressure gauges for troubleshooting.
Mine have neen great for 2 years, great customer response and service.
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This is the one I have been leaning toward. I like the other options presented here also and will look into them. I think the Marin Air is the most economical.
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07-20-2017, 07:15 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
City: Rockport
Vessel Name: Still Sibsie
Vessel Model: 42' Bristol Trawler
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 172
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I completely agree with Lunasea...go with Flagship Marine. Just looking at the pictures on their site one can see the difference.
__________________
Steve and Sibsie
42' Bristol Trawler
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07-20-2017, 07:21 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
City: Baltimore, MD
Vessel Name: Starshine
Vessel Model: 1989 Bayliner 3288
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 366
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Ocean Breeze in Stuart FL.
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07-20-2017, 07:33 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
City: Newburgh, Indiana
Vessel Name: Quiet Company
Vessel Model: Great Harbour GH-47
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 265
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We have replaced all three units on our boat. Two 24000btu and one 16000btu. We went with Marine-aire (Dometic) for the smaller and Webasto Platinum for the large ones. One thing about the Webasto that's different is that the fan is variable speed and runs all the time when on. All new units are very quiet and don't have condensate pans that can rust so no more rust stains on the side of the boat. Even on the hottest days we can cool down the boat in 30 to 45 minutes when we arrive and flip the switch!
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07-20-2017, 08:10 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,068
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna
Among other changes, it is time to replace my forward AC. I never liked the Marine Air and its passport 2 control panel. It finally gave up. 22 years old.
It is my understanding after much research, Marine Air and Cruise Air was swallowed up by Dometic.
My question is, if you replaced your AC, what did you replace it with? I have a 16,000 btu aft Cruise Air and the one I am replacing is the forward 16,000 btu Marine Air.
What are my options for the easiest replacement and is this something I can do myself? (I do most boat work myself)
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22 years, sounds like you got your money's worth.
Many (!!) of the members in our owners club have replaced older Marine Airrrrr and CruiseAir "Vector Compact" units with the newer Vector Turbo units. I gather there's an option for either Passport II or Elite controls (order whichever you want), if you don't want to switch out the control panels... or you can get new controls (don't know the name of their newer system, if there is one; presumably you could re-use the wiring runs from units to bulkheads).
The Vector Turbo units are said to be more powerful (than a speeding locomotive?), much quieter (and a sound shield is available too), and the condensate drain pan is a composite (so no rust in the condensation drippage).
Apparently the VT footprint is slightly (probably only very slightly) smaller than the previous VC.
I'm not aware of how the raw water and output duct hook-ups are located, but if they're generally in the same places as previous, then it would seem easy enough to disconnect, replace, connect, done.
Of the owners who've commented, seems there's universal satisfaction with the VTs... I don't remember seeing a single derogatory comment...
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA
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07-20-2017, 08:13 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
City: Florida
Vessel Name: Chez Reagan
Vessel Model: Cargile Cutter
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 280
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[QUOTE=psneeld;574964]Look at Marin Air from Miami, inexpensive, 16K has built in pressure gauges for troubleshooting.
Mine have neen great for 2 years, great customer response and service.
A little help please. I am not coming up with anything in Miami when I google Marin Air. "inexpensive" piqued my interest.
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07-20-2017, 08:13 AM
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#20
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,068
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spottsville
We have replaced all three units on our boat. Two 24000btu and one 16000btu. We went with Marine-aire (Dometic) for the smaller and Webasto Platinum for the large ones. One thing about the Webasto that's different is that the fan is variable speed and runs all the time when on.
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FWIW, our 15-year-old Marine Airrr systems have settings for variable fan speeds ("automatic" or individual speed selection) and "on all the time" or "cycle with compressor." It's just a programming option via our Passport II control panel.
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA
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