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Old 07-19-2017, 06:10 PM   #1
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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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Old 07-19-2017, 06:49 PM   #2
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I'm a gig fan of Mermaid. https://www.mmair.com/
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Old 07-19-2017, 06:50 PM   #3
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that would be "big"
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Old 07-19-2017, 07:37 PM   #4
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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.
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Old 07-19-2017, 07:45 PM   #5
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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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Old 07-19-2017, 07:56 PM   #6
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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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Old 07-19-2017, 08:12 PM   #7
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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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Old 07-19-2017, 08:16 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld View Post
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 lot of great reviews for N
Marin, don't need one yet, but will keep them in mind!
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Old 07-19-2017, 08:18 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld View Post
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 lot of great reviews for Marin, don't need one yet, but will keep them in mind!
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Old 07-19-2017, 08:34 PM   #10
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Oceanbreeze: Self-contained Marine AC Units - Ocean Breeze Mfd. by Quorum Marine & Electronics, Inc.

When the time comes, this is where my research leads me.

RB
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Old 07-19-2017, 08:37 PM   #11
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Remove your AC, open your windows and feel the breeze

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Old 07-19-2017, 08:47 PM   #12
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Remove your AC, open your windows and feel the breeze

L.
That's easy for us to say with limited hot & humid conditions.
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Old 07-19-2017, 08:51 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hmason View Post
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.
Great folks and will build to suit.
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Old 07-20-2017, 06:56 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld View Post
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.
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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Old 07-20-2017, 07:15 AM   #15
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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.
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Old 07-20-2017, 07:21 AM   #16
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Ocean Breeze in Stuart FL.
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Old 07-20-2017, 07:33 AM   #17
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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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Old 07-20-2017, 08:10 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Donna View Post
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)

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
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:13 AM   #19
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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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Old 07-20-2017, 08:13 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spottsville View Post
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.

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
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