View Single Post
Old 04-08-2019, 04:05 PM   #4
Lepke
Guru
 
Lepke's Avatar
 
City: Between Oregon and Alaska
Vessel Name: Charlie Harper
Vessel Model: Wheeler Shipyard 83'
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 3,023
Most major AC companies have chilled water systems. In most small systems a heater/cooler, similar to a car heater, is mounted inside a cabinet and the water is circulated either thru a boiler or the chiller. I've installed these in yards and been on ships with chilled water systems. Search "chilled water systems".

I built my system and set it up for the addition of a chiller, but I avoid hot weather and haven't sen a need for AC. All the pipe runs need to be insulated. Many hydronic boat systems aren't insulated or poorly insulated. The heat loss is still contributing to the boat heat. But cooling needs the insulation because the chilled water temperature difference is closer to the air temp needed cooling. Cooling lost in the piping doesn't contribute to the cooling of above deck cabins.

I use individual forced air heaters in each space. Some in cabinets, under beds or in built in couches. Fans are 3 speed. My plumbing is zoned so the circulating water only goes where it's needed. Valves controlled by thermostats open sections of the piping as needed. If I add a chiller, the valves to switch from boiler to chiller would be controlled by setting the thermostat to heat. You can't have both heat and cooling at the same time, in different parts of the boat without double the piping.
Attached Thumbnails
chiller.JPG   Heaters.JPG  
Lepke is offline   Reply With Quote