Residential A/C in boats?

[Mako]

You could replace the mini-split 5 times for the price of a marine air unit install. If you get 3 years apiece out of them in salt conditions, that's decent bang for the buck. My guess is they'll go longer than that.

True. During my time in Southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf, the splits were used nearly exclusively in boats of say, 100ft or less. And these are commercial boats - dhows, tugs, passengers, local yachts, etc.

The biggest challenge with them is placing the condenser (outside unit) somewhere hidden or where it can be enclosed in a ventilated box so it isn't an eyesore. There is a small noise issue, so you wouldn't want it too close to a window or on a flybridge next to the helm.

On another note, some units (like the Sapphire series) are lightyears ahead of marine a/c in terms of efficiency and can produce heat down to freezing, much lower than a heat pump. With a big enough LiFePo bank, cycling every hour or two, you could run a 12kW unit overnight on batteries, then recharge in the morning with the genny.

No through-hull, no strainer, no killies clogging the strainer, no seawater pump. Nice - if you can practically fit one.

Edit - just attached the brochure on the Gree unit mentioned above. I've used them and they are excellent.

 

[Ralsy]

For me it's also a case of not wanting the head unit inside in a prominent position. It just doesn't look right. Imagine, you have this beautiful timber interior on a classic boat and it's spoilt by a huge plastic box attached to the wall or ceiling. I'm sure allot of people don't mind, but I'm not one of them.

 

[Mako]

That’s a good point Ralsey. However most manufacturers do offer ducted interior units. So the blower unit (evaporator) can be hidden and you run ducts to a few locations. Of course the expense will go up compared to an off-the-shelf split unit.

 

[ssobol]

For me it's also a case of not wanting the head unit inside in a prominent position. It just doesn't look right. Imagine, you have this beautiful timber interior on a classic boat and it's spoilt by a huge plastic box attached to the wall or ceiling. I'm sure allot of people don't mind, but I'm not one of them.

You could probably make a valence of some sort out of the same timber that would hide the inside unit effectively.

You could argue that the flat screen tv in the salon and the microwave in the galley spoil the "beautiful timber interior on a classic boat" too.

 

[Ralsy]

You could probably make a valence of some sort out of the same timber that would hide the inside unit effectively.

You could argue that the flat screen tv in the salon and the microwave in the galley spoil the "beautiful timber interior on a classic boat" too.

If you start talking about ducting from a central unti then you may as well go for a marine specific unti, imo. Micro is in galley and usually not in view and tv can be hidden I guess. It's about minimizing the amount of non conformities you have in view in your boat. IMO. Again, suitable for some and maybe not for all. That's the beauty of being an individual.

 

[Ralsy]

��, unit

 

[Nickair]

Trawler forum is great. I have learned much here. Thanks for all the responses. Looks like a two hose, split unit will be in order.

 

[Simi 60]

Many boats at anchor become essentially unlivable without both the a/c and genset working. I’ve seen large sport fish chased out of the bahamas in mid summer.

Clearly the wrong boat for that climate.

We cruise a similar climate on the other side of the equator and there is only one, maybe two days a year we think of A/C but manage just fine with a 240v desk fan at night.

 

[Ralsy]

Clearly the wrong boat for that climate.

We cruise a similar climate on the other side of the equator and there is only one, maybe two days a year we think of A/C but manage just fine with a 240v desk fan at night.

Mate, you must have a high tolerance to heat and humidity. No way I could live without an A/C in Qld. Temps today in Brisbane, mid 30s C and that humid that you need an umbrella and it's not even raining.

 

[Mako]

If you start talking about ducting from a central unti then you may as well go for a marine specific unti, imo.

Well that does make sense, and the ducted split units do start growing in price which eliminates one of their big advantages. But some may still decide that the simplicity of an air cooled condenser outweighs a water cooled. However I think that the majority of smaller pleasure boats could not comfortably fit an air cooled unit without becoming fugly.

 

[Ralsy]

Well that does make sense, and the ducted split units do start growing in price which eliminates one of their big advantages. But some may still decide that the simplicity of an air cooled condenser outweighs a water cooled. However I think that the majority of smaller pleasure boats could not comfortably fit an air cooled unit without becoming fugly.

Agreed

 

[Capecodder]

I’m not recommending as I have no experience with the units, I was surprised to see the “art” vents

 

[FF]

The Mini splits are the wave of the future , but be sure to purchase LG or some other company that has been around for a while, so parts will exist if ever needed.

 

[Group9]

The Mini splits are the wave of the future , but be sure to purchase LG or some other company that has been around for a while, so parts will exist if ever needed.

I was talking with an HVAC repairman/installer in our marina parking lot the other day. He basically said that he thinks the traditional water cooled A/C units are just obsolete and tells everyone who can do it, to replace them with mini-splits.

A friend of mine on a nearby 56' boat replaced his units with mini-splits. He mounted the outside part in two louvered boxes (I should have taken a picture yesterday) on the cabin roof. They don't look ugly at all, if I didn't know what they were, I wouldn't know what they were.

He's in love with his mini-split. And, I think we're probably going to go that way before our next cruise.

 

[OldDan1943]

I was talking with an HVAC repairman/installer in our marina parking lot the other day. He basically said that he thinks the traditional water cooled A/C units are just obsolete and tells everyone who can do it, to replace them with mini-splits.

A friend of mine on a nearby 56' boat replaced his units with mini-splits. He mounted the outside part in two louvered boxes (I should have taken a picture yesterday) on the cabin roof. They don't look ugly at all, if I didn't know what they were, I wouldn't know what they were.

He's in love with his mini-split. And, I think we're probably going to go that way before our next cruise.

Alas, they are 240vt

 

[psneeld]

Like other things on boats, space can dictate the preferred solution...even if it is more costly or less efficient.

 

[FF]

In larger sizes the mini splits are all 240v , and they can handle multiple cabins.


The cost is only a bit higher to purchase 2 or 3 120v units , most of which come pre charged , so an owner install would not be that hard.


A 30A 120 v boat should be able to operate 2 at one time.


The best news is when heating they are about 300% more efficient than the usual hot wire, no more melted plugs and sockets!

 

[Mako]

The best news is when heating they are about 300% more efficient than the usual hot wire, no more melted plugs and sockets!

Amen brother. Thank God for $9 smoke detectors from Home Depot - otherwise would have lost my boat for that reason.

 

[Group9]

Alas, they are 240vt

They make 120v's too. We're going back and forth, on which to get, because our current three a/c's are 120v and on their own circuit leg, which would be the way I would rather wire them than using both circuit legs to get 240.

 

[WayneDana2]

Thanks David.
Copy on the engine room heat will shut down the AC. I need to think of a way to add fresh air to coil. Would that work?

I have a 4 inch exhaust blower in my engine room. I would wire it to run whenever the AC was on. Since it has a 4" flexible duct, I would probably use it to directly ventilate the condenser coils.


This would be an awesome installation for the aft stateroom in my trawler. It would end up under the stairs and totally out of the way.

 

[WayneDana2]

Mate, you must have a high tolerance to heat and humidity. No way I could live without an A/C in Qld. Temps today in Brisbane, mid 30s C and that humid that you need an umbrella and it's not even raining.

LOL, there is warm climate, then there is summer in Queensland. Or maybe summer in the middle east. No place else is even close.
If I had a boat in northern or western OZ, I would build in a walk in beer fridge and put a chair in it as well as my stubbies.

 

[Mako]

What's a stubbie?

 

[Mako]

I’m not recommending as I have no experience with the units, I was surprised to see the “art” vents

Those art vents are really nice, and there you go, 2 or 3 units sharing off of one condenser unit. That's excellent!

 

[GoGuyGo]

What's a stubbie?

Beer bottle

 

[Simi 60]

Beer bottle

Small ones are stubbies
Tall ones are long necks or tallies.

 

[Mako]

Around here calling someone a “stubbie” will get ya punched in the nobbin.

You Ozzies really do live in your own world. Well at least there’s nothing poisonous or dangerous in your world [emoji887] [emoji226] [emoji246] [emoji216]

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. m. I know what a stubbie (short necked beer bottle) is but what's a nobbin?

 

[Donna]

Please don’t use a residential a/c unit. I assume you have a nice boat and doing this will only junk it up. Just my opinion.

 

[OldDan1943]

Please don’t use a residential a/c unit. I assume you have a nice boat and doing this will only junk it up. Just my opinion.

My opinion is the same as your opinion.

 

[sunchaser]

Look no further than the houseboat industry for the use of "residential" ACs on the water. With today's heat pump designs they are very effective whether at Lake Powell, the myriad of TX, Mo, AK etc lakes or the upper Midwest.

The number of new build houseboats is strong with considerable experience in Hivac implementation. Similar designs to big RVs in some cases for this very mature market. But fresh water seems the norm. Salt water mist is a big negative.