Marine Air air conditioning--Does anyone have one?

[trapper]

We have a Marine Air air conditioner and we dont know anything about it. It appears to be clogged up somehow. Does anyone know anything about these? It is in a 1985 CD26D. I need to figure out how to flush it out. Help would be appreciated.

[Joe CD MS 300]

Do you have a service manual? You can probably get one online if not.

[trapper]

Thanks. I am probably going to call a dealer and see if I can find out which service manual I should be looking at.

[Bob L]

trapper,

I've got one circa 1987. I have the installation and operation instructions. What does your control panel look like? Mine has three rotary switches in a vertical column.

The top is the on/off switch (ccw=off, cw1=fan, cw2=fan+ac).
The middle is the fan speed.
The bottom is the thermostat setter.

When you say it is 'clogged up', what exactly are the symptoms? Does yours have a raw water pump?

Bob

[tmsc]

Trapper and Bob,

Were are your units mounted? Would it be possible to get some pics.

[Parfait's Provider]

Clogged up on the raw water side? Pull the pump out and see if you can take it apart and clean it up. It is probably magnetically driven and is easily disabled. On Parfait, it sits below the water line, so be certain to close the seacock first.

[Bob L]

Trapper and Bob,

Were are your units mounted? Would it be possible to get some pics.

Ours is mounted under the v-berth. It takes up pretty much the entire space there. Two insulated ducts cool the v-berth and main cabin. The controls are at the v-berth location. The water pump is forward of the shower water sump with a Groco strainer.

As far a photos go, I can show the control panel and ducts. I doubt if I can easily show the unit itself. If that will help you, let me know and I'll take some photos tomorrow.

[tmsc]

Bob,

That would be great if you have the time. The wife is getting after me. She wants AC and I have to admit I am getting tired of the carry ons.

[trapper]

I'll be at the boat tomorrow and get pics. Below is a pic of the control panel. It is a digital control panel. It has the one vent shown in the pic.

The unit is located in the head. THe 25Des head takes up what is usually the va-berth. The air conditioner unit is located on a shelf on the port side. A teak case is holding it with an intake vent. I will get mor info tomorrow.

When I turned it on== it ran and cool air came out of the vent. The temp. started to rise-- I think because the unit was getting hotter and hotter.

<a href="http://s206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14 ... C02412.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb14 ... C02412.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Parfait's Provider]

This manual might be of help:
http://www.marineair.com/manuals/index.html

There are separate manuals for the digital control, but this covers the rest of the system. Not sure it is the right one, but it has a lot of info that would be applicable.

[Boyd]

I have an '87 model A/C that came with the boat. The only issue and its been a chronic one is the water circulation pump loses its prime.

If the unit is not getting water then the compressor kicks off on a thermal overload. Exactly the symptoms you describe.

If your search for a clog or jammed impeller come up negative, do a dip check of the piping.

The pumps usually used for these systems have NO ability to self prime and are so weak they will not push an air bubble past a small dip in the piping. The pump itself has to be mounted below the water line so that the impeller is always submerged. An air bubble anywhere in the system from the intake thru hull to the exiting thru hull will stop this system dead. Consequently all piping from the seacock to the pump to the unit to the exiting thru hull has to be up hill. If there is a dip then you have an air lock, no water, no cool, Unhappy crew. Look for the dips.

Should you find a dip with an air bubble and for some reason routing the plumbing another way is not possible then you have to somehow open the piping and vent the air bubble out. Once the air bubble is gone the system will usually pump water past the dip.


Boyd
s/v Tern
CD30 MkII
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

[Glen C]

If your boat is in saltwater, I would suggest removing all of water hoses and make sure they aren't full of critters...barnacles love to grow in the hoses, the flow of water brings them lotsa food.

If the hoses are in good condition, you may be able to clear them by beating them on the dock and flushing with fresh water. When reinstalling the hoses, always use new hose clamps. This may be a good time to check to see if you electric bilge pump can keep up with the unit's pump in case of a hose failure.

The more you use the unit, the more often the hoses have to be cleared...especially in warmer saltwater.

[trapper]

Thanks for all the replies. The former owner told me he thought it was not priming for some reason. That said--the boat is in salt water- we had barnacles in the bilge when we found her!

The boat has been on a mooring for 3 years with no attention. No telling whats living in those pipes Add to that -- all of the seacocks but 1 is frozen open.

We are pulling the boat this month freeing up the seacocks and then splashing her in the lake. From there we can work on lots of issues--do a little sailing. This winter we will pull her again and do the job right. Looks like we are going to have to be in a position to pull all the pipes off of the air conditioner and check them out. Again, thank you. I will be asking lots more questions in the future.

[tmsc]

Trapper,

Thanks for the pic. You know how planning is.

[trapper]

Sorry about the pics. We moved the boat last Tues. via Seatow. Lets just say, we have had better days. By the time the boat got to the dock, no way I could go get the screw driver to open up the cabinet in 100 degrees. I just wanted out of there. Going down tomorrow back on Wed. With any luck, will have the pics. Thanks for your patients.