Air Conditioning

[yachtpilot]

I'll be amazed if this subject hasn't been covered extensively in the past but a 'search' failed to locate anything pertinent. I'm considering installing a 'roof-top' air-con unit as installed on many trucks/motor-homes and caravans. I believe that one would fit comfortably through a skylight. They're for 'stationary' use only but I would only need to use it when stationary or motoring in a flat calm. I don't believe them capable of creating icicles from the deck-head but might just ensure a comfortable interior. I have a 34ft Jeanneau so nothing grand. Alternatively a free standing unit with a hose that could be fed through the entry hatchway. These can be bought for a few hundred pounds in the UK but so far I'be not seen one in either Greece of Malta. Has anyone any experience of a roof-mounted installation or can recommend a free-standing unit available in the eastern Med ?
All suggestions welcome.. Thnx YP

 

[duncan99210]

Apart from the electricity supply problem, I don't think you'll find the truck/van/caravan type units will survive for long in a sea water environment. You'd probably do better looking at the free standing units that use a hose to get rid of the heat, as that can be sited down below and protected from sea water.
Not many folks use them as the benefits are outweighed by the difficulties in using them on a regular basis. Most people keep cool by erecting shade, using wind scoops and fans and going swimming when at anchor.

 

[Sooty Dog]

I was also looking to install air con this season. Have you considered the power requirements? Without running the diesel or an external petrol generator i could only keep the lowest power unit i could find on the web working flat out for 4 hours per full battery charge.
Or, you could buy an evaporative unit for a lot less cash and less battery power.

Does anyone have any experience of evaporation units?

 

[yachtpilot]

I'm looking at all possibilities. I've spent many years in the Med both as a professional skipper and with my own boats and have considerable experience of sleepless nights anchored or tied into cozy windless creeks. On the big motor yachts I had the luxury of two large generators and multiple air-con systems now in my advancing years I want a little luxury on my own modest boat. Something that has low start up amps that can be run of a 2Kw or 2.6Kw 'suitcase' gennie would help to cool the boat for a couple of hours before turning in. An evaporator unit is not something I have any experience of, would be interested to hear from someone who uses one.

 

[vyv_cox]

I was loaned one of those hatch type a/c units when we were hauled out at Palma in a real heatwave and we loved it. However, it is a very heavy and bulky thing and we decided it was far too difficult for use to stow and use, so we declined an offer to buy one.

 

[vyv_cox]

I was also looking to install air con this season. Have you considered the power requirements? Without running the diesel or an external petrol generator i could only keep the lowest power unit i could find on the web working flat out for 4 hours per full battery charge.
Or, you could buy an evaporative unit for a lot less cash and less battery power.

Does anyone have any experience of evaporation units?

Yes, we have a Transcool. It works well when blowing directly on to us but I doubt it would do a lot for the general temperature in the boat. We have a large mains powered fan that will run fine on an inverter, consumes about 40 watts and is very effective.

 

[yachtpilot]

Thanks VYV. I think the one you're referring to was something like I had when living in America. Hugely cumbersome, the one I had in mind was the sort that fits through a hole in the roof of a campervan/motor-home and could be fitted through a deck hatch. see below.
http://www.ogrzewanie.info.pl/produkt,17603,waeco-coolair-ca-800---klimatyzator-postojowy

 

[vyv_cox]

Thanks VYV. I think the one you're referring to was something like I had when living in America. Hugely cumbersome, the one I had in mind was the sort that fits through a hole in the roof of a campervan/motor-home and could be fitted through a deck hatch. see below.
http://www.ogrzewanie.info.pl/produkt,17603,waeco-coolair-ca-800---klimatyzator-postojowy

I see it weighs 20 kg. Still quite a lot to lug around but ISTR that the one we used was nearly twice that.

 

[BrianH]

I was also looking to install air con this season. Have you considered the power requirements? Without running the diesel or an external petrol generator i could only keep the lowest power unit i could find on the web working flat out for 4 hours per full battery charge.
Or, you could buy an evaporative unit for a lot less cash and less battery power.

Does anyone have any experience of evaporation units?

An evaporator unit is not something I have any experience of, would be interested to hear from someone who uses one.

There has indeed been a lot of threads on on-board AC and evaporator cooling included. Here is basically a posting I made with reference my own experience with the latter principle:

"With the cost and practicable difficulties of fitting true air conditioning to my 31' boat I wondered if an evaporative cooler would alleviate my summer cabin temperatures while marina bound in the Adriatic within a lagoon complex, which is 5nm inland from the open sea. I wanted only a marina berth, shore-power unit where late afternoon cabin temperatures from June on can be nudging 40°C, invariably above 35°C. and not much less during the early night hours and with a teak deck inducing increased temperatures emanating from the under-side-deck areas. This makes it hard to sleep in windless conditions, which are the norm, especially as those are when the mosquitoes are particularly active, needing all ports and companionway to have netting that reduces any incoming air-draft that the constantly-running fan could induce.

Local Italian stores told me they did not stock evaporative coolers as they are ineffective in the area and that they are only suitable with low humidity climates such as desert regions, not our lagoon one. I had already known they are popular in the dry, higher altitude US states where they are known as 'Swamp Coolers'.

Then a few years ago during the winter layup period, a local Swiss retailer (Bauhaus) had a special offer for an evaporative cooler that would fit under the table opposite to the companionway, which was cheap enough to take a chance on (ca. €200). It was a well-made unit with remote control and different fan speeds ... I had high hopes traveling down to Italy the next April to install it.

It fitted neatly into the boat and seemed to work as intended, but as the summer progressed I found it did not help at all. By comparative testing I found the cooling unit would indeed lower the >35°C cabin temperatures .... by an average of 2°C. However, on balance, the extra humidity it generated made the discomfort level more, not less. After a month's trial the unit was placed next to the nearest marina rubbish bin; it disappeared within an hour."​

 

[Sooty Dog]

Barnac1e, Thanks for the info, that's just what i needed to make a final decision. I knew the evaporative units effectiveness was dependant on local humidity but first hand experience is invaluable.

 

[steveallan]

Hi we used a a free standing unit we bought in Fetyhe about 6 years ago. Takes about 800W and provides about 2KW of cooling. Only used it in marinas or ports with electric available.
Great buy kept the middle, cabin heads and fore cabin cool and dry. Cost about £150. Have just replaced it with similar unit in Spain at a cost of 209 euro. When we bought it in Fethye the temps were in the mid forties with 90% + humidity. We had about 32% in the middle of the boat and significantly less humidity. With similar results elsewhere in the Med. Boat is a Colvic Victor 34. We rap towels around the exhaust outlet to reduce the radiant heat.

 

[Portofino]

I'm looking at all possibilities. I've spent many years in the Med both as a professional skipper and with my own boats and have considerable experience of sleepless nights anchored or tied into cozy windless creeks. On the big motor yachts I had the luxury of two large generators and multiple air-con systems now in my advancing years I want a little luxury on my own modest boat. Something that has low start up amps that can be run of a 2Kw or 2.6Kw 'suitcase' gennie would help to cool the boat for a couple of hours before turning in. An evaporator unit is not something I have any experience of, would be interested to hear from someone who uses one.

My boat ( Itama motor ) came without Aircon .Its previous life was a Capri hotel taxi/ trip boat .
It had a small 3,5 kw Mase geny for 220 v .
I also wanted silent Aircon, so we could run it at night when at the dock with shore power
Fed up with noisey units “ marinair “ on the previous Sunseeker .
So we took advice .- Actually from Sunseeker France .
They put me intouch with a guy who was retro fitting Frigomar gear into Sunseeker for the noise issue ,and lower power demands - so can run on a smaller geny at night .

We ended up with retrofitting Frigomar chiller + 3 air handlers.
They do self contained for smaller boats .
2 reasons
1 - v low power requirements as we only have a 3.5 kw geny
2- - silent
It’s uses a brushless D.C. compressor motor —- see the link ,
Very satisfied btw
http://www.frigomar.com/en/products...hiller-inverter-dc-technology-advantages.html

 

[KellysEye]

We fitted an air conditioner in the southern Caribbean where the temperature is typically 35C, we used it in marinas on shore power. It was fitted over a hatch and I taped a short piece of cardboard to the middle of the AC unit and did a 90 degree bend on longer bit into the cabin that separated the hot air going out and the cool air coming in.

 

[temptress]

Here in South East Assia it is quite common to have AC.

The best option is considered to be to fit a proper water cooled unit ducted around the boat but this expensive and difficult to retrofit.

Many yachts have either small hatch mounted units or stand alone units ducted out of a hatch. Both are readily available and only a few hundred dollars locally.

The cooler only things are generally considered to be not wortb it. Invest in some decent silent 12/24v fans.

On ToD we have a 1. 8kw free standing unit that cools the boat down even in 40 deg outside temperatures. The boat can get cold inside and occasionally too cold....

As for power, we use it connected to shorepower or occasionally a Honda 2kw petrol generator.

Usually at anchor the camfro silent fans keep us cool with the hatches open. We have rain covers over the hatches at anchor.