Air Conditioning

[Portofino]

I know it's worth stating the obvious but....

1) A/C ducts can be quite bulky. Make sure that you your boat has the space to pass the ducts under the floor if you're trying to use one unit to cool multiple cabins.
2) You will need to have the boat lifted (and ideally blocked off) to have the new through hull fittings installed.
3) Decide whether you want your discharges above or below the w/l.
4) Make sure that the installers put a condensate drain into a shower sump or similar (not into the bilges as they did for mine). Nobody wants a load of stagnant water in their bilges.

Yes all fine nuances.
We ( installer ) placed our outlet above the WL , but only 5 cm at the transom under the platform .
Our old S/Skr was at one side and yes we did did knocks on the hull from yachties in crowded visitors berths because they did not have AC and consequently a side widow open .
All bar this outlet on my boat are below the WL btw .
It’s a nice tell tell when you approach , reassuring to hear all is well .

There’s a bit more flexibility with the centra chiller / air handler approach size wise as it’s only the usually smaller air handlers or a pair that need to fit into seat bases under bunks etc .Theses come in a multitude of sizes .Some very thin , not deep ones .
Where as a self contained the trad scroll compressor height sets the space requirements and theses are tall .

Of course the water pipes have to be configured to get to the slim / discrete air handlers .

So a part of the dithering which way to go it might be useful looking at the dims of prospects ( online ) and measuring the provisional spaces .
What’s gonna fit where might swing the choice or at least eliminate not starters .

Your problems gonna be a bit like this , asking a popular car dealer for a car and being supplied with a ford or Vauxhall.
As they only supply those and everyone else doesn’t mind .
This is despite requesting say needs to go over 180 mph or some other spec .
You have to find a “ car dealer “ that listens and goes out and finds that car .

The first two quotes in earlier post where for self contained units exactly what I requested NOT to have re noise from previous experience.
The two yards did surveys and prepared quotes and where 9issed off when I turned them down .
They did not listen .
“ This is what we always fit “
Feels like the same with folks suggesting cheaper easy to instal self contained .

D.C. inverter tech is streets ahead on so many levels .

 

[jrudge]

I suspect the main thing is if the boat has a place for a central chiller.

I have 2 stacked on top of each other in the ER and overall this is a large chunk of space.

I have no idea as to the cost difference, but it is clearly the better solution. My stand alone units on my T40 were actually not that noisy - but I looked at a Manhattan 50 ( which used about 5 of them) and the noise was unbelievable.

If the cost premium is not large and the OP has space then great. On a 45 foot boat there may not be spare space for the compressors. The install I imagine is similar as both require vents and either a chilled water loop or flow and return of sea water. I did see one boat this summer ( quite a big one) that must have had individual units and it looked like it was leaking as there was water shooting from various points in the boat which I assumed to be the sea water exit from the multitude of AC units and an installer who could not be bothered!c

 

[bigfoot]

Thanks for all the replies. Not sure if there will be enough space for a central chiller. It is aft cabin so spare engine room is limited and no lazarette.