Anybody tried any AC small units ?

[Refueler]

I know most are rubbish ... but there are various 12v small AC or Coolers you can get for campers etc.

Anyone brave enough to admit and tell about their experience with any ?

 

[Daverw]

I did try one a few years ago, very power hungry and never working that well, as a refrigeration engineer found the designs not very efficient or robust

 

[[199490]]

I’m going to be on the lookout later in the year for something that can be poked out the hatch in the forward cabin at night.

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

Had a full 240v one in a shed-room worked really well.

If it can't vent the heat outside, then obviously the heat isn't lost.

That said the water spray stuff is effective for the people in an open space.

 

[Slowboat35]

I have a mains portable unit the size of the very largest upright wheelie-suitcase and it's stated thermal output is 1000w. I can't find its current draw. In the hottest of English summer it manages to reduce the temp in a 22sq.m. room by a few degrees and can eventually be dialled down to partial power.
To put it into perspective this 'Challenge 5K' unit for sale on t'iintetnet https://www.amazon.co.uk/Challenge-...07FJQJ1PK/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 quotes stats of

• Output 5000BTU.
• Suitable for room size up to 7~10m
• 680w (from the Argos website)

It's about the smallest available...
Heaven alone knows what 5000BTU means in relatable terms but a room of 7-10sq m is pretty small domestically but probably modest boat sized.

Now check out the stats for this 12v unit....

PRODUCT CODE:	C6301
Manufacturers Part code:	AC0122-300
MANUFACTURER:	Airva
Operating voltage - V:	12
Cooling capacity - Watts / BTU:	3500 / 11,950
Current consumption when cooling / heating - Amps at 12V:	80
Power consumption when cooling / heating - Watts:	960 Watts
Dimensions of roof unit (L x W x H) - mm :	720 x 480 x 250
Dimensions of ceiling unit (L x W x H) - mm :	300 x 400 x 60
Required roof opening - mm:	300 x 360
Low voltage protection:	Yes
Product Net KG:	27
Warranty - years:	2
weight:	27

Some years ago istr there was a mains unit available designed to fit over an open hatch but they were costly, bulky to store and noisy for both you and your neighbours and unless you ran a genny (and annoy even more people even more) it was marina use only.

12v is fundamentaly unsuitable for such heavy power applications.

 

[lustyd]

The two are roughly analagous

No they aren't, AC is a heat pump so it's massively more efficient than a heater. In winter you're trying to make a temperature difference of potentially 0 outdoors to 23 degrees indoors while in summer you might be trying to take 30 down to 22. This means the temperature gradient, and therefore heat transfer will be smaller with AC in the summer so it only has to work half as hard to maintain temperature.

 

[lustyd]

Emily and Clark have one that seems to work well.

 

[Refueler]

I have a mains powere unit by my desk ... it has a 2ltr water tank ... you put a Icepack (those blue camping thingys) in the water ... it has Fan variable speed and cooling on / off .. the cooling being a water pump that circulates from / to the water tank. It has no heating capability .. just fan / cooling.

Enero
75W
60 high x 25 wide x 26 deep

Works a treat but need keep changing the ice pack. If just water - it still helps ... in a room 5m x 5m

Cost me about 60e in local supermarket.

But its too big for the boat and I am looking at the USB / 12v mini versions ...

Its not so much for overnight or serious AC .. just to drop the temp a bit - as we all find (those without AC) - cabins can be saunas unti you get hatches open ..

 

[Refueler]

Emily and Clark have one that seems to work well.

I watched that quite a while back .... but that's way more than I am considering ...

 

[lustyd]

Yes thought that might be the case, but worth knowing what's out there and possible so thought I'd link it anyway

 

[fredrussell]

I’m not a heat person and I find the biggest difference you can make for the leastest outlay in amps is a fan. I know that’s stating the obvious, and apols for thread drift. The Caframo 12v ones have a great output for very little leccy demand. They do ridiculously expensive ones, but the basic model one I bought for £70 is wonderful and very energy thrifty.

 

[Neeves]

Forward hatch, wind scoop, fly screen (if necessary), and hatch open in stern to engender a through draft and anchorage with not too much shelter from wind - seems to work in the Whitsundays.

If its the height of the tropical summer - your insurance will not cover you for cyclone damage and you should be sailing somewhere cooler (save the tropics for the winter - ie, in Oz, now).

 

[rotrax]

Mixed opinions on 12v AC from across the pond. Those with massive solar or a big generator seem happy. Without that, not happy, too power hungry.

 

[Neeves]

If you are really hot headed try this - caravan supplier - sort of thing

EcoFlow WAVE 2 Portable Air Conditioner

Comfort comes at a significant cost (prices are A$ with 2A$ = about 1stg)

 

[wonkywinch]

 

[Refueler]

I’m not a heat person and I find the biggest difference you can make for the leastest outlay in amps is a fan. I know that’s stating the obvious, and apols for thread drift. The Caframo 12v ones have a great output for very little leccy demand. They do ridiculously expensive ones, but the basic model one I bought for £70 is wonderful and very energy thrifty.

My 25ftr has a cheapo car dash fan from market ... cost about a fiver ... it not only has 2 speed but swings side to side ... suction cup to window ...

Absolute god send when cooking ..

 

[rogerthebodger]

I fitted a mains water cooled AC system on my boat located in the tropics

When I speak about water cooled, I mean a system that uses water to cool the condenser not the evaporative type that are useless in the humidity of the tropics

With fans that are bigger than the small type of the noise is much lower due to the lower air speed and more efficient heat transfer

 

[fredrussell]

My 25ftr has a cheapo car dash fan from market ... cost about a fiver ... it not only has 2 speed but swings side to side ... suction cup to window ...

Absolute god send when cooking ..

Yep, had one of those. The caframo output is higher for less watts (7w vs 25w) down, I think, to brushless motor and odd shaped (deep) fan blades.

 

[Iliade]

Edit - Ignore all this, I missed the 12v part of the original question -

We have the smallest one of these on our 7m Moho: https://www.houghtonleisure.com/files/7388-2000-01V2Belaire H2400 20.10.22.pdf

It just about coped with Italian summer temperatures (>>45º), so long as the sunscreens were in place. It also gives a good background heat so long as it isn't too cold outside.