Dometic Chilled Water Loop Temp

[mikesyam]

Morning All
Wondering if anyone knows what the loop temp should be when cooling mine never gets below 9c and by the time it blows out the vents it's only slightly cooler than the ambient air.
Thanks Mike

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

9degC sounds very cool to me. My Condaria (now Dometic) system shows around 11 degC when its stabilised. You could have one of 2 problems. Either the cooling loop has insufficient pressure. On my unit there is a pressure gauge and if the pressure is below a certain level there is a tap for adding water to the system and increasing the pressure. Or your air handling systems may not be working efficiently and that could be down to the filters on the air intakes being blocked. On my boat there is a foam type filter behind every intake which gets clogged with carpet fibres and other debris. It might be worth trying to clean the filters or simply replacing them. FYI the filters on my boat are quite delicate so you might need to be careful how you handle yours

 

[jrudge]

As Mike says filters make a huge huge difference

My s65 had a digital temp gauge showing flow and return temps. I assume you have the same. From memory this sat at about 8 degrees. The main indicator of efficiency is the difference between flow and return.

On the newer systems ( mine was 2014) you can also configure the low set temperature so what does it say?

Check the filters first. I do mine once a season in the cabins and twice in the saloon. The dust duvet is incredible

 

[MapisM]

9degC sounds very cool to me. My Condaria (now Dometic) system shows around 11 degC when its stabilised.

I'm afraid 9C is actually closer to the optimal value than your 11C, M - for a Condaria system, at least.
By sheer coincidence, I took the opportunity of the awfully hot and humid weather that we had down here in the last few days to thouroughly test the DP a/c system, also built by Condaria, and with exactly the same control panel as yours. So, aside from possibly being more powerful in your boat for size reasons, I suppose it's essentially the same system.
And among other things, I checked whether the 8C reported by the green LCD display was correct, and here's what the manual say about it:
"For a good operation, the thermometer should read 7 to 8C (summer) and 45C (winter) after 15-20 minutes"
Just for the records, it actually took a bit more than 20 mins in my boat to stabilize at 8C - probably more around 30 mins (I didn't check exactly). But as I said, the weather was bloody hot, and the same goes for the sea water inside the marina (26C)...

PS: if the filters in your fancoils are similar to the ones below, I had a couple of them brittle and in need of replacement.
I rang Condaria, who suggested to get in touch with their local dealer, who didn't have them on stock.
Long story short, eventually I found out that it's the same material used in the kitchens for extractor hoods (allegedly made with activated carbon to purify air). I bought a few sheets of them at a kitchen shop, cut them to measure and replaced the old one inside the metal frame.
Takes a bit of time and patience, but the result is perfect. And at a fraction of the cost of one filter I have now enough stuff to replace them all several times... :encouragement:

 

[Portofino]

That filter tip is handy -not 8uggered mine yet ,but come Close .
Water temp is 7 -9 indeed .Mines currently 7 -Frigomar -but principles the same

Just one more thing ck the pan drain is patent ( or any drain ) .
If they block the air handler shuts down -to stop producing more condensate .
Assuming you are gonna inspect the air handlers .
As Deleted User said -figure out where the water /pressure top up cock is .
It should be "hard wired " so to speak into your Dom cold water supply .
But you have to open it then turn on a tap -top it up -then close it all off .

Also basic ck if the cold pipes still are sufficiently insulated -cos if one or two run through a hot E room where the insulation become detached ,the contents will warm up a bit before hitting the air handler(s) -

 

[mikesyam]

Thanks for all the replies mines a 2006 so no user options, loop is charged to 20psi and i regularly clean the filters on the air handlers and actually blow through the coils with a compressor at the same time, Deleted User are you saying on the wall where there is a double vent and one blows out chilled air while the other pulls in the air from the room that there is a filter behind that outlet/inlet on the inlet side because ive never checked there.
Thanks Mike

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Deleted User are you saying on the wall where there is a double vent and one blows out chilled air while the other pulls in the air from the room that there is a filter behind that outlet/inlet on the inlet side because ive never checked there.

All I can tell you is how it is on my boat and previous Ferrettis I've owned. For each air handler there is an intake grille low down at floor level through which air is drawn to the air handler and then the cooled air is blown out through another outlet grille at high level. I'm guessing the intake grille is at floor level because of course cold air will fall to the floor. Behind that intake grille is a filter which as I say does need regular cleaning. I do all mine about once every 2 seasons and replace if/when they fall apart

On the other hand you may have an arrangement as in Mapism's photo in which the filter is actually on the air handler unit itself but either way somewhere in the air intake system there should be a filter

I have to say that I'm a bit doubtful that this is the cause of your problem because of course a blocked filter is going to cause a reduction in air volume rather than a reduction in cooled air temp but it might just be that due to a blocked filter, the air handler is drawing in warm air through gaps in the intake trunking rather than cooler air through the intake grille but its got to be worth checking

Another thing worth checking is putting your hand on the pipes feeding chilled water to the air handler. Are you actually getting chilled water to the air handler which is not giving you cooled air? Is there a valve in the system which is partially closed? And is there good insulation around those pipes?

Must admit I'm going to check my system after reading this thread because I was on the boat a few days ago and the controller was definitely displaying 11degC for the chilled water temp rather than 7 - 9degC as you and others have

 

[mikesyam]

Thanks for that yes I've done the ones on the air handlers and I did check the inns and out last year but I have forgotten the results so time to get the temp gun out again.
Many thanks for all the imputs.
Mike