I have 2 ac units on this Catalina 2008 16000 BTU under V Berth and 7000 BTU in aft closet. The AC Coil in the V Berth that has been protected with a filter(always clean) has become totally degraded; when I take a vacuum and a brush to clean, it isn’t dirt that is coming off the fins, it is metal debris from same; I can’t even imagine how the ac is even able to cool. Anyway, being that the unit is 9 years old, I don’t trust it and want to replace. The problem unit is the 16000 BTU in the forward V Berth The unit that is in there is a Marvair SeaMach; I can’t begin to figure out how the hell they got it in there or how to get it out and how I can install a new like and kind. Any suggestions from my fellow Catalina owners. Thanks Charlie Knupp sailboat DAFFY Fort Lauderdale FL
Category Archives: Air Conditioning
Air Conditioning
Photos from S/V Another Road:
Angel’s Wings #140:
I have been very happy with my 16000 btu unit by Ocean Breeze in Stuart, FL. It has a radiant heat side that doesn’t need to be winterized, so we can visit the boat in the winter. AC unit runs with a Honda 2000.
Earl Poe
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While Warren went for a cost effective approach, we live in Florida. After our 16k unit dies, we replaced it with a Marine Air 18k unit in the storage locker in front of the galley. With a main duct in the saloon, we have duct work running to both the forward and aft cabins. We have a separate thru hull for the water input and use a condensator for the output which keeps the bilge dry.
By adding a smart start, which eliminate the large start up spike, we can also run our unit
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Where do you store your Honda?
The following are suggestions for where to store and run your Honda generator:
I use my Honda 2000 in the same way as everyone else, but store it differently. I made a starboard shelf that i attached to the starboard aft locker lid. I replaced the existing hinge screws with longer ones to secure the shelf with no additional holes if it did’t work. I keep it attached with a bicycle cable lock to the back stay and the railing. I run it in the same position. No fumes and less noise inside the boat. It doesn’t budge in rough weather.
This is the generator sitting in place ( taken yesterday from my dink in B.I.) You can see the bicycle cable that holds it in place. The shelf (next email picture) was made from a scrap of starboard that I had. It was not quite wide enough so I
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Honda Generator vs CruiseAir AC – 387
The Honda 2000 generator has gotten a lot of discussion on the site particularly as it pertains to powering the boat’s AC units. I wrote a previous post describing my early experiences with this and gave mixed reviews. I had no problem powering the stern AC unit but did have difficulties with the 16,000 BTU main unit.
This year, I installed a Dometic SmartStart to the system and have had no issues running the main AC unit now. http://www.dometic.com/enie/Europe/Russia/Products/Marine/Marine-Leisure/SmartStart-Soft-Starter/
The SmartStart lessens the initial amp draw of the AC unit as it starts up. I give this solution a strong recommendation if you expect the Honda to power a large AC unit.
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Installing A/C in a 380
I just finished installing A/C in my friend’s 380 (I already have it) and this is what I did:
Webasto 16k unit is mounted under the settee just fwd of the galley sink. This is about the only place a 12k or higher unit will fit. I used the existing thru-hull for the icebox pumpout as the intake, teed off the line just above the thru-hull and prior to the anti-siphon U mounted up behind the stove. The line off the tee goes under the galley floor transversely toward the bilge that is hidden under the screwed-down galley flooring. It then follows the bilge pump line fwd into the smaller accessible bilge adjacent to the settee. In that space I installed the water strainer so that if it ever needs to be opened/cleaned the water just spills into the bilge.
After the strainer it goes up through the liner floor
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AC Condensator
Hello all,
Has anyone installed a condensator on their AC unit. I have a 16000 Cruise Air with two handlers. The main AC is in the rear lazerette. The drain hose for the rear unit empties into the bilge aft of the main bilge. Water stays in their always because the drain hole is higher than the forward bilge. I would like to get the water out the boat so it doesn’t sit in the bilge. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Russell
Catalina 380 1997 #20
I had these installed in my units back when I used a/c. They worked great.
http://www.mmair.com/marine_division/accessories/mermaid_condensator
Chris
s/v MoonSail
1993 CM38cc #26
www.MoonSail.com
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Experience with Honda Generator
There has been considerable discussion recently on the use of a Honda 2000 generator to power AC units when not connected to shore power. Having just purchased one, here is my experience. Note that this was for a 387 with two CruiseAir AC units, a larger one for the main cabin and a smaller one for the stern cabin.
First, the generator had no problem running the stern AC unit. Unfortunately, the stern unit couldn’t deal with the whole boat when at anchor in the 90+ degree afternoon’s sun. We didn’t try it at night.
Second, the generator could run the larger AC unit as long as it was the first time you ran it that day. What you can’t do is to let the compressor stop and then restart it. That causes an overload on the generator.
(Updated: 8/19/2013 – I installed a Dometic SmartStart to the main AC
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Honda Generators – Discussion
Here is a discussion from members using Honda Generators:
We recently moved our Catalina/Morgan 380cc to South West Fl (Punta Gorda) from Long Island NY. When we lived on Long Island we only occasion ly needed air conditioning. This time of the year down here it is almost a necessity every night. The problem is it rains many nights down here as well. I am able to run the air with my Honda 2000 and I normally put the unit on the swim platform or up at the base of the mast when in use. So my question is can the Honda be exposed to a down pour or should it be covered. I know that some of you store the Honda at the mast, do you cover it and what do you do in the rain?
Thanks
Clint Stoddard of SuSea Q
Clint,
I store my Honda at the
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