H37C Air-Conditioning

Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
To answer a question about where to locate an A/C unit on the H37C here is what I did. Others can tack on with their installs. I don't think there was ever a factory install but someone may have other information.
As seen in the pictures I installed mine as Paul suggests, in the quarterberth cabinet. This is a 12K Mermaid but I sized a 16K and it will fit. I wasn't willing to give up storage space for ducts so it just blows into the main cabin under the nav table.
The pump and intake filter are located in the aft bilge section. I installed a T-valve on the engine water seacock so that I didn't have to put another hole in the bottom. This has worked well for fifteen years. When I had the boat in Florida I could definitely have used 16K. Here on Lake Erie the 12K is adequate.

Ladylove.Mermaid.JPG Ladylove.AC.Outlet.JPG Bilge2a.JPG
 
Jun 8, 2004
994
C&C Frigate 36 St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia
When I purchased my boat in Rock Hall MD, it came with one of those Cruiseair units that you position on top of a hatch. I never tried it but I am sure it worked pretty well as long as you were tied up at a dock with shore power. Instead, I sold it and purchased a Force 10 bulkhead heater, which I have used A LOT. Maybe if I ever get the boat to warmer climes, I will have to rethink the climate control design...
 
Oct 25, 2011
34
Hunter 37 Cutter Yankton SD
Thinking about your setup Ed with a 16000 mermaid, the wife is worried about it being too warm in the v berth at night with no vent fed up there. My Hunter 30 had a mermaid 12000 in port settee with vent run behind bathroom to the v-berth, worked well, that's a long run for me to attempt to run a small duct up to the V-berth on the 37.
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
But you can do it. It's long but goes behind the port settee, under the vanity sink, and through the hanging closet. I just use a box fan sitting on the floor by the mast if it is really bad.
 
Mar 5, 2012
152
Hunter 37-cutter Saint Augustine
Hello Ed. I install my ac under the vanity sink and diverted air to the cabin via the closet the other went stright up to the cabin bulkhead.another was diverted to back of port settie. now I had a 16,000 btu unit but was hit by lightning and blew out. so I got an 18.500 btu unit costom made by ocean breeze. my dicison was made because the old unit was 17 years old and still working.they were very helpful and very satisfied with there product.we live in florida and it gets to 90th in the summer sometimes. I would like to put a y in the back to put air in the back cabin though
 
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Jun 5, 2010
1,107
Hunter 25 Burlington NJ
First time I installed marine air-conditioning in an older Cherubini 44 it took 3 weeks. It was a nightmare working around other restorers and so many bulkheads and partitions. Only place the compressor/distribution unit would fit was under the sink. It was awkward and overly complex.

Second time - in a new-build boat - it took 3 hours. One learns, you know.:banghead:

We specified 16k BTU for the C44. It's helpful to have the entire system located to one side - mount the compressor behind the quarter berth, run 6" hose forward under or above it, have exits and proportionate downsizing of service ducts till you get to the forward compartment. Choose the side on which the head is (port-?) and have service to every compartment. The 6" hole saw becomes your friend. :dancing:

Your other friend is insulation. Anywhere you can insulate the hull sides and underside of the cabintop, you will reduce AC run time and reduce the necessary capacity of the compressor. Foil-wrapped bubble wrap works well. Foil-wrapped foam construction board works better. Paint the inside a dark color and have the foil facing out. This is only more important for boats with dark-colored topsides. Color-based thermodynamics really is a thing!:waycool:

Any system that's meant for 'plug-and-play' (coming with precharged lines) is priceless. Prefer this over any system you have to charge yourself.

PAR and Johnson Pump make excellent pumps for marine AC that are meant to run all the time. They're made of high-quality plastic so there's no bronze, stainless and brass in the system to expedite corrosion and to worry you (remember the cooling pump must be located below the waterline, to keep it flooded. Do not omit the seacock). These might be very good alternatives to the highly-polished and highly-expensive Cal pumps, typically used for garden fountains and ponds, that most marine-air contractors and suppliers call for. They're also way cheaper. :wink:
 
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sailnc

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Sep 6, 2014
30
Hunter 37C New Bern, NC
Ours (on a new-to-us 37C) is installed with the compressor unit under the galley sink, and the air handler is under the starboard settee. The air intake is on the face of the settee, and the air output is on the end of the sink cabinet.
It looks like a very tight install and quite difficult to access so I'm not very familiar with it beyond that.

Not sure if this was a factory install or aftermarket. Anyone else have a similar installation? I don't know the make/model, will check next time I'm down at the boat.

While on the subject, I noticed after running it on an extremely humid hot day, some water leaking out from under the galley sink cabinet. I'm assuming it is condensation. Is there normally a drain hose to the bilge to handle this? I didn't find anything, but maybe I didn't look hard enough. I'm afraid it's going to discolor the teak&holly flooring; I already saw some minor signs of that.
Tom
 
Mar 5, 2012
152
Hunter 37-cutter Saint Augustine
sometimes the evaporator pan has a drain spigot on the end to fit a drain hose.all ac have to drain water that condenses on the evaporator that is the air handlers if not were is it leaking to ? you dont want it to get on the floor or any wood it would cause root. if not make one !
 
Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Yes, you need to see what is attached to the evaporator pan to divert the condensation. I installed a device called a "condensator" which is a venturi valve that sucks the water out of the pan and overboard rather than let it go into the bilge. It installs in the output hose with a small tube connected to the pan.