I have a H49 that was originally from SoCal so the temps were reasonable, so the original owners did not opt for AC, the boat is now in Houston which has a little more heat in the summer. I am in the process of seeing what it would take to install AC in the boat. The wiring, plumbing (not including through hulls) and air conduit are already in place on the boat, thanks to Hunter. One of the issues I have run into, how are the AC vents attached to the conduit? Is the conduit strong enough to be able to use screws? What size are the vents (assuming 2-inch)? I assume the vents were optimized for the size of the conduit, would anyone change the vent sizes or shape?
Air Conditioner Vents
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This is going to be challenging
You will need to remove all the headliner material for a start
Are you saying that all of the overhead piping is installed? I’m not sure how you’d verify this?
The hunter overhead airco system was a marvellous design. I can’t imagine anyone ordering this boat, and paying for piping, but not the actual system.
Your best bet is to pay for some consulting time from the sbo team who know how this was built.
Different model boat, but ours came with dual MarineAir sea water heat pumps, which work great. We've never used the cool side, but the heat side comes in handy during the winter while connected to shore power. Main/forward cabins have a 15K BTU heat pump installed inside the main cabin starboard settee and the aft cabin has a 9K BTU unit beneath the double berth. A Little Giant sea water pump supplies both units from a single through hull and strainer. All four inch fresh air ducting was installed through various cabinets, lockers and bulkheads starboard side with two different sized registers; 4" X 8" and 4" X 4". Both units running consume about 20AH, but we usually run only one at a time. The system discharges sea water through two above-the-waterline through hulls; one forward starboard side and the other aft port side.
We just had ac put in our 2004 36ft last year. Kept the same size ducts. Dometic AC/heat unit.
Cools the boat down quickly and looks like it has been installed forever.
wp
Cools the boat down quickly and looks like it has been installed forever.
wp
I have a 356 (very similar) with AC and ducting in salon and v-berth. The aft cabin has a 4 inch round vent in the standing locker with NO Ducting behind it! Anyone know how it was supposed to run from the AC under the aft salon bench?
Pulled the surrounds for the large "eyebrow" window. You can see the conduit in place.
The thing that is going to be painful is cutting a hole in the liner, the first one is going to be interesting to do.
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Thanks Jim that is exactly what I needed.
The main cabin one is not that bad. Remove the table, then the sole under the table and it has a premade spot for it. The wires are already in place as is the piping for the water. Pump goes in with the through hulls.
am assuming since these were mass production boats that they came ready to go for add on features.
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My 356 did not come with AC originally, but the aft ducting was already ran in mine. It comes out of a hole near the fridge compressor and the other end was coiled up under the hanging locker in the aft cabin. Try checking under the removeable panel at the bottom of the closet to see if it might be in there.
The page from the owners manual attached shows where the ductwork is ran from the factory. My boat only had the duct in place aft of the transition box/splitter.
Attachments
I have attached some pictures of the salon a/c with the floor opened up ready for a/c removal. When I owned my Hunter 50, I had to replace all 3 a/c units. Originally Marvair. I replaced with Webesto units, which I feel are superior to other units on the market based on performance, price & warranty. Although the Webesto units are made in China, I was pleased with them. I replaced the aft cabin unit in 2016 and was working well in 2022.
I think it would be helpful if someone could take some pictures of the flexible ducts which would help to explain how it runs. The one for the salon runs from the a/c unit, forward under the floor and then up through a chase next to the door in the forward cabin. To access, remove the panel held in by some screws. The salon a/c was 16,000 BTU's, but I would get the largest that will fit under the floor. During the day, with the sun beating down, you will need all you can get in Houston or Florida!
For the forward & aft cabins, 8,000 BTU's will work fine. The forward cabin will be the easiest to install, in my opinion.
Also, some pictures of the a/c pump & piping manifold would be helpful.
Good luck!
Son of a gun. There it was. Also a cutout with insert to run it up into the cabinet. No cutout for the upper shelf just below the louvers, but that's a relatively small mystery by comparison. Boat designers must be a bit twisted,.
This photo is helpful, but I reiterate that putting in all of the ceiling vents, etc., will be a very challenging job. My humble opinion is that you’d want to hire a pro for this. You’ll need lots of photos, etc, from a 49 that has an existing system.
You’ll also need to confirm how much of the piping that hunter actually installed
There is also the major issue of the water cooling. You’ll need 4 through hulls drilled, valves, etc
Then there is the wiring.
It’s complicated
There is a central relay system that controls pump action based on which cabin is being used.
This is a big job. I wouid not reccomend to learn on this.
Sorry to be the prophet of doom. ..,
but, here’s your next problem
I fully expect that hunter drilled all the conduit holes once the piping was in place from a template.
Then, what they would have done is plunge a hole with a very sharp knife at each (approximate ) hole location, and use the piping holes as their guide.
Well, that’s not going to work for you.
You can’t run a hole saw through the fabric.
You will need to take the ceiling material down, drill the pipes, and go from there.
Unless….
By some miracle the holes are already in the conduits.
You should pay for a consult on SBO on this point