Looking for some information on adding Air to a 1992 33.5 Hunter.
1. What size unit will it take to cool a 33 footer ?
2. Where is the best place for the components ?
Thanks
Don't forget an a/c vent in the head if possible.
Copied from previous postings I have made ....Thought re-posting this for you may help you in deciding what is best to do for you and avoid any mistakes.
FYI..Undate.....Started with 16,500btu cruise arrr....when boat was new. It die after about 5 years. Why it died so soon, well that is another story."Hint" make sure when you by a brand new boat that the unit the factory installs is actually a new unit. There that's all I gonna say!
When I replaced the cruise arrr I found a used 16,500 from the mermaid factory refurbish back to new condition. Before the cruise arrr died the year before I found a new returned 5200btu that the mermaid factory had checked out and re-listed on eBay at almost 1/2 price. I installed it in the forward cabin. Shortly after I got the 16500btu mermaid replacement , found another 5200btu same way and snatched it up. What I have was created over a period of time and on a budget.
Okay read the rest.....
RR
On my H356. I have a 16.500btu under settee in front of gallery sink ducted for main saloon and forward cabin and then I installed a 5200btu. next to it under the starboard settee. That way I could utilized factory ducting to aft cabin which then feeds around under aft bunk to head. Under v-berth forward locker port side another 5200btu with duct going going up back side of port closet locker to a distribution box with a 4" round adjustable dampener to forward cabin and then a small rectangular vent to main saloon port side. All mermaids are using separate little giant raw water pumps. And can operate independently of each other. So now I have lots of redundancy and options for keeping cool down here in the republic of Texas on Galveston bay.
I got several of my pumps from here.
http://search.aquaticeco.com/index?D=little+gaint&Nty=1&N=0&Dk=0&Ntt=little+gaint
A Good source while shopping around. Or you can check out eBay.
Reason I like little giant is one of my pumps as been faithfully doing its job for about 12 years. Make sure you pick out the model for use on saltwater aquariums. Also pick the largest pump your budget can go. The 12 yr old model I have will suck the chrome off a Buick!
Also do not forget to install a venturi at the a/c discharge sea-cock.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/1546/Turbo-Venturi-Injectors
This will keep the a/c pan sucked dry. Or let the pan drain to bilge and then put the suction hose in bilge. Tryed it both ways, finally settled in on pan option.
Rick thanks for asking. Never had a problem....All 3 a/c Discharge fittings are at least 10 to 12"s above the water line. There is a proper sea-cock on each fitting. Just looped the small suction tube about 12"s or so above sea-cock. Keep in mind the a/c discharge is only under water when boat is heeled over and at that point we are doing at least 5 knots. Have you ever sailed a small day-sailor with a self bailing cockpit. Same principle works here. Also when heeled the main a/c unit is at the higher point. Now the smaller unit is not, it is under the starboard settee and is right next to hull. It was the one I was a little concern about, but so far no issues. Both the discharge fittings are at the max beam of vessel. The 3rd unit is in forward cabin under v-berth to port side it sits a bit higher. I believe the pan is at water line. The discharge for it is right next to unit. I get great suction when units are running and when sailing as the boat is moving along. The only time water could come back up the tube is if I had a knock down. At that point there are bigger problems. I would recommend you handle and take care of how you install this venturi pipe. The plastic is supposed to be pretty strong but it does not hurt to use reasonable care that it is in a safe location along the hull. It would be nice if it was made of better plastic. What is really nice for me is with the male and female threads the piece threads right in to the sea-cock and the other end threads right to the fitting on the hose. Can be remove and put back in,in about 5 minutes. I have had some thought about glassing over the fitting and reinforcing it. But have found it not necessary. Mine have been in use for above 3 to 4 years now and have not shown any signs of cracking. Other then that they work fantastic. Some of my neighbors have gone this way. One neighbor set their boat up this way after they had to spend big bucks replacing a portion of there cabin sole because of the a/c.
