Has anyone tried/used an "ice chest air conditioner ?

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abk

abk

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Aug 9, 2007
203
Hunter H 26 Somers Point, NJ
I am getting mixed reviews on the portable air conditioners that need to be vented... Most say they are inadequate...

Have you seen, used, or heard anything about a ice chest cooler with fans on top?

I imagine they wouldn't really cool a cabin. Probably a great source for mixed drinks though!
 
Clark

Clark

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Jun 30, 2004
886
Hunter 280 Lake Guntersville, AL
One of the main benefits of A/C is that it removes moisture from the air. An ice chest cooler would actually add moisture = not a good solution for boating IMHO. Now for the desert SW it might be awesome :)
 
philwsailz

philwsailz

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Dec 11, 2008
1,338
catalina C27 stillwater
You can use the ice as a cold source, and pump antifreeze through a coil of copper tubing in the ice, or pump the melt water directly. Pump the liquid through a heater core or radiator and blow air through with a fan.

You will chill the air enough that you will get condensation at your heater core or radiator. This system mimics AC in many large buildings where they pump chilled water for cooling.

I have seen it employed on one boat and it worked well for him. It was a heavily insulated 21' aluminum outboard cruiser. I think he used 20 bags of ice for cooling each weekend. You will go through a lot of ice....

Don't waste your time with systems that blow air over the ice. That won't do it.

Consider a window AC unit permanently installed. I just put in a 5K BTU unit in my boat and today found a very small 8K BTU unit. If you have a bulkhead between cabin and a cockpit lazarette consider punching a hole there in the bulkhead. Find my install under the Catalina Mid Size Boats area under C17 refit / refurb.

Hope that gives you some ideas...
 
B

Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,174
CC 30 South Florida
Your best bet is a 5k window unit set in the companionway. Yes you will have to climb over it to get from cockpit to cabin and remove it when going sailing but it will allow you you to sleep in comfort. We carried one on a 10 day trip on a trailerable 22 and would not do without it.
 
Merlin Clark

Merlin Clark

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Oct 26, 2005
2,057
- - Satellite Beach, FL.
I actually made one of these and ran it in my daughters hardtop Wrangler for about 2.5 hours on a bag of 7-11 ice. It worked, not great but it was summer here and middle of the day. I don't remember how much it dropped the temp in the Jeep but it was livable inside. With more ice it would work longer and better.
I used an old cheap igloo, a piece of 1/2 blue insulation foam, (yard sale) 12v clip on fan and 2 PVC elbows as supply (exit) ducts (checked the garage and I still have the top- pic below).
I think the system Phil describes with a coil of copper in the chilled liquid and a car heater core would be much better AND if it were a closed system, you could plumb it to the boat's ice box. You'd need a small, low volume pump to circulate the water.
There are store bought versions of this built on a cooler. http://www.iceandplug.com/html/index.html
 

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