HUNTER 40.5 Air Conditioner

Rick D · Sep 15, 2009

Re: HUNTER 40.5 Air Conditioner Question

A friend tells me his is under the aft berth and one of the drawers was sacrificed. Couldn't tell you the BTU.

Don S/V ILLusion · Sep 15, 2009

Under the aft berth - will fit up to a 16K BTU Cabin Mate. The duct work from there will sacrifice the drawer and part of both port locker spaces. Alternatively, it could go into one of the aft cabin port lockers eliminating that part of the duct work at the sacrifice of one entire locker.

Rick Sylvester · Sep 15, 2009

I'd highly recommend passing on the ducks

The quacking will drive you nuts

Rich Stidger · Sep 15, 2009

Mike,

I have a 1997 with factory air in the main salon and in the aft cabin. The aft cabin has a 5K Marine Air and it is located under the berth on the port side. The intake duct is on the riser and the output duct is in the riser at the center. I will take a couple pictures later this week and post them for you.

If there was a drawer for boats without the A/C, I know nothing about that, but I can see where there would be room for one. My installation does not use any space in the port-side hanging lockers.

David Knauer · Sep 16, 2009

A/C installation

I am interested in this subject as I intend to install A/C in my 93, 40.5 next summer. My most present problem is that I would like to install a thru-hull when I haul out this winter. Specifically, I would be interested in how and where the ducts were installed in different installations. Can someone speak to the electrical requirements with two units? Can someone recommend one unit over another? How about drawbacks to various systems and duct routing? I would think that if you have a single unit like Mike G. you would have to give up some stowage space in the galley area to duct to the aft cabin.
Well, anything you all might add would be appreciated.
Thanks
David

kebr · Sep 16, 2009

I am interested in this subject too. I would like to install a unit within the next year. I have an unused thru-hull fitting in the bilge (no idea why it is there, but saves me one step). I would like to install the unit close to it. I am struggling with how to install the duct. I had a hard time running new instrument cable and don't really see how to run 4" duct throughout the boat. Any help would appreciated too. Thanks.

Ken

Rich Stidger · Sep 17, 2009

Pictures of the factory installation for the aft A/C

As promised- Here are the pictures of the aft A/C.

One of the pictures below is of the A/C unit looking forward from inside the compartment.

Rich Stidger · Sep 17, 2009

Pictures of the factory installation for the main salon A/C

This A/C supplies air to the main salon from the grille over the vertical wine rack, and to the vee berth via a hose routed behind the U-shaped seat and under the forward head's sink.

The last two pictures show the keel area where the A/C water thru-hull and strainer is located. Also the water pump.

kebr · Sep 17, 2009

The pictures are great. Thanks for taking the time to take then and post them. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Those pictures clear up most of the questions that I wondering about. Looks like a very nice installation.

Ken

David Knauer · Sep 18, 2009

Rich,
Thanks for the pictures. The big revelation for me was the location of the seawater intake. On my boat, directly under the A/C unit is a movable panel which must be removed for access to my starting battery. I suppose the panel could be cut to eliminate this problem. I also have a compressor for my frig/freezer (I forget which) in that area which might have to be relocated to install the A/Cl. As for the routing of the ducts, it's good to know that one can be sent up to the V berth under the head sink. The rest I kinda figured out. The one by the wine rack was how I had it figured. To route to the aft cabin you have to go under the cabinets. The admiral uses this area for storage of containers and dishes. Oh well! I would love to see a photo of Mike G's install of the duct under the cabinets running aft.
One more idea that I'd like to throw out. I talked to a factory rep for Cruise Air who said he did an A/C install on a 40.5. He installed a split system with the compressor in the port side of the aft cabin. The air handler was placed under the companionway steps and boxed in with new cabinetry. It had a large vent into the main cabin and smaller ones into the head (on owners version) and aft cabins.
One other thing. Does the install of two A/C units require a change in house shore power?
Dave

Don S/V ILLusion · Sep 18, 2009

rich
Much more elegant setup than mine. One q - how do you get at the bilge pump?

Rich Stidger · Sep 18, 2009

David Knauer said:
Rich,
On my boat, directly under the A/C unit is a movable panel which must be removed for access to my starting battery. I suppose the panel could be cut to eliminate this problem.

<snip>

One more idea that I'd like to throw out. I talked to a factory rep for Cruise Air who said he did an A/C install on a 40.5. He installed a split system with the compressor in the port side of the aft cabin. The air handler was placed under the companionway steps and boxed in with new cabinetry. It had a large vent into the main cabin and smaller ones into the head (on owners version) and aft cabins.
One other thing. Does the install of two A/C units require a change in house shore power?
Dave

Dave,

I have the same sliding floor board for access to my starting battery. It presents no problem with the A/C.

Interesting idea for locating the evaporator and blower under the companionway ladder. Blowing back into the aft cabin would probably require down-sizing the mirror on the front wall of the aft berth.

Regarding the shore power- Yes, the factory put a separate 30A shore power connector next to the main connector. This second shore connector is dedicated to the A/C units. There is also a power control panel located just above the main panel for the A/C power.

See pix below-

Rich Stidger · Sep 18, 2009

Bilge pump access

Don S/V ILLusion said:
rich
Much more elegant setup than mine. One q - how do you get at the bilge pump?

Don,

The bilge pump and it's float switch are mounted on a piece of plastic "C" channel that has an overall "L" shape. You can grab the top of the "L" and pull the entire pump and switch to the top of the keel bilge.

Also I mounted my Hi-Water alarm float switch to the vertical arm of this assembly. This is the switch that you see; the main bilge pump float switch is below and at the same level as the pump base.

See below-

Don S/V ILLusion · Sep 18, 2009

Rich
Mine is the same. It appeared in one of your previous pics you had the raw water filters for both the A/C and engine in the keel sump limiting access. Thanks

Ron McCoy · Sep 18, 2009

The AC unit should have its own dedicated breaker (30 amp) off the 120 VAC panel. Wiring from the AC unit attaches to the load side of this breaker. Good stuff from the others above. My AC unit runs like a champ. Easy access to thruhulls, pipe, plumbing and ducts. Have fun on your project.

HUNTER 40.5 Air Conditioner

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