Has anyone attempted this and how difficult would you rate it with 1 being the 2 beer job and 10 being a multi case event?Also,what was the most difficult part of the job? I am going to attempt this soon.I am not going to drill a new thru hull for the incoming water,I am planning and putting a Y on my toilet water intake.Any other ideas?This is on a 93 Hunter 28. Thanks
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Jim Wharton
10 beers + job
Hi Paul, This job might take a case or two. The main issue is where to install the unit. We have a 91 Hunter 30T and the best place was under the V berth in front of the water tank. If you You need to make sure the platform that the unit sits on is strong enough to handle the weight. Then you need to route the fresh water and ducting. This will take some time, but it's worth it. We have a 12K Mermaid and the unit works great!! The only issue is pump priming after taking the boat out for a sail. We got the Y value priming kit from Mermaid and have to use it every time we come in. If the pump doesn't prime the over heat relay on the unit pops, not much fun to reset.. Jim jim.wharton@fnc.fujitsu.com
Hi Paul, This job might take a case or two. The main issue is where to install the unit. We have a 91 Hunter 30T and the best place was under the V berth in front of the water tank. If you You need to make sure the platform that the unit sits on is strong enough to handle the weight. Then you need to route the fresh water and ducting. This will take some time, but it's worth it. We have a 12K Mermaid and the unit works great!! The only issue is pump priming after taking the boat out for a sail. We got the Y value priming kit from Mermaid and have to use it every time we come in. If the pump doesn't prime the over heat relay on the unit pops, not much fun to reset.. Jim jim.wharton@fnc.fujitsu.com
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John K Kudera
Figure 25-30
Hours to do the job, A tip: make a cardboard box the size of the unit, do a dry fit with the box, be sure to take in to account the size of the plenum and the ducts. also, a 4 inch hole is huge on a small boat! Check out the duct runs, they should be as straight as possible, as air flow is a factor for proper opperation of the unit. Also think of where the condensate is going to go,if you don't want that 4 to 5 gallons of water in the bilge on a hot muggy day, get the devise that eliminates the condensate with the waste water from the A/C unit. I also used a three way valve for my install, from the engine thru hull. Best of luck!
Hours to do the job, A tip: make a cardboard box the size of the unit, do a dry fit with the box, be sure to take in to account the size of the plenum and the ducts. also, a 4 inch hole is huge on a small boat! Check out the duct runs, they should be as straight as possible, as air flow is a factor for proper opperation of the unit. Also think of where the condensate is going to go,if you don't want that 4 to 5 gallons of water in the bilge on a hot muggy day, get the devise that eliminates the condensate with the waste water from the A/C unit. I also used a three way valve for my install, from the engine thru hull. Best of luck!
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Ed Schenck
No beer.
If I drank while installing my Mermaid I would be more broke than I am! And I did not run any ducts. The cardboard template is key as John points out. I spent too much time building a very secure shelf(think inverted). The electrical was a snap just a little wire routing time. I glassed some wood to the hull to mount the electrical box. The plumbing is something else in those tight spaces. For the outlet I went right through the bootstripe, real close to the unit. And I did 'T' in a condensator to the outlet hose, no pan overflow to the bilge. I also installed a 'T-valve' to the engine inlet for cooling water. From there to the strainer and then to the unit was hard. Problem with the head inlet is how do you flush with the A/C running? This was on an H37C where space is very limited. Best of luck.
If I drank while installing my Mermaid I would be more broke than I am! And I did not run any ducts. The cardboard template is key as John points out. I spent too much time building a very secure shelf(think inverted). The electrical was a snap just a little wire routing time. I glassed some wood to the hull to mount the electrical box. The plumbing is something else in those tight spaces. For the outlet I went right through the bootstripe, real close to the unit. And I did 'T' in a condensator to the outlet hose, no pan overflow to the bilge. I also installed a 'T-valve' to the engine inlet for cooling water. From there to the strainer and then to the unit was hard. Problem with the head inlet is how do you flush with the A/C running? This was on an H37C where space is very limited. Best of luck.
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Kirk
29.5
We bought a 1995 29.5 with it already installed. It is just aft of the mast post under the seat. There is a separate thru hull. Depending on where you are sailing, I would highly recommend paying the additional $100 for the heating component which would also help in resale. It doesn't look too hard to install. Good Luck-enjoy the cool breezes!
We bought a 1995 29.5 with it already installed. It is just aft of the mast post under the seat. There is a separate thru hull. Depending on where you are sailing, I would highly recommend paying the additional $100 for the heating component which would also help in resale. It doesn't look too hard to install. Good Luck-enjoy the cool breezes!
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Wayne Estabrooks
Much info in archives
I installed a 16k Heat Pump / AC in my 340 last spring. It has worked great. I got good info from the archives and the Marine Air web site see related link. I recommend a dedicated water inlet because as stated in the previous post, you will lose prime when the boat heels when sailing then when you come back in you have to prime / bleed the pump. I researched using the head water intake and the engine water intake but ended up putting a thru hull in the center of the boat down low next to the keel. As for the beer it will tast good after a days work. It took me about 40 hours work not counting trips to the hardware store for hole saws and supplies etc. Think through very carefully the installation and look at other installations if possible on the same model boat. Another neat item I installed is the "condensator". It takes the condensate water overboard with the circulating water instead of sending it to the bilge. I got it from Mermaid.
I installed a 16k Heat Pump / AC in my 340 last spring. It has worked great. I got good info from the archives and the Marine Air web site see related link. I recommend a dedicated water inlet because as stated in the previous post, you will lose prime when the boat heels when sailing then when you come back in you have to prime / bleed the pump. I researched using the head water intake and the engine water intake but ended up putting a thru hull in the center of the boat down low next to the keel. As for the beer it will tast good after a days work. It took me about 40 hours work not counting trips to the hardware store for hole saws and supplies etc. Think through very carefully the installation and look at other installations if possible on the same model boat. Another neat item I installed is the "condensator". It takes the condensate water overboard with the circulating water instead of sending it to the bilge. I got it from Mermaid.
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STEVE GROGAN
no problem
I installed the 12k btu myself on my h31, been living onboard for 2yrs now with only minor problems and mermaid is always helpful if i need to call them.. Steve
I installed the 12k btu myself on my h31, been living onboard for 2yrs now with only minor problems and mermaid is always helpful if i need to call them.. Steve
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