Mounting a window unit on a cabin top hatch poses a few problems. The regular window unit has the warm air intake right below the cold air exhaust. Using the hatch top to divert the air downwards only causes that cold air to be recycled back into the intake and fool the thermostat into the thinking the air in the boat is much cooler than it actually is. The answer would be to install a baffle to separate the air intake from the exhaust. With the unit on top of the cabin blowing down into the cabin air circulation is not the best so you may need a couple of fans to create an air flow. If you run a/c you want to be impervious of the weather so you need to separate the back of the unit from the front and make it so that if it rains water will not leak into the cabin. That is easier to attain on the companionway than on a cabin top hatch. Carrying and securing the unit create the other issues with the installation.
Window air conditioner placement?
- Thread starter PCP777
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Ok so we ran my unit yesterday. After debating we decided to set it up on the forward hatch. Amazingly the unit fits through the hatch so we don't have the danger of carrying it to and from the cockpit. We simply set a long towel over the front of the unit and the hatch cover and it blew in fine although it looked admittedly "hillbilly" from the outside of the boat. We used a small fan to push the air back from the V-berth to the rest of the cabin. Things cooled down nicely.
Like a dummy I set it up angled into the boat and got a fair amount of condensation. This is easy to correct by angling the unit slightly to the back.
Overall I'm pretty happy with the results. The unit itself is very quiet and it actually got cold in the cabin. We do want to build a portable stand to put it on as well as figure out something better than beach towels to keep the air from going out f the sides.
Like a dummy I set it up angled into the boat and got a fair amount of condensation. This is easy to correct by angling the unit slightly to the back.
Overall I'm pretty happy with the results. The unit itself is very quiet and it actually got cold in the cabin. We do want to build a portable stand to put it on as well as figure out something better than beach towels to keep the air from going out f the sides.
If you don't mind the "redneck yacht club" appearance, I have found cardboard cut to fit and wrapped with duct tape will help eliminate the need for the towels to help seal off the open areas around the partially closed hatch.
that would actually look a whole lot less red neck than the towels and that's easy to do. Thank you.
I was wondering...
I have a Norcold fridge unit (compressor/condenser) that runs on 4A, 12VDC. Can I make an A/C unit out of it? I'm visuallizing a small square condensor "tunnel" with a fan on one end. It wouldn't be as cold as a commercial A/C unit, but you could run it on the battery, and since you could mount the compressor separately from the condenser, it might be less obtrusive.
What do you think?
druid
I have a Norcold fridge unit (compressor/condenser) that runs on 4A, 12VDC. Can I make an A/C unit out of it? I'm visuallizing a small square condensor "tunnel" with a fan on one end. It wouldn't be as cold as a commercial A/C unit, but you could run it on the battery, and since you could mount the compressor separately from the condenser, it might be less obtrusive.
What do you think?
druid
Your fridge has three main parts, the compressor, the evaporator which absorbs the heat in the ice box, and the condenser which discharges the heat into the air where it is located. The set up you are wondering about could only work as a very low powered heater. For cooling you could open the fridge door and blow air over the evaporator but I am sure you can see that this would not be very effective and could result in warm beer! Perish the thought! Regards,
I measured the A/C unit I have and then the companionway, it looks like the unit will fit all the way down to the base of the companionway, so maybe that's the best method to try first. I think I'll carry it down this weekend and see what it's like stepping over the thing, if it seems alright I guess I'll make something similar to the slats to keep it in place and but will have to have it leaning back a little as the companionway looks to angle in toward the top.
I don't see us using it too much as we usually sleep on the hook, but who knows, definately a nice option to have...
The portable A/C units, non-window units, looks like they would be a really good solution for a little more money and rigging the hose to a port would be easy for the exhaust air. Since I already have this unit and other things to spend money on for the boat right now, I'll be sticking to the window unit for now, but might be a future solution for us.
I don't see us using it too much as we usually sleep on the hook, but who knows, definately a nice option to have...
The portable A/C units, non-window units, looks like they would be a really good solution for a little more money and rigging the hose to a port would be easy for the exhaust air. Since I already have this unit and other things to spend money on for the boat right now, I'll be sticking to the window unit for now, but might be a future solution for us.
Mine actually almost fit perfect in the bottom of the companion way, but since one of our missions was to organize and get some stuff off the boat we went with the forward hatch, a couple towels and a small fan. What was great is that the unit fits through the forward hatch for set up and take down. This way it's easy to get in and out of the boat through the companionway and you can still use your cockpit without all the hot air coming out of the back of the AC unit.
You might give it a thought.
you check Billy's extremely cool mod....
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13690&p=158587#p158587
--jr
http://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=13690&p=158587#p158587
--jr
I am definately thinking of going up topside with it in the future if I even use it, but I think I want to make some sort of rigid connection and think of a good way of securing it up there first. I have a piece of pine that I am going to cut just to see what it's like in the companionway and see what the wife thinks. It would only be to get us through the next couple of months if anything... and probably only if we get a slip (first for power, but second because ventilation is worse there than on the hook).
If I go topside I haven't decided to go in through the hatch in the v-berth or in the main cabin/saloon.
jr - thats really sweet, wouldn't work on my boat though.
Yeah, up until last weekend I've been able to sleep comfortably with just a fan down below, even on hot days. The lake cools down nicely. I'm just going to use it on the top hatch for the next few months and store it in the V-birth. The Other option I've considered is leaving it on the dock in a dock box and forming a hose to pump the air through the front hatch, I saw that as a response in one of these forums. that way I reduce 46 pounds off the boat. As soon as it cools off, that puppy is coming home with me.
I installed the A/C in the companionway today, it works nicely and sits well. It's a little bit of a pain to step over, but not too bad, it will definately keep the kids inside though when installed.
It may be enough to keep us going out when it get's too hot like late July/August. I know there have been times like that in the past years when it was going to be way to hot to stay out on the boat, but I think that a lot of those days come with little wind, so nothing much was lost. I think we would mainly use this just for when we are going to be sleeping. I can understand it a lot more for people that keep their boats at marinas and go and spend the weekends on them all weekend... though it offers a nice change from the couch if I am a bad boy :dance:.
It may be enough to keep us going out when it get's too hot like late July/August. I know there have been times like that in the past years when it was going to be way to hot to stay out on the boat, but I think that a lot of those days come with little wind, so nothing much was lost. I think we would mainly use this just for when we are going to be sleeping. I can understand it a lot more for people that keep their boats at marinas and go and spend the weekends on them all weekend... though it offers a nice change from the couch if I am a bad boy :dance:.
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