Association Forum - Air Conditioner for your C250?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Air Conditioner for your C250?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

2272 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/30/2010 : 19:17:10

Since we're just doing daysailing right now, I have no interest in air conditioning for my boat. But today I noticed a portable air conditioner at Home Depot that looks like it might fit almost perfectly under the companionway ladder on a C250 (haven't measured it, so not sure). It exhausts hot air through a tube that looks like it could be easily vented out through a modified companionway hatch - or through a properly positioned penetration through the cockpit.

I remember one person here has "real" marine AC with a water intake, but this looked like it might be an alternative for others. The reviews on the HD website were mixed at best, with complaints of noise and complaints about how the unit exhausts air with no makeup intake - so the resulting negative pressure sucks in hot air through any other openings you have. But there were also some positive reviews from people who said it helped them despite the shortcomings. There were also complaints about condensate drainage, but sounds like this could be made to drain easily into the bilge.

Like I said, I have no personal interest in this, but after looking at the window AC mod posted in the technical tips, which completely blocks the companionway, I thought some of you might be interested in this as an alternative. One look at the picture and you'll see why it looks perfect for under the companionway stairs:

<center>

</center>

http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-Air-Conditioners-Fans-Dehumidifiers-Air-Conditioners/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xgyZasfh/R-202051352/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1& storeId=10051& catalogId=10053

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2010 : 20:55:13

When I read the posts about AC I have the same thought. Use one of the inside units with a vent. Finding one to fit behind the steps is the icing on the cake.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

2272 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2010 : 21:16:32

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Nautiduck
 When I read the posts about AC I have the same thought. Use one of the inside units with a vent. Finding one to fit behind the steps is the icing on the cake.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Note that I have not measured the clearance behind the companionway ladder - I chose a different way to familiarize myself with the steepness of the ladder.

But the specs of this unit look like it might fit for those who are interested.

Edited by - on

superbob
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
200 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2010 : 07:19:35

I'm thinking an ice maker would be the better deal to install on my 250: Cubes for the Margarita and to stuff inside my shorts when the going gets hot. It would be like a two for one solution.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2010 : 08:09:29

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by superbob
 I'm thinking an ice maker would be the better deal to install on my 250: Cubes for the Margarita and to stuff inside my shorts when the going gets hot. It would be like a two for one solution.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
LOL!

Here in the PNW we research heaters, not AC.

Edited by - on

jml
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
19 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2010 : 20:41:41

Ive tried several of these on my boat, including this one, and found the one that fits the best is from Lowe's. The problem with the one mentioned in the previous post is the slope does not match that of the stairs and the overall height is to tall making the top mounted controls inaccessible. The one that I wound up going with is the 8,500 BTU KUL brand from Lowe's.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_317824-94320-KU32085_0_?newSearch=true&catalogId=10051&productId=3219969&Ntt=kul&N=0&langId=-1&y=0&x=0&storeId=10151&Ntk=i_products&ddkey=http:SearchCatalogDisplay

This unit looks more like a box but sits much lower. I did remove the caster wheels and mount a piece of plywood cut out to the shape of the unit to act as a sled for sliding it around.

I keep my boat slipped for most of the year at Lake Mead and A/C in the summer is a must. Temporarily I vent the exhaust out the companion way but my plan is to install a opening port window inside the cockpit on the port side to run the exhaust hose to. My slip neighbor has this exact set up on his capri 26 (these boats come with the opening port window from the factory) and it keeps him from having to move the hose around whenever he wants to use the A/C.

After using this unit all weekend long ive found it to be far superior to the modified window A/C unit in the hatch. Not only can you leave it in its place while sailing but it does a much more effective job of cooling the boat down, especially with the enclosure up.

What have other C250 owners come up with????

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

Members Avatar

USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/01/2010 : 04:47:33

On JD, we installed full blown A/C. The pics were on a deceased website, so I'll dig them out and repost them.
Basically It's a standard A/C unit from west marine.
The miniture A/C unit is on a wooden shelf aft of the head and inboard of the 'wardrobe', it sits about 8" above the aft berth floor.
The controls and vent are mounted on a new bulkhead that I built and installed on the port side of the forward face of the aft berth.
It uses a thru-hull that is positioned aft of the water ballast tank amidships, that leads to a pump that is mounted on a removable sledge which is directy aft of the thru-hull.
We had to install 110v AC to power the unit and pump (the unit has a built in fan)
The outflow is via another thru-hull at the top edge of the aft wardrobe bulkhead.

The only issue we have with the A/C unit is priming it! Currently I use our powerwash hose to inject water into the outflow for a minute and then start the A/C, might take a few attempts until primed and water is flowing out of the outflow.

Does an execellent job here in south florida, it auto cycles and can make the boat toooo cool, so we have markings on the controller.

The fan sticks out the back (port side) of the unit, and that would result in it extending too far into the aft berth. So I cut a hole in the inboard bulkhead of the wardrobe and mounted a plastic cover over it so that the fan pertudes into the wardrobe, but the plastic cover prevents it venting into the wardrobe.

It might sound nuts, but if it came with a remote I would install it! We sleep in the V-Berth and it's a hassle crawling out of the berth to adjust the A/C controls.

All that said, it was one of our best investments in money and time! We spent a few sleepless nights onboard early on, keeping a towel close by to mop up the sweat prior to having the A/C.

We carry a Subaru Robin 1.7kw generator onboard (ontop of the fuel locker underway) to power the unit and pump when we're on the hook, noisy gene, but works a charm. We move it to the cockpit floor so that it points out over the boarding stepwell, it sits on a high density foam swim kick float to reduce vibration and noise.

I would guess that the whole setup weighs about 120lbs (Unit, Generator, Pump, piping, bulkhead, thruhulls) the AC wiring is probably only a couple of pounds all told.

Would definitely replace it if it broke! No sweat!

Paul

Edited by - on

willy
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
422 Posts

Response Posted - 06/01/2010 : 19:26:17

Isn't there an electrolysis issue with non-marine grade electronics on boats? Could it create a problem for others in your marina?

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 06/01/2010 : 19:32:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jml
 Ive tried several of these on my boat, including this one, and found the one that fits the best is from Lowe's. The problem with the one mentioned in the previous post is the slope does not match that of the stairs and the overall height is to tall making the top mounted controls inaccessible. The one that I wound up going with is the 8,500 BTU KUL brand from Lowe's.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_317824-94320-KU32085_0_?newSearch=true&catalogId=10051&productId=3219969&Ntt=kul&N=0&langId=-1&y=0&x=0&storeId=10151&Ntk=i_products&ddkey=http:SearchCatalogDisplay

This unit looks more like a box but sits much lower. I did remove the caster wheels and mount a piece of plywood cut out to the shape of the unit to act as a sled for sliding it around.

I keep my boat slipped for most of the year at Lake Mead and A/C in the summer is a must. Temporarily I vent the exhaust out the companion way but my plan is to install a opening port window inside the cockpit on the port side to run the exhaust hose to. My slip neighbor has this exact set up on his capri 26 (these boats come with the opening port window from the factory) and it keeps him from having to move the hose around whenever he wants to use the A/C.

After using this unit all weekend long ive found it to be far superior to the modified window A/C unit in the hatch. Not only can you leave it in its place while sailing but it does a much more effective job of cooling the boat down, especially with the enclosure up.

What have other C250 owners come up with????

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Where does the air come out?

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2010 : 18:27:35

I bought one of the KUL units from Lowes this morning. Didn't get a chance to try it at the boat as I wanted to go sailing and by the time I got back to the dock it was raining and lightning.

Edited by - on

jbkayaker
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
299 Posts

Response Posted - 06/13/2010 : 13:00:58

I have one of these for my Catalina 250 WK:
http://www.dometic.com/e8705bbf-804f-40bf-885b-4d017a116d4a.fodoc
except that it is an older model. I must say that mine really doesn't have the BTU capacity to deal with hot Summer nights in central South Carolina, but then I need to get it sealed to the hatch opening better than just a couple of towels. It is small enough to pass thru the hatch to/from the Vee berth.

Mine came with the boat. I didn't realize it was so expensive:
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?r=view&i=35258

Edited by - jbkayaker on 06/13/2010 13:10:59

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.