larrytbull
New Member
Was at the boat today, and after a while air was not too cold in cabin, I looked at coil and it was iced up. I had some hatches open most of the day, does this mean I am low on r-22 or was it just because I kept hatches open?
air conditioner not very cold
- Thread starter larrytbull
- Start date
- May 14, 2008
- 3,541
- Boat Info
- 1988 390 EC
- Engines
- 454 Mercruiser Gassers
Check your return air grilles. The filters may be plugged.
larrytbull
New Member
they were ok
Southpaw II
Active Member
If your fan speed was on low all day that could be the reason. You have to flow enough air.
MrDough
New Member
- Jan 24, 2010
- 35
- Boat Info
- 1986 460 Express Cruiser
- Engines
- Twin Detroit 6v-71 TA Twin Turbo
When you say the air is not that cold, are you referring to the air that is coming from the vents or just the room temp? Is the air coming out of the vents blowing cold and strong?
Coil freezing or frosting is usually an indication of low air flow. Common causes for this are dirty air filter, ac vents or return grille being closed or obstructed, or fan minimum speed being set too low for extended periods.
Secondary causes are low return air temps caused by very light load conditions such as cool nights or unusually cold entering water temperature.
The LEAST likely cause is low refrigerant level. Assuming that no one has tampered with the factory charge. These compact units hold such a small volume of refrigerant that the smallest of leaks can disable them totally. The fact that the unit is cooling at all indicates another issue.
Secondary causes are low return air temps caused by very light load conditions such as cool nights or unusually cold entering water temperature.
The LEAST likely cause is low refrigerant level. Assuming that no one has tampered with the factory charge. These compact units hold such a small volume of refrigerant that the smallest of leaks can disable them totally. The fact that the unit is cooling at all indicates another issue.
larrytbull
New Member
I will check this weekend to see if it is occurring again
the symptoms where that i did not get alot of air volume out of vents
and that the temp never went below 74 when i check the unit i saw ice on it. so i shut it down
to add to this i did have hatches open alot during the day
and it was 90 and humid
the symptoms where that i did not get alot of air volume out of vents
and that the temp never went below 74 when i check the unit i saw ice on it. so i shut it down
to add to this i did have hatches open alot during the day
and it was 90 and humid
- Mar 25, 2008
- 5,534
- Boat Info
- 2006 Sea Ray 58 DB
- Engines
- MAN CRM V8-900s, Twin Disc Drives; Onan 21.5 Generator
Larry,
The only time I had this happen was when my screen filter on the unit was completely clogged (yea - MM cleaned it on the 200 hour check - right!). I woke up in the middle of the night and noticed I was warmer than usual and flow was lower than usual. The unit was a block of ice. Cleaned the filter, ran the fan (only) for about 10 minutes which melted the ice, and its been normal for the last 12 months.
But if it's not that, I believe others are correct - low freon or low fan speed may cause this...
The only time I had this happen was when my screen filter on the unit was completely clogged (yea - MM cleaned it on the 200 hour check - right!). I woke up in the middle of the night and noticed I was warmer than usual and flow was lower than usual. The unit was a block of ice. Cleaned the filter, ran the fan (only) for about 10 minutes which melted the ice, and its been normal for the last 12 months.
But if it's not that, I believe others are correct - low freon or low fan speed may cause this...
- May 14, 2008
- 3,541
- Boat Info
- 1988 390 EC
- Engines
- 454 Mercruiser Gassers
You won't get a lot of volume when it is iced up. Hatches open and having the AC running?? :huh:
- May 14, 2008
- 3,541
- Boat Info
- 1988 390 EC
- Engines
- 454 Mercruiser Gassers
Energy crisis? What energy crisis? Who cares ... I'm not paying for the hydro meter, so let her rip. Yea, I see this all of the time also. Not much sand between the ears. But on our own boats? That puts quite a load on the AC for sure. I think that once he closes things up and cleans the return air screens, he will be just fine.
~Ken
larrytbull
New Member
:smt021
you got me there . I was working on my remote searchlight and it was 90 degrees out, and had hatch open so i did not have to walk around (wish sea ray had walk through window)
so I will take the advice and close the hatches. fan speed was set to a
you got me there . I was working on my remote searchlight and it was 90 degrees out, and had hatch open so i did not have to walk around (wish sea ray had walk through window)
so I will take the advice and close the hatches. fan speed was set to a
- May 14, 2008
- 3,541
- Boat Info
- 1988 390 EC
- Engines
- 454 Mercruiser Gassers
Does your temperature control have an automatic setting for your blower speed?
tobnpr
New Member
Interesting footnote related to low fan speed...
I replaced the 9,000 btu forward unit last summer with a new one from Mermaid. Their upgrade electronic digital controller automatically lowers the fan speed as the room approaches the temperature setpoint. Sounds like a good idea, right?
Nope. First overnighter after installing the unit, I wake up and notice there's hardly any air flow out of the vents. Can't figure out why...until I lift up the berth it's under and see a solid block of ice. After running the thing in heat mode for a bit to melt all the ice off the coils I figured out that it was the "automatically" reduced fan speed that caused the problem at night. During the day with the constant demand it wasn't an issue because the fan would rarely operate at minimum speed...
But at night, it's a different story. I now leave the fan speed on "max" all the time.
I replaced the 9,000 btu forward unit last summer with a new one from Mermaid. Their upgrade electronic digital controller automatically lowers the fan speed as the room approaches the temperature setpoint. Sounds like a good idea, right?
Nope. First overnighter after installing the unit, I wake up and notice there's hardly any air flow out of the vents. Can't figure out why...until I lift up the berth it's under and see a solid block of ice. After running the thing in heat mode for a bit to melt all the ice off the coils I figured out that it was the "automatically" reduced fan speed that caused the problem at night. During the day with the constant demand it wasn't an issue because the fan would rarely operate at minimum speed...
But at night, it's a different story. I now leave the fan speed on "max" all the time.
- May 14, 2008
- 3,541
- Boat Info
- 1988 390 EC
- Engines
- 454 Mercruiser Gassers
Exactly my point Mike. Not enough air flow across the coil.
tollycraft
New Member
- Feb 24, 2008
- 281
- Boat Info
- 1988 30Ft Weekender
2004 21 1/2 Weekender
- Engines
- Twin 5.7s Mercruiser Inboards
5 Litre Mercruiser Alpha 1
Open hatches can be the problem but I have to ask, did you have the air turned up full (as in full cold), if so,close those hatches and turn the air up a little. When I tried to run mine on high when I first arrived at the boat on a hot weekend, it would ice up as well. Turning the air down a bit (in other words warmer) it would clear up and then cool the cabin down. Worth a try, just my 2 cents.
