Airlock in A/C due to pulling boat out of water on lift

[SeaGreg]

My A/C is not working after I pull boat out of water on lift and then put back into water as a result of air getting into the water cooling lines. The installer told me I need to loosen a few screws in the pump located in the bilge every time this happens and wait for the air to escape and water to flow out. Is there any other way to do this without having to crawl into the bilge?

 

[JimT]

Run the boat and the AC will prime itself

 

[SeaGreg]

Run the boat and the AC will prime itself

By run do you mean just start it or actually "run" it?

 

[sdarc]

Open the seacock and take the boat for a ride. It will prime.

 

[Air O'Nautical]

By run do you mean just start it or actually "run" it?

He is suggesting by moving the boat the A/C will prime itself because, the water intake is (or should be) a scoop and the boat moving forward will force water through the system.

 

[SeaGreg]

He is suggesting by moving the boat the A/C will prime itself because, the water intake is (or should be) a scoop and the boat moving forward will force water through the system.

I see. So the only way to prime it at the dock is by doing what the installer suggested?

 

[carterchapman]

Put a hose against each outlet (while someone plugs the other one) and turn the water on...

 

[alnav]

Suction from a wet-dry vac on one of the outlets works for me. Make sure the sea cock is open.

 

[Air O'Nautical]

All workable ideas,

F.Y.I.
The thing is, the A/C pump has zero suction ability and will only work when completely submerged. This is why it's always installed below the waterline of the boat.
Some boats I've seen have an extra bleed valve installed into the pump discharge line to allow bleeding the air out of the system without driving the boat.