DIY Air Conditioner Replacement

Island Time Buffalo

Active Member
Aug 19, 2014
240
Grand Island, NY
Boat Info
380 Sundancer 1999.
Engines
7.4 Horizons
Hey all.

I am reasonably handy .... who has replaced their own A/C units? How difficult?

Can someone point to or provide a basic set of steps ... as in "take out the hoozit before the whatzit or your boat will sink" type of info?

1999 380DA... Crusair with SMX controls (replacing the aft, foreward next year)... I have already scoped out two comparable Dometic replacements and gotten quotes, just looking for some scoop before I order.
 
It depends on the type of system you have. If it is a self contained system it is easy peizy. Disconnect wires and hoses, unscrew from deck lift out and drop in replacement and reverse ratchet and you are done. It is sort of similar to a very complicated window ac installation.

If you have a split system where there is a compressor unit located in one part of the boat and an air handler in another spot (like a central house system), life becomes complicated. Because a multi piece system requires the refrigeration lines be broken you start with an empty system. While you could do the mechanical stuff, installing the refrigerant and lubricant properly will require tools that even if sourced from Harbour Freight will have a significant cost impact. And then you need to educate yourself on how to safely. work with refrigerant. Depending on your state you may also need a HVAC license/certification just to purchase the gas.

Trust me, having just had our four split system ac zones serviced it can be a suck job. (Think ¾ of a duckbill replacement.) We had the cooling lines upgraded and had to trace a leak from the compressor in the ER to the forward air handler that meant a great deal of disruption to the salon.

As a FYI to all of you with the SMX controls there is a company in PA called Flight Systems that rebuilds the controls, as well as making their own replacement unit. I bought one of their units for our 280 last season and it worked out great.

H
 
I put a unit in my boat. It was a pretty easy project. You're looking at One hose from the pump, one hose out the side, one for condensation. A little electrical work and probably retrofitting the control panel. Oh and the air duct. I'd make sure your new unit fits dimensionally. And make sure you close the thru hull to the pump.
 
Helped a friend swap one out on a 370 about 10 years ago. Pretty easy job as I remember.
He has no mechanical skills and I had never swapped one before so it was the blind leading the dumb.
Close the seacock, shut off breaker for pump and unit, disconnect everything from the old one, remove old unit, put new unit in place and reconnect everything, turn breakers back on and we were done.
Been a while, but I think he saved about a boat buck because I usually work for a couple of Gin and Tonics once the job is done.
 
Ill concur with previous posters, The first project I had to do on my 44 a week after I took delivery was to replace the Salon AC. It seemed daunting and that surely a professional should do this. Being a self contained unit really ready to plug and play, it took a couple of hours at most and that was because I had to be extremely careful getting it in through my cabinetry in the salon.
If you are handy and take your time just do it yourself.
Have fun
Carpe Diem
 
There is a difference between MarineAir and MarinAir.
Be aware.
 
You can also check out Citimarine, they build there own, just installed a 25k unit, I’m real happy with the unit and controls
 
Thread is from 2019, haha pre-Covid.
 

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