Need to replace AC/HVAC on 2008 Sundancer 350

[Puget Sounder]

So it seems my AC (and heat) have given up the ghost. Does anyone have tips to access and replace the unit? I know it's port side and I believe it's in the aft cabin but I don't see how to access it.

I'm pretty sure it's the AC since the pump was replaced last year and the discharge outlet is full of chalky discharge. The fan still blows but water is no longer flowing despite the water pump trying to push water through.

Any recommendations on a replacement? I believe the unit is a 16,000 BTU.

 

[SeaNile]

Did you try cleaning the strainer, looking for obstructions and lastly the Barnacle Buster treatment? All much less money than a new unit!

 

[Puget Sounder]

Did you try cleaning the strainer, looking for obstructions and lastly the Barnacle Buster treatment? All much less money than a new unit!

Sadly it's not as simple as cleaning the strainer. That was the first thing I checked too.

What's the Barnacle Buster treatment? I'm curious but since the boat is kept in a lake most of it's life I doubt it's barnacles.

 

[sbw1]

These units last a long time, especially in your climate. Before replacing the unit I would try to find out what is causing your problems.

 

[mquiet]

I would take a step backwards. 1) blow out the AC line with a garden hose attached to the line just after the pump. You should be able to blow a stream out the side of your boat. If that works, the. 2) check to verify that the heat/AC switch is working and verify that compressor has failed (it should not turn on if failed). Then verify that the control pad is good as well. I would start with
It's knowing all this. If all good....yup time to think about replacement.

 

[bahamabreisus]

Sounds like a blockage in the water lines. If the pump is running, then the system is trying to move water. Magnetic pumps will also get slime built up on impellor, pull impellor and clean it and the housing.

 

[Puget Sounder]

These units last a long time, especially in your climate. Before replacing the unit I would try to find out what is causing your problems.

I'm not sure what you mean by climate. I keep the boat in the water all year long which means the AC runs in heat in the winter and cool in the summer. I need access to the unit to find out the cause of my problems which is why I posted the question about access. I can see that it's a 16,000 btu cruisair but getting to it doesn't seem as simple as pulling one panel. Do you really think the unit should last longer than 14 years?

 

[mrsrobinson]

Agreed, they should last a very long time. I had to replace one of two in my Regal 3870 after it literally stopped cooling though. If I recall correctly it was 16,000 BTU, had to go with the new Freon type, and was about $5k installed. This was in 2009/2010 though.

 

[sbw1]

I'm not sure what you mean by climate. I keep the boat in the water all year long which means the AC runs in heat in the winter and cool in the summer. I need access to the unit to find out the cause of my problems which is why I posted the question about access. I can see that it's a 16,000 btu cruisair but getting to it doesn't seem as simple as pulling one panel. Do you really think the unit should last longer than 14 years?

I’m thinking your climate is pretty mild compared to Florida or Texas where these units get a real test. We also have a mild climate in Michigan. It gets hot and humid here but we don’t run a/c 24/7. It is unusual for these units to fail in 15 years if they are maintained properly. By that I mean keeping the filter clean, condenser fins clean and the intake basket free of plant material and zebra mussels.

 

[saltydogz]

Found this thread and was also looking for any help. My AC unit has died and needs replacing. I have the old Cruisair STQ16-HV 115 volts unit. Was told that the new Cruisair DTG16 part#205160174 is the replacement that I will need. Was looking to save some cost and the Tech's time by removing the cabinet on the port side in the aft cabin, so he can access that space..

Has anyone had to do this yet to access the AC unit? I am guessing that there are no pictures\drawing out there on how to do this. I am thinking that I just slowly start removing the screws I see on the inside the lower part of the cabinet and see what gets loose and carefully remove the part so not to scrap the walls.
Thanks...

 

[D Bell]

Agreed, they should last a very long time. I had to replace one of two in my Regal 3870 after it literally stopped cooling though. If I recall correctly it was 16,000 BTU, had to go with the new Freon type, and was about $5k installed. This was in 2009/2010 though.

23 years on my Cruisair 12k BTU with only the reversing valve now stuck (No heat). Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[stg099]

access to the unit, while not ideal is through the wall in the port side aft cabin. If you have the aft cabin TV, remove it and there is an access panel that the TV mount sits on that's held in by 4 obvious screws. With that off, you can clearly see how that panel is mounted. Good luck!

 

[mrsrobinson]

A little off topic; I have found when I try to do some of the work myself to save on the labor costs I end up getting charged for it anyway as most price the job for something like this, not by the hour. If I am you, I am letting the tech do the entire job, not just parts and pieces of it.

 

[saltydogz]

23 years on my Cruisair 12k BTU with only the reversing valve now stuck (No heat). Any thoughts appreciated.

I had that problem last season, but mine was stuck in heat (no cooling). Had a HVAC guy look at it and after a couple of time having the system going from Heat to Cooling and he said he was tapping the reversing valve it switched over to cooling. from what I was told and read they can get stuck from some little piece of gunk that is in the line.

But this year that didn't help as my compressor went. Something in it went even though it was coming on it was not moving the R22 stuff around to do either Heat or Cooling. So now I have to replace the whole unit.

 

[bbwhitejr]

We had a bad reversing valve on a 16k Dometic Turbo unit in the salon. Boat came from FL and heat was never used. Tech looked at it and we could not free it up with any kind of consistence. The reversing valve in a marine AC unit default to the cooling position. We simply used a small ceramic heater in the salon that made much less noise and worked perfect. The cost to remove the unit and repair the reversing valve was to close to the cost of a new unit. We lived with it with no issues.

Bennett

 

[D Bell]

We had a bad reversing valve on a 16k Dometic Turbo unit in the salon. Boat came from FL and heat was never used. Tech looked at it and we could not free it up with any kind of consistence. The reversing valve in a marine AC unit default to the cooling position. We simply used a small ceramic heater in the salon that made much less noise and worked perfect. The cost to remove the unit and repair the reversing valve was to close to the cost of a new unit. We lived with it with no issues.

Bennett

Same thing. Boat came from South Alabama, heat never used. Luckily it froze in "cooling". We can live with that!

 

[carterchapman]

I got 17 years out of my bridge 24,000 BTU Dometic/CruisAir unit - frozen compressor. Just replace it with a 25,000 BTU CitiMarine unit.

I figure my other 4 units are on "borrowed time"!!