Window A/C Question

F

fropleyquark

New Member
Dec 30, 2007
99
Hey all got a quick Q. Lowes was having a sale on window AC units and I thought man that would be great. My little 23' gets real hot and nasty in the cabin at night. Well, I went ahead an bought the smallest one they had its a little 5k btu unit. 11"x17". I'm really not wanting to do any permanent modifications to the boat so my question is, would it be ok to run the entire unit in the cabin if I left a window popped for fresh air? Or maybe even a window and crack the cabin door? I'm not trying to kill myself but dont want to do surgery either. Thanks.
 
Unless the portion of the window AC unit exhausts to the outside somehow, you will actually be heating the cabin, as like any mechanical device, the AC unit is less than 100% efficient. It has to exhaust the heat it removes from your cabin to the outside. I assume you will be running the unit while you are docked, on shorepower from a 110v outlet in your cabin. You have two options without cutting a hole in your boat. One is to set the unit on the foredeck, and make a hood to direct the flow of cool air down into the cabin; you can make it out of plywood, and use split pipe insulation to wrap the edges of the hood to more or less seal the hood. The second option would be to set it on a stand on the steps to the cabin, and use plywood or something else easy to cut to piece a smaller door to the cockpit. Either way you are restricting access, and in the event of a galley fire in the cabin you could get trapped, so don't make anything that you can't push out of the way quickly.
 
sfergson727 said:
How would one make a ford pinto on cinder blocks float next to the boat??? Seems that cruiseair system would be a slightly better, less redneck solution to your problem.:grin:
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Actually yeah. That'll work. Should I swing by your place and pick up the check or do you want to direct deposit the cash into my account? :grin:

I'm broke! I guess I'm a closet redneck then! Thats why I dont want to permanently mount it anywhere.

But I guess the correct answer was stated above, no dangers just not effecient enough to cool the cabin, right?
 
i am in the process of doing the same thing, i removed front panel of a/c and getting a new front panel made from sheet aluminum ,similar to carry on a/c unit . now have to get hatch cover bag , 120 dollers is better than 900 ,more money for gas
 
Assuming you are talking about running while on shore power I would think a better option might be a portable unit like this... http://www.amazon.com/Whynter-ARC-12D-12000-Portable-Conditioner/dp/B000RNUHEO I purchased one of these for an upstairs bedroom that gets real hot despite the central AC. It cools down a 20x15 room to 68 degrees. It is self evaporating so no need for a drain (although it has one if you want to drain it to a shower sump, etc) You will need to exhaust the heat, of course, and comes with a flexible hose and window adapter. It is pretty heavy though...about 70 lbs. If I didn't have a built in unit on the boat I would consider this over the "carry-on units". To me those carry on's look cheesy sticking out of the top of your boat and with these units nobody knows you have it.
 
If you have to rig a window unit a/c for your boat for financial reasons....you probably shouldnt have a boat. :smt001
 
Look around for a good used carry on unit. I just saw one advertised on Craigslist for $450. The ad says it was bought last year and used 7 times.
This one is on Long Island in NY which is too far for you, but you might get a deal on one closer to home if you look around.
 
carairconditioning.jpg
 
billandamy said:
If you have to rig a window unit a/c for your boat for financial reasons....you probably shouldnt have a boat. :smt001
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Hey, I am thinking of doing the same thing, cause I don't have the $800 or $900 for a hatch unit. I also don't want the added weight of a fixed unit.
 
billandamy said:
If you have to rig a window unit a/c for your boat for financial reasons....you probably shouldnt have a boat. :smt001
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Thanks for the help!

...

I see what you guys are talking about. I ran the window unit in my laundry room and yeah, it puts off more heat than cool.

I figured, while docked, I'll just set it up on the bow and duct the cold air in through the window. Atleast it wont look terrible. Even though its a window unit its completely finished so it almost looks complete. Hey if a little nighttime ghetto-ness keeps me cool, I can live with that.
 
fropleyquark said:
Thanks for the help!

...

I see what you guys are talking about. I ran the window unit in my laundry room and yeah, it puts off more heat than cool.

I figured, while docked, I'll just set it up on the bow and duct the cold air in through the window. Atleast it wont look terrible. Even though its a window unit its completely finished so it almost looks complete. Hey if a little nighttime ghetto-ness keeps me cool, I can live with that.
Click to expand...

You can get a 9mm and shoot it sideways at people if they get all up in your grill :p
 
I had a 1993 230DA for my first boat, do you have an anchor locker? I considered removing the forward mirror and cutting a hole in there so the unit vented into the anchor locker and condensation also had a place to go... bought a bigger boat and a drop-in, got tired of the drop-in, bought a bigger boat with AC:thumbsup:
 
dpvandy01 said:
I had a 1993 230DA for my first boat, do you have an anchor locker? I considered removing the forward mirror and cutting a hole in there so the unit vented into the anchor locker and condensation also had a place to go... bought a bigger boat and a drop-in, got tired of the drop-in, bought a bigger boat with AC:thumbsup:
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Pretty much all problems are solved by buying a bigger boat.
 
Bridogs solution was the first thing I thought of as well.. We have a similar unit in a room and it cools quite nicely. (I have seen a 9k btu at walmart for around $350)
 
fropleyquark said:
Thanks for the help!

...

I see what you guys are talking about. I ran the window unit in my laundry room and yeah, it puts off more heat than cool.

I figured, while docked, I'll just set it up on the bow and duct the cold air in through the window. Atleast it wont look terrible. Even though its a window unit its completely finished so it almost looks complete. Hey if a little nighttime ghetto-ness keeps me cool, I can live with that.
Click to expand...

Actually, most of the temperature rise is due to condensing water vapor to liquid water. Latent heat of vaporization from your high school physics class.

Best regards,
Frank C
 
I'd also put some padding or motor mounts under the frame if you are putting it on the bow, otherwise it's going to vibrate and resinate like nobody's business when the compressor is running.
 
This thread has got to be a joke...

Next he'll be asking where to mount the turkey fryer...
 
Now don't make fun of that guy. At least he has Furuno radar... mounted right in front of the upper helm. Gives him a nice warm feeling as he drives the boat.
 
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