We covered this at length in the troubleshooting section. Depending on the brand and model of air conditioner, the following are things to check when you have issues with your boat AC. If this is the problem, flush the system for improved airflow. Temperature problems . The filters ensure your air conditioner exchanges heat efficiently. Poor or damaged insulation can reduce cooling. If your air conditioner won't turn on, it's important to troubleshoot a few key things before you call in an HVAC technician, as this can save you time and - more importantly - money. Nothing beats a summer retreat on your boat. Fan Does Not Work While the Compressor Is Running, 10. But the unit can stop working without notice. 2790 Kurtz , San Diego, CA 92110 Refrigeration system is one of the most important machinery systems on board ships that requires continuous monitoring and maintenance from ship's engineers. The problem might be from a loose or broken wiring. The best way to understand how to care for whatever type of system you’ve got is to take a trip through the system, starting at the expansion valve, located just upstream of the evaporator. A chilled-water system, on the other hand, cools fresh water that, in turn, circulates through the air handlers. Reverse cycle uses the same principle as air conditioning, except the refrigerant flows in the opposite direction. We specialize in repair and installation of marine air conditioning, refrigeration and icemakers. Normal temperatures. As the phase-converting refrigerant passes through the evaporator coils, it gets colder but more gaseous (because it’s boiling), and absorbs heat from the surrounding air. Whenever you experience this problem, check that water is flowing through the AC unit. Email JDMMarineco@Gmail.com. A gurgling sound indicates air in the system. Check the drain hose. Over time, excessive amounts of materials in the sea strainer that acts as a barrier between the water and the thru-hull can cause a blockage. If required, charge the system with fresh refrigerant. Then the refrigerant returns to the expansion valve and the cycle begins again. Whether you’re looking for expert repair and maintenance, retrofit an existing system, or planning to have a new air conditioning system installed, Oceanworks Marine has you covered. The evaporator’s duct might be too lengthy or kinked in places, causing a heat build-up that triggers the RESET button. How do you make a living on the road? The control is dual voltage , operating at both 115 and 230 Volts, 50/60 Hz. Reordering the connection might solve the problem. It can also be a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse which will need a replacement. While you’re cleaning that filter, incidentally, check the condensate pan under the evaporator for water. At the end of this piece, you will know the basics to keep your air conditioner in top shape. In most installations the pan drains into the bilge, but if the drain gets clogged and the pan overflows the water will go somewhere you don’t want it to. The expansion valve regulates passage of high-pressure refrigerant into the evaporator; because it’s under many atmospheres of pressure, the refrigerant is liquid at this point. Call us about your marine air conditioning needs and we will be happy to help! Clean the relevant sea strainer once a month (or more often in tropical waters), and whenever your air-conditioning system is functioning, keep an eye on its raw-water discharge to ensure the flow is unrestricted. Contact a technician if none of the above works. When your air conditioner’s condensation pan overflows, it means an obstruction. After leaving the evaporator, the refrigerant, now a low-pressure gas, travels to a compressor which once again pumps it up to many times normal atmospheric pressure. Most marine FWC thermostats open at 160°F and will be fully open at approximately 180°F. To jump the fan, isolate the RED and GREEN wires in the thermostat connection. Replacement Cruisair parts for units - SXR, SXF, STX, STQ. If your AC unit’s circuit breaker will not stay on, it may be because of: Check that the circuit breaker is not broken. For this, you need a professional to find and seal the leak and refill the Freon. Please contact us for a price quote and estimated turn-around-time. The electrical box and compressor units take up to 25 percent less space compared to those made by our competitors. Air-conditioning systems come in different configurations, but all share three major components: The evaporator, where boiling refrigerant absorbs heat from the surrounding air; the compressor, which pushes the refrigerant through the system; and the condenser, where the refrigerant is cooled and liquefied before being pumped back to the evaporator. “Marine growth and scale builds up and clogs the coil,” says Wayne Wright (www.wrightmarine.net), a Tampa Bay marine air-conditioning specialist. Make sure the sea cock is open and prime the pump to activate. The main cause of this issue is restricted airflow and can be corrected by removing the obstruction. The thru-hull lets water in and out of the AC unit. Since many marine air conditioning systems function around the clock, drawing in raw water continuously, ongoing maintenance is crucial to ensure optimum performance. A professional marine air conditioner technician has requisite experience and up-to-date tools to perform in-depth diagnostic tests, repairs, and maintenance to bring your unit up to speed. The thermostat should be in off position. Check your user manual for the correct way to clean the system or ask a professional to perform detailed maintenance. If you explore all options but the noise persists, call a professional. Check that the AC pump is working as it provides cooling water to allow the unit operates without problems. Morten teaches that on his YouTube Channel. We service Fort Lauderdale, FL, Vero Beach, FL, Tampa, FL, Marco Islands, FL and Key … Some of the possible causes of failure in the system are listed in the air conditioner troubleshooting guide below. View & download of more than 1 Marine Air Systems PDF user manuals, service manuals, operating guides. Flush the unit with a pressure pump if it is blocked. A leaking hose is not only bad for your AC unit, but it can flood your boat and even sink it if you are running the system while the boat is empty. The compressor pumps hot, pressurized refrigerant into the air handler where it transfers its heat to the cabin via the flow of cool cabin air over the coils. The AC pump in your boat is a vital component that must work perfectly to keep your vessel cool. Summer's here, is your boat's air-conditioning system up for the job? When this happens, turn off the pump and the AC unit to allow it to cool. Remove any blockage and clean the air filter to improve ventilation. Reassemble in case of misalignment and replace if it has extensive kinks. A/C Installations; Direct Expansion A/C; DIY Marine AC Install Help; Marine A/C Pumps & Pump Relays; DIY Question about Marine A/C Wattage Draw & DC Inverter Power; Marine AC Control Identification for Marine Air Direct Expansion Units; Cruisair. If the fan has accumulated dirt and debris, has damaged bearings or worn belts, it will be loud. Air conditioners remove humidity along with heat, and the water has to go somewhere. Because the water flow passing through the strainer is nutrient-rich, critters and small marine life love to lodge in the space. Replace the pump if it doesn’t trip off the circuit. An award-winning Dometic self-contained turbo unit. Inspect the hoses from the sea stock, strainer, pump, to the thru-hull. Shut off your marine AC unit and troubleshoot the fan and adjoining areas. If the strainer is clear but an insufficient amount of water seems to be running through the system anyway, the cause could be a bad water-pump impeller, an easy fix for most skippers. Use these tips to keep your AC unit in excellent shape. The condenser coils can accumulate scale which restricts cooling water flow. The fix is to flush out the cooling system with a weak acid solution, a job for a technician in most cases. Inspect the thru-hull, strainer basket, and valves. Marine AC Information. Marine HVAC Controls - Dometic, CruisAir, Marine Air, Passport Repair Service. An efficient air filter reduces the dirt and dust collecting on the evaporator coils but you need to clean it after some time. Pressure equals heat, so to cool the gas on the downstream side of the compressor it’s run through a raw-water-cooled condenser, which returns the refrigerant to a liquid state. If the pump makes a lot of noise, it has something in it. In this article, we look at the common issues to check when your vessel’s AC stutters. If you take good care of your air-conditioning system, it’ll take good care of you, maybe for decades, says Wright. The refrigerant then flows through the expansion valve to the condenser, where the now very cold refrigerant picks up heat from the seawater and carries it through the compressor to the cabin. If it’s clogged, it can reduce cooling and even damage the system. Clear brush and debris from outside unit and surrounding area Troubleshooting and Consulting. Check the condenser filter. Inspect the reversing valve relay to see if it’s burned. But to perform optimally, the pump must always be in contact with the water. Don’t whale on it too hard, though.). Make sure bleed valve is tightly closed. Connect the collecting cylinder to the purging line of the condenser, open the valve, and collect air in the cylinder. If the difference is less, the problem could be a loss of refrigerant charge; although the system is supposed to be a closed loop, sometimes refrigerant leaks out. It can also be because of insufficient or blocked supply air grilles. This makes it imperative to know basic things to troubleshoot when your marine cooling system fails suddenly. But here’s the good news—if your system conks out, getting it going again will often be pretty simple. The first thing you should do if it’s way too hot belowdecks is to clean the filter—vacuum it, wash it, do whatever the owner’s manual tells you. A freezing evaporator can be because the fan is not running efficiently or is damaged. Activation of High-Pressure Switch in HEAT Mode, 7. Check for disconnections and reconnect or replace any loose or worn cables. Increase the air grilles and remove any obstruction to the ventilation. Focused initially on self-contained systems that are ideal for small to mid-sized boats, Marine Air climate systems provided customers with a “large boat” feeling of comfort and luxury. Inspect the air filter and clean it for proper ventilation. So, although the technology is fine for autumn boating, if you plan on an Arctic exploration, you might want to install a dedicated heating system. We are reader supported. The colder the water, the more efficient the cooling, but most air conditioners will work fine to water temps into the 80-degree range, sometimes warmer. And when in doubt, always call the professionals. He has completely rebuilt two RVs in which he travels with his family for months at the time. The pump needs to be submerged to draw water into the AC unit. Clean with a blower if you notice debris or dust buildup. It can also be because of obstruction of the return air. Before troubleshooting your marine air conditioner or any other equipment, read and understand the user manual. Turn off all the power from the boat before attempting to troubleshoot electrical components. Shut off your marine AC unit and troubleshoot the fan and adjoining areas. A leak can also lead to a frozen evaporator as it reduces the level of coolant. The air start system looks rather complicated, but it is quite simple when you examine it without the safeguards. The evaporator/fan/ducting assembly is called an “air handler.” The warm air that’s pulled in from the cabin is called “return” air, while the “supply” air is the cold air coming out of the air handler. Marine Air Conditioning Refrigeration and Electrical repair service JDM Marine Co San Diego. ... Industry, We have the education , experience and the Factory Certified Licensing to be the best for all your HVAC-R systems needs. This option might be costly than DIYing your maintenance, but it will save you time, efforts and help you enjoy more quality time on your boat. Checking and recharging the system is a job for a licensed air-conditioning technician. Check to see whether the reversing valve sticking produces a hissing noise when you tap it with a screwdriver during operation. Often, a noisy AC unit results from a dirty fan motor. In this case, “boiling” doesn’t mean “hot”: The boiling point of a common refrigerant, R410A, is around minus 55 degrees F. At normal temperatures and pressures, it’s a gas. It also lists the activities which are not DIYable and so you can call professionals. Faulty bearings can also make the pump loud. Need a way to check whether your air-conditioning system is working up to spec? The tubing can be run inside of the interior walls or along the ceiling. Replace or service the seawater pump if it is failing and change kinked hoses. As with virtually every other maintenance project onboard, step one of just about any fix will entail finding and reading the owner’s manual: Everything you can do yourself is explained in there; for everything else, call a pro and join mom and the kids at the hotel pool. But this may prove difficult based on the model and your experience. We hope this article will help keep things cool when it’s blazing hot on deck. Thankfully, you can troubleshoot your boat’s AC unit on the water so you don’t have to swelter in the heat while others are having a blast. Most marine air conditioners have a reverse-cycle mode, which changes the flow of refrigerant and turns the system into a heat pump. But it is an ideal location for critters and debris to accumulate. You can flush the system with a weak solution of biodegradable acid or pressurized water. Check the minimum number of vents the system requires for optimal performance and upgrade as required. Check that there are no loose or disconnected wires. Clean your air conditioner’s filters monthly by washing with plain water, vacuuming or blowing. You may notice that your boat’s AC is not as cool as it used to be despite the compressor and fan working normally. Sometimes, the noise is because of friction and some lubrication will stop it. So one of the easiest and most inexpensive problems to fix on our air conditioning troubleshooting mission is to make sure windows or doors are closed; otherwise you are undermining your air conditioner’s efficiency. A hatch or window might be open. Except you have a background in HVAC systems, there is a limit to what you can with a troublesome marine air conditioner. A fan blows warm air from the cabin across the evaporator and discharges it, now cooler, through ducting back into the cabin. (Nice vacation, huh?) All Rights Reserved. An internally short pump can also cause the problem. Check for marine growth, large particles, sea scum, and debris. This pump provides the freshwater that cools the AC unit, preventing it from overheating. The AC will shut off if it doesn’t get water flow to prevent overheating. Read more about Morten here. Sometimes the problem is from a faulty fan relay or capacitor. Always disconnect power supply prior to perform installation, servicing or maintenance. The thru-hull allows your boat’s AC unit to draw raw water from the sea. Air Marine Systems, Inc 2701 Sonic Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23461 757-468-9400 voice 757-468-9666 fax sales@airmarsys.com: These are put in place to prevent such occurrences as starting the engine without having a signal from the engine room telegraph, trying to start the engine with the turning gear engaged, or trying to start ahead when the telegraph asks for astern. It’s vital to check all connections and hoses. This problem arises when the air conditioner does not produce heat in HEAT mode. Installation and servicing of this system can be hazardous. After trying all the troubleshooting tricks in the book and you can’t resolve the issues with your cooling unit, ask for professional help. Comfort Marine Air is a full service Marine HVAC products and services company with years of experience and a genuine commitment to professional, affordable and personalized service. © 2021 Cruz Bay Publishing Inc., an Active Interest Media company. Welcome to Brad's Marine Air Conditioning! The thermostat might also act up so make sure it works properly. The first thing you should do if it’s way too hot belowdecks is to clean the filter—vacuum it, wash it, do whatever the owner’s manual tells you. The condensate pan is the tray that collects the humidity the AC unit draws from your boat. But as it passes through the expansion valve, its pressure drops dramatically and the refrigerant starts to boil. This occurs when you are using the thermostat. This indicates malfunctioning reversing valves. If the boat planes or the waterline changes, it can leave the pump out of the water, preventing it from performing optimally. It’s July, and a skipper’s thoughts turn to his air-conditioning system—especially if the darn thing stops working and his family moves into the Holiday Inn next door to the marina. Check the level of the refrigerant in the system. Need Help? You can clean the filter but extensive clogging will need a replacement. The wire on the reversing valve solenoid might be loose or worn. Check for cracked and leaking hoses, broken, worn and corroded clamps, and replace old components. The first step is to clean and clear the pan nipple of any debris that might restrict the flow of water. Cruisair Price Book; Marine Air. Here, your boat’s AC unit works normally, but it’s not discharging any water. If you need to clean the filter more often, try cleaning the cabin. Behind the return-air grille, there’s a filter to screen out dust and other junk. Marine Air began building air conditioning systems for boats in 1977. Give system time to stabilize. From 1977 until today, Marine Air Systems has represented innovation in marine air conditioning. If the above tips don’t help, call a professional or the manufacturer’s customer support. Recharging the system with fresh refrigerant that said, it only proves to say how valuable it is simple... 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