installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

[handball]

Hi guys ,<br />I am in the early process of installing a air conditioning system in my boat and am open for sugestions. One of the problems is how to get the 10/3 wire from the breaker panel foward to the area under the bunk where I plan on putting the a.c. . The other problem is how do you drain the water from the a.c. sump and get rid of it. There is no opening foward in the sea ray for the bilge, so the condensation can not be easily drained. I am thinking about raising the unit as high as possible in order to drain the condensation out of the hull above the water line.<br />The floor of the sea ray is glassed in place so there is no access to the bilge.<br />Bill

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

personally,before I would get involved in something that involved,I would check out some of the freestanding portable units.Most are only 30 inches high and only need a air discharge hose which can be hooked up to your bilge blower hose.Units are 4-600 and are 9-12000 btu.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Originally posted by handball:<br /> Hi guys ,<br /> One of the problems is how to get the 10/3 wire from the breaker panel foward to the area under the bunk where I plan on putting the a.c. .

It may not be easy but there is a way thats where the factory installs them. You may be able to run the same path used by the running light wires. If you have a 110 volt receptical near the bunk or forward the breaker panel maybe you can tell how they ran the wire to that location and follow suit to the bunk. May require some disassembly. <br /><br />

The other problem is how do you drain the water from the a.c. sump and get rid of it. There is no opening foward in the sea ray for the bilge, so the condensation can not be easily drained. I am thinking about raising the unit as high as possible

Im sure your boat has a shower, which also requires some type of sump pump assembly. If you locate it, there is probably extra unused fittings that you can attach the AC condensation hose to. The sump assembly should incorporate a small bildge pump and float assembly which will automatically pump the shower/AC water out as necessary. If you cant access the origional sump pump maybe you can mount one like the one below adjacent to the AC unit. <br />

 

[handball]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Thanks for your input reel poor. I do have a shower drain sump but unfortunatly it is about 10 feet away under the steps, and there is a sealed plywood floor between the sump and the ac unit. I will look into how to get around that problem. The electric panel is right next to the dinette seat and I may be able to get the ac wiring from there to the ac unit by going under the dinette seats. I once installed a ac unit on a 43 foot sail boat and it worked great. On our trip south in november we used the reverse cycle heat to keep the boat warm untill we got to florida, then we needed the ac to keep cool and comfortable.It is a chalenge to install the ac but it is well worth the effort when you can enjoy the boat under extreme conditions.<br /><br />Bill

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Originally posted by handball:<br /> I do have a shower drain sump but unfortunatly it is about 10 feet away under the steps, and there is a sealed plywood floor between the sump and the ac unit. I will look into how to get around that problem.

The one in my boat is also under the steps about 10 feet from the AC unit and has never caused a problem. Mine is also shared by the shower. Sharing also keeps you from cutting another hole in the hull for the disgharge water from the sump pump. Also no additional wiring or switches.<br /><br />Good luck

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Two things, for what it's worth :1) On my 95 Sea Ray 300 Weekender, there was an under-floor compartment just aft of the steps that was sealed from the engine room, it was the perfect space for me to install a small 7,000 btu unit. Everything went in real easy. 2) If the condensate line is a real problem and you have more money than time, West marine and BoatUS carries a device that hooks inline with the water discharge and will "suck" on the condensate line and put it overboard along with the water discharge,through the same thru-hull fitting, it is pricey.

 

[handball]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Hi Waterone1,<br />When you installed your thru hull fitting where did you locate it? is it near the compressor?<br />How did you run the 4" outlet hoses in your boat?<br /><br />I am thinking about cutting a hole in the plywood floor under the draws that are in the dinette in order to mount the thru hull fitting. There is really no access to the bilge foward of the engine compartment.<br /><br />Bill

 

[handball]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Hi guys,<br />Just to update my a.c. installation problems I have cut a rectangular access port in the floor near the dinette and a closet. What I found was a complete surprize when I finally got the hatch out of the floor. The reason why this boat has such a solid floor is that it is completely filled with foam at the factory from the shower sump foward. I made a cut out approx. 10 x 14 in the floor and removed the foam down to the bottom.<br />I then made a paper mock up of the remaining area and made a plywood box that fits in place in the bilge. The box will be sheathed in fiberglass cloth and resin. I made a cut in the foam under the floor board about 2" in dia from the new box to the inside of the near by cabinet in order to run a hose and the wiring for the teel pump.From the cabinet it is an easy job to get to the compressor. After the new box is installed I will fill the voids around the box with foam in place stuff. Inside the box will be the thru hull scoop, the seacock, the water strainer and the teel pump.As per the instructions they will all be below water line and within the 2ft allowable distance of each other. The a.c. unit will sit on a platform that raises it about 6" above the deck it sits on so I can let the condensation water drain into a small sump that has a pump and an automatic switch.<br />Bill

 

[sailsmanship]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

What year and model do you have?

 

[SwampNut]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Did you get the electrical run? If not, look at getting a "fish tape" from Lowe's, Home Depot, or similar place. It's a flat spring steel coil available in many lengths, typically 25-100 feet. It curves in one dimension, but is stiff in the other. You fish that through behind things from one access point to the other, attach the wire, and pull it back.

 

[handball]

Re: installing an A.C. in a 30 ft. Sea Ray

Hi guys,<br />To answer sandpaperman 1's question my boat is a 1987 sea ray weekender with twin 350's and straight tunnel drives (no outdrives). At this point I have the a.c. unit mounted under the foward bunk on a 6" high platform. The air output goes foward to a 6x4" y. from the y I ran a 4" hose to a closet opposite the bunk. in that closet I connected to a 4x4" y and ran a 4" hose back behind the frige ,then under the galley sink, it then terminates in the head . The 6" hose terminates under the dinette, from there I used a y and have a 3" hose that can go to my wife's seat in the cockpit or blow into the cabin.<br />The thru hulls are in place, and the thermostat is mounted on the wall. The condensation drains into a sump and is pumped overboard by auto switch.I am about 85% done with the installation.<br />Bill