We are looking at adding a built in unit in our boat. We have been running 2 portable units, an 8,000 btu and a 4,800 btu. They were just barely enough. One of the portables went up in smoke last night. I am kinda looking at an 18,500 btu unit with heat from Flagship Marine. My question is- Who has what air conditioner and how do you like it?
Ray,
When you are calculating the size of your AC unit remember that on your particular boat you must figure 6 sides exposed. In reality even more surface area for each hull plus the deckhouse.
Dale
I would be afraid to figure it even if I knew how. We would probably need a many thousand btu 240V chiller with 4-6 radiators. We have about twice the interior volume of a 365 and about twice the deck area. Add to that the boat is a light beige, not white. The 2 portable units would get it down to about 85 degrees during the day, about 75 at night. If we had our shadetree awning up, they would have done better during the day, but the awning is a pain to put up/take down. I think 16,000 btu's are going to be minimal, a bit more would be better based on the portable trial horses.
I have a Mermaid 16500 reverse cycle and live on the boat in Florida's Panhandle. The unit isn't enough to keep the boat at 72 during the summer, but it's pretty good at keeping it around 80 on hot days that are 100 outside. It's a bit better in the winter and always keeps it above 60. It's installed on the port side under the VBerth and has 3 ducts, one circular 4" duct into the Vberth. Another 4" circular duct in the galley, and a 6" circular duct that goes through the hanging locker to vent just above that table on port side next to the hanging locker. It works well, I like it, and I can barely run it with my Honda 2000 generator.
Mike
S/V Tardis
Pearson 367 Cutter