Air Conditioners - Recomendations?

[bkgoodman]

I'm thinking about putting an A/C in my 2300 SCR. It is a pretty small cabin - so I don't need anything too big. Obviously space (and cost) are the two main considerations.

I am open to entertaining all options - 12v, AC - Things I can use on the water, or at a marina only, etc.

Anyone have any suggestions, ideas - or warnings!?

-BKG

[biggerseagar]

BK.........I have seen a'c units small enough for a 23 footer and that they are hooked up to an inverter plus shorepower. It can be done.

I don't know if you have seen the TV show Ship Shape TV? The guy that host the show is a riot to watch and the show does have alot of good info on it.... but......if you go to the website www.shipshapetv.com you can order a DVD of that show where he put an a/c in his 23 footer, if that helps.

To do this all yourself is where you will save your money. I would venture to guess you will be spending somewhere between 4 and 5 grand to do all this......a/c unit, inverter and electronics, batteries and hardware.

Hopefully someone can help you with the details, but for a fact I know it can be done.........do you what to spend that kind of money is the other question?

Good Luck...

Roger

[bkgoodman]

do you what to spend that kind of money

Definitely not! ;-)

I had see a bunch of other stuff - like some weird electrical units that are like 1500 BTU for a couple hundred. I don't know anything about them though. Again - a lot of other pumps and hoses and stuff to connect up with these. I guess I'm looking for a more "creative" solution than the standard $5k A/C systems ;-)

[seapuppy]

try this company....give them a call and talk specs too them....they make small units for small boats all the way up to full up refridgeration units.......saw one at the boat show last winter that could fit into the seat stowage of a 24ftr...pretty awesome..


http://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas...elf-Contained/

or this place...

http://www.wrightmarine.net/

I don't know what they cost..but at least this will give you an idea of WHAT to install..

SP

[biggerseagar]

Some boaters use a home window unit..........the creative part is figuring out where to mount the thing.

Roger

[bkgoodman]

Originally Posted by biggerseagar

Some boaters use a home window unit..........the creative part is figuring out where to mount the thing.

Roger

I was thinking about that. For use in our home marina - mounting it on the dock box and running an air duct to the boat. :-O

[biggerseagar]

I have seen windows units being mounted into your cabin door or a aft window.

[bkgoodman]

Anyone have any experience with any of these?

http://www.swampy.net/

[biggerseagar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXokP...eature=related

here is the ship shape TV show about putting in A/C

[bkgoodman]

In the spirit of doing evertyhing as cheap as possible - I bought a small floor-standing A/C unit for $125. It's 11k BTUs (well overkill) and about 40 pounds - but something I can leave in my Dock Box for when I sleep overnight, or stow when I go away on trips. It comes with some ducting (hot-air output) I can easily rig a thing to exhaust out the top part of me entry door.

Maybe if I get ambitions, I can rip the unit apart and interminably mount it in my cabin - somehow!

-BKG

[vffb507]

Just have to get imaginative... A dehumidifier can also be used as an A/C unit if one does the right tear down and set up (yes I know this first hand). The biggest thing to remember is that the piping can contain high pressure fluid (oil and colant) depending on which one gets kinked the wrong way (also know this first hand). If you do want to jury rig it be sure to go slowly and plan it out.

[bkgoodman]

Originally Posted by vffb507

Just have to get imaginative... A dehumidifier can also be used as an A/C unit if one does the right tear down and set up (yes I know this first hand). The biggest thing to remember is that the piping can contain high pressure fluid (oil and colant) depending on which one gets kinked the wrong way (also know this first hand). If you do want to jury rig it be sure to go slowly and plan it out.

I was looking at a dehumidifier yesterday a home depot. They are a bit smaller and lighter than the A/C unit I'm looking at. I was indeed wondering how well it would work in eliminating the discomfort - and also - what exactly the difference is in how an A/C operates vs. a humidifier.

So - is there a way to get a dehumidifier work as an A/C? How do you do it??