Best 16,500 BTU AC/Heat for the Buck

[Eddieandgail]

Marine AC

We bought our 1987 trawler 2 years ago and the 12,000btu split system for 2 forward cabins died Just before purchase. Replaced with MarinAire 9000 btu which fit in the same space as the blower condenser, very quiet and plenty cold for below deck but still need to have hatch covers on for sunny days. Newer units apparently more efficient.
Eddie and Gail

 

[FF]

"No silence for the damned?"

As soon as the water gets really cold , only the resistance heat , home style mimi split units or folks with furnaces will be warm.

When the electric goes down for a week, the fireplace , oil furnaces/ranges , and coal diehards will be warm.

Gets real quiet when the water is firm enough to drive on .


Enjoy ,, Real winter is great!!

 

[CapnCrunch]

I have webasto 16.5s on both of my boats. One is 9 y-o and the other is 2 y-o. Never a problem with either. I do wish they also had resistance heat capability but they are otherwise pretty efficient and fairly quiet. I keep a Mr Buddy propane heater for when the outside water gets too cold.

 

[MOJO]

Mojo, can you explain more about the calrod heat and links to were to get them? Very interesting concept..

The "Cal-Rod" is simply a resistance coil installed in the blower duct. The coil heats the air as it passes over it. Resistance heat is theoretically less efficient than reverse cycle, but that assumes that you are in temperate climate where the water stays in the 50's or 60's. With reverse cycle systems, once the water gets into the 40's, out come the little resistance heaters to supplement the reverse cycle. And if/once the water drops below 40, you might as well turn the reverse cycle system off. We've been very happy with the Ocean Breeze units. We try not to be places where we need heat, but when we do, they provide plenty of hot, dry air. If we were going to winter in places with winter weather, optimally I'd install a diesel-fired heating system. But, since our primary navigational instrument is a thermometer, that's not going to happen!

 

[Bill & Stella]

Question for technical experts. My water tanks are large and in the engine room, so the water is usually warm. When cruising in cold seas could AirCon, after thoroughly flushing system, be valved to the warm fresh water tanks?