mini splits on a trawler?

[swampu]

Has anyone ever put the mitubishi mini split system on a trawler? *I have the trawler in my sig and I don't want to rebuild the trailer style ac/heat. *I think these units are very light on energy usage verses heat strips in my other unit. *Any real world experiance would be great. *Thanks

 

[7tiger7]

On this note - I have been thinking of getting one of those "portable" AC units that are made by Panasonic or Samsung or LG; the kind that look like R2D2 and have a vent hose to vent hot air out a window - they go for about $200 here in Boston - would be cheaper than getting an AC tech to even LOOK at my Cruisair.

Any experience or thoughts on this?


-- Edited by 7tiger7 on Thursday 23rd of February 2012 09:09:20 PM

 

[psneeld]

7tiger7 wrote:
On this note - I have been thinking of getting one of those "portable" AC units that are made by Panasonic or Samsung or LG; the kind that look like R2D2 and have a vent hose to vent hot air out a window - they go for about $200 here in Boston - would be cheaper than getting an AC tech to even LOOK at my Cruisair.

Any experience or thoughts on this?



-- Edited by 7tiger7 on Thursday 23rd of February 2012 09:09:20 PM

*Been debating the same with the age of my cruiseaire units...especially if I go to a diesel hot water heating system (because they are not reverse cycle)

We have one in out 40 foot tugboat crews quarters and it does a great job...just a PIA to route the hoses someplace...


-- Edited by psneeld on Thursday 23rd of February 2012 09:23:07 PM

 

[jeffnick]

The R2D2 unit is big, must be secured, the hose is awkward, and it is really only good for spot cooling. I tried mine in the van and on a couple boats and was inspired in all cases to find a better option. It has since been relegated to the TV room for occasional personal cooling.
http://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2011/07/roof-air-conditioner-eu3000i-generator.html

 

[Steve]

My sister and brother in law in Ga. have one of the portable ac units in an upstairs bed room I have stayed there several times in summer and always found it worked very well. has a vent hose to a window outlet and that's about it. it does not seem very stable, might need someway to sevure it from tipping.
Steve W.

 

[CPseudonym]

swampu wrote:
Has anyone ever put the mitubishi mini split system on a trawler? *I have the trawler in my sig and I don't want to rebuild the trailer style ac/heat. *I think these units are very light on energy usage verses heat strips in my other unit. *Any real world experiance would be great. *Thanks

*I agree with Carl on the noise issues, the vibration can be adequately isolated IMO. We use some fairly straight forward isolators in roof top instalations that do a fantastic job. The question I would have is the marine environment itself. Some fairly intricate (but very reliable) electronics on these machines. Great idea that merits further investigation. I would take it up with the local Mitsubishi rep in your area.

I too would love to see photos of your boat project. It sounds very interesting. Good luck.

 

[FF]

Most of the mini splits I have seen need 220V to operate.

For underway a noisemaker , rather than an inverter would be required.

There are 220v inverters but they draw far more than the usual engine mounted 12v alternator could supply.

 

[swampu]

Carl, I fell down the rat hole of exterior work. I've been (grinding,fiberglassing,sanding and faring out) little cracks in the paint job. The boat looks like hell now and I seem to have caught a permenate itch/rash. There are two reasons I am considering this
1. The hvac unit now is the large box on top (in picture) this unit typically goes in a mobile home, uses heat strips and has leaked/rotted some of the roof. Also the main duck line is down the center of the boat which means I would have to make more duct work and potential leaks to feed the two bedrooms I plan on putting in the stern.

2. As for the noisemaker it would have to run regardless to run the existing unit or the new ones.
3. When doing the interior build I can build the wall hung unit into the wood work and you would never no it was there until you opened the little cabinet and turned it on.
4. Here where I live lots of people have them on there house's which are on the water so thats what gave me the idea that they may stand up to the salty invironment so-so

 

[twiisted71]

Hi Paul

Love the lugger. I'm from Venice so I can fully understand what you are going through with the need for A/C. you appear to have a large volume of living space on that boat, but you probably also have a large volume of mechanical space as well, right? Perhaps you could use a split A/C built for a house? Keep the noisy/hot compressor up top and just put the airhandler in the bilges. Not some mini system. You could use PVC pipe for duct work (atleast this is what I've always had in the back of my head for an idea on my custom dream backyard build). Then you could install the duct work and "Fuhgeddaboutit".

 

[Tidahapah]

Paul,
Split systems are used here in Aus for a lot of boats especially working boats. Cruiss Air systems require the addition of another water pump etc and interior space to install.
I was contemplating a split sytem for my boat and using the flat cassette type air distributer installed in the deck head as it takes up no bulkhead space and distributes air 360 deg.
The outside unit with a bit of rust prof spray over vunerable parts will last at least 5/7 years.
They are cheap and easy to get.

Benn

 

[twiisted71]

Old Stone wrote:
Rethink the PVC use for ducts. You would likely get unbelievable condensation.

*

Figures, that would have been too simple to work.

*

 

[jeffnick]

Window unit air conditioners are unbelievable durable in the marine environment. I installed one on the cockpit sole of my 18' cuddy and it ran flawlessly for 4 years. And to replace one is probably cheaper than a service call on a marine unit.

And on the topic of ducts, probably a little redneck for y'all, but this has been working out great for us, getting the cool rooftop air conditioner air to to the front cabin.

http://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2011/09/ductless-duct.html

 

[CPseudonym]

Reinforcing the cabin top, whether wood or fiberglass will be a given. The question I would be asking the rep would be the recommended size of the reinforcement to provide a stable platform to isolate the vibration. There are many commercially available, as well as industry standard self constructed ways to mount the outside unit. Concrete pads are great where practical. I have used purchased fabricated roof curbs and old school redwood sleepers that the roofer would mop in. Neither look very 'yachtie' for lack of a better term. I don't understand the aversion some have to running a generator while AC is in use, Sport fish boats in the 45+ foot range are designed to have the generator running almost the whole time they are away from the dock from the way I have had it explained to me. I am a newbie so I could be mistaken.

Vibration isolators come in many configurations depending upon level of dampening desired.

What kind of reinforcement is currently in place for that dual-pack sitting on your roof? If it's sufficient for that monster, I would assume a light weight mini split or two should mount on the same location fine.

I agree with the advice against PVC duct work in a marine environment. Any duct work should be heavily insulated IMO.

BTW Swampu, I love that boat!!! If you have a blog or an on-line repository of the photo history of the work you've done I for one would love to see it.

 

[Phil Fill]

jeffnick wrote:
Window unit air conditioners are unbelievable durable in the marine environment. I installed one on the cockpit sole of my 18' cuddy and it ran flawlessly for 4 years. And to replace one is probably cheaper than a service call on a marine unit.

And on the topic of ducts, probably a little redneck for y'all, but this has been working out great for us, getting the cool rooftop air conditioner air to to the front cabin.

http://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2011/09/ductless-duct.html

*
The Eagle has 1 roof top RV type AC on the the pilot house roof, 1200 BTU, cold and heat. We installed 8 years ago, 4 regular domestic window, shown above; 1 in the salon, 1200 BTU, and each of the* 3 bedroooms, 800 or 600 BTU. *I built encloses for the window domestic AC units that match the teak which butt up against*the window/port, so they are hardly noticeable.* All 5 units can be run on*50 amps, 120 volts, but*normal we only run 4 as the third bedroom is storage space.* In the winter and summer we run the fan only to circulate and clean the air.
*
I would not have the raw water cool because of the have raw water running though the boat.* I took out 7 below the water though hulls and be darn if I will start drill holes in the hull.*

*My wife made small quilts that hang over the stairs ways to keep the cool trapped.* We also use the quilt in the winter to keep the hat/warm air trapped, espcially when below freeezing.*

*
*
Anway you might wnat to think about several smaller units rather than one big/huge one, which does not require any pipe/conduct.
*
*

 

[swampu]

CPseudonym wrote:
Reinforcing the cabin top, whether wood or fiberglass will be a given. The question I would be asking the rep would be the recommended size of the reinforcement to provide a stable platform to isolate the vibration. There are many commercially available, as well as industry standard self constructed ways to mount the outside unit. Concrete pads are great where practical. I have used purchased fabricated roof curbs and old school redwood sleepers that the roofer would mop in. Neither look very 'yachtie' for lack of a better term. I don't understand the aversion some have to running a generator while AC is in use, Sport fish boats in the 45+ foot range are designed to have the generator running almost the whole time they are away from the dock from the way I have had it explained to me. I am a newbie so I could be mistaken.

Vibration isolators come in many configurations depending upon level of dampening desired.

What kind of reinforcement is currently in place for that dual-pack sitting on your roof? If it's sufficient for that monster, I would assume a light weight mini split or two should mount on the same location fine.

I agree with the advice against PVC duct work in a marine environment. Any duct work should be heavily insulated IMO.

BTW Swampu, I love that boat!!! If you have a blog or an on-line repository of the photo history of the work you've done I for one would love to see it.

*Craig, I have a photobucket account that is open to the public. *Here is the link, I don't have it very well organized but most of the boat pictures are under Cajun Rose but some are in my early bronco album.

http://s635.photobucket.com/albums/uu78/swampu/

You know I was looking at the units online and they heat pump will work down to 13 degrees or something which is way colder than is will ever get around here. *Do you think the outside unit might work in the bilge? *I'll attach a picture of the bilge but it's huge. *That wasn't me that mentioned the pvc ducts but I'm trying to get rid of all the ductwork. *As for the window units I don't have anywindows that would accommodate a window unit and my whole goal is to hide the unit in a built in cabinet or something. *These units if properly installed and with proper built in furniture are completely out of sight.

During the summer and during the day I don't plan on running ac or a genset but at night that babies going to be banging away. *I did the math on a battery bank running a cruse air system for 8 hours and it takes a lot. *Propane fridge, diesel or propane stove/heat, water heater will run be electric with the flow through hot water back up.

Phil the mini split is just that. *It's one outside unit that runs up to 7 or 8 inside units placed on the wall, ceiling or floor. *These units can run independently and heat and cool. *I'm with you on the thru hull, I've got 3 below the water line, two for the gensets and one for a washdown pump I am not going to drill a hole for marine unit that will rot*out from the inside.

-- Edited by swampu on Friday 24th of February 2012 05:00:45 PM


-- Edited by swampu on Friday 24th of February 2012 05:06:13 PM

 

[CPseudonym]

Paul, that mini split outdoor unit needs to stay outdoors. I understand the bilge thought but it needs to be up on the roof as it puts off an enormous amount of heat and needs that outdoor air to function properly. I would contact your local rep, 15 minutes of face time with him will clear up most of your questions. While it would not work for many of the boats on this forum I can see no reason why it would not work well for your application.

Love the album, I have had a couple of those Broncos over the years. Seeing your pics makes me wish I would have kept one of them.