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Seeing how much "marine" A/C units cost, I bought a regular slightly used window A/C unit with great parameters 5500BTU (at 4.7A -> 11.0EER). The BTU is enough to cool down my boat and it draws under 5 amps at 110VAC.
I "gutted" the unit the way that I freed the outside cooling core. I also installed an additional relay, parallel to the compressor relay - it serves as a switch for the water circulation pump.
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The unit with the radiator out of the casing. You can see that I left the fan (not to be confused with the blower) installed to keep the whole blower/fan assembly balanced.
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First attempt to build an enclosure for the radiator out of a plastic storage bin failed.
This time, I bought two sheets of 18x24 1/4" thick plexiglass and made the cooling box out of this material. It's sturdy, it's durable and it will withstand salt water! :)
(many suggested making the box out of sheet metal but in the end I rejected this idea for two reasons - I can't see inside to check for clogs and it salt water would cause trouble).
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I built the box the way so that I can slide it onto the radiator. I left the left side open (although it appears glued to the box). Installing the 3/4" barb fittings was easier than I thought.
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I was surprised that I could slide the box on the radiator easily. Did not expect for it to be such success! :) There is always a problem with every project, right? I guess I used up all my problems when making the first cooling box.
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Cooling box installed on the radiator. Not enclosed yet. Need to make two cutouts for the copper tubing first.
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Enclosed, finished, done. Notice the two small screws towards the bottom of the cooling box. They hold the radiator in place.
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I made a cutout in the wall under the front V-berth. This storage compartment was never used anyway (complicated access) so I decided to install the unit there. Also, I would have hard time fitting the A/C unit anywhere else on the boat. :)
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A/C unit ready to go in. Notice the black straps that hold the cooling box on the unit. That was a smart idea since I wouldn't want the cooling box to just hang on the back and put stress on the copper lines. It holds very well.
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From this picture it looks like the unit can't fit in. Am I right? :)
Well, it's in. It's like the puzzle "Hedgehog in a cage" - you have to twist and turn and push and shove and then it fits. :) That's why the unit has the blue strap around it - provides for a great handle and easy manipulation!
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In the wall. Finally installed. Secured from inside the compartment with a couple screws so that it does not move fore or aft.
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Close-up of the unit installed in the compartment. You can see the water lines attached. Also, on the right of the unit you might notice the wooden support bracket for the back of the unit. This beast is pretty heavy.
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That's what it looks like under the V-berth. Out of way, but not out of place. :) Neat and clean installation.
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Turned on and working. Together with my new Honda EU2000i generator, it will provide cooling for hours and hours. Especially since I can leave the generator in EconoMode and the RPM's don't go up much when cooling (just 5 amps out of rated 13.3A).
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Pictures of plumbing will follow soon.
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Where do I get the cooling water from? I T'd into the pickup hose for the head (bilge acccess located right behind the cabin steps). Used a 3/4" plastic barb T from Lowe's and attached a livewell pump (I believe 500gph). On the discharge port of the pump, I installed a check valve. From there, the hose goes under the floor to the front V-berth.
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How the hose is routed under the floor. This is the storage compartment under the front seat in the dinette.
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This is the starboard storage compartment under the V-berth. The bottom hose is the feed for the cooling box, the top hose is the discharge line. The through-hull fitting is a regular 3/4" barb, it rests right above water level.
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