A/c, help!
rasbury
Member Posts: 8,378 ✭✭✭✭✭
Got across the lake and into my slip- perfect conditions but a tad out of practice...anywho...a/c which always fires right up did, but no water pumping and shuts off-; I pulled the intake trap near the the thru hull and well...pretty nasty. I swear I checked it "recently" - only in the water a hand full of times over the last 4 years- but for about 3 months I was in a marina and there was just slime running from the boat side drain- still pumped water. Our water is hot and is "healthy".
So, I pulled the pick up filter off and cleaned it a second time- I opened the thru hull- I figured water would come thru a pretty good rate? It is a hole in the boat- closed it back up, tried again- turned the filter while it was trying to run to burp it- maybe I did not do it long enough but water was coming out at the trap.
Should I try to back pressure back thru the thru hull or does water not poor through with the thru hull open and the intake strainer filter off?
I can't remember which of the holes on the side is the a/c- should I back pressure the hose thru the system? Shop vac and suck? What about in front off the intake strainer filter- can I back flow/suck thru there to clear it?
It sounds like everything is working, compressor kicks on and makes all the normal noises- no water - kicks the compressor out.
So, I pulled the pick up filter off and cleaned it a second time- I opened the thru hull- I figured water would come thru a pretty good rate? It is a hole in the boat- closed it back up, tried again- turned the filter while it was trying to run to burp it- maybe I did not do it long enough but water was coming out at the trap.
Should I try to back pressure back thru the thru hull or does water not poor through with the thru hull open and the intake strainer filter off?
I can't remember which of the holes on the side is the a/c- should I back pressure the hose thru the system? Shop vac and suck? What about in front off the intake strainer filter- can I back flow/suck thru there to clear it?
It sounds like everything is working, compressor kicks on and makes all the normal noises- no water - kicks the compressor out.
Comments
Have water at your slip? Put in clothes you don't mind getting wet, make sure the seacock is open and squirt water into the outlet port once you've verified which one it is.
Even with my breeder valve its a pita to reprime the AC.
I then get to remove my sediment cup from its holder and spend half an hour flipping it up and down with the bleeder unhooked until it primes. I am hot, sweaty, angry and hate the world by the time I am done.
You might be able to prime it with a shop vac if you can get it to seal enough and it has enough suction power. That's one I have not tired... sounds like a good idea.
Assuming you don't have a clog.
Another trick I learned from this site.
I haven't tried taking the boat for a spin on plain, my genny is tied off to my transom and while I don't think it could fall off, I don't go more than idle no wake speeds with it back there. If you have an inboard genny I'd go for it, that sounds the easiest. My admiral isn't going to sleep on the boat without AC. That's a deal breaker in our relationship.
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
@rasbury where is your ac located?
If you're down at the boat at night follow the discharge hose from your ac to where it goes to the hull, then have a volunteer hold the brightest flashlight you own up to all the thru hulls until you find they find the one that brightens up.
Really stupid question here, but all your valves are open right?
I would focus on the inlet ... are you able to get the boat on a lift? If so, disconnect the inlet hose at the strainer, and if you can get your hands on compressed air ... to blow that line out. You must have something lodged in that suction line.
Boat Name: King Kong
"Boat + Water = Fun"
As far as I know there are really not any self priming ac water pumps. The pumps themselves are usually below the water line, the AC unit, usually not.