Lessons learned - DIY install of MarinAire air conditioner
SoulGravy
Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
Now that I’ve gotten my A/C install complete, I thought I’d share some observations here that might help someone else down the road. 2003 342 Fiesta Vee
1. There is a difference between MarineAir (the company that is now Dometic) and MarinAire. The unit I installed is from MarinAire. Why I bought a unit from a company that misspells both marine and air I’ll never know.
2. The MarinAire unit is slightly bigger than the unit I replaced. The specific unit I installed can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/16000-Contained-Marine-Conditioner-110-120V/dp/B005X0GQBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523625304&sr=8-1&keywords=marinaire.
3. Shipping was amazingly fast. It helps that I’m in Georgia and it ships from Miami, but I was really surprised that it got here in a day and a half.
4. The water lines are in a different location on the new unit than my original. One line was long enough to reroute. The other wasn’t. I had to splice a new water line.
5. The existing cat5 cable worked on the new unit.
6. The drain line was the biggest PITA of all. I had to get creative to get it run right so that it would drain properly.
7. Did I say the unit is bigger than the one I replaced? Yeah, especially in height. I had the original unit propped up on one end so that the condensate would drain properly. I have the same shim, but it puts the unit too tall. I’ll have to fix that, but it’ll take 5 minutes and isn’t a big deal.
8. The blower is 6”. My duct is 7”. So that’s a thing that had to be dealt with as well.
9. I created a little confusion on my other post asking about wiring, so let me try and set that straight. The sensor that this unit uses to measure cabin temperature and humidity is not in the control panel like it is in other units. There is a sensor mounted on the unit itself. There is a remote sensor included. I had originally thought that I needed both sensors. However, that’s impossible, as you can only use 1 sensor. I’m currently using the sensor mounted to the unit itself. So, it’s going to measure the temp/humidity in the locker. It should be accurate with the unit running because it’ll be measuring the return air. If I find that I don’t like the way it’s working with this setup, I’ll run the remote sensor, but until then I’m going to see how we like the way it cycles on/off.
10. This can be a DIY with not too much blood, sweat, or tears. Basic tools, some patience, and common sense are required. Although it took me longer than the 45m others here have experienced, it really wasn’t too bad. I took my time and figured things out as I went along. Make sure you dry fit everything. If you move something, dry fit again. This added some time for me, but saved me several headaches.
11. It’s not hot here, so I can’t report how it’ll work in the heat of summer, but it blows cold and, as others have stated, is pretty dang quiet.
Comments
PC BYC, Holland, MI
- I was aware of the difference in companies, but there's plenty of sucess storied on The Hull Truth, and when I called a very professional sounding gentleman answered many technical questions - he knew his stuff and his products. I'm comfortable if I had an issue we'd be able to troubleshoot much of it over the phone, vs. getting some peon that doesn't understand the product or follows a bad script designed to get me to give up and buy a new product.
- The 6k unit is a little different, but not that much. My challenge was getting it in/out with a broken left wrist while laying on my belly shortly after an SI joint procedure.
- It arrived the day after I purchased it.
- I never tested the controller
- Yup, I used the old line to pull an all new line - I don't trust splices below the waterline.
- Mine had drains on each corner. I adjusted it so it should drain nicely while in the water on anchor.
- Once I got it rotated into place, that wasn't a big deal on my 280.
- Yes, I had to run to Home Depot and pick up a reducer. I wasn't going to pull a new vent line (although it is only 6' long, I'd have to figure out how to pull it all apart.
- I'm pretty sure my remote unit has a thermometer (per the manual) but I could be wrong. When we've used it we've left the humidity control mode on, which cycles the fan occasionally.
- Start to finish it took about an hour to pull the old unit. I spent another 2-3 hours troubleshooting before deciding the compressor was toast. Surprisingly I could find the compressor on Amazon Prime, but I don't have a working vacuum pump right now (brother in law burnt it up without oil). I decided I could spend 3x the money and get a new unit, then rebuild the old one in my spare time and have a spare. Due to the differences in hose and vent diameter that's no longer valid, so I'll likely part out the electronics and controller from the old unit so another unit may live.
- Runs great! Blows 38° air out the vent with 94° and 90% humidity air inlet. Very quiet too - surprisingly so. We assumed the compressor was DOA the first time we ran it, until the cold air hit us. Remote is nice, but on a 280 EC unnecessary except for changing the temp from the mid-berth cabin (bouncing the IR off the mirror behind the anchor locker).
I've only run it one year now, but I'd highly recommend!Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express