Please Clarify Boat Heating and Air Conditioning Setup

amanphoto

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
336
I'm looking to extend my season - and make the wife happy. I would like to install a heater / air conditioner in my Monterey 250cr.

Background: I live in NY and our boat goes in as soon as the ice melts March 1st. and comes out at first snow. My boat is 25' cabin cruiser. It would require around a 5,000 BTU air conditioner. There is no insulation and very few and small windows in the boat. I have a 3,000 watt - 110V inverter and Large 12v bank with 420 amp hours of battery. The boat doesn't Vent well and some sort of ventilation system will be welcomed.

The plan: I want to install a Reverse cycle heat / AC unit or Diesel Air Heater. We don't get many hot days where we need AC, but it would be nice. We have more cold mornings and nights.

The Question:

1. Which one is more energy efficient? Reverse cycle heat has a compressor and fan. Diesel has pump and fan (I will have to put in a small tank for diesel fuel).
2. I know the Diesel will out perform the Reverse cycle heater on really cold days, but how much heat can I expect to get out of a Reverse Cycle heater.

Your advise:
Has any had experience with either one of these?
 

agallant80

Commander
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
2,328
My reverse cycle 5,000BTU warms the inside quite well. I have no complaints. With that said you will need a generator. The "can I run A/C off of batteries" question comes up quite often and its not a realistic thing to do.
 

agallant80

Commander
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
2,328
By the way make sure you have a good CO detector in the cabin if you decide to do something. One way or the other with the diesel heater or generator for the AC you will be around CO
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,033
You could rig up a heating system off the motor's cooling system. I presume you have an I/O on that size boat. That would provide heat while the engine is running. Or you could rig up a heat storage system, like the electric/engine hot water heaters on cabin cruisers. That would provide heat for a time after the motors were shut down.

There was a guy anchored in a cove near me. He had the generator on the swim platform, and the A/C unit in the deck hatch.
 

agallant80

Commander
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
2,328
If you just want heat you think of buying a marine propane heater that takes the 5lb cylinders? Google "marine propane heater" there are several of them out there.
 

redneck joe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
10,198
if you don't have many hot nights I'd do more blankets and a a small ceramic heater off the inverter.
 

amanphoto

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
336
I think I'm going to go reverse cycle Heat and AC. From what I've read recerse cycle heat is more efficient then resistor heat. I'm not sure how warm it will make my cudy. Let's say the water is 40 deg (f) and the air is 40. What temp can I expect?
 

Slip Away

Lieutenant
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
1,431
It will be as warm as you want, or whatever temp you have set on the thermostat.
 
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