Re: .Air conditioner placement?
A couple of years ago, a guy at the dock did about the same thing. Except he put the condeser (outside part) into his bilge area. It didn't cool very well and his bilge got hot.
I installed a unit in my 27'er two years ago. I bought an old 10Kbtu window unit. I also obtained a water cooled condenser coil to replace the air-over condenser coil. I split the unit in two parts. The evap coil/fan I mounted inside under one of the seats. Condensate drain was routed to a scupper line with a float type back check valve.
I reworked the compressor to the water cooled condeser coil and installed them in the bilge area. The compressor is a hermtic/rotary type and all electrical is completely spark proof. I then got a water circulating pump to pump thru the condeser coil. I used a pump that was USCG approved. This was the most expensive part of the project.
This past weekend it got hot enough to turn it on. Yeeehaw, it still worked excellent. Only problem is that whoever sits by it gets their legs almost frozen. It took my cabin temp from 88* to 72* in the matter of about 30 minuets. It is quiet since the compresser is in the bilge. With it being water cooled, it cannot heat up the bilge either. Only problem I get is people think that the discharge water from the condenser coil is my bilge pump. They think my boat is taking on water when its not. I also routed a 3" flexible duct up to the forward berth. What was an uncomfortable place to sleep due to the lack of air flow is now the best place to take a nap or sleep.
