Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

[sparky774]

So lets say that a raw water cooled air conditioning or refrigeration system was run for a period of time with the sea-**** closed.

What kind of damage can this cause to the system? Will it effect the pumps? cause the condenser to rupture?

Or will the system just not cool properly?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

So let's say you explain yourself.... Did you do this or are you just asking for the fun of it....

IF you actually have a problem tell us how long it ran and what symptoms you have.

 

[sparky774]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

Long story short i think that the refer system was run with the seacock closed for an unknown period of time. I think this mostly because of improperly labeled seacocks and what other crewmembers mentioned to me.

They are working fine right now though.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

sounds like a non issue to me

 

[sparky774]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

sounds like a non issue to me

Well it may not be a non-issue when i am somewhere between Bermuda and Gibraltar in the middle of the atlantic so if someone has any knowledge about raw water cooled AC and refer systems i would appreciate some input.

Anything to do with the system would be good, basic maintenance items, how they ussually break etc. If i possibly may have an issue because it was run on and off with the seacock closed

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

Sure it's possible but since you don't know how long or even IF it happened and you don't have any symptoms then.......

Sure it could damage something but without any useful info you can only guess.

The raw water pump could have overheated... The compressor could have overheated.... Either or both may have thermal protection systems..... Either panic and replace the system OR run it and hope for the best.

 

[sparky774]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

I wouldnt call trying to be vigilant about maintenance panicking especially on a 3-4 week crossing 2000 miles from land.

The system was most likely run with it closed, i know that it was because the previous crew did not know the refer side was running off of the same seacock as the genset, so whenever the genset went down for raw water side maintenance it was shut.

The system is using centrifugal pumps. Two of them. If probably does have thermal protection although i know very little about it.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

I wouldn't (and didn't) either..... I WOULD call replacing a working system panicking....

If this is that critical then since you obviously aren't qualified to work on the system, hire a professional to look at it... I highly doubt that there is anything wrong with it tho.

 

[sparky774]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

I wouldn't (and didn't) either..... I WOULD call replacing a working system panicking....

If this is that critical then since you obviously aren't qualified to work on the system, hire a professional to look at it... I highly doubt that there is anything wrong with it tho.

Ok now your just trying to make me mad

The last 'professionals' that worked on this system rang up a 22,000 dollar bill and all they did was replace 2 air handlers, run cleaner through the system, and recharge it (possibly with the wrong refrigerant)

The other rung of professionals did similar work and decided instead of removing one of the handlers to clean the exchanger they cut a giant hole in the sheetmetal of the machine so they wouldnt have to pull it out.

So thanks but no thanks i will take a look at this system myself before anyone else does.

Not to mention i have a frigi-mar dealer coming next week to check out the system, but i will be very vigilant about what the say and do.

But i guess i dont need to know anything about the system i will just let the pros handle it.

BTW,

Seems like you may not be qualified to answer my questions. jk

 

[Bubbasboat]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

What are you making this trip in?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

Just trying to help you..... You can interpret any way you want tho...

If you have an a/c system that could possibly acrue a $22,000 bill from a somewhat minor service, you are WAY past any advice to be found here.

 

[sparky774]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

lol maybe man, but you know what? Sometimes all it takes is actually learning the system regardless of how complex or expensive it is. The 22,000 dollar bill was a complete rip off and unjustified. For that money the entire system should have been replace, plumbing and all.

What im trying to say is that in my years ive met a lot of professionals, most (NOT ALL) dont know what the f*** they are doing, not saying i do but at least im trying to fix the situation not make money off of it. That right there is all it takes some times.

The other issue is that it is a foreign system. french made, makes things difficult when no one can read the manual

95 foot sailboat

 

[sam60]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

I would think that if the cooling units were made in the last 40 years that they would have thermal overloads to protect the compressors.

 

[joed]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

I don't about your pumps but normal water pumps (centrifugal type) have a ceramic seal that will burn up if run dry. Even with the seacock closed there may have still been water in the pump so you might be OK. The symptom would be leaking around the drive shaft between the motor and the pump.
I can't speak for the HVAC. I can only guess that it would not have been running very efficiently if the heat could not be dissipated.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Raw water AC run with seacock closed.

My AC has an impeller that is magnetic. It will just run and run if the seacock is closed. What model AC pump do you have? As for the actual AC system it should not run if it does not detect water flow or will shut down if ther eis no water flow. Post what your AC is or at least the vintage of your boat.

You may want to try a manufacture forum or a actual yacht forum. Most people on this site are not equipped to deal with 90 foot sail boats.