MacGregorSailors.com

I found a portable Airconditioner for about $429, it weighs about 71lbs and draws about 7 amps. You could use this with a 1000 watt generator. Total cost for gen. and air would be about $1100. Has anyone tried this combo?http://www.air-conditioner-home.com/pro ... 1010M.aspx

Ken

Just a thought, one of the best manufacters of RV air conditioners is Coleman. Here is a link to their marine version. http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-a ... ioners.htm

Personally I would suspect claims of 10,000 BTUs with a low amp draw. Physics comes into play here.

And is that power draw the startup draw or what it takes to run after the compressor has started? There must be a substantial difference in startup power requirements. When I asked a question to the board a few months ago about how big of a generator I would need to run an 8000 BTU wall unit, I thought the answer was 2000 watts. Unless that was a wrong answer, it seems a bit ambitious to be able to run 10000 BTUs on 1000 watts. But then again, I suppose there are differences in compressor technology...like rotary versus piston I believe. Perhaps that makes a difference in power consumption too?

I was over on the Hunter site and saw where one of the H26 that went on the Conch cruise last year is running Air from a 1000 watt Yamaha. If you go to the above link, he has pictures of the install.

ken

RandyMoon wrote:Personally I would suspect claims of 10,000 BTUs with a low amp draw. Physics comes into play here.

Sunpentown offers a portable 10,000 BTU unit with a 6.3 amp draw (link) which, absent start-up voltage issues, could conceivably run from a single EU1000i, and certainly from an EU2000i. The problem is the surge voltage. None of these portable interior units seem to offer soft start, which is key to running from a smaller generator. Mooreover, I don't think soft start can be added after the fact.

ken lockhart wrote:I was over on the Hunter site and saw where one of the H26 that went on the Conch cruise last year is running Air from a 1000 watt Yamaha. If you go to the above link, he has pictures of the install.

ken

Ken, can you post the link to those photos? Thanks

I went up one side and back down the other with this topic last year. I was almost ready to install a small unit under the port setee. Mermair makes a small 5K BTU that will fit with some wiggling. But it requires a water intake and a permanant mod to the boat. They claim they run theirs on a Honda 1000 all the time. I then ran up more thought about the gen set. I bought the Honda 1000 and had it for almost a year. I was using a temp A/C unit in the companionway with a modified hatch cover. I looked forever for a cheap used cruiseair but no luck. A 5000 BTU was more than enough to cool the Mac in FL. I just barely started the A/C unit. It even tripped every once in a while during start up. I would reset the gen and run the fan on the unit the switch to the compressor real quick. Although it was light I found out during a hurricane that a 1000 will not evenrun a refer/freezer unit. I bought a Honda 2000 and found myself happier as not only do I run the A/C, charge batts, run DVD for kids and the small honda units are inverters which are safe for electronics like laptops. You could do it with a 1000 but you would be happier with a 2000 as I use mine on jobsites or helping friends with projects and even ran an aircompressor to do a roof job the other day. Either way go to sears and buy a sendec hour meter to keep track of your time for oil changes. I always do the x-mas boat parade and last year was great due to the qiet gen as opposed to the noisey thing from the past which I now use as an anchor.

http://www.sailboatowners.com/upload/di ... 147&fno=17

Here is link on install[/url]

I also attempted to do this. Even went so far as to buy the generator, 1800 watt Coleman and a 99 dollar window unit from Walmart. Every thing worked fine and I might have been tempted to suck up the noise, however the vibration was unbearable even with padding. I ended taking the generator back. I now only use the AC at dock side. I cut a piece of smoked plexiglass to cover the space above the unit stuff towels in to open areas and crank it up. It gets very comfortable with four people inside.

I tried it with a B&S gen that I have and the vibration and noise was crazy but now I have the honda eu2000i and i dont feel the vibration and the noise is quieter than the airconditioner. My gen sits on the rubber mat next to the engine with a cable and padlock cause I believe those little feet would someday walk away. I also bought another cap and drilled it out on the vent and put gas line in and have a honda hook up on the other end and plugs right into the 12 gal tempo. The lack of vent draws the gas into the honda and works like a dream. Now if I could drum up a bit more $$$ I could swing for the mermair 5200 with heat! Florida is nice year round but I love winter sailing here and just taking the chill off would be awesome..

There is a Fedders portable air conditioner/air cleaner/dehumidifier, available at Walmart that I am thinking about. Fedders also has a model that has heat too.

http://www.fedders.com/catalog/applianc ... _port.htm#

I think you could make a Companionway door that you could attach the exhaust duct to.

Randy,

I saw that model online at Homedepot.com for $369. It is the Maytag Model M6P09S2ACOM. Same unit as the Fedders you are looking at. Different name tag.

Home Depot Internet/Catalog # 165375

this website has several portable AC/heater combo's on sale. Looks like they have some ice cube makers that would be handy too.

www.compactappliance.com you'll have to type it in. I dont know how to make it a link

RandyMoon wrote:There is a Fedders portable air conditioner/air cleaner/dehumidifier, available at Walmart that I am thinking about. Fedders also has a model that has heat too.

http://www.fedders.com/catalog/applianc ... _port.htm#

I think you could make a Companionway door that you could attach the exhaust duct to.

Good idea. But 9000 BTU is a heck of a lot for a little ole Mac, probably a major overkill but I suppose it is harder to find smaller ones and they may even be more expensive if they are less popular.

How are those with air conditioners fairing? Are you happy with your unit? What do you like about it? What don't you like?

I'm toying with the idea of this one, which is $380 with shipping...

I have a solar powered vent in the head. So, I'd probably just run the exhaust vent hose to that existing vent...