Lunaire AC

tsawyer · Post by **tsawyer** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:49 pm

My Lunaire AC unit can't seem to compete with the 100+ degree cabin and the 93+ degree days. It was fine last summer and I really didn't notice any problems over the winter.

It is blowing coolish air, but won't get the cabin much below the outside temp.
I've never had it serviced or recharged in the 2 years I've owned the boat.

I googled Lunaire and apparently that is now a brand of women's underwear.

Would I be correct in assuming that any marine AC company could check it out and recharge it?

Is there anything specific I should be aware of before I get someone out to look at it?

Thanks

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 10:08 pm

Any marine AC tech should be able to service the unit. Generally the discharge cold air will be around 40F if it is functioning correctly.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:11 am

You won't get 40 deg air from you A/C around here . Using a temp gun you should get about a 15 deg drop in temp from the inlet temp to the out let temp . Water temp has a big effect .

I would think any good marine A/C tech should be able to charge it if need / make sure you have good water flow first.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 8:52 am

prowlersfish wrote:You won't get 40 deg air from you A/C around here . Using a temp gun you should get about a 15 deg drop in temp from the inlet temp to the out let temp . Water temp has a big effect .

I would think any good marine A/C tech should be able to charge it if need / make sure you have good water flow first.

good point paul. my marine tech told me that this warmer than normal water is causing all sorts of issues with cooling equipment. not to mention what the calcification effects are doing to heat exchangers. both my neighbor mike and i noticed that when we run our engines, we both ran them yesterday, in just under 5 minutes, the temps leap to 135-145.

tsawyer · Post by **tsawyer** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:19 am

Water flow is good as I replaced that particular $300 pump a few weeks ago.

Water temp isn't any higher than normal 85+ degrees. I'm in south Florida where it is always hot.

What I would really like is to add a unit that blows at the helm. But I don't see spending the money for that.

I'll get a AC tech out to give it a charge.

Thx.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:24 am

tsawyer wrote:Water flow is good as I replaced that particular $300 pump a few weeks ago.

Water temp isn't any higher than normal 85+ degrees. I'm in south Florida where it is always hot.

What I would really like is to add a unit that blows at the helm. But I don't see spending the money for that.

I'll get a AC tech out to give it a charge.

Thx.

sounds like a plan. the a/c techs have been working overtime here in baltimore.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:27 am

In Va the water temp is 85+ in the slip surprise its the same there .

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:31 am

prowlersfish wrote:In Va the water temp is 85+ in the slip surprise its the same there .

from new york (manhattan area) to florida. the east coast water temps are higher than normal for such an extended period of time.

tsawyer · Post by **tsawyer** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:35 am

I looked up the surf temp and it ranged from 85-90. My home dock is in the canals inland a bit and im sure the temp would be higher here than at the beach.

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 9:51 am

Wow, water temp here on Lake Michigan in the slip is about 65-68 depending on the day.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:02 am

k9th wrote:Wow, water temp here on Lake Michigan in the slip is about 65-68 depending on the day.

Thhat makes the AC work much better , but the swiming a liltle cool .

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:24 am

prowlersfish wrote:
k9th wrote:Wow, water temp here on Lake Michigan in the slip is about 65-68 depending on the day.
Thhat makes the AC work much better , but the swiming a liltle cool .

CAUTION, 'shrinkage' could occur ! i just could not let that one go.
what can i say, i'm just a kosher pig at heart.

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:45 am

We're not allowed to swim or fish in the marina. The marina has a large beach in very close proximity to the boat slips.

Shrinkage for sure Aaron!

larryeddington · Post by **larryeddington** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 2:05 pm

IMO colder warmer water the temp differential is not that much. Units are designed to work within a window od condensing medium whether it be water or air. Colder water is not necessarily a good thing to a systme that does not have a sophisticated throttling valve such as an expansion valve. I doudbt any of our units have them. If the condensing medium gets too cold it can cause freeze up. I would suggest the trouble is with the refrigerant charge in the system, which should not leak and be refrigerant tight. Make sure the tech gives a good effort to find the leak. Many will tell you you can pay me time to find the leak or we just put some refrigerant in which is cheaper.

END OF DAY SYSTEMS SHOULD NOT LEAK.

I do not believe the water temp of and initself is causing the grief unless the flow is obstructed somehow. If warmer water temperature was the issue just increasing the volume of it would be a solution. I think not the issue.

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 6:29 pm

hi guys, i got this email from someone who is a marine a/c tech. i'm cutting and pasting his entire email to me for you all to see....... (and i have no idea what a delta t temp calculation is.)
aaron

On Sun, Aug 5, 2012 at 11:49 AM, Rico <rdriggsmarine@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hello I am new at this forum thing I don't know how to reply. You seemed to have the most correct info for delta t temp. difference, inside humidity plays a major role also, that is why as a a/c tech I always check the humidity with my delta t calculations, I am in myrtle beach SC. and my main though is to let people know to check there water coil for slime build up, this is a condition that descaling acid Will normally not remove, evaporator coil cleaner blasted through with a garden hose and over board seems to work best. this must be done closest to the coil inlet as possible, yesterday day while servicing a lunaire in a trojan 3 ft of hose prevented the coil from cleaning, you can pull a hose off and stick a nut driver in the coil to see whats in there, please pass this info on I can not figure how to get on this forum thing

Thank you for your business
Rico
R.D. Riggs Marine
Phone 843-385-3867
rdriggsmarine@yahoo.com