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Here's my options for the little AC for the V-berth.

1) 110VAC runs on shore power only (no generator)
2) DC runs on inverter (so either shore power or at sea) draws 55amps.
The units are both 5,000 BTU, and cost about the same. It's only a 25 V-berth but I would like to spend a few nights in it....at the marina.

Is there any thoghts on the different units? The DC unit makes me a bit nervous due to the heat put off from the inverter, and the idea of "someone" running the unit until the batts are dead offshore.

Do they both require water cooling? If I go 110HVAC shouldn't I use fresh water only to reduce maintenance down the road?

Thanks for the inputs.

Da' Judge has a small portable AC on his B25. Takes up almost no room, works like a charm, no water, dockside only. Trey will probably chime in with more details when he sees your post... In the mean time look at these.

I have one of those portable Cruise-aire units. Mounts on the fore deck, runs on dock power only. After an hour or so, the V birth is cooled down nicely. Even enough to sleep in the cabin.

When I had my B25 I used a GE plastic portable 120v unit just sitting on the deck in front of the open cabin door with a towel duct taped over the opening. We used the hatch to get in and out. Worked perfect, spent boucoup nights aboard. Plastic, no rust and very light. Stored just right under one of the seats. KISS.

UV

UV...excellent. My kinda thinking.
Ernesto...do you leave it on the boat when your running??

I was leaning toward the "marine" 120VAC 5,000BTU at $1,700....but the little unit that is 8,000BTU is under $300. I could go through 5 units before I could buy 1 "marine" unit.

Will the internals rot sitting in a salt water marina? I know the price is right, but do you guys thing one of these units would bleed rust in the cabin?

Has anyone used these little units?

Most all small shaker units will use aluminum fins on the condensor coil for cooling.

Salt will ultimatly destroy these. Try cleaning the fins/coil and spraying with a clear coat to extend the life. Same goes for the sheet metal body.

How about CX?

Bruce, do you think one of these little "shakers" would last 2 years? Is something like this worth designing around in the V-berth? I will be building out the V-berth this winter.

BTW....I plan on using a wood look in the cabin. What's the ticket for a mahogany panel? Can I use cabinet grade 1/4" mahogany plywood, saturate the back side with epoxy and varnish the finish side?...will it mildue?

Scott-

I also had a Cruisair portable that fit over the cabin hatch. I bought it used for a few hundred, and it worked fine for years. They're about $800 new, but used ones are always around (here anyway) for about $300. Dockside only.

John

Scot, I have the same one as John. It can be kept in the cabin, and then once you are dockside, it just sits on the foredeck and blows down the hatch. Its a portable unit so its easy on, easy off.

Bought it used for like $500 and used it a number of times.