www.iFourWinns.com

One of my contemplated Winter/Spring projects is to install A/C on my 268 Vista. To the V268 owners who have factory a/c or who have installed a/c, I would greatly appreciate your input on this task. I am mechnically inclined and have no concerns about doing the install myself. I know there are some threads on the site but I would like some direct feedback on the install and any pitfalls to the process (was it worth the effort?). Any pictures of compressor, vent, intake and seawater pump locations would be very helpful as well. Thanks in advance for your input.

_________________


2008 V338
Twin Volvo Penta 320hp DP

2002 268 Vista
1987 225 Sundowner
1986 170 Horizon
1975 Steury V415SS

I would expect firecadet613 to jump on this. He seems to be our resident Vista AC expert.

From what I have seen, the 5,000 btu unit is right at its cooling limit of the 248/258/268. Invest in a unit with heating as well. It was 46 degrees this weekend and it was nice to take the chill out of the air.

_________________
Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

Get with "acguy". He picked up my 5000BTU unit and is installing it on his 248 currently.

With a 268 I would get the next size up. I picked up the new style turbo series 8k unit as it was plug and play.

Made a WORLD of difference.

As jnizi stated...get heat. It is very nice to have this time of year.

I will chime in later with more info...a bit short on time currently.

_________________
2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Don't forget Al's website: boat-project.com He has a section on adding A/C to a 268.

_________________
Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

Here is Al's 268 install
http://www.boat-project.com/mech/proj-13.htm
As Fire stated I'm right in the middle of doing the install on my 248. I have the aft cabins out and that was a chore on it's own! I have some pics I will post along the way.
If you have any questions I can try to help as this is the 2nd time I have had the boat dismantled

_________________
2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

Al's project is fine with one exception. After initially installing 4" flexible insulated duct, he replaced it with hard, uninsulated duct. That's a mistake, I believe.

Here in Florida, at least, condensation on the exterior surface of the cool ducting is a serious concern. You _will_ have wet carpets if you run the AC long enough on a humid day. Use insulated ducts everywhere.

_________________
Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

Run insulated flexible duct! Make sure your supply and return are sized big enough!

_________________
2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

Just a heads up, I have factory AC in mine and I had some problems with the condensate water not draining, had the whole thing apart twice and finally got it fixed. I didnt notice until I kept finding water in the underfloor storage on the port side of the aft compartment. When they installed the drain line to the shower sump they left a big dip in the hose under the where the garbage can is and it would only drain out about 1/4" lower than the edge of the pan, hit a couple big wakes or take off fast and it would dump the water out.

just a heads up to make sure the drain hose is always running downhill, one litle uphill run and it doesnt drain at all. I was thinking of running one of those mermaid venturi valves to suck the water out with the cooling water, even with the hose ran properly the way the fitting is on the drain pan it still leaves 1/4" or so of water in there. Not enough to splash out but enough to get moldy if it sits for a long time and you dont dry it out. Hopefully the unit you have has a little better drain setup than a hole in the side of a retangular pan.

_________________
2006 Vista 248 5.7DP - SOLD
2011 Crownline E6 - SOLD
2007 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer

kp47 Thanks for the tip. I was trying to think of an easy way for the condensate to run. I might run and external line off of the discharge line of the compressor into the condensate pan to evaporate the water. I have seen this done on a lot of small incremental AC units

_________________
2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

How? Where?

_________________
Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

Hot discharge line run through the condensate pan. Might not evaporate all of it but will help with the amount of water going to the drain.

_________________
2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

If you evaporate the condensate inside the boat, only to be recondensed and returned to the pan, what have you gained?

_________________
Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics

I'm not sure how that will work.

I think the best solution is that mermaid condensator, it goes into the discharge line and creates a vaccum that sucks the water out of the pan along with the discharge. Downside is it costs 150.00 and some people say the sucking noise if the pan is empty is annoying, I was going to try it when I put mine back together but couldnt get one quick enough. From what I read they work but they do get clogged and require maintenance, so gravity is sometimes the easiest, all depends on if you can get a good downhill run to the shower sump. I would say this little 5K BTU cruisair makes about 1/2 a gallon of water per hour when its hot out, thats a lot of water. I would guess the pan holds about a gallon and thats a lot of water to dump out in the small area if it doesnt drain well.

_________________
2006 Vista 248 5.7DP - SOLD
2011 Crownline E6 - SOLD
2007 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer

If anybody knows where I can buy about 10' -15' pf the 2" insulated duct, please let me know. The run the head vent through the engine compartment goes over the genset and I have crushed a few areas.

_________________
Jnizi

2007 Vista 338 "Better Yet"
Previously:
2007 Vista 258 " Just Right"
2005 Horizon 230

As I indicated in an earlier thread, I've always suspected that my AC sucked warm humid outside air into the cabin and, therefore, also ejected cooled air out of the cabin through every orifice available to it. I've now confirmed that and fixed it.

The AC compartment, at the foot of the mid-berth in my 258, is not closed. It shares volume with the vented line locker immediately above and an in-wall cup holder. That volume is uninsulated, of course, and it gets heated by sun on the port side - and it has a source of outside air which allows that air to enter the AC return.

I can't stop the heating very easily, but I did stop the AC from inhaling it by building a thin plywood baffle that fits tightly around the AC evaporator inlet, gluing 2"x3" foam strips around its periphery, which seal the gap between the evaporator and the return grille, effectively making a plenum that the grille supplies and the evaporator draws from. Very little or no compartment air now makes it into the evaporator.

I used to be able to feel cold air spilling out of gaps around the companionway door when the AC was running - and even the anchor locker was cooled by cabin air blowing through two bulkhead wiring holes. No more.

_________________
Tom
Cape Coral

'99 Four Winns 258 Vista
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bowcam
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cape-coral-marine-radio VHF
http://67.207.143.181/vlf9.m3u VLF: Lightning, spherics