Looking for info on air conditioning setup for 1989 30 sundancer. Where is factory air installed? Under sink, under v-berth, etc? Have this boat with AC (not sure if factory installed or aftermarket) and am looking for input / ideas on how to run an AC line into the aft cabin from V-berth installed main unit.
1989 30' Sundancer AC
- Thread starter Boatndan
- Start date
The main unit on my 87 is under the aft dinette seat. The control panel is located on the surface below the V berth.
I have two vents. One is up in the V Berth, and the other is up on the left above a shelf as you enter the cabin.
There is no vent in the aft berth, which is kind of stupid. I've thought about trying to run one back there, but it looks like it would be a major project. Getting the vent back there is one problem. You could probably go under the steps, through the bulkhead, and run it around in the engine compartment to a spot where you could tap it in to the aft berth. But, I think it might invlove drilling holes where you might not want to. I'm thinking that might be why Searay didn't run one back there to begin with.
My wife and I sleep in the aft berth all the time. The kids sleep in the V bunk.
I have two small oscillating electric fans that I keep on the boat. I bought them in Wal-mart a couple of years ago. One stays on the shelf up next to the V bunk, and I keep the other on the Dinette table.
I turn the A/C down low before we go to sleep and run the fans. I lock the forward fan facing aft, and lock the one on the dinette table facing down and in to the aft berth.
It sounds more complicated than it is. I've found this method to keep the entire cabin, including the aft berth, nice and cold.
We have central A/C at home and I am addicted to it. My wife often complains that I keep the house too cold. That being said; the way I run the A/C on the boat at night keeps us nice and cold in the aft berth. We sleep back there with a warm blanket even on the hottest nights.
It ain't fancy, but it works, and it's a lot cheaper and easier than trying to run another vent back to the aft berth.
I have two vents. One is up in the V Berth, and the other is up on the left above a shelf as you enter the cabin.
There is no vent in the aft berth, which is kind of stupid. I've thought about trying to run one back there, but it looks like it would be a major project. Getting the vent back there is one problem. You could probably go under the steps, through the bulkhead, and run it around in the engine compartment to a spot where you could tap it in to the aft berth. But, I think it might invlove drilling holes where you might not want to. I'm thinking that might be why Searay didn't run one back there to begin with.
My wife and I sleep in the aft berth all the time. The kids sleep in the V bunk.
I have two small oscillating electric fans that I keep on the boat. I bought them in Wal-mart a couple of years ago. One stays on the shelf up next to the V bunk, and I keep the other on the Dinette table.
I turn the A/C down low before we go to sleep and run the fans. I lock the forward fan facing aft, and lock the one on the dinette table facing down and in to the aft berth.
It sounds more complicated than it is. I've found this method to keep the entire cabin, including the aft berth, nice and cold.
We have central A/C at home and I am addicted to it. My wife often complains that I keep the house too cold. That being said; the way I run the A/C on the boat at night keeps us nice and cold in the aft berth. We sleep back there with a warm blanket even on the hottest nights.
It ain't fancy, but it works, and it's a lot cheaper and easier than trying to run another vent back to the aft berth.
Thats interesting JVM, on my '89 300DA the AC is mounted under the aft dinnete seat and I have a vent in the aft cabin as well as the one as you come down the steps and also one in the v-berth. They ran the duct for the aft vent to the bulkhead on your right as you come down the steps. I think they routed the hose in fort of the fresh water tank. I want to add a vent in the head since it gets pretty hot in there in the summer.
Forgot the OPs question. I've seen the AC mounted under the v-berth on these boats, I've also seen a central vac. system under the v-berth. You should be able to tap off the air box on the evaporator and run (insulated) ducting to the aft cabin under the steps. I'll have to look closely at how they routed my ducting and try to post some pics. These boats are all fairly similar from '85 to '89.
Play Dough
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- Dec 19, 2007
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As Scorpio said, unit is in the aft dinette seat with an inlet grill on the face of that bench. Outlets are as stated before. Condensation tray drain goes to the mid cabin bilge. Water pickup and pump are there as well. Overboard outlet is thruogh the port side hull.
Aft is down in this image.
Aft is left in this image.
Aft is down in this image.
Aft is left in this image.
My unit is mounted and looks the same as Play Dough's, but my controls are mounted up on a panel under the V berth, and I have no vent in the aft berth.
I also have a toggle switch right next to the vent in the main cabin. Flip the switch and a little green light alongside it comes on. Other than that, I have no idea what it does. Absolutely nothing, other than the green indicator lamp lighting, changes when the switch is flipped.
Does anyone know what this is for.
I also have a toggle switch right next to the vent in the main cabin. Flip the switch and a little green light alongside it comes on. Other than that, I have no idea what it does. Absolutely nothing, other than the green indicator lamp lighting, changes when the switch is flipped.
Does anyone know what this is for.
Play Dough
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I have the central vac, so that's what control is on the panel under the forward berth. The only vent in the cabin is the one in the galley area. There is a toggle switch under that (no indicator, just the switch). If you mean the A/C duct over the dinette, there is no switch anywhere near that.
My boat is set up the same as Play Doughs' but I don't have the central vac. so no idea on the switch. Now, does anybody know what the toggle switch in the head marked "SHOWER" actually does? I've tried it and nothing seems to happen. I imagine its supposed to turn on the cabin sump pump but it doesn't on my boat.
jtsmlarson
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- Jul 7, 2002
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Boy that unit takes up the WHOLE aft dinette! I don't have A/C but it's not really needed around here. It cools off at night.
That shower switch should turn on your mid cabin bilge when you take a shower. It seems kind of redundant because it should come on with the float switch anyway. I guess if your switch fails and you need to take a shower you can power it up manually! I don't even bother with the switch. Sometimes I'll run it just a bit at the end of a shower, but I get a lot of water that come back in after the pump shuts off. I guess I should install a check valve or something. That just seems like more headache to contend with. When we're done showering (I think we've only used it a handful of times?) I open up the compartment and remove the rest of the water and dry it out.
That shower switch should turn on your mid cabin bilge when you take a shower. It seems kind of redundant because it should come on with the float switch anyway. I guess if your switch fails and you need to take a shower you can power it up manually! I don't even bother with the switch. Sometimes I'll run it just a bit at the end of a shower, but I get a lot of water that come back in after the pump shuts off. I guess I should install a check valve or something. That just seems like more headache to contend with. When we're done showering (I think we've only used it a handful of times?) I open up the compartment and remove the rest of the water and dry it out.
Jim, does your boat also have a switch at the helm for the cabin sump? Mine does and it does function. I'll have to take a look at how that thing is wired and see why switch in the head isn't working. As for the space consumed by the AC, its worth it in the summer in the Mid Atlantic!
Play Dough
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I have two switches in the head. One labeled "shower" which does nothing as Scorpio mentioned and the other labeled "head" which I assumed to be power for an electric head. I have a manual head so if that is the purpose, it would be unused. I've always threatened to investigate those two switches and see if they were live and what they were wired to, but never really felt the need to know outside of curiosity.
Yes, I have two toggles at the helm for pumps. One controls the main bilge pump, and the second controls the cabin bilge pump under the aft berth. Both are also controlled by float switches.
The cabin bilge pump is mounteed in an area that also contains the pump and through hull for the AC, and its where the AC drip line drains in to.
I have a total of four pumps on my boat.
The two I just mentioned, the one for the shower that is controlled by the toggle switch in the head and a float switch, and the emergency bilge pump.
The emergency bilge pump is mounted higher in the bilge that the main bilge pump, and is only controlled by a float switch. An alarm will sound if that pump kicks on.
I have that switch too, and a manual head. They should both be live. The switch marked head controls the pump mounted next to the waste tank.
The switch marked shower controls the pump for the water that goes down your shower drain. You should only need to use it if the float switch for that pump fails.
jtsmlarson
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Chris, same setup with the switches. That way if you are at the helm you can turn it on or if you are up to you knees in water in the shower you can turn it on as well!!
The A/C would be great where it's hot and humid. I'd love to do the great circle and I know we'll need A/C on that boat if we make it! Hopefully it will be a diesel boat so we can run it at night if we absolutely have too!!
Only a few more weeks and we'll be ready to launch somewhere!! Can't wait!
The A/C would be great where it's hot and humid. I'd love to do the great circle and I know we'll need A/C on that boat if we make it! Hopefully it will be a diesel boat so we can run it at night if we absolutely have too!!
Only a few more weeks and we'll be ready to launch somewhere!! Can't wait!
Play Dough
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"The switch marked head controls the pump mounted next to the waste tank."
I wasn't aware I had a pump next to the waste tank. Are you talking the black water tank? What is the pump for?
I wasn't aware I had a pump next to the waste tank. Are you talking the black water tank? What is the pump for?
Play Dough
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The macerator pump is not installed on my boat. I'm assuming it would be downstream of the waste tank somewhere. The discharge hose runs direct from the tank to the deck plate. Maybe because the boat was sold on the Great Lakes it wasn't supplied. Doesn't matter. Wouldn't/couldn't use it anyway.