TC 255 AC Installation

C

Captains Cat

New member
OK, I went and did it! Bought a 10,000 BTU AC unit from West Marine. It'll be permanantly installed, maybe behind the fridge in the forward Stbd Dinette seat if it'll fit, otherwise elsewhere. (OK, OK, I know the AC season is almost over here in VA but it was too good a deal to pass up, they're discontinuing the 10,000 BTU model and only had 4 left in the CA warehouse!)

Any ideas C-Brats? Enough weight on the stbd side already!

I'll take photos as I go and post them.

As a "New Boat Owner", I got 10% off for the first 30 days. Now, since I've spent a bunch more, I qualify as an "Outfitter" with another 30 days of discounts! My bride hopes I don't reach the plateau of "Shipyard" :disgust , for some reason, she feels we can't afford this... :?:

Oh well, it's only money...

Charlie
 
Definately balance out the weight on the boat. Also consider that your boat has the low side of power, so be a little cautions about the weight you add.

You HAVE to have access to a good thru hull (both intake and discharege) and a place for condensate drain also. So you need bilge access--or access to the thru hull, plus the wiring for both the AC pump and the AC compressor/blower. You also need to have a good plan for the air flow and any ducting--cool air settles, so you want it ducted or directed to the top of the boat. You also need a very good strainer on the thru hull--jelly fish are a major problem with airconditioning on the Chesapeake--and can cause burn out of the circulationg pump motor.

I probably would put the AC under the foreward seat--or the bunk on the port side of the TC 255.
 
Thanks Bob. I had thought about all of that except the jellies. Definitely a problem, some years more than others. The jet skis on our creek suck them up like crazy.

Is there any reason I can't just dump the condensate in the port hull? I think it'll run back to the bilge pump which is back in both sterns... Also, it looks like it has a scoop thing for the intake, I assume that should be pointed forward so it'll have good suction when moving.

The AC unit has been shipped. I'll install it this fall, even though the season is "over" for AC here. We plan to boat all winter now that the boat is on a lift.

Charlie
 
Charlie,

You might also want to email Andrew at Ranger. He installed our A/C in our 21 and did a very nice job. There are a couple of pics in our album showing the unit and thermostat.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 
Most likely the "scoop" in the side of the hull is for the salt water wash down. I am not sure if it will remain fully submerged when the boat is on a plane. If you don't have continous cooling water, you run a risk of burning up the aircondioner. Most boats have a scoop on the bottom of the hull--which assures that the water is always comming into the thru hull.

Also there must be a valve to prevent any air from being pulled in thru the wash down system.

I don't like to put any more water in the hulls than necessary. I would check to be sure that the water will drain easily aft, and that the fuel tank is not sitting on wet plywood, or in the water. This is one of the best ways to ruin an aluminum tank. Yes, some boats do allow condensate to go into the bilge--but there are several unique problems with the Tom Cat (and other cats). I don't know if there are any bulkheads which might prevent the water from flowing aft--and if there are adequate limber holes, as well as the exact way that the fuel tank is secured.

All of these issues (especially the jelly fish, plus the ability to run the ac when the boat is on the land)--is why we went with the RV roof air conditioner--which does a great job plus runs off the Honda EU 2000.
 
Thanks Marilyn and Denny and Bob.

Bob, the scoop I referred to is the one that comes with the unit, I don't have it yet, just a picture. And yes, I'd make sure the condensate could get by the tank. If I could put it on the starboard side, I'd just put it into the shower sump, that would be neat and easy. And I could use one of the existing overboards to dump the cooling water back. Lots of room under the sink....Guess I could add the batteries I want to add to the port side to compensate, those would be near the charger/AC panel too...

Good idea to confer with Andrew, I shall do so.
 
I suspect that you will have an easier time getting to the bottom of the hull in the port side. The stb side has the fuel tank, then the platform which the shower sump, the water pump and the water tank mounted on. You would have to cut down thru this platform to get to the hull bottom. The hull bottom has to be bored out, then epoxy filled after the core is removed about 3/8" around the area of the core and the hole re-smoothed for the thru hull. The thru hull needs a shut off, and a good access for the strainer. You may also want to have some facility to back flush the thru hull. I have had various fish, jelly fish, and plastic bags caught in this intake (even with various types of guards).

The shower sump--or another shower sump is a good idea. You probably want a dedicated discharge for the cooling water--not to share one which is there. Some cats have had significant problems with water in the hulls not draining aft--but not sure about the port hull of the Tom Cats--I don't think anyone has addressed this issue.

I am sure that the water pump will run fine at displacement speeds--I am concerned about the planing speed--it may be OK, but be sure and check out the flow first. If the boat is to be trailered, the thru hull will have to be on the inside of the hull--not on the bottom (it may be that the hull at that point is not cored). I have not yet opened up the port side (where I am going to put the second water tank)--but the boats are already stb heavy. The batteries work well on the port side--but it would take maybe 4 or 5 group 31 batteries to bring the boat back to balance--and this adds significant weight. Another possibility is to remove the water heater and put in a instant heater of small capacity--you free up space, and get rid of weight on the stb side. We are considering this on the CD 25--but still in the research phase of low current draw flow thru heaters.
 
Thanks Bob. Well thought out. I've asked Andrew Custis (formerly of C-Dory, now of C-Ranger) what he thinks in another thread (the one about TC255 construction photos). Will let all know what I end up doing.

Great idea about the instant heater, I'll have those in my new house and have seen small ones in the WM catalog.

Putting a thru hull on the inside of the cat hull on either side will be tricky. I think I can get to it while the boat is on the lift, from a tender under the lift. I can get it pretty high out of the water. Not sure about while it's on the trailer.

Charlie
 
The outside part of putting in a thru hull is going to be the easiest. The inside access is more difficult. Nor problem working on the boat when on a lift, we do this all of the time, from an aluminum skiff.

You probably can do any eopxy filling best from the outside.
 
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