GOOD FOR NOW
Member
Has anyone had a problem with the Cruise Air Heat on their boats? I am having trouble with getting the heat to blow warm air. Thanks for any replies.
320DA Cruise Air Heating Problem
- Thread starter GOOD FOR NOW
- Start date
Yes.
Where is your boat? More specifically, what is the water temp?
Where is your boat? More specifically, what is the water temp?
vernh59
New Member
Thats what I was thinking. A marine air/ heat unit is limited in it's ability to vary the temp from the water temp that cools it. Here on the gulf we don't notice it so much in the winter but in the summer when the water temp gets in the 80's and the air temp is 100 it is very apparent.
GOOD FOR NOW
Member
I keep it in Orange Beach, AL. I went down a couple of weeks ago, the air temp was in the low 30's. I do not know what the water temp was. When I turned the heat on all I got was cold air. I thankfully had a back up in an electric heater.
air temp doesn't really matter too much as the unit is extracting heat from the water and not the air. I can't imagine the gulf water temps are below 40 degrees...
You sure you had it set to "heat"? Was the pump turned on and water flowing out the side of the boat? Was the compresser running?
You sure you had it set to "heat"? Was the pump turned on and water flowing out the side of the boat? Was the compresser running?
GOOD FOR NOW
Member
It was set to heat, the compressor was running, the seacock was on, now that you mention it water was not flowing out the side.
That'll do it... no water flow can be caused by something as simple as not turning on the pump to having a trigger blown if you have more than one unit on the boat....
GOOD FOR NOW
Member
That must have been it, not to mention it was late when I got to the marina. Thanks.
vernh59
New Member
Orange Beach is right down the beach (so to speak) so water temp isn't the problem. I turned my units on last week when the boat had been cold soaked (33 degrees) and it took awhile before the temp started coming up. If my units don't get water they will shutdown the compressor. If you let it continue without water the AC breaker will trip. My units are 25 years old so yours may be different.
Good for now-
We had same problem two years ago w/ ours in late fall. We did have water flowing out side. To note, our water temp here in Milwaukee was 52 degrees. It was covered under warranty! It was a bad circuit board. Tech came out from Cruisair took 10 min. tops. We then had heat w/ 52 degree water?
We had same problem two years ago w/ ours in late fall. We did have water flowing out side. To note, our water temp here in Milwaukee was 52 degrees. It was covered under warranty! It was a bad circuit board. Tech came out from Cruisair took 10 min. tops. We then had heat w/ 52 degree water?
dpmulvey
Active Member
- Dec 19, 2007
- 4,188
- Boat Info
- 1999/2007 330 Sundancer Hardtop.
- Engines
- 6.2 Merc Horixons
1.5:1 Velvet Drives
Check the strainers and the raw water flow tubes. If they are clean, check the raw water impeller. If that doesn't solve it, last but not least, check the freon level.
MAKC
Member
- Oct 23, 2006
- 519
- Boat Info
- 1997 400 Sedan Bridge
- Engines
- 3116 Caterpillar
My 320 is still in the water (water temp 49 degrees) and the heat was working just fine. It does take a while for the interior temp to rise when the water and the cabin are that cold, but it did work.
Check the raw water impeller? You do realize the pump is a magnetic drive centrifugal pump don't you? It doesn't have a flexible rubber impeller like a raw water displacement pump.
Last edited:
tawcat
New Member
My friend that owns a new 330 was having trouble his heating unit. So while the technician was at his boat yesterday, he came over to check out mine, not for free!! However, I have that preventative maintenance mentality. I hate to wait for stuff to break.
Anyway, first thing he did was pull out the filter. OMG, that thing was a piece of felt. So I washed it off and cleaned it good. He checked the coils etc and then checked the freon level. It was a pound to pound and a half shy. So he gave it a shot of freon. Really gave out good air last night. Air temp was probably low 30's and water temp I suspect was in the 40's. Although the heat was pumping fine, the air temp caused everything to cool down pretty fast so the unit cycled a bit more often.
So you may want to check all the above.
Anyway, first thing he did was pull out the filter. OMG, that thing was a piece of felt. So I washed it off and cleaned it good. He checked the coils etc and then checked the freon level. It was a pound to pound and a half shy. So he gave it a shot of freon. Really gave out good air last night. Air temp was probably low 30's and water temp I suspect was in the 40's. Although the heat was pumping fine, the air temp caused everything to cool down pretty fast so the unit cycled a bit more often.
So you may want to check all the above.
I would have to go back and find the thread but one of my first posts when I joined was this same problem. It turns out that the reversing valve in my system was stuck. I was advised to try and free it by tapping sharply on the valve with a mallet. If it does not free up it has to be replaced which means having the freon removed, a new valve soldered in and the system recharged. I chose to buy a nice electric heater. However, I don't like it when stuff doesn't work as it should so I will probably get it fixed this year and install a digital control.
Only thing I can add is to not over look the simple things first. Back in the summer, I didn't make it to the boat for about three weeks, when I finally got there, no a/c. The pump would kick on but wouldn't flow water. I assumed my pump had gone south but started checking things anyway. Checked strainer, clean. Opened seacock with cap off, flowing water. Finally pulled the outlet hose on the pump and opened the seacock. It took a couple of seconds before water came out, somehow the pump had lost its prime. After putting it back together, everything worked fine. I'm guessing something floated by the intake while the pump was running and blocked the flow. By the time the system shut itself off, it had lost its prime and the bag or whatever then fell away from the intake. Its worth making sure you haven't lost prime before calling on a tech by simply closing the seacock, pulling the outlet hose from the pump, open seacock till it flows and reinstall. Could be as simple as that :huh: SB
- Nov 26, 2006
- 7,628
- Boat Info
- 2008 44 Sedan Bridge
- Engines
- Cummins QSC-500's
Straight Drives
If you're trying to re-prime, instead of removing the outlet line, which can be a pain, loosen the clamps and slide small tool into the gap to allow the air to excape - don't stretch the hose too much; just let the air out.
I was told you can do this by just running the boat up on plane for a short time, is this correct??
Robski97
Well-Known Member
Tawcat,
I think u been had. our a/c systems take about a lb of refrigerant. Its measured in ounces. Freon level is not like air in ur tires. U shouldnt hook a gauge up to it every season . ITs a sealed system and should not need topping off.
Bill,
I do not recc priming the system running the boat on plane. To many steps... a/c system cycling on and off on hight pressure. I think its a bad practice. Removing the hose from the discharge side of the pump is the proper method. some guys shoot water into the discharge hull fitting... Again i dont recc this either reasons are numerous.
Rob
I think u been had. our a/c systems take about a lb of refrigerant. Its measured in ounces. Freon level is not like air in ur tires. U shouldnt hook a gauge up to it every season . ITs a sealed system and should not need topping off.
Bill,
I do not recc priming the system running the boat on plane. To many steps... a/c system cycling on and off on hight pressure. I think its a bad practice. Removing the hose from the discharge side of the pump is the proper method. some guys shoot water into the discharge hull fitting... Again i dont recc this either reasons are numerous.
Rob