No boat owner wants to find themselves mid-cruise in 40 C (104 F) degree heat without a functioning air conditioning system, so as the new boating season fast approaches, Dometic Marine has launched a three-point checklist to ensure smooth running of air conditioning systems. The world’s leading supplier of marine air conditioning systems called upon its expert engineers and team members to provide some basic preventative tasks that boat owners can carry out to avoid unforeseen problems mid-cruise and the possibility of large repair bills.
Leisure boaters can enjoy hassle-free family days out on the water if basic maintenance tasks are carried out regularly. Not only will this frequent upkeep prolong the operational life of the A/C unit, but it will also help to avoid a complete system shut-down in the most inconvenient of situations – a worst case scenario, but expensive should it occur.
“To ensure a pleasantly cool on-board environment as well as mould, dampness and rot reduction, self-contained A/C units needs a little tender loving care from time to time and summer is the most logical time of year to give the system a thorough check,” says Ned Trigg, Senior Vice President of Global System Sales, Dometic Marine. “As owners prepare to use their boat more frequently during the summer, it is important to ensure everything is in good working order to prevent unlikely system failure. The most common cause of an A/C system failure is blocked water and air flow but fortunately, this is easily preventable with our three point checklist.”
1. UNBLOCK
If the seawater circuit is not properly maintained, the amount of heat transferred will be reduced and this can create the same condition as purchasing a system that is too small to cool the space. To avoid this, the seawater strainer should be checked for debris that may have been brought in by the raw water and removed. On average, the A/C unit should be checked monthly during the summer months, but this will vary depending on the quality of water that a boat sails or cruises in.
2. CLEAN
Inspect and clean your return air filter which is located on the blower/evaporator assembly. There may also be an air filter built into the return air grill assembly. This will need cleaning as well. Lastly, use fresh water to test that a full condensate pan on the blower/evaporator assembly will drain away within 30 seconds.
3. SECURE
All of the systems fixings and electrical connections should be checked and tightened if needed to make sure they are secure. It is also important to check the hoses, coils and other piping for leaks and repair if necessary.
Dometic Marine climate systems are manufactured to withstand the harsh marine environment but also user-friendly, making maintenance tasks as simple as possible. However, should more serious problems occur, Dometic have an unmatched network of authorised distributors, dealers and fully-trained service engineers in over 100 countries worldwide for after-sales support.
Dometic’s three point checklist can be downloaded at: http://dometic.com/d5ceede4-3abf-42e5-8eb3-26866718edd9.fodoc