Need Advice: CruisAir Water Pump Troubleshooting - No Water Coming Out

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by memiller279

Also, while you're at it - do a cleaning of the water circuit through the units themselves. Close the discharge thru hull and connect the intake/discharge to hoses leading to a bucket that has Barnacle Buster (diluted) in it. Run a pump on the intake hose of the AC unit and let it circulate for an hour or more (depending on how long you want to sit there and watch it. It's amazing how much stuff comes out of those units - especially if they've been sitting.

After you're done, run some fresh water through it and you should have better flow than before (if it was fouled by critter growth).

Could indeed be useful to use a descaler to flush the lines and units. Not necessarily easy to make a closed loop, though.

Most of the products (Barnacle Buster, Rydlyme, etc.) also offer an alternative approach: fill-wait-flush. The "wait" period can be whatever they recommend; Rydlyme usually recommends 4 hours. I've just flushed a heat exchanger with Rydlyme using that method, seems to have worked like a champ.

In any case, if fresh water will make the system work -- enough to prove it's about water flow -- then the immediate problem is semi-solved, and a descaler can likely make it better after that.

-Chris

[sailnow2011]

make sure you oil the pump too. Mine slowly died, I took it out, replaced the starting cap, and then I found a hole that said (<oil>) So oil I did, now it seems fine. LOL

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by memiller279

Also, while you're at it - do a cleaning of the water circuit through the units themselves. Close the discharge thru hull and connect the intake/discharge to hoses leading to a bucket that has Barnacle Buster (diluted) in it. Run a pump on the intake hose of the AC unit and let it circulate for an hour or more (depending on how long you want to sit there and watch it. It's amazing how much stuff comes out of those units - especially if they've been sitting.

After you're done, run some fresh water through it and you should have better flow than before (if it was fouled by critter growth).

You can either circulate, or pump it in and let it sit. Circulate is faster. "Sit" is recommended 12 hrs exposure time. I did this to my A/C unit a few weeks ago. Relatively new unit with little run time. Amazing how much black crud came out of it. Barnacle Buster worked. And it cools down now much faster. Not cheap stuff, but also safer than pool acid and some things other recommend. And you've probably seen the videos of the oft-recommended Vinegar treatment, that does nothing.

[solecollector]

Ranger- all is correct -


I went back to the boat and used my hi pressure pump (one for my blow up paddle boards - sea eagle) and I couldn't pump the water through that one line that water wasn't coming out of. Should I be able to pump out the water through the hose?

Also - all of the air conditioners on this side of the boat go to the same out going through hull.



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[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by solecollector

Ranger- all is correct -


I went back to the boat and used my hi pressure pump (one for my blow up paddle boards - sea eagle) and I couldn't pump the water through that one line that water wasn't coming out of. Should I be able to pump out the water through the hose?

First off, I agree that soak method is easier to do that circulate method with Barnacle Buster, etc. I had a siphon-type, hand pump with a 5/8 inch fitting and put a small section of hose on top (discharge), ran that to the bottom coil opening, ran a hose from the top coil opening to the bucket, put pump in the bucket, and pumped until solution came out of the hose. Let it sit.

If I am following you, what you are saying is that the water line thru the AC coil is plugged? If so, yes that is your problem. Did you try blasting it with a water hose with a nozzle (jet) on the end?

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by solecollector

Ranger- all is correct -

I went back to the boat and used my hi pressure pump (one for my blow up paddle boards - sea eagle) and I couldn't pump the water through that one line that water wasn't coming out of. Should I be able to pump out the water through the hose?

Also - all of the air conditioners on this side of the boat go to the same out going through hull.

OK, that's maybe some progress. Trace the hose to the end where it meets the AC unit (or at least otherwise identify which AC unit it feeds) and take it off the fitting at the AC end. Try water or air pressure there; might blow some gunk our back toward where the manifold is -- so be prepared for crappola -- but that might clear it enough so it starts working again.

So all three AC's discharge through the same thru hull... implies there's some kind of junction in the vicinity of (or direction of) the thru-hull, too. And you may find the clog is in that direction, instead. If necessary, from the thru-hull, work backwards to determine which line flows from the AC unit in question (i.e., the one that uses the line you couldn't force water through from the manifold end). Try water or air pressure there, if necessary, so you eventually end up with a completely clog-free connection from manifold to AC to discharge.

-Chris

[DeepFrz]

I wouldn't just unclog the passages but I would recommend you descale them as well. Descale all of them if they haven't been done in 5 yrs. they will need it. That little job will pay dividends in the efficiency of the units.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I wouldn't just unclog the passages but I would recommend you descale them as well. Descale all of them if they haven't been done in 5 yrs. they will need it. That little job will pay dividends in the efficiency of the units.

Yep, I'd agree with that. I'd consider the initial effort to de-clog the lines as still being in the diagnostic stage, so to speak. If the system starts working due to simple unclogging techniques, that suggests the problem has been identified. In that case, subsequent descaling would seem very likely to be a good follow-up activity.

-Chris

[DeepFrz]

solecollector, any progress on this?

[solecollector]

Thank you everyone!! It is fixed! I just replaced the port aft air conditioner with a used one. We rarely use that side so I went with a "deal"... And deal with it I did.

The cause of the problem was a major blockage on the outgoing side of the unit downline. It was such a simple fix - once I located it.

On a side note. I'm taking the 100 Ton (masters) test today and the group of people in the class have so much experience. From retired military to a composite expert... I think I learned more outside the class about my boat and world sailing - so much fun.

Again - thanks for all the help. I hope to provide as much help to the community as it has to me - !_steve


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[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by solecollector

Thank you everyone!! It is fixed! I just replaced the port aft air conditioner with a used one. We rarely use that side so I went with a "deal"... And deal with it I did.

The cause of the problem was a major blockage on the outgoing side of the unit downline. It was such a simple fix - once I located it.

Glad to hear it's fixed, but are you saying you fixed the blockage by replacing the unit?

-Chris

[solecollector]

The blockage ended up being a hard bend in the line just below the deck where it goes into the bilge. I was able to re-run the line to ensure a clean flow.


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[DeepFrz]

Good to hear you have it running. Good luck with the test.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by solecollector

The blockage ended up being a hard bend in the line just below the deck where it goes into the bilge. I was able to re-run the line to ensure a clean flow.

Heh... yeah, kinks will do that. Nice to hear you whupped it.

-Chris