A/C filter on SO44DS

[fulmitz]

I just got my 2012 44DS 7 weeks ago. This is my first boat so I'm a real newbie when it comes to maintenance. The aft cabin AC shuts down and I get a high pressure error code. I read it could be water flow or a dirty filer. Thought I'd try the filter first. Problem is, I don't know where it is. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Rob

[Spritz]

Hi, two things, 
1 check if there is any object in the output
2 check if all the tubes are positioned correctly, without any small curve

3 turn on the fan on manual at a low speed and keep it always on ( I mean fixed in manual at low speed) and the situation will be reduced a lot 

let me know

[fulmitz]

Spritz,

My main issue is where do I find these things on the boat? Is there a set location or does it depend on who did the install?

Thanks.

[Spritz]

Dear , the filter for the AC in the main cabin is just under the seats attached to the machine. The aft cabin machine does not have any filter (at least on mine 42ds) and is positioned behind the back panel of the cabin (behind the pillows)  there is a small part of the panel that can be removed and behind there is the AC machine.

everything should be listed and shown in the owner manual, check Jeanneau site and you will find them.

[fulmitz]

Thanks. You've been very helpful. I'll check it out this weekend.

[Spritz]

Found?

[fulmitz]

 

Attachment DeletedAttachment Deleted

Funny you asked.  I finally got to the boat today and found this under the saloon floor.  I believe the picture on the left is the strainer attached to the seacock.  The picture on the right is the water filter, I think.  I turned off the seacock and then tried to take the clear plastic cover off of the fliter in the picture on the right.  I couldnt' get it off.  I then tried to take the plastic cover on the strainer off with no luck.  They were on there TIGHT!.  Do I need a special tool to get them off?  I didn't want to break anything.  I was frustrated and left.  I also had the AC off and forgot to leave the fans on so no water is flowing at all now.  I'll go back tomorrow just to at least put the fans on.  Any suggestions?  Am I in the right spot?

Thanks!

[MalcolmP]

Those Vetus strainers can get very tight. You may need a strap wrench like:



Once it comes off you should lightly re-grease and clean the O ring of any crud - It does need to be quite tight to avoid air bleeding in

[fulmitz]

Malcolm,

 Thanks!!!  That's exactly what I need. I'll try and get to it this weekend. 

[Spritz]

Yes you are right The second picture you posted is the water filter for AC

[fulmitz]

Okay, so I was able to get back to the boat last night and got a strap wrench.  The wrench worked and it came right off.  The filter had a few specks in it but nothing major.  I did notice that with the seacock open or closed, the water just trickled.  Does this mean it could be the strainer? I'm guessing that is the seacock in red on the lower right.  The top is clear plastic and the bottom half is black plastic.  Which do I take off?  The bottom piece or the top.  Does this just twist off as well?


 
Attachment Deleted
Thanks,

Rob

[Tafika II]

I think it jet got expensive. With the seacock open you should have full seawater flow into the boat, not a trickle. I think you have an obstruction either outside on the hull intake or within the thru hull fitting. I don't know of a way to probe this from inside the boat, but you could dive under and see what the intake looks like. It sounds like it is clogged.

[fulmitz]

So you don't think the strainer could be inhibiting the flow if it's clogged?

[Tafika II]

Did not say that. You may have multiple problems. Obviously with the thru hull shut, check everything inline from the thru hull to the compressor, but if you're only getting a trickle straight from the thru hull, something there is wrong.

[rxc]

I would first shut the thru hull valve and take off the hose AND the tailpiece (the curved pipe screwed into the thruhull). I had a problem with my genset cooling that took forever to find, until I looked into the tailpiece and found a long-dead piece of former marine life.

You can even check the thru-hull fitting and valve if you have a straight fitting and a short length of hose to attach to the valve. Just attach them to the valve in place of the tail-piece, hold the hose up in the air, and open the valve. The water level will come up to the boat's waterline, which should be lower than the end of your hose, and you can stick a snake down the hose to ream out any debris. Don't have to haul the boat or even have to take a swim to fix it. I have done this a few times with a galley drain. A long piece of battery cable works well, if you don't have a proper snake.

As a first time boat owner you are getting a quick lesson in all the interesting tools and other "stuff" that is useful to have on-board. And, of course, a good lesson in the usefullness of the Jeanneau Owners Forum.<g>

[Don Reaves]

If the obstruction is in the hose, you should be able to find that out easily by disconnecting it (with the thru-hull closed of course!!) and probing it with a stiff wire.

If it's not the hose, you could again momentarily open the thru-hull and see if you get more than a trickle. If not, you could try compressed air or probing with a wire also.

It might actually be quite simple, though if the thru-hull is damaged and needs to be replaced, that will cost for the parts, labor and a haul-out.

Don

[rxc]

I just had two more thoughts. First of all, was the boat hauled before you took delivery and was the A/C pump vented after the boat was put into the water? These pumps are not usually self-priming, and need to be vented.

Also, it is not clear to me what those strainers are in your photo. The one on the right looks like my engine strainer, but mine is up high, in the engine compartment. The other one looks more like an A/C strainer. Is the one on the right possibly a genset strainer? Also, is that the A/C pump in the photo on the right, just under the hoses? You might want to trace the hoses, and see what goes where.

[fulmitz]

First, I'd like to check out the strainer.  How does that come apart?  Do I take off the top or the bottom piece? 

Thanks,

Rob

[fulmitz]

Okay,

So I'm back on the boat tonight just to check things out and the forward and aft cabin A/C seems to be running with no HiPS message (of course the outside temp had dropped dramatically here in New Orleans).   Anyway, the main salon A/C unit (I have 3 zones) trips the breaker every time I turn it on.  This just started when I tried cleaning the filter.  Any ideas?  Did I mess something up?

Thanks,

Rob

[adoyabn]

Which breaker is tripping? Also when the breaker trips are you running your other ac units? If your main shore power breaker is tripping while your other ac units are running you may have exceeded the capacity of the breaker. 

[fulmitz]

It's the bottom of the 2 shore breakers that trips and only when the main salon AC is turned on, even if nothing else is running.  Now to give the whole story, first the flow issue was the strainer.  It was very dirty according to my boat guy who unbeknownst to me came and cleaned it Thursday before I went Friday.  Now when I went to the boat, and messed with it.  I accidentally turned the seacock off and then ran the AC, thinking the sea cock was open.  That is when the breaker tripped and it's been doing it ever since.  Now I've stripped the cap on the strainer and it's dynamized on the unit so I'm not sure how to get if off or if I'll have to replace the whole strainer or just the cap.  Seeing as it's plastic, worse case scenario I guess they could break it off as a new cap is $27 and a new straining runs about $120.  The flow is much better though now that the strainer is cleaned   I have someone coming tomorrow to check out breaker situation as well as the damage I caused to the strainer.  This has definitely been a learning experience. 

[fulmitz]

Should be the final update.  I've learned a lot.  So it was definitely the strainer.  The bottom plastic looked like black plastic becuase it was soooooooo dirty.  Once cleaned it's clear again.  They temporarily fixed the top I damaged by filing part off and ordered a new top to the strainer.  The generator was shutting down as I got too much air in the line and then had to "burp" the generator to get the air out.  The breaker was tripping due to the weakness of the shore power so I can only run 2 AC zones at a time, most likely due to increased power draw on the system as more boats are docked and connected now then were previously and the grid for the marina is old.  I'm subletting a space so it's no big deal, as I'll be moving my boat soon.  Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions.  I truly appreciated what a great resource you all are. 

Thanks,

Rob