AC Water Manifold Project

[Alanna Mo Cree]

We have the typical single AC pump supplying both AC units, but I'm pretty sure the manifold arrangement is not typical.

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It's nice having the valves so we can service one unit while the other keeps running, and I was thinking of expanding on the system by adding some flush ports or a full setup to easily connect garden hoses for descaling as shown in these plans:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/ ... sp=sharing
Here in central Florida I have to descale every 6 months to a year.

What I'm not a fan of is the schedule 40 PVC fittings in this application. I don't see Marelon fittings to reproduce what I'm trying to do, and a bronze setup would be very heavy and very expensive. I'm thinking of switching out the schedule 40 for schedule 80 PVC. Anyone have similar setups or ideas?

[Midnightsun]

Up here it is rather rare to descale in fact I have never done so. The unit on Midnight Sun is similar as it has a 3 way manifold with each outlet going to 1 of 3 AC units. There is a single hose that goes from the pump to the manifold located under the galley floor and from there, hoses go to each AC unit. There are no valves on mine or none that I can remember. That being said, I am 99% sure the factory manifold is PVC, the gray style. There is no pressure in these lines, maybe a couple of psi at best.

Personally I would have no issue making the manifold out of PVC with the appropriate valves you need to separate the systems for descaling purposes.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

Thank you. The gray style is the schedule 80 I was thinking of. White is scheduled 40 and is not nearly as strong. Calling it "schedule" whatever might be a U.S. thing. Pressure isn't really a problem, but accidentally hitting it with something that breaks it off is.

I can build out what I'm thinking for about $100 with the gray stuff. Moving it off the top of the pump using some hose is an idea.

[bud37]

Just to add, most times it is good practice to connect motors/pumps to hard pipe using a section of hose as a vibration isolator.

[tomschauer]

You could switch to schedule 80 PVC but why? The schedule 40 is good for at least 150 PSI and is much stronger than the hose adapter and hose that is connected to it.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

Work in progress. Salon side is done. Forward stateroom still to be completed.

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I need to find a couple more fittings to finish things out. The short length of hose with the painters tape on it can become the vibration isolator and then I'll see if I can mount the manifold somewhere.

I was able to use it when servicing the salon a couple weeks back. It is so much easier to unscrew the cap, screw in regular garden hose, and use a transfer pump to first drain and then circulate descaling fluid. This used to require undoing hose clamps, fighting to get the hoses off the barbs, fighting to get hoses back on temporary barbs, brushing up on my sailor vocabulary, etc.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

In between doing a bunch of other stuff I finally finished up the manifold. I also cleaned up the wiring that was just running on the ground next to the pump.

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I think all the 90 degree bends are really impacting the flow rates. Version 3 (this is version 2) in addition to coming off the pump with a single hose to the manifold I'm planning to only have a single 90 for each output to the A/C units. Essentially I'll have the pump to the hose to the side of the manifold, then have each of the two outputs come of at a 90. This will hopefully provide much better flow rates, but for now everything is working.

The blue cap indicates the salon A/C. I also have a blue dot next to the breaker on the electrical panel.

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The colored dots on the panel is a trick I learned from some hard core cruisers. Red indicates breakers that should not be switched without due consideration. Yellow indicates breakers that are only on when in use.

[kgarguilo]

I am sure by now you have done this project but for others, I found this valve that is brass and reasonably priced. [img]

Walmart%20-%204%20way%20valve.png

[/img] purchased through Walmart of all places https://www.walmart.com/ip/All-Solid-Br ... 7292765006 It is made for automotive but is solid brass and not very expensive. Here is the flow of water when the valve is turned.

[bud37]

Just to add, most good quality marine fittings are bronze versions for corrosion resistance. Admittedly more expensive though.