Airconditioning seawater leak

[David]

Mike

Just ot follow up comments from Scott.

It may well be a corrosion problem.  I have a new unit I am about to install and there does not seem to be any hole or plug I can see in the tappered section in mine.  Have you installed a galvanic isolator on earth of shore power?  David

[Mike Brown]

David check on the underside of the tapered tube, closest to the large end. While never say never I will say the green follows a well defined path from the water that was dripping so I'm doubtful it's galvanic corrosion. Additionally the unit is isolated from the boat other than the power connections from the control box.
Mike

[Aquamarine]

The AC seems to be a different config or am I not looking at the right place? The third picture is the fresh water leak from the water pump.

[Mike Brown]

Yes it's a different configuration. It appaears as though we have different AC units.

[David]

I found this one on the net, it may be yours? It's an earlier model of the Cruisair aircon.

[Mike Brown]

Here's a picture of the model we have. It sits in the same place as the one on your picture. So far I've not had any more raw water leaks from it. I don't know why but Beneteau ran one of the condensation drains to a pump, the other directly into the bilge. I'm going to redirect the one drain so it drips directly in the area of the pump.

[James Taylor]

Mike
The pan condensate drain line that drains into the bilge is normally a backup to the electric condensate pump drain (two separate drain lines and two separate thru hulls). Condensate via the electric pumps (if you have two ac units) is pumped up and over board via two separate thru hulls.
In the event of electric condensate pump failure the condensate will drain through the pan drain line and into the bilge for removal via a bilge pump. The electric condensate pump may have a overflow tube that allows the condesate to flow out and into the bilge but overflowing is not the main purpose of the tube. The tubes main purpose is to avoid spillage into the bilge by setting the height of the tip of the tube higher than the pan.
You can, of course, reroute the condensate pump drain line so that it dumps in the bilge but that would be defeating the purpose of the electric condensate pump. Beneteau received lots of complaints from boat owners of water in the bilge (condensate). Boat owners apparently want dry bilges and also some boat owners leave the ac units on when they leave the docks. If the auto bilge pump fails as condensate is being pumped into the bilge. Nightmare!!! Rerouting your condensate pump drain line to the pan or bilge does not sound like a very good alternative. With the condensate pump drain line and auto bilge pump drain lines going to separate thru hulls there is much less of a chance of flooding the boat with condensate while away or at the boat .
We have boat #19 and that is the way our system is designed. I know you have #1 and it has a few different setups than later versions but I will say this. If there are two ways, by design, to get the condensate off the boat that's is a good thing.
James
B#19
The electric condensate pump should keep the amount of condensate in the pan below the pan drain tubes height, thus avoiding draining into the bilge.
James

[Mike Brown]

James, I remember you telling me how the condensate pump works and I agree with the concept. The condensate pump appears to be working as there is little to no water build up in that area of the sump. I believe I heard it run but it's very quiet so I wont swear to it. My problem comes from what you refer to as the back up drain. I have condensate build up under the rear of the pan which drains through the back up hose and into the bilge. The amount of condensate in both areas is what I would refer to as minimal and normal reasonable. The area in the pan between the two drains is dry as a bone. What I think is the easiest and safest thing to do is to simply extend the backup hose and route it through the limber hole between the bilge compartments and into the sump area. The hose should fit with plenty of room left over to allow any errent water to migrate into the bilge.
Mike

[James Taylor]

Mike
Can you reposition the electric condensate pump closer to the backup drain line opening so it captures the condensate in close vicinity to the drain hose thus eliminating condensate close to the hose? The electric condensate pump on our boat is 4-5 inches from the pan drain line opening.

[David]

Hi James
I have just installed my aircon and I do not have a condensate pump could you or anyone tell me what type it is and if possible could you send a photo of where it is located. David

[James Taylor]

David
As previously mentioned these small condensate pumps have separate thru hulls on Beneteaus so it looks like you will have to drill a thru hull if you choose to install it as beneteau has. There should be an electrical connector in the AC fuse box for powering the condensate pump. The type used on my boat is the EDC Pacific submersible drain pan pump. All you have to do after connecting the pump and its lines is sit the pump in the pan.

http://www.edcpumps.com/en/condensatepumps.php

James

[Mike Brown]

James, no I'm afraid not. The pan has fixed openings the hoses attach to and in my case they're on opposite sides. I think I'm just going to extend the backup hose so it drains directly into the bilge at the pump. I wont be back to the boat until next week. Helping deliver a B50 to the show this weekend.
Mike

[James Taylor]

Must be nice having friends in higher places!!!