T&T: Air conditioning repair

[Larry N. Brown]

I have 4 Flagship marine units on my boat and, on the whole, I've been
satisfied with them. Can't give 2 thumbs up but still, they're reasonably
reliable and the warranty's OK. Only problem is that for repair outside
warranty, one pays shipping to and from FLL and pack the unit on a pallet for
shipping. $100+ each way. (parenthetically, why 4 units? When I want a cool
boat, I don't want to wait hours to pump it down; I want it cool, quick. And.
If one unit throws craps, I don't mess up a cruise- I have 3 more to do the
job. Call it insurance.)

Sounds like the compressor bearings on my 18.5K compressor started to let go
with an agonized wailing terminated by a blown CB on my main distribution
panel. Unit has a 25a on it and my panel is-- I think-- a 20. No matter.
Compressor appears to be frozen.

Now Flagship says the compressor's in warranty but there's a $175 service
charge to replace it + I pay the shipping both ways. $375 in round numbers.

Figured I'd try to just get the compressor. Send in my old busted one and get
the new one under warranty. Tell'em I'll get a frriend to change it out and
recharge the system. Reality is, I have almostidentical units that may lose
charge or have compressor problems in, say, Mexico so I'd like to gain the
expertise in repair. I've charged a leaky old home unit and car units so
that's not a biggie. I've sweated copper tubing so neither is that. I can
probably get freon too. After rewiring a boat, an ac unit is small potatoes.

Now, rambling thoughts and please let's not get off on a political tangent
about the nature of freon and the ozone layer.

Supposing they won't give me the "free" compressor and I have to buy one. I do
the work and I'll still likely be under the $375 if I do it with borrowed
equipment. Get the free compressor and I could likely grubstake the gauges,
freon tank and vacuum pump. Plus I get the hands on experience with Flagship
units- which are very much like mermaids, etc.

 My busted compressor is a rotary one; someone please tell me about replacing
it with a quieter, more efficient scroll pump. Where to buy? How to size? Any
compatibility issues?

Thoughts?

And, in a giant step sideways. One of Flagship's claims to fame is that they
are controlled by 24 v relays, like a home unit. They come with programable
thermostats whih is good. But. The temperature sensor is a solid state chip
mounted on the thermostat body which is then mounted on a bulkhead- wall for
the less marine-ly inclined. In a house, an interior wall temperature
aqccurately represents the house air temp but on a boat, a stray sunbeam can
have the unit wildly chasing a figment of its imagination. It's difficult to
find a neutral location. Any thoughts on a thermostat?

I know that there's at least one listee with time and knowledge on his hands
that will be willing to help me out.

Regards.

Larry
M/V Cigano
Prairie 47
Currenty lying:
Bay St. Louis, MS, planning a run out to the barrier islands Sunday