Cruise Air Compressor.

[Steve Mannshardt]

Hi all. 1978 53’ YF. Helm and Galley AC compressor gave up and needs replacement. Any thoughts on recent retrofits? Looking at Dometic and they seem to have a great line up of new products. Concerned about the new higher pressure units and possibly having an evaporator fail. The notion of tearing things apart to get to an air handler is not high on my list of wants. Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[scottinsydney]

www.oceanbreezeac.com

will build you an exact replica of your old condensor/compressor unit. You need to send them a photo of the ID plate and also drawing under cover on condensor.

 

[JCG-PR]

Hi Steve,
In my case, I found that replacement Cruise Air compressors were extremely expensive and hard to find. I was able to source an equivalent from Tecumseh for a much more reasonable cost. The trick is identifying which Tecumseh part number will work with your system. We had help from a local mechanic that had performed similar retrofits before and I was able to order it online. Ours has been working well for over a year.

Good luck,
JCG

 

[Captain Ralph]

Hi Steve,
In my case, I found that replacement Cruise Air compressors were extremely expensive and hard to find. I was able to source an equivalent from Tecumseh for a much more reasonable cost. The trick is identifying which Tecumseh part number will work with your system. We had help from a local mechanic that had performed similar retrofits before and I was able to order it online. Ours has been working well for over a year.

Good luck,
JCG

I have also replaced the compressor on customers and our boat. It is not a 100% fix. Sometimes when a compressor fails it trashes the whole freon path with burnt oil and debris. It takes a few cans of flush (reverse flow) to clean out the lines and evap orifices and still no guarantees that the new compressor will last.

Replacement R22/R417 compressors are expensive and some just not available any more. Sadly, you can not use an old evap station (air handler) with the newer and cheaper R410.

So to consider a whole new system (both ends) you may also need new thick walled tubing.

 

[Captain Ralph]

Just had a case where everybody thought it was a dead compressor popping the breaker, turns out a bad start capacitor.

 

[edward]

How about self contained units ?

 

[Captain Ralph]

How about self contained units ?

Never as quiet as a remote compressor, never.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

Hi Steve,
In my case, I found that replacement Cruise Air compressors were extremely expensive and hard to find. I was able to source an equivalent from Tecumseh for a much more reasonable cost. The trick is identifying which Tecumseh part number will work with your system. We had help from a local mechanic that had performed similar retrofits before and I was able to order it online. Ours has been working well for over a year.

Good luck,
JCG

Have gone that route and been pleased. Originally ordered a Cruisair replacement, but they jerked my guy around, so he found the unit they buy and paint white for about 1/3 the price. This is a dual evap R22system.

 

[krush]

www.oceanbreezeac.com

will build you an exact replica of your old condensor/compressor unit. You need to send them a photo of the ID plate and also drawing under cover on condensor.

I second this. Joe and company will take care of you and get what you need, or custom build it. They custom made me two awesome self contained units that had to fit in very exact dimensions. Big units too, 18,500btu/hr. They are awesome.

R22 is expensive in the USA, but if you take trips to other islands.....

 

[JCG-PR]

Have gone that route and been pleased. Originally ordered a Cruisair replacement, but they jerked my guy around, so he found the unit they buy and paint white for about 1/3 the price. This is a dual evap R22system.

Exactly what we did Robert! Painted the new compressor white and never looked back.

We did first get a working, second hand compressor, removed from a unit they were discarding in the marina and installed that. Then found our condenser coil was perforated, when the "new to us" compressor was flooded with sea water and ruined. Luckily the unit at the marina also had a good condenser coil so we swapped that as well. We ordered the Tecumseh compressor online, as mentioned. While it was on the way to PR, we found a new one at a local refrigeration parts store, so now we even have a spare.

What was mentioned about contaminating the system is true, we had to flush everything, because of the seawater intrusion. So far so good, for over a year.

Regards,
JCG

 

[rustybucket]

I've replaced several cruisair compressors with tecumpseh or copeland, just depends on what unit it is. When I do it I also replace the service valves, add a drier...etc, basically overhaul the entire system and replace what is needed.

BEFORE you replace the compressor go to a local hvac shop and get some test strips to test for compressor burnout. So far I've been lucky, they all just gave up the ghost without blasting/trashing the system.

If the compressor burnt up and indeed polluted the lines, you gotta flush flush flush. Any local hvac shop will have flush kits.

I'm really waiting on the day when small scroll compressors are readily available and make financial sense, should be a huge noise and load improvement over the old reciprocating compressors.

I don't like self contained units, split system for me all day long, I hate the constant noise right under your bed. I'm sure like anything you would get used to it.