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Chiller help

Discussion in 'HVAC' started by Seasmaster, Mar 4, 2019.

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  1. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Nobody in our area knows much about chillers., very few around. My current tech does standard ac's, electrical and generators. He is doing me a favor finishing up install on air handlers and replacing one of the new chillers unit that blew up. I have been helping him when needed, been a long project, too much to discuss on this thread.
  2. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I have A/C techs in Daytona and StPete.
    If I won't allow them on my boat, I don't offer them.
  3. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Thanks, the system controller is not turning #2 chiller on, if we cannot figure it out soon I'll be in touch.
  4. wdrzal

    wdrzal Senior Member

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    My preference is to pipe with copper. Hard copper for straight pieces and annealed where bends ,radiuses and places you need to follow curves. For connections 15% Silver solder on fittings not expected to be taken apart. Flares , preferably double flares in places you may have to change a shut off valve. Threads only where needed using hard copper, brass or stainless fittings. In no way would I use plastic tubing ,except for condensate drains. And never stainless steel pipe clamps, the ones you tighten with a screwdriver to secure plastic tubing.

    Can you get unit # 2 to run if you bypass controller? Also Post a electrical schematic of the unit and any T-stats yo u are using, which usually give enough information
    Last edited: May 28, 2019
  5. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    We switched power plugs, #2 unit is running good. If we don't get a fix soon will start another thread on this issue. Thanks
  6. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    DOMETIC - NEVER AGAIN!!
    I WILL NEVER, EVER RECOMMEND A DOMETIC PRODUCT.

    Having called Dometic customer-service line at the commencement with this AC project, the application engineer provided a drawing showing Dometic's recommendation. The drawing had piping diameter, AHU specs, Spirovents, Spirotops, wye gates, gauges, back flow preventer, fill assembly and valves all nicely laid out. They also knew that a pump package was ordered. This pump package included a back-flow preventer, a fill assembly, and one gauge.

    When the parts were ordered, the distributer (CRUISEAIR SOUTHEAST-in Hollywood FL) didn't catch the redundant order. So in summary, DOMETIC application engineering department, and the distributor both didn't catch the duplication. It has taken more than 2 months for Dometic to get all the parts to me! That alone is unacceptable.

    This morning, the DOMETIC decision maker, in Pompano Beach, wrote:
    "It is the responsibility of the installer, to know what products are required to do a proper install. Dometic is to advise, and not be held liable for an installer duplicating parts based on plumbing diagrams given. Those diagrams are to assist an installer – it is not an exact road map of what to use. If a quote had been prepared by us and those parts were duplicated – I would agree. The 20% would still stand if you like to return these items."

    Read this part again: ". . .Dometic is to advise, and not be held liable for an installer duplicating parts based on plumbing diagrams given. Those diagrams are to assist an installer – it is not an exact road map of what to use."

    I cannot get my head wrapped around such a poor business model. They can advise, but won't be held liable?? They are the ones that "advised" the duplication. We are talking about a $253.00 restocking charge, out of a $34,000.00 sale!! REALLY DOMETIC?? REALLY?

    I urge EVERYONE, anyone, to not purchase a DOMETIC product. Buy any other manufacturer's AC product. Because clearly, Dometic really doesn't care.

    In closing, I do want to give a positive "shout out" to the one person who was helpful. It really was the application engineer. He agreed that there was a order redundancy, and tried to fix the problem. Unfortunately, within that toxic corporate environment, he was overruled.

    DOMETIC - NEVER AGAIN!!
    I WILL NEVER, EVER RECOMMEND A DOMETIC PRODUCT.
  7. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Where is your Fram-Can when you need here?
  8. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    When we blew a frequency drive a couple of years ago, it took a month to get one from Dometic Cruisair because it had to be programmed.

    Replacement chiller last year? Also a month to build a new one. Ended up having ours rebuilt in less than a week

    Happy I went with Flagship for the chiller system
    On my own boat.
  9. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Did you contract with the total job with the installer? Have dealt with several contractors that have over booked work in the past year.
  10. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    WHO ordered your parts? It sounds to me like your installer ordered the parts and then you made the duplicate order. Not sure why your installer didn't know what parts you needed and why you had to contact Dometic directly. Is he or Does he work for a dometic dealer?
  11. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    Installer ordered parts after consult with Dometic application engineer. Contact made because the boat-factory installation was fk'd up nine ways to Sunday. The first time out of the box, the Dometic application engineer had incorrect diameter piping also. It was only after he was made aware of how the AHU piping ran, did he re-configure. This 50 foot boat has almost 100 feet of piping-200 feet when one considers the supply and return lines. Furthermore, the AHU's are below the level of the chiller and CW pump; something that Dometic recommends against. Best I could hope for is to have the chiller/CW pump at the same level as the AHU's, but I'm not going to reconfigure the engine room to achieve that. I really don't know what Elling was thinking when they designed this AC installation. But given my thoughts of Dometic, maybe their recommendation is as good as their customer service: S#!t.
  12. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Reset the controller to factory default and running great! Thanks for the post jogged our thoughts to reset.
  13. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    Project coming along. Trunk lines run - not much to show in a picture though.
    Salt Water pump in:
    IMG_1034.jpeg

    Chiller and circ pump before:
    IMG_0021.jpeg

    Chiller and circ pump now:
    IMG_1058.jpeg

    One of the AHU's "trial position": Plumbing to follow.
    IMG_1017.jpeg
  14. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Nice! Major improvement. I know you could have bought a small boat for what your ac cost. Have you calculated the hours you put into this as well as $$? What's your next project - the stern thruster battery?
  15. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Nice! Major improvement. I know you could have bought a small boat for what your ac cost. Have you calculated the hours you put into this as well as $$? What's your next project - the stern thruster battery?
  16. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    LOL. Thruster batteries replaced last year, as well as GenSet start battery.:):(o_O
  17. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Looks good. Lots of new bling in the er!
  18. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    Well, more progress on the project. Had to replace the raw-water strainer for the AC, and more piping on the chiller unit as well as a new electrical box to replace the controllers from the earlier chillers. The AC guy's been chasing electrical gremlins. See my post: "Foreign Wiring & Electrolysis". I might have Air by the end of the month!!!

    New box in ER, replacing old controllers.
    upload_2019-9-10_10-29-50.jpeg

    New piping

    upload_2019-9-10_10-29-50.jpeg

    New strainer

    upload_2019-9-10_10-30-17.jpeg
  19. bayoubud

    bayoubud Senior Member

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    Thought you would be cooling it by now.
  20. Seasmaster

    Seasmaster Senior Member

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    So did I, but then life intervened. The tech had a family crisis develop, and then Dorian threatened. . . He's back; "hard-at-it"!