Air Conditioner

[egauthier@ec.rr.com]

The AC on on 2004 Albin 30 FC is not functioning. When I set the controls for ac or heat, everything starts normally, within about 20 seconds, the unit indicates a problem. I have used dockwater to circumvent the sea water pump with the same result. I think the sea water pump may be the problem because it starts when the ac in turned on but run for only a few seconds and then stops (could be the over heating protection built into the pump motor). Does anyone know if the digital control on the AC can detect a pump shutdown and then indicate a problem?

[furball]

Do you get an error code on the control panel.
I had a "HPF" high pressure freon code last year that would keep shutting the system down. Turned out to be lose connection at the sensor. Found it after 20 minutes of not really knowing what I was looking at. I don't know squat about A/C other than if it's working. Just checking connections and this one fell apart as I touched it. Dropped the little 90 degree connector which promptly slid back under the A/C unit out of reach 30 minutes later I had retrieved it and re-crimped. No more faults.
Do you have water flow prior to shut down?
John

[DougSea]

The AC on on 2004 Albin 30 FC is not functioning. When I set the controls for ac or heat, everything starts normally, within about 20 seconds, the unit indicates a problem. I have used dockwater to circumvent the sea water pump with the same result. I think the sea water pump may be the problem because it starts when the ac in turned on but run for only a few seconds and then stops (could be the over heating protection built into the pump motor). Does anyone know if the digital control on the AC can detect a pump shutdown and then indicate a problem?

My guess is that your A/C unit is not seeing the flow of water and is shutting off the power to the pump to prevent a problem. I know the unit in my old 28 would shutdown with an error code if I lost prime.

The question I have is about the start of your post where you say you used dock water to circumvent the pump. Do you have a flush out fitting and you're connecting fresh water and forcing it through the system? If so, and you are still having an issue I'd assume whatever sensor picks up the water flow is faulty.

[Tuxedo]

The fault code is the key. Could be all kind of things. Low voltage, low freon, high temperature, water temperature too cold (in heat mode). When a fault is detected, the unit, including the sea water pump, shuts down.

It's not clear if you are saying the pump shuts off, and then after a few minutes, the unit shuts off, or everything shuts off at once. If water flows through the system at start-up, and then everything shuts off at once, I would think you have a problem other than the pump.