Air Conditioner E1 Error & Winterizing Question

[Sean farrell]

Hello All

Tried to winterize my A/C yesterday and kept getting an E1 high compressor pressure error a few minutes after start up at which point the unit shuts down. I could hear the pump, fan and compressor operating, however there was no flow out through the through hull.

From reading other posts it sounds like the pump is not primed. The seacock is open and I checked to see that I have water flow into the strainer. The AC has operated fine in the past, although we have not used it much. There is a garden hose attachment inline between the strainer basket and pump. I can also see water flow at that attachment. Between the garden hose attachment and the pump there is also a rectangular black plastic fitting that is in two parts joined at an angle and bolted together.

So my questions:

- is this black rectangular fitting some sort of fine particulates filter that may be clogged? What else could cause the pump to lose prime?
- is it OK to prime the pump by attaching a hose to the garden hose attachment, or will the pressure be too much for the system? I have a winterizing kit from Westmarine which would create a head of water without too much pressure - I assume that would be a better approach?
- also to winterize the AC, is the best approach to close the seacock and run antifreeze into the garden hose fitting using my winterizing kit?
- do people close the seacock when not using the AC? I have not been doing this, but looking at that cheap plastic garden hose fitting gave me a few concerns.

Thanks
Sean

 

[Brian B]

What model boat do you have?
It is good practice to keep all seacocks closed when not in use, a burst hose or fitting will sink a boat. When I leave my boat all seacocks are closed.
I don't know what the black box is on your A/C line, you could remove it and see if there is water flow. On my 25SC when I winterize which I just did I close the seacock, remove the A/C hose from the "out" side of the sea strainer and stick a funnel in the hose, fill the line with R/V antifreeze. While another person starts the A/C and the pump starts to take the antifreeze I pour 2 gal of antifreeze in the funnel. Be sure the A/C settings are lowered to make the system come on. If you get an error code turn it off wait a minute and try again. I have found that going directly into the sea strainer does not satisfy the pump and it will shut down.
On a side note I just replaced the A/C line from the seacock to the strainer as it had multiple cracks showing in the hose.

 

[Andrew Custis]

Hello,

Their should not be any fine particulate filter. The code is most likely because you aren’t circulating fluid through the system. You need to close be seacock and try to force antifreeze through the system. I’ve created a pump that sits in a five gallon bucket with a hose attached that goes to the winterizing Port with the cap on it that you noted. Force it through and turn the system back on the make sure you see pink coming out of the thru hulls.

 

[knotflying]

I actually do things a bit differently. I open the sea cock and I use an antifreeze hand pump with a clear plastic pliable hose that fits into the thru hull. I pump until antifreeze exits the sea cock. Now I am assuming you boat is on the hard. If not the other explanations are more appropriate.

 

[Sean farrell]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll rig up something to force fluid into the pump.

Does anyone have an idea why the pump would have lost its prime in the first place? Have not used the AC for a while, but since it is below the water level why would it get air in the circulation?

Thanks
Sean

 

[knotflying]

Are you sure you are getting water in? Your intake could be clogged with growth and I assume you have regularly cleaned the strainer?

 

[BB marine]

The pump is not self priming. On our boat if the boat is pulled out of the water and the seacock is open the water drains out enough for the pump to loose prime. When I clean the strainer ( not all the time???) I loose prime. When I launch it again and turn air on, it will not pump unless I prime the pump. I normally take the lid off the stainer and pour water into it reinstall and turn air on,the pump operates properly.
Brian Brown
26 Cutwater
PORT-A-GEE