A/C unit

S

SPC CPA

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
RO Number
15411
Messages
30
The a/c unit does not pull water. How do I prime the pump?

Steve
 
Back fill thru output; fill the strainer and then tip the hose towards the pump
 
I'm not an expert, but I had this happen to me last week after I cleaned the in-line strainer. I had air-locked the strainer. I bled the line by loosening the top of the strainer allowing the air to escape. When the water started trickling out, I re-tightened the strainer cover. The a/c pump primed itself and worked fine.
 
I'm constantly having problems with airlocks. For the moment I've installed a tee in the discharge line with a very small valve in the tee. Open the valve for a few seconds and the air is bled. At least it works.
 
We keep our Monterey 282 cruiser on a Hydohoist lift. Once in a while we will get an air lock in the sea water line for the air conditioner/heater causing it not to work in the slip on shore power or generator. My mechanic told me to simply take the boat for a cruise. The air lock disappeared. I wish other problems were so simple.
 
Go for a ride! Most AC intakes have a scoop. If it still doesn't pump when you return, then burp the line. Blue Cruiser is right - you can't fix many mechanical issues by going for a cruise, so take advantage of it when you can.
 
any of the methods mentioned above will work but in the long run you're better off fixing the reason for the airlock. the intake hose must be going up from the seacock and strainer with no high/low points, these are what's causing the pump not to reprime. remember that the pump is not slef priming and must be below water line but if the hose has a high point, it will not reprime. re route the hose/relocate the pump if possible otherwise everytime you launch or everytime you clean the strainer you're going to have to re prime the pump. no big deal but a PIB
 
Could be the placement of the through hull too. I had thae same problem and after carefully rerouting the hoses the problem persisted. When I got tired of loosening the output hose to re-prime the pump I put a "T" in it with a valve and ran it to my sump pump. After that when it lost it's prime I just opened the valve for a couple seconds and it was primed, no water in the bilge.
 
The cause of this problem is a slug of water trapped in a low area somewhere in the system. In many installations you can't do anything about it.

In the ideal situation the pump is the lowest component in the system, the bottom of the compressor is above the top of the pump, and the out let hose has no sags to trap a slug of water after the compressor.
 
the problem is never after the pump... it's always BEFORE. after the pump, you have pressure, although not much on an AC pump, which will clear air out of the lines.
 
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