MacGregorSailors.com

Any Air Conditioning experts in the audience?

I’ve purchased one of the $70 Goldstar air conditioners.

Aside - To go along with the $50 West Marine Wind Scoop. NOW THERE IS A Dollar/Substance contrast for you! Tirade over.

Anyway, I’m going to put it in the main hatch like all the other mods on this site. Just wondering… is it possible to turn the unit on its side? I can get it to drain correctly… but will it hurt the compressor in the new orientation? Don’t want to burn up the bearings because they are oil starved or something.

Thanks

Educated guess would be NO ... If you turn it on its side the just to get it home the instructions will no doubt somewhere tell hyou to let it sit for 4 to 24 hours....

Directions?! Directions!... We don't need no stinking directions!

Well... I guess I do. I don't have the instructions anymore, but I recall it being one of those silly cartoon type showing you how to plug it into the wall and warning you not to stick your tongue in the electrical socket. So I must have missed that finer point.

The form factor would have made it a little easier to get in and out without having to make the unit hinge out of the way.

Thanks.

No, you will definitely ruin the unit in short order by placing it on its side. Your thinking was correct, most likely the compressor would be oil-starved. The oil would either pool in an ineffective location in the compressor, or the compressor would end up circulating the majority of the oil through the system, not leaving enough in the compressor. Also, the unit is only designed to properly drain the condensate if it is mostly level, with a small tilt toward the back. The electronics are not sealed very well, and placing the unit in a different orientation could cause water to damage the electronics.

Jared