How long does a marine air conditioner last?
The seawater pump usually fails first, often within a few years. A well-installed unit itself should give a decade or more; a poor install fails much sooner.
How long does a marine air conditioner last — Explanation
The compressor is rarely what goes. The seawater pump is the part that fails first and most often, followed by control electronics — and lead times on a control board are frequently the real cost of a failure rather than the part itself.
Life expectancy depends far more on the installation than on the badge. A unit fed by a clean strainer, drained properly, on a dedicated circuit with a soft start, will run for many years. One that is starved of water by a shared through-hull, drains into the bilge and short-cycles because it was oversized will not.
Weekly strainer checks in weedy water and an annual service are the whole maintenance story for most owners.
Equipment Specifications and Installation Checks
This answer is a practical starting point for Australian boat owners, not a vessel-specific instruction. Confirm the unit manual, electrical supply, seawater layout and current product specifications before spending money or changing the installation. Refrigerant and fixed 240 V work require appropriately licensed people.
Use the official resources for licences, standards and manufacturer documents. If the answer does not fit your boat, ask Gabriel. Advice can be incomplete, out of date or wrong; see the disclaimer.