How much power does marine air conditioning use?
About 1.1 kW per 12,000 BTU plus 90 W for the seawater pump. A 16k system draws roughly 1.6 kW, or about 6.5 A at 240 V.
How much power does marine air conditioning use — Explanation
A modern marine unit draws around 1.1 kW for every 12,000 BTU of cooling, plus 80–100 W for the seawater pump. So a typical 16,000 BTU system is about 1.6 kW, or roughly 6.5 A at 240 V.
That is comfortable on a 15 A marina lead and tight on a 10 A one, which some older marina arms still supply. The figure that catches people out is start-up: without a soft start, a fixed-speed compressor pulls three to five times running current for a fraction of a second. On a shore lead that is fine. On an inverter it usually is not.
At 2026 electricity prices, running costs come to around 50 cents an hour on a berth — roughly $600 over a four-month Australian summer at ten hours a day.
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 Advice can be incomplete, out of date or wrong; see the disclaimer.