Marine Air Conditioning Installer Checklist
One quote may include a new intake, pump, ducting, electrical work and commissioning; another may be little more than a unit and labour allowance. Put them onto the same page before comparing totals.
01
Marine Air Conditioning Installation Enquiry Checklist
- Boat make, model, length, hull colour and construction
- Home port, intended cruising area and hottest expected season
- Cabins to cool together, door position and usual number aboard
- Shore inlet rating, electrical system, inverter and battery capacity
- Existing through-hulls, pumps, drains, ducts and equipment to reuse
- Priorities ranked: humidity, sleep noise, anchor use, speed or cost
Photographs help, but they do not replace seeing the boat. Ask the person responsible for the design to inspect access, hose routes, grille locations, condensate fall and the electrical panel. Hidden structure is where provisional allowances become variations.
02
Equipment, Electrical and Seawater Quote Inclusions
Equipment
- Exact model, voltage and capacity
- Controller, pump and accessories
- Refrigerant and warranty terms
- Freight and delivery timing
Water side
- Dedicated or shared intake
- Seacock, strainer and pump
- Hose, clamps and discharge
- Haul-out or in-water work
Air and drain
- Duct diameter and insulation
- Supply and return grille sizes
- Condensate destination
- Cabinetry and reinstatement
Electrical
- Dedicated circuit and protection
- Shore/inverter compatibility
- Soft start if specified
- Licensed electrical scope
Use the installation guide to inspect each interface and the quote checker to compare the final total with the site's model.
03
Marine Air Conditioning Handover and Acceptance Checks
- See it run. Start every zone and confirm stable overboard flow, air delivery and condensate drainage.
- Record the baseline. Keep running current, return and supply temperature, controller settings and any measured water flow.
- Receive the documents. Collect invoice, model and serial numbers, manuals, warranty, circuit information and licence details for regulated work.
- Learn the owner jobs. Have the installer demonstrate filter and strainer access, safe isolation, drain inspection and winter or lay-up procedure.
- Agree the response path. Know who handles an early fault, what travel costs apply and whether removal or freight is covered.
Licence check. The Australian Government says handling regulated refrigerant in work that may cause leakage requires a Refrigerant Handling Licence. Verify current requirements and the person or business at the official resources. Mark Sanderer is the site's technical reviewer; the site does not claim he holds an ARCtick licence.
Need a second pair of eyes? Send Gabriel the boat and quote summary. The reply is general information and can be wrong; it is not a substitute for an on-board inspection or licensed advice.