AC Water Manifold Project

[Alanna Mo Cree]

We have the typical single AC pump supplying both AC units, but I'm pretty sure the manifold arrangement is not typical.

PXL_20240426_205738321.MP.jpg

It's nice having the valves so we can service one unit while the other keeps running, and I was thinking of expanding on the system by adding some flush ports or a full setup to easily connect garden hoses for descaling as shown in these plans:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/ ... sp=sharing
Here in central Florida I have to descale every 6 months to a year.

What I'm not a fan of is the schedule 40 PVC fittings in this application. I don't see Marelon fittings to reproduce what I'm trying to do, and a bronze setup would be very heavy and very expensive. I'm thinking of switching out the schedule 40 for schedule 80 PVC. Anyone have similar setups or ideas?

[Midnightsun]

Up here it is rather rare to descale in fact I have never done so. The unit on Midnight Sun is similar as it has a 3 way manifold with each outlet going to 1 of 3 AC units. There is a single hose that goes from the pump to the manifold located under the galley floor and from there, hoses go to each AC unit. There are no valves on mine or none that I can remember. That being said, I am 99% sure the factory manifold is PVC, the gray style. There is no pressure in these lines, maybe a couple of psi at best.

Personally I would have no issue making the manifold out of PVC with the appropriate valves you need to separate the systems for descaling purposes.

[Alanna Mo Cree]

Thank you. The gray style is the schedule 80 I was thinking of. White is scheduled 40 and is not nearly as strong. Calling it "schedule" whatever might be a U.S. thing. Pressure isn't really a problem, but accidentally hitting it with something that breaks it off is.

I can build out what I'm thinking for about $100 with the gray stuff. Moving it off the top of the pump using some hose is an idea.

[bud37]

Just to add, most times it is good practice to connect motors/pumps to hard pipe using a section of hose as a vibration isolator.

[tomschauer]

You could switch to schedule 80 PVC but why? The schedule 40 is good for at least 150 PSI and is much stronger than the hose adapter and hose that is connected to it.