A/B location. Has anyone ever put the A/B under the sink?

[sailingdolphin]

With my modification under the sink to ad the 11 gallon hot water tank I was able to fit a 2 stage culligan water filter in the space above the freshh water pump and I also have space where the foot pump used to be for the ice box to fit an Adler/Barbour unit.

What are the pro's and con's of this location?
#71

[jentine]

I put mine in the same location two years ago.  The only disadvantage is accessing the valves behind and below the unit.  Access is inconvenient but not inaccessable.
Jim Kane

[dpenz]

There are a couple more disadvantages.  The previous owner installed my A/B under the drawers to the right of the sink, just adjacent to the icebox.

#1 is that this area is not well ventilated, so the heat that the A/B pumps out of the icebox goes right into the space surrounding the icebox, raising the temperature here and thus decreasing the efficiency of the process (more heat transfer to the icebox and the A/B is less efficient due to higher condenser air temperature).  Better to dissipate the heat somewhere else, I think many have the A/B installed in the aft locker.

#2 is minor, but the unit makes a little bit of noise.  If all else is quiet on the boat, you can hear it if it is in the cabin with you.

[jentine]

The ventilation issue is related to where the boat is located.  If you are in cold water, i.e. the northeast or northwest, heat is never a problem.  If you are in the south, that is differernt.  I cut a 4" hole in the access door and installed a decorative screen to allow the fan to push the warm air in to the interior of the boat.  There is, however, an advantage to mounting the A/B below the sink.
The surrounding air (especially in cold water) is cold, thus raising the effeciency of the unit.  The aft locker is a relatively closed area that heats up during the day and will effectively reduce the overall effeciency.  Besides, I don't want to give up accessible storage space for a refrigeration unit that runs better in the bowels of the beast.
As for the noise, knowledge of running equipment is a good thing as long as it is not annoying.  The hum of a motor and fan is good knowledge.  Several years ago on a offshore passage, no one heard the water pump on a boat I was delivering cycle on (never off).  We never realized that a problem existed until the water tanks were empty and the bilge thouroughly flushed with fresh water.  I, for one, do like to know when the boat's systems are active.
Jim Kane