Dockside water filtration system

[Moonstruck]

Does anyone kinow of a relative inexpensive water treatment/filtration/conditioning system similar to Yachtmates?* Need to replace mine.* Thanks.

 

[GoldenDawn]

Don
West Marine has Shurflow filters that have garden hose fittings if it is just filtering you need. Basically it just fits in line between two garden hoses. I have used these on board for the last five years, changing them out annually after my spring tank flush.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=10111&subdeptNum=10628&classNum=10632

 

[FlyWright]

I use one of these on my dock hose. They're about $18 in the WalMart RV section.

I also keep one on board to use when filling the fresh water tank away from home. If there's a need, I can double up the filters.

Not as fancy as a water softerner/purifier, but effective. I also have an onboard catridge filter under the galley sink. I carry bottled water for coffee/drinking/rinsing.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Wat...0000003260530&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=14504321

 

[Jay N]

Might be going out on a limb here, but:* Most of the places we take water are city systems, and have been told that if you remove the chemicals, the stored water quality will be jeopardized over time.* Obviously depends on the time period as well as other factors.

So, we have never filtered our water supply from city systems, only from uncertified/untreated systems.* We tend to go about 5 years before draining/treating/flushing, and this timing/treatment allows good*unfiltered drinking water*direct from the tap.

Others with similar experience?

*

 

[Keith]

Agreed. You don't want to filter out too much, unless the water is rank to begin with. A sediment filter certainly won't hurt. I filter drinking and cooking water at the tap in the galley with a PUR filter.

 

[Larry M]

Jay N wrote:
.......if you remove the chemicals, the stored water quality will be jeopardized over time....**

I'm not sure I agree with that.* The only chemicals that are added by*a municipal water district or authority is Chlorine (sometimes with some fluoride) and that is only to get the water*through the water distribution system.* The residual chlorine, if you put city water into your tanks, gases off in about 10 days.* If start with clean, properly maintained tanks, adding*pure water will not affect the water quality over time.

 

[Penny Lane]

A neighbor at Refuge Cove, which labled their water not for drinking in 2009, used a home made dual filter system with PVC fittings.* He had both charcoal and ceramic*filters.* It seemed bullet proof but was slow.

Like other posters, we use*any potable*water (did not fill in Refuge Cove) with a faucet mount filter in the galley.* We are liveaboard and need a fresh tank every ten days and are not so concerned about water going bad.* Even so, the kitchen water has a distinctly fresher taste than the water in the heads.* It makes a difference in the quality of the coffee.

cheers,

 

[Moonstruck]

I have used and ordered another Shurlo filter with hose fittings.* I have two filters in the boat itself.* One before for the city water hookup that I never use, and one at the galley sink.* The one on the hose will be for filling he tanks.* I also hope that it will filter out particles when washing the boat down.

I looked at the filter at Wal-Mart, and will probably try it next.* Thanks for the tip, Flywright.

It may be that an expensive softening system will be needed in some areas we cruise.* Please keep the suggestions coming.* I'm listening.

 

[markpierce]

Moonstruck wrote:
...*Please keep the suggestions coming.* I'm listening.

*Me too.* The water at the marina has a lot of solids causing*spotting on the boat.

 

[Codger2]

Don:

For potable water on board, I use a GE filter (Home Depot) just downstream from the FW pump. (They are "quick disconnect" for easy annual changing.) I also use the Pure faucet filter at the galley sink as a secondary filter. To top it all off, I purchased a portable water tester (smaller than a pack of cigarettes), $50, at one of the chandlerlies for confirming the water quality. (Talk about anal, huh?)

Now, for your blue hull. I use GE Mobile Water, Inc, for rinsing down the boat. They put a deionized bottle at your dock box that your dock hose hooks on to and they change it either on demand (you call) or every 6 weeks, etc. whatever you deem necessary. After the deposite ($250) your bill is $17.40/ mo. (You get your deposite back after 6 months if you keep your account in good shape.) There are other companies that provide this same service.

I can't say enough about using DI water to rinse the boat down. Without wiping, the boat drys absolutely spot free. It's probably not needed on white hulls as the water spots are not so apparent.

These applications have served me well over the years and I can remember only one person that got sick. It was "dwhatty" but the empty Jack Daniels bottle may have been involved. (Just kidding, Dave!)

DI Bottle

*

*

 

[Capn Chuck]

Here is what we have been using for* years. It takes care of the water spots from the marina water too.

[url]http://tinyurl.com/3ednljs[/url]


Chuck

 

[Codger2]

Chuck:* I am aware of this product but a Google search of this company turned up -0-.

Do you drink the water? Must you add salt to the device? As I recall, they are about $295.

(They have different sizes.) I see a lot of the big yacht guys use them. Would you please post the web site for Stain- Less?

 

[Larry M]

http://www.stainlesswaterfilters.com/

 

[Capn Chuck]

Thanks Larry... The Stainless has to be "charged" with salt about once a month depending on use. And yes we drink the water. Nothing goes into our tank unless it goes through the Stainless first. We use it any time we wash the boat also. Chuck

 

[Codger2]

Capn Chuck wrote:
*And yes we drink the water.

*Since the unit needs to be "charged" every so often & the charging media is of a high sodium content, do you employ an RO unit at the galley faucet for removal of the salt?

My understanding of this product is that it was designed mainly for spotless washing of various vehicles (which it does very well)* and not intended for every day potable water use. Am I wrong?

 

[Sisuitl]

SeaHorse II wrote:
To top it all off, I purchased a portable water tester (smaller than a pack of cigarettes), $50, at one of the chandlerlies for confirming the water quality. (Talk about anal, huh?)

*

*I've got to ask - what exactly is this tester telling you?

 

[Codger2]

The meter determines the TDS (total disolved solids) of the water. A pamphlet that comes with the unit has a table for the TDS values so you can determineif your water is of drinking quality. My water tests better than the tap water in my house.

 

[Moonstruck]

Capn Chuck wrote:
Here is what we have been using for* years. It takes care of the water spots from the marina water too.

[url]http://tinyurl.com/3ednljs[/url]


Chuck

*Capn Chuck,

That is an interesting system.* It seems similar to the more expensive Yachtmate system.* Is there a supplier that discounts these?

*

 

[Capn Chuck]

Seahorse, Just because the system is charged with salt, there is no salt taste or salty water in our tanks. When you charge it, you are actually back flushing the unit. It acts the same as a water softener you would use in your home and we use no additional filter other than for particles. We discussed exactly what we planned on doing with the manufacturer and they concurred with us.

Don, we bought the unit directly from the manufacturer so I don't know where else you might find one. Chuck


-- Edited by Capn Chuck on Saturday 23rd of July 2011 04:09:49 PM

 

[FF]

None of these systems will help if the water has bugs.

AKA Montezumas Revenge or Delli Belly (india)

The usual on board solution is UV light units.

The best UV setups are in the tank fill lines as well as the use lines.


-- Edited by FF on Sunday 24th of July 2011 04:41:24 AM

 

[Capn Chuck]

Moonstruck wrote:
Does anyone kinow of a relative inexpensive water treatment/filtration/conditioning system similar to Yachtmates?* Need to replace mine.* Thanks.

*Since this was Moonstruck's original post, I did not see the part where he ask about bugs. Chuck

 

[Andy G]

Even so, the kitchen water has a distinctly fresher taste than the water in the heads. It makes a difference in the quality of the coffee.

cheers,




__________________
Kevin Dowling m/v Penny Lane

Cripes!, I would hope so.

 

[Tony B]

Penny Lane wrote:
.......*the kitchen water has a distinctly fresher taste than the water in the heads.........

*Oh my God!!!!. I should hope so.

 

[HopCar]

There are a bunch of portable water softeners on the market. I like the vertical ones as opposed to the ones thay lay on their sides. All of the water softeners are basically a pipe filled with magic beads that the water flows through and becomes softer. You back flush them with brine to put the magic back in after it leaks out. In the horizontal ones the beads can settle to the bottom and the water just flows over them, not through them. This can't happen in the vertical ones. Take a look at the Boji. It's cheap and effective: http://www.bojifilters.com/

 

[Nauticsail]

Reverse osmosis

Does anyone kinow of a relative inexpensive water treatment/filtration/conditioning system similar to Yachtmates?* Need to replace mine.* Thanks.

I would personally recommend a reverse osmosis system for your water tank supply. You can either add a small UV Light if you would like but personally I dont trust any municipal water supplies. They are constantly becoming contaminated. What most people dont realize is that chlorine evaporates and all tanks are usually vented overboard where the chloramines eventually evaporate. If you are also concerned about drinking it because its ph is 6 on acid side of neutral add a ph neutralizing filter. With blue or green hulls if you are able to wash the boat from your tank supply then you will never again have water spots, shower door the same, and no more calcification in your hot water heaters, or your sink faucets.


A reverse osmosis water filtration system protects you from the harmful effects of lead, heavy metals, chlorine, chemical contaminants, pesticides, pathogens, bacteria, viruses, and even radioactive materials.

 

[Moonstruck]

Even so, the kitchen water has a distinctly fresher taste than the water in the heads. It makes a difference in the quality of the coffee.

cheers,




__________________
Kevin Dowling m/v Penny Lane

Cripes!, I would hope so.

It must be a Southern Hemisphere thing. I find it not to be true at all.

 

[cafesport]

For washing the boat we use a wetspot filtration system. For the water that goes into the holding tank there are several options. We have two filter canisters we connect to the standard hose bib. One is a 5 micron sediment filter and the other is a carbon filter. If this filtered water sits longer then 10 days in the tanks your going to want to add back some chlorine. Same problem with using the RO system. The venting systems can pump nasties into the purified water supply and ruin all your efforts. That's why we also use a uv sterilizer downstream with the addition of a bypass loop to zap everything should the need arise. We also use another set of filters inline with the RO system for maintenance flushing.

Sent from my iPhone

 

[Chrisjs]

When we first got our boat I drained the tanks for winterizing and was surprised to see sediment (sand??) coming out with the last of the water. Subsequently we have used a simple 10 inch GE (Home Depot) domestic sediment filter cartridge in a simple housing with adapters for the incoming hose. I figure the sediment came either from dockside water or from the hoses used to fill by the PO. The GE filter is cheap and does not need replacing very often. I just remove it from the housing and let both the housing and the cartridge dry out (no mold) between uses.
For drinking water we either use gallon jugs of store-bought water when cruising near to home, or use a Brita filter to "purify" our tank water if further afield. The Brita water tastes just fine even after water has been on board for a few months. Never had an odor or contamination problem that I am aware of. One other consideration is to always let the filling hose run clean and cold before filling the tanks. Sometimes the hose water can be quite warm and I figure it is best to start with "fresh" cool water rather than water that has been "festering" in the marina water supply lines.