Manual Water Maker ???

[David Rive]

Ken Fickett of Great Harbour Trawlers just blogged the following ...


"unless you have thousands of dollars to burn on an RO water maker with all the automation available today, a manual water maker is a far better solution. You can save as much as 70 percent in hard dollars for a machine that will produce exactly the same amount of fresh water per hour."


Can anybody give me an example of a manual water maker that can produce the same volume as a RO system?


David

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Ken Fickett of Great Harbour Trawlers just blogged the following ...


"unless you have thousands of dollars to burn on an RO water maker with all the automation available today, a manual water maker is a far better solution. You can save as much as 70 percent in hard dollars for a machine that will produce exactly the same amount of fresh water per hour."


Can anybody give me an example of a manual water maker that can produce the same volume as a RO system?


David

I don't think he means a water maker you operate by hand.

I think what he is referring to is a unit without all the electronic controls.

In others words a unit where you manually turn it on/off, set the pressure, fresh water flush it, etc.

 

[ksanders]

Something like the ones from Cruise RO are what I'd call a manual unit.

 

[David Rive]

Thanks folks ... that makes sense.

 

[cafesport]

One of the nice things about the manual vs automatic is that you are forced to pay attention to output values when running in manual mode. In brackish or colder waters you save your machine from destroying your membranes needlessly.

 

[ksanders]

So...

I don't know how an "automatic" RO unit works, but I know how a manual one works.

To start up the manual one, at the control panel I...

1. Turn on boost pump switch
2. Turn on high pressure pump switch
3. Turn knob to achieve 850 psi but not more than 40GPM

A minute or so later I let the test spigot fill a water glass and I take a drink. If it tastes good (which it always does) I mght try out my hand dandy TDS tester on it.

Then I turn the valve to direct the product water into my water tank.

Seems easy to me. Are automatic ones easier???

 

[Lepke]

The big difference between automatic and manual water makers, besides the initial cost is replacement parts. Cruise RO and other component system makers are reasonable on parts. It's their system and they want a good name and happy customers. Automatic name brand watermakers charge several times the list price of filters, membranes, pumps and so on.
I have a home made component system and it would have been cheaper buying Cruise RO given mistakes, bad purchases, learning.

 

[Rebel112r]

Are you sure you are feeding your pump 40 gpm.. My pressure pump runs the same pressures producing 25 gph on a flow rate of 2.5 gpm. So 25 gallons produced per hr, on 150 gallons run thru pump..and mine is a manual system.

 

[ksanders]

Are you sure you are feeding your pump 40 gpm.. My pressure pump runs the same pressures producing 25 gph on a flow rate of 2.5 gpm. So 25 gallons produced per hr, on 150 gallons run thru pump..and mine is a manual system.

The 40gph is my produced water rate. I adjust the pressure until I hit either 850 psi , or 40gph.

 

[twistedtree]

For an automatic system, spectra in particular, you lean over and press the start button. That gives you an hour of run time. Press it as many more times as you want to add additional hours.

That's it. All the pumps run automatically, pressures self adjust as needed for water temp and salinity, and product water is automatically dumped if the TDS level is too high.

Then when it's done, it automatically flushes with fresh water, and starts a timer to re-flush every 5 days. While it's operating, I can monitor pressures, production rates, TDS levels, etc.

I really like it, but that's me. There is no doubt you can save $$ with a manual cruise RO system. It all depends on what you want, and what constitutes "simple" for you.

 

[Donsan]

What is the reasoning for a water maker in the TT35?

 

[Crusty Chief]

No matter the size of the boat, once you have a water maker, you wonder why you didn't before. During our last trip we even filled other boats when they needed fresh water.
Ours is a Cruise RO also and I can just about fix anything should it ever break. Plus it dosent really have any proprietary parts. A big plus in our decision making process.

 

[ksanders]

No matter the size of the boat, once you have a water maker, you wonder why you didn't before.

That s Soooo True!

We, for example eliminated the salt water wash downs, converting them to fresh water.

Then the ability to wash the crusty salt off of our windows when we got to a anchorage, making the views pristine again.

Showers for as long as you want, and not being in a hurry to wash the dishes.

Oh... The ability to do laundry at sea.

Yes you never know how you did without a watermaker once you have one!

 

[Capt.Bill11]

That s Soooo True!

We, for example eliminated the salt water wash downs, converting them to fresh water.

Then the ability to wash the crusty salt off of our windows when we got to a anchorage, making the views pristine again.

Oh... The ability to do laundry at sea.

Yes you never know how you did without a watermaker once you have one!

While I love them, unless you spend a lot of time in the boonies and/or away from the dock, a water maker can be a needless expense.

You can buy an a lot of water for the price of a good water maker.

 

[HopCar]

My friend John has a big sportfish with a large water maker. He spent months each year in the Bahamas where fresh water was expensive. He was always generous with filling his neighbors tanks. He never ran short of fish, lobster or helping hands when he needed it.

I don't know much about water makers but I wonder if you couldn't use the high pressure output as a pressure washer when you aren't making water?

 

[Capt.Bill11]

My friend John has a big sportfish with a large water maker. He spent months each year in the Bahamas where fresh water was expensive. He was always generous with filling his neighbors tanks. He never ran short of fish, lobster or helping hands when he needed it.

I don't know much about water makers but I wonder if you couldn't use the high pressure output as a pressure washer when you aren't making water?

Interesting idea. The high pressure pump is just a pressure water pump after all.

So I guess you could. But it would be high pressure salt water coming out of it. Unless you valved it into your fresh water system supply on the down stream side of you FW pump.

 

[HopCar]

Interesting idea. The high pressure pump is just a pressure water pump after all.

So I guess you could. But it would be high pressure salt water coming out of it. Unless you valved it into your fresh water system supply on the down stream side of you FW pump.

I was thinking it might be good for knocking mud off an anchor chain. If you have a water maker you've already got the pump.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

I was thinking it might be good for knocking mud off an anchor chain. If you have a water maker you've already got the pump.

Not a bad idea.

You'd have to run a high pressure water line to the bow, be able to remotely turn on the pump and have the pressure come up automatically.

But it could be done.

 

[RK Federal]

As a new owner of a 1988 GB 46, and intending to spend lots of time in the Bahamas and elsewhere on the hook as opposed to marinas, do I gather from this thread that the recommendation of the group here is a "Cruise RO" watermaker?

 

[Capt.Bill11]

As a new owner of a 1988 GB 46, and intending to spend lots of time in the Bahamas and elsewhere on the hook as opposed to marinas, do I gather from this thread that the recommendation of the group here is a "Cruise RO" watermaker?

I my opinion, a simple water maker from any of the top water maker brands would be fine.

You could even build one yourself.

On a different note, if I was going to do a lot of anchoring out in a GB, or most any boat, I'd get and use some form of passive anti-roll system.

At least that's what I had on my GB and it makes a huge difference in your comfort level IMO.