Water Maker (Desalinator)

[swampu]

Looks like a lot of new systems auto flush every 5 days.....A lot of coin for water but its first on my list when ever I get rid of my pesky job and take off for months at a time....

 

[swampu]

As for the op, I store 1250 gallons of water, we use it all in 4 days when we go fishing. It doesn't matter how much you have but how much you make. Good thread.

 

[Bigsfish]

Cheche I have a dedicated thru hull for my Watermaker. I’m not a guru by any means but if you don’t mind another hole in your hull it makes sense.

 

[ksanders]

Any comments from the watermaking guru's about drawing the raw water intake from the same through-hull as another service such as your generators cooling water intake?

Most cruising boats have a salt water washdown. Thats what I re-purpoused to be a dedicated watermaker source.

Theoretically you should not run into an issue putting more than one device on a salt water source. The watermakers low pressure pump is really all that connects to the salt water feed, and it is just a pump.

 

[stevemitchell]

This is not correct.

You need a water maker with an automatic flush cycle designed into it. I have a water maker, it gets used for 10 hours in summer and 4 hours in the winter. It’s never been picketed and works fine. I can’t recommend it as the company is no longer in business.

My neighbor has a Spectra. My neighbor is a live aboard and makes all his own water. I’ve been very impressed with the Spectra, after 12 years of making water weekly he is now replacing the membranes as preventative maintenance. He is a doctor who sometimes goes off on 4 month missions, all needs to do is make sure the tank has enough water in it for the auto flush.

I am really impressed with the Spectra water makers, you push one button to turn it on and you are done, no valves, no knobs, you can even set it up to run for a specific time and auto stop.

Spectra’s are not cheap.

I have a Village Marine Tec (now Parker) 350 component watermaker that I use pretty frequently in the spring/summer months - at least once a week for more than 2 hours. On longer trips, I use it every day.

In the winter/fall months, I run it once every two weeks to prevent having to pickle it. It also is a simple push button setup with a lot of automation, except to clean it requires an additional button, which I do every so often.

I have two neighbors who have Spectra systems, and they look even better and more bullet proof, but they are quite a bit more expensive. If I were to buy one today, I would definitely go with a Spectra.

 

[dhays]

Just a thank you to TF. Another great thread that I’ve learned a lot from. If I get more time off from working, I’ll likely want a watermaker. Having read this thread, I would likely put together my own system. A turn-key highly automated system would be nice, but too expensive for me. Again, thanks for all the great info.

 

[tdomenech]

I have a Spectral Catalina (DC powered) that makes about 11-12 gallons per hour. I had it installed several years ago and it has worked fine. Have only replaced the membrane (two short ones) one time. It is a great unit. When in the Bahamas or Keys, one rarely has to change the filters (easily purchased from many places). I've been on the hook of Gulfport (FL) and made water almost nightly. I DID have to change those filters more frequently...lol. I have had the system modified and it works even better now. Two pre-filters, one 20 the other 5 microns. Also changed the water sequence coming into the boat more like a Sea Recovery...much better design. For some reason, Spectra had the check valve BEFORE the strainer and if one had a problem with pressures, it was almost always because there was debris in the check valve. Now, thru hull, strainer, check valve....

 

[Exsailor2018]

Watermaker

I am totally biased because my Spectra watermaker has been making perfect water for 14 years with only one rebuild.

 

[Ross Macdonald]

We have a Sea Recovery 35 GPH watermaker that has been extremely reliable. One thing I would not have though is something that turns itself on and off automatically. I hit the fresh water flush once a week for 5 minutes. The unit is in the lazarette and the area down there is large enough for me to go down
and manually turn it on and slowly increase high pressure to 830 psi and watch it until It shows product water going into the tank. I have a remote start/stop in the pilothouse but I don't want to start something at that high pressure without looking at it. Use a salinity meter everyday we use it and make sure it stays below 300 ppm. In the summer we are on the hook or mooring for 6-7 weeks and run it every morning for an hour when the genset is on. We have made water in places like Turtle Bay, Santa Maria and other anchorages on the way up from Mexico and it makes excellent water. Having good access to the unit and filters is very important as is good access to everything in an engine room.

 

[RoseLoper48]

I've used Spectra Watermakers for years and love them. You can get a 12 or 24 volt model which is super efficient. I originally hat the Catalina model with the Auto Flush and loved it. Now I have a Lady Krogen 42 and put in a Cape Horn which is manually operated. The water outputs are about the same, but the cost is half of the Catalina.

Easy to run. Great technical support, etc. I pickle with Food Grade glycol which has minimal impact on the membrane.

 

[Cheechako]

Most cruising boats have a salt water washdown...

Great suggestion. I do have a through-hull for my salt water deck wash....perfect place to tap in for RO device. And, its safe to use while running, so I could make fresh water on the go, or on the hook. Many thanks....

 

[FF]

" I've been on the hook of Gulfport (FL) and made water almost nightly."


Last visit to Gulfport they had a magnificent dink dock big enough for a 60 fter with free city water.

 

[Cheechako]

Now for one last question, and then off to another thread....


Once I have made water, I need to transfer it my fresh water tanks. This means plumbing a line into the storage tanks from the RO unit.



I could splice into the inlet tubing of the main water pump, but I assume there is usually a check valve somewhere in that line to prevent backflow into my water storage.

Correct?

 

[motion30]

I doubt there is a check valve. The pump itself has a check valve if it is needed

 

[ben2go]

Now for one last question, and then off to another thread....


Once I have made water, I need to transfer it my fresh water tanks. This means plumbing a line into the storage tanks from the RO unit.



I could splice into the inlet tubing of the main water pump, but I assume there is usually a check valve somewhere in that line to prevent backflow into my water storage.

Correct?

That would put a restriction on the outflowing water by having the tank water trying to run down the line to the pump. From my understanding, from reading around the forums, the outflow needs to be completely unrestricted. I would plumb it to it's own fitting on the tank top. It may be possible to splice in at the vent fitting or deck fill fitting.

 

[tdomenech]

Mine is plumbed right into the top of the tank. I do know someone who has a splitter that enables him to divert from tank directly to a container. My installer didn't want to do that.

 

[stevemitchell]

Mine is plumbed right into the top of the tank. I do know someone who has a splitter that enables him to divert from tank directly to a container. My installer didn't want to do that.

Mine is the same way.

 

[motion30]

You use over 300 gallons a day? Is your boat a charter yacht? I live full-time on a boat by myself, and without any extraordinary means I used approximately 30. To 40 gallons a week

 

[Maerin]

Now for one last question, and then off to another thread....


Once I have made water, I need to transfer it my fresh water tanks. This means plumbing a line into the storage tanks from the RO unit.



I could splice into the inlet tubing of the main water pump, but I assume there is usually a check valve somewhere in that line to prevent backflow into my water storage.

Correct?

I'd avoid cross-connections of potable water. Preferred way would be to drop the product output into the top of the tank, that way you've got a built-in air gap (of sorts), much more difficult to siphon back into the product line of the watermaker. If you must tee into anything, I'd use the fill, it isn't under pressure, and provides an air gap.

If you tap into a pressure line, you could backfeed potable water into the membranes. Check valves can be a point of failure, physics trumps mechanical. If that potable water is chlorinated, it can damage or destroy the membranes. Don't employ an install method that has potential to create a problem. Do it right the 1st time.


Same goes for the thru-hull. Best practice uses a dedicated thru hull. Don't muddy the water with shortcuts that can bite you later.

 

[ben2go]

You use over 300 gallons a day? Is your boat a charter yacht? I live full-time on a boat by myself, and without any extraordinary means I used approximately 30. To 40 gallons a week

In my camping days, I used a max of 3 gallons per day. I don't expect that to increase much, if any, on a boat.

 

[ksanders]

Now for one last question, and then off to another thread....


Once I have made water, I need to transfer it my fresh water tanks. This means plumbing a line into the storage tanks from the RO unit.



I could splice into the inlet tubing of the main water pump, but I assume there is usually a check valve somewhere in that line to prevent backflow into my water storage.

Correct?

What you need to have is a two way non blocking valve in the potable water output line.

One position is the “test” position where the water flows somewhere that you can test it from. I have this position plumbed to a small spigot on my galley sink. I use this spigot to fill water jugs that I drink from.

The other position directs the flow to your water tank. On my boat this is teed into the suction side of the potable water pump. That lets me fill whatever tank is selected.

When starting the watermaker I have the unit flowing to the sink spigot. After a couple minutes I look at the TDS on the inline tester and it will be something less than 200ppm. I know then that the water maker is working properly, and switch the flow to fill the water tanks.

 

[Fletcher500]

I think I am going to go with either a Sea Recovery, or Blue Water system. AC System, with auto fresh water back flush of the filters. Likely a 7 GPH unit since the Gen could use some more load during charging cycles of the house batteries each morning so I have the Gen capacity to run a smaller unit, longer. Still researching, install planned for late Q4 or early Q1.

 

[Bigsfish]

F500. My advice is to get one bigger than you think you need that your generator can handle.

Jus my SSO.

 

[Fletcher500]

Regarding a wash down pump using the RO water:

I have spare, Marco, variable speed, gear pump rated at 7 gpm @ 36 psi. I keep it on board to swap out the main pump while traveling if needed.

My plan is:

• Install the spare pump as a back up to the existing pump for the domestic water system.
  
  And
  
  
• Use this new pump as a fresh water wash down. IE, its primary purpose is for wash down with a hose and nozzle, but it could be brought on line if the primary pump shown in the photo fails using a Y valve.

Wash down pumps are usually higher pressure from what I can tell (45 to 55)psi.

Question: How do you think this 7 gpm @ 36 psi pump would work with a hose and nozzle, and would it "throw" water an adequate distance to rinse all areas of the boat?

 

[Bigsfish]

Does the “throw” matter if you have a hose that will reach those areas?