"Water Fixer" Water Filters And Purifiers

Has anyone have experience with this. Water Filters And Purifiers
We have one that was disconnected when we got the boat and was wondering if we should spend the money to repair or replace it.

Thanks

I think good practices for keeping water drinkable varies a lot depending on where you are.

If you are taking on safe doc water, it's just fine, and the small amount of chlorine in it helps keep us safe in your tank. In this case you might still want a whole boat charcoal filter to remove any taste from the water before consumption, but that's not a safety issue.

If you are making water, then it's about as pure as it gets, so no treatment required.

If you are taking on untreated dock water, then I think precautions are called for. My preference it to filter and treat before it goes in the tank. I have done this with a charcoal filter, and in prep for going to Mexico I just bought a UV sterilizer similar to the one your referenced. It will kill pathogens before they get in my tank.

Keep in mind that always filtering all water that you take on board may not be such a good idea. If you filter good chlorinated water enroute to your tank, you are depriving the stored water and tank of the disinfecting benefits of the chlorinated water. That water is actually good to have in your tanks. To many, the smell and taste of chlorine is objectionable, but rather than filter on the way into the tanks and forfeiting the benefits of chlorine, filter it on the way out of the tank before use. That brings us back to the whole-boat charcoal filter.

I use 2 UV sterlizers. One after the RO unit (or incoming dock water) and one after my tanks. No matter how clean the water is going into the tanks, organisms carried by air eventually get into the tanks. In tanks that aren't used often, you can grow quite a colony. I use minimum chlorine in the tanks and filters after the tanks to remove the taste and any sediment.

I now always filter the water as it goes into the tanks. I use a spun polypropylene as a primary and then a ceramic filter as the secondary. This will NOT remove chlorine treatment but will remove dirt and bugs like Crypto and Giardia. These do slow down the tank filling a lot.

After that nothing.

I agree with T.T. that if you want more then after the tank would be the place to install further treatment. Maybe between the pump and the rest of the system including the HW side to keep it clean also.

There was an article in Pacific Yachting two or three years ago from a fellow who assembled his own U.V and filtering treatment system . He also rigged the boat for rainwater collection and took Mylar bags so those could be filled from streams on his trip to Haida Gwaii, B.C.. THe collected water went into a good sized ice cooler for before treatment storage. That water was then filtered and U.V. treated before it went into the boat tanks. THe article gave the name of the UV light supplier.

I do not have the article so maybe someone else can fill that in or go to P.Y site for back issues.

I would contact the mfgr of the system you have and get some info. If the U.V. light still works then install it but I would do it after the tanks. The UV lights do have some requirements and the draw can be substantial. [I believe]

For filling the tanks initially get a ceramic filter and a typical dirt filter to remove most of the contaminants. Then the UV system will do a better job.

After all this tome I would use some filtering to keep the tank water clean.

Your system may be worthwhile based on your water supply, cruising habits, cost to get working, and the current draw of the UV light.

Gordon B,
I think I have those filters. Used one several years ago and was going to reinstall it but I took it out for a reason that I can't remember. I looked at the element and it was wet. Seemed to be almost plugged. I'm going to experiment.

There's suff on the bottom of the tank that swirls around when I fill the tank. But after the boat's beem sitting clear water comes out the tap in the galley. We don't drink the tank water so I think I'll do my experimenting when we get back from our 1st trip. Wife wants to go .....

Sorry I couldn't offer anything more useful.

I have a Water Fixer. It was installed by the prior owner. I think it is a worthwhile system, and the cost to recomission would be worthwhile for me. Maintenance is straightforward.

Look up Whirlpool water purifier - model -WHAMBSB. Sold at Lowes. 174.00 It's a three stage self contained water filter/ purifier system. Hooks up easy under sink with channel locks and Phillips screw driver. Filters out Chlorine, sediment, cysts, chemicals, bacteria ETC.

Thanks everyone.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Nomad Willy, Let me know how your experiment goes.

Fortunately our marina uses city water that I trust so for now I will probably go with a charcoal filter as suggested by Twistedtree . I did a chlorine treatment on the way down from S.C.

Gordo

"Water Fixer" Water Filters And Purifiers

We have the "Water Fixer" 12V system. It works well. The first filter is a Pentek CP-5 micron pleated filter and the second one is a Pentek CBC-0.5 (nominal) rated carbon block filter. All water goes through the "Pentek system, including that which goes into the hot water tank. Then there is the UV filter. The water has no off flavours at all, and our water tanks had not undergone the "Headmistress" chlorine shock treatment until just yesterday.

The UV part of the system is manually controlled by a switch on the galley sink. We use that when we fill our Brita water filter that goes in the fridge. But, the Brita really doesn't contribute to the flavour of the water.



Knowing how well it works, I would recommend. I think that pre-filtering water that goes into your tanks would be a pain in the grass as the process would be very slow and we have 350 gallon tanks. Personally, I think that periodically shocking the system plus the "Water Fixer" is preferable.

Made me re-think this

JDCAVE said:

We have the "Water Fixer" 12V system. It works well. The first filter is a Pentek CP-5 micron pleated filter and the second one is a Pentek CBC-0.5 (nominal) rated carbon block filter. All water goes through the "Pentek system, including that which goes into the hot water tank. Then there is the UV filter. The water has no off flavours at all, and our water tanks had not undergone the "Headmistress" chlorine shock treatment until just yesterday.

The UV part of the system is manually controlled by a switch on the galley sink. We use that when we fill our Brita water filter that goes in the fridge. But, the Brita really doesn't contribute to the flavour of the water.

View attachment 63992

Knowing how well it works, I would recommend. I think that pre-filtering water that goes into your tanks would be a pain in the grass as the process would be very slow and we have 350 gallon tanks. Personally, I think that periodically shocking the system plus the "Water Fixer" is preferable.

Click to expand...

Well, now I am re-thinking this. I have 250 Gal capacity and because the system is all ready there, I might as well get it working.

I should add that the 0.5 micron filter creates quite a bit of resistance in the system. That might affect your water pressure.