Water maker?

[Art]

Originally Posted by Mac2

Check out "Cruise RO Water". Rich is the owner and is a great guy. I just installed the water maker, which is a component system, and I had to call Rich several times and he answered every phone call. The system was the most cost effective system I found.

I was given a used water maker, but after looking at going through the process of installing it without instructions, or knowing the age, I decided to go new.

Rich will answer all the above questions. His number is (619) 609-3432 and the website is Cruise RO Water & Power: Watermakers for Boats & Yachts. As a side note I am very happy I got the remote panels.

Thanks, Mac! - Art

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Art

3. Is it wise to even consider purchasing a used water maker?

Not likely. Generally the reasons one would be available don't give one a lot of hope for it's condition.

[Art]

Originally Posted by N4712

We got ours from Watermakers.

Our 720GPD ran about $7200 without the extras. Since a family member had also placed an order with them we got $1200 knocked off the bill. All together installed I think it was around $8500 if memory serves.

We must've made at-least 3k gallons. Some places in the Bahamas water runs 50 cents a gallon.

Thanks for some numbers.

I still would like to learn... where is the hidden cost in the unit? Gold or platinum internal materials?

Please correct me if my calcs are off base.

720GPD -: into 3K gallons = 100.8 hrs use.

3K gallon -: into $8,500 = $2.83 per gal... regarding initial cost.

Guess it evens out in the wash. Convenience is a big factor.

[BandB]

[QUOTE=Art;283221][QUOTE=N4712;283215]

We got ours from Watermakers.

Our 720GPD ran about $7200 without the extras. Since a family member had also placed an order with them we got $1200 knocked off the bill. All together installed I think it was around $8500 if memory serves.

We must've made at-least 3k gallons. Some places in the Bahamas water runs 50 cents a gallon.

Thanks for some numbers.

I still would like to learn... where is the hidden cost in the unit? Gold or platinum internal materials?

Please correct me if my calcs are off base.

720GPD -: into 3K gallons = 100.8 hrs use.

3K gallon -: into $8,500 = $2.83 per gal... regarding initial cost.

Guess it evens out in the wash. Convenience is a big factor.

Don't think he was implying it's life was over at 3,000 gallons. Still I think convenience and necessity are the biggest justifications. For long cruising they're more needed and for cruising to places with dubious water quality.

As to platinum, no, but a complex process.

[ksanders]

We have a Katadyn 160 GPD watermaker.

Cost a little over $4K

Simple to operate. Turn on the switch.

Runs on DC, a little less than 20 amps.

I think Katadyn is the largest manufacturer of watermakers in the world, if memory is correct.

You can buy them from defender.com and other places online.

[Wxx3]

Originally Posted by ksanders

We have a Katadyn 160 GPD watermaker.

Cost a little over $4K

Simple to operate. Turn on the switch.

Runs on DC, a little less than 20 amps.

I think Katadyn is the largest manufacturer of watermakers in the world, if memory is correct.

You can buy them from defender.com and other places online.

I have the same.
They have discontinued the 160 though.

[ulysses]

Same problem here. Too much room taken up in E.R. and I would have to run the genset to produce water. I have yet to remove mine but have not used it for years. I have installed a simple filtered and treated collection system for rain water and have yet to worry about keeping tanks topped off. I collect from upper deck and wheel house. A one inch rain event produces approx. 140 gallons over an area of 14' x 16'. No costs other than about $0.15 for chlorine.

[N4712]

Originally Posted by Art

Thanks for some numbers.

I still would like to learn... where is the hidden cost in the unit? Gold or platinum internal materials?

Please correct me if my calcs are off base.

720GPD -: into 3K gallons = 100.8 hrs use.

3K gallon -: into $8,500 = $2.83 per gal... regarding initial cost.

Guess it evens out in the wash. Convenience is a big factor.

I'm not sure... But we use the crap out of ours and are happy with it. Like B&B said the membranes life isn't over at 100 hours that's just how much we've used ours. We take real showers and wash the boat.

[Rogerh]

I have a question in reference to the water makers. It is my understanding that they do not work in brackish water, large bays ect. Is that correct?

[N4712]

Originally Posted by Rogerh

I have a question in reference to the water makers. It is my understanding that they do not work in brackish water, large bays ect. Is that correct?

Pretty sure they can't.

[Larry M]

Originally Posted by Rogerh

I have a question in reference to the water makers. It is my understanding that they do not work in brackish water, large bays ect. Is that correct?

No problem in brackish water. What you want to do is back off on the membrane pressure so your rated output is about what it should be in salt water. As an example: If you have a 24 gallon per hour water maker, your membrane pressure is usually set/rated at 800 psi, if you are in brackish water, adjust the membrane pressure down to get about the same rated out put of 24 gallons per hour.

There a 2 things that will kill a membrane, oil and chlorine. If you stay away from those, you can pretty much make water anywhere.

[N4712]

Originally Posted by Larry M

No problem in brackish water. What you want to do is back off on the membrane pressure so your rated output is about what it should be in salt water. As an example: If you have a 24 gallon per hour water maker, your membrane pressure is usually set/rated at 800 psi, if you are in brackish water, adjust the membrane pressure down to get about the same rated out put of 24 gallons per hour.

There a 2 things that will kill a membrane, oil and chlorine. If you stay away from those, you can pretty much make water anywhere.

Thanks, didn't know that.

[Bay Pelican]

Perhaps this is a repeat of earlier comments, but my general rule/thoughts are that a watermaker is an expensive nuisance if you are marina hopping in the United States and Canada. More maintenance than time saved filling the tanks. Has marginal value for someone who anchors out almost all the time in the same area, issue is how easy is it to dock the boat and fill up the tanks every week.

Once you leave the US and Canada and venture out the value of a watermaker increases. Ignore the cost of the water in the Bahamas. Unless you are marina hopping the water is more difficult to come by and in some cases requires using jerry jugs. Higher percentage of boaters anchor out in the Bahamas and a higher percentage have watermakers. Don't know about Mexico but I suspect there are good justifications for a watermaker there.

Once you proceed east from the Bahamas the value of a watermaker goes up. There are a few spots where water is easily available, Puerto Rico, much of the Virgins, but getting water is clearly more burdensome.

One major factor we have seen again and again. Water usage on anchoring boats with watermakers appears double that of the boats without watermakers. This alone might justify the cost for some of us.

[Rogerh]

With that news I guess I need to look into getting our going. When we bought the boat it had a water maker on it but the PO had not used it and had the sea cock capped for it. So I know that it will take quite a few bucks to get it running again but it may be worth it. We are planning a 3 month or so cruise in the spring and it would be great to have both for on the hook and when we are in the Bahamas. I will need to look up what unit I have and see who up here in the pan handle works them.

[Larry M]

Originally Posted by Rogerh

With that news I guess I need to look into getting our going. When we bought the boat it had a water maker on it but the PO had not used it and had the sea cock capped for it. So I know that it will take quite a few bucks to get it running again but it may be worth it. We are planning a 3 month or so cruise in the spring and it would be great to have both for on the hook and when we are in the Bahamas. I will need to look up what unit I have and see who up here in the pan handle works them.

If your water maker hasn't been used for a year plus, even when pickled, there's a good chance that the membrane (s) may need replacement. You can buy a 2.5" x 40" Dow Filmtec membrane for around $200, that plus changing the oil in the high pressure pump, some pre-filters and a carbon filter for rinsing the system, you should be good to go.

[Art]

Quote:

Originally Posted by N4712

I'm not sure... But we use the crap out of ours and are happy with it. Like B&B said the membranes life isn't over at 100 hours that's just how much we've used ours. We take real showers and wash the boat.

Thank You! - To all who’ve posted info.

BB / N4 - I didn't mean to imply that water maker life ended at 100 hrs. Was just using figures provided; regarding per gallon cost to date from previous thread.

I'm fairly confident that at $8.5K the manufacturer's product use-term intent would well exceed 100 hours... couple 1000's seems plausible.

720GPD = 30GPH. 2000 hrs x 30 = 60,000G. 60,000 :- by $8500 = $0.14 per gallon… not too shabby!

[N4712]

Originally Posted by Art

Quote:




Thank You! - To all who’ve posted info.

BB / N4 - I didn't mean to imply that water maker life ended at 100 hrs. Was just using figures provided; regarding per gallon cost to date from previous thread.

I'm fairly confident that at $8.5K the manufacturer's product use-term intent would well exceed 100 hours... couple 1000's seems plausible.

720GPD = 30GPH. 2000 hrs x 30 = 60,000G. 60,000 :- by $8500 = $0.14 per gallon… not too shabby!

That's exactly what we run, 30GPH. I'm sure you don't need the size of unit we have, we sized It for our needs. We also went with Watermakers since they're local and that make life that much easier if somethings wrong.( Nothing has gone wrong yet knock on wood) Check out their website.

[Capt.Bill11]

You are not factoring in the cost of filters and maintiance in you cost per gallon figure. Nor the cost of the power that needs to be made to run the unit. And the cost to maintain the unit supplying that power.

For $8500 you can buy 17,000 gallons of .50/gal water.

Water makers are great. And if you get the basic models with out a lot of electronic displays and such they can be pretty trouble free. But unless you do a lot of cruising in the boonies, the cost can be hard to justify.

And just a heads up. Pretty much all the of the marine water maker companies do not make anything. They just assemble parts manufactured by someone else to create their water makers.

http://www.svsoggypaws.com/files/pre...McCampbell.pps.

Watermaker Parts & Accessories by Cruise RO Water & Power



http://www.westward-ii.com/PDF's/How...watermaker.pdf

[bayview]

Art: In your area you have brown water from the delta and blue/green water offshore. IMO a water maker wont be happy in the brown water but very happy in the clear water offshore. You could anchor in Stillwater cove making water forever.

[Art]

Originally Posted by Capt.Bill11

You are not factoring in the cost of filters and maintiance in you cost per gallon figure. Nor the cost of the power that needs to be made to run the unit. And the cost to maintain the unit supplying that power.

For $8500 you can buy 17,000 gallons of .50/gal water.

Water makers are great. And if you get the basic models with out a lot of electronic displays and such they can be pretty trouble free. But unless you do a lot of cruising in the boonies, the cost can be hard to justify.

And just a heads up. Pretty much all the of the marine water maker companies do not make anything. They just assemble parts manufactured by someone else to create their water makers.

http://www.svsoggypaws.com/files/pre...McCampbell.pps.

Watermaker Parts & Accessories by Cruise RO Water & Power



http://www.westward-ii.com/PDF's/How...watermaker.pdf

Therein lies the "Water Maker" cost factor... I've been questioning!