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Old 12-05-2017, 02:50 PM   #21
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You can change out both the Village Marine RO membrane housing and the membrane when the original membrane craps out. For the cost of single VM membrane you can replace both the housing and the membrane with standard (40 inch) length units. Then next time the membrane is far less costly than the VM unit. The VM membrane is almost certainly not made by VM. Their sales/production volume is far too low to justify the production equipment cost etc. The best membranes are made by Dow/Filmtec that likely manufctues the VM membranes as well. I had thought that VM had actually discontinued the practice of gouging customers by using a proprietary 38inch membrane/housing when the rest of the world uses a 40 inch standard.
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Old 12-05-2017, 03:19 PM   #22
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Spectra not so bad

The previous owner installed a spectra Newport 400 unit on our boat. It’s functionality is totally automated. I turn on the unit and tell them how many hours to produce water and it does everything else, to include monitoring water salinity and automatically back flushing the system when finished. I love the fact that through the automated head I can monitor all functions of the system.

We are currently in the Bahamas and making water on a regular basis on a 12 V system making 15 to 16 gallons per hour. Given the fact that we only use 25 to 30 gallons a day, without trying to conserve, this water maker is more than sufficient.
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Old 12-05-2017, 04:06 PM   #23
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Since Parker bought VM the cost of the membranes have come down significantly. A 2.5"x40" Dow/FilmTec membrane is ~$205 vs the 2.5" x 39" Parker (Village Marine) which is ~$377. The first 39" membrane I bought was over $600. At $377, they're still expensive but if you get 5 plus years it's not a game changer imho. And Parker does have one of the better AC high pressure pumps.
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Old 12-05-2017, 05:04 PM   #24
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I have a need for both hand-pumped and DC driven, separate contexts.

Is there a lower-cost membrane that can be used in good quality units for both use cases?
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Old 12-05-2017, 05:37 PM   #25
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If you don't need automatic or don't want to spend lots of money...
I have about a 50 gph component system with the high pressure pump belt driven off a generator. I made mine a little at a time with many changes because I didn't know much about reverse osmosis. All my water maker experience was with steam evaporators.
I got a lot of bad advise, bought useless things, but eventually got there. Since I make water in salt, brackish and fresh, a really good membrane salesman had me buy a set of all 3. 6 total. I didn't know you just turned down the pressure for fresh.
I would have been thousands of $ ahead to buy a component system like Cruise RO. I still may. I don't really like running the pump on the generator. Now I have an inverter system that would handle an 240v pump and my water needs and electrical needs rarely are the same. I also have long water runs because there was no place for the membranes and filters near the generator.
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Old 12-05-2017, 06:56 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by Simi 60 View Post
Wouldn't go simple and go cheap be leaving your larger water tanks in and use a tap?
It'd be real easy if tying up to a berth every couple of weeks.

We live aboard full time on the hook and don't have a water maker.



That's my thinking as well.
It doesn't get much simpler and cheap easier than that.

I'm not sure on the size of my tanks but they'll last about 3 weeks on the hook with 2 people aboard. That's about as long as I plan on being out.
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Old 12-05-2017, 07:12 PM   #27
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That's my thinking as well.
It doesn't get much simpler and cheap easier than that.

I'm not sure on the size of my tanks but they'll last about 3 weeks on the hook with 2 people aboard. That's about as long as I plan on being out.
I hold 210 gallons. Without a watermaker, you are forced to return to the dock sooner or later. With a watermaker we cane do laundry, take Hollywood showers. Extends our time away from port. I think the water is better too. We put 3700 sm on ASD this past summer.
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Old 12-05-2017, 07:16 PM   #28
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Its really hard to fill up a boat's water tanks when the dock water lines are frozen or shut off for the winter.
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Old 12-05-2017, 08:13 PM   #29
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I'll give another endorsement for Cruise RO. I just installed the 30gph model in my boat before heading to Mexico. The owner, Rich, answers the phone and spends as much time as needed answering questions. He helped me make a few changes in my set up that helped the system perform better. Although I originally ordered the auxillary fresh water flush system, I didn't end up using it. Rich refunded me for the unit. I have used the WM for a total of about 300 gallons of fresh water with no problems so far. I love this thing!

I have no commercial interest in this company, I am just a happy customer.

Cheers, Bill
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Old 12-05-2017, 08:39 PM   #30
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So same guy who makes Technautics Cool Blue fridge systems.

Wow, I'm thinking this might be the guy to help me build this little dream system

A. DC gennie based off a HO alternator, say 200+A @ 12V

B. high capacity watermaker, salt, brackish or fresh

C. compressor for eutectic holding plate fridge freezer system

D. A/C maybe heatpump split/combi

E. air compressor


all driven off a quiet little dual-fuel (gasoline or LGP powered) engine

Packaged up as portable as possible, move from boat to expedition vehicle to cave or off-grid cabin.

Yes I realize B-E could be run off a battery bank, but with mobile solar, all the loads are pretty large, and often will be appropriate to perform 2-3 functions at the same time.

And wouldn't it be more space / weight efficient than carrying four extra DC motors around?

I know, I know, said I was dreaming 8-)
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Old 12-05-2017, 08:44 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Simi 60 View Post
Wouldn't go simple and go cheap be leaving your larger water tanks in and use a tap?
It'd be real easy if tying up to a berth every couple of weeks.

We live aboard full time on the hook and don't have a water maker.
Practical for some, not for others.
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Old 12-05-2017, 09:09 PM   #32
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Originally Posted by Simi 60 View Post
Wouldn't go simple and go cheap be leaving your larger water tanks in and use a tap?
It'd be real easy if tying up to a berth every couple of weeks.

We live aboard full time on the hook and don't have a water maker.
What's your water tank capacity and how long usually between fills?
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Old 12-05-2017, 09:51 PM   #33
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For me, whole point of a WM is, that's never the reason I need to head for shore.

Spearfishing off Venezuela in cane season, maybe not set foot on land for 6-8 weeks.

Financial calculations don't enter into that scenario much.
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Old 12-05-2017, 10:22 PM   #34
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What's your water tank capacity and how long usually between fills?
About 3000 litres / 780 gallon.
We topped up yesterday, still over 50% full , but before that last time at an actual dock was 10th of August.

We do have a water bladder in the dinghy, if near a tap we'll put 200l in and we collect rainwater as well.

No rain and no water bladder usage we get about 8 weeks.
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Old 12-06-2017, 12:02 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Montenido View Post
I'll give another endorsement for Cruise RO. I just installed the 30gph model in my boat before heading to Mexico. The owner, Rich, answers the phone and spends as much time as needed answering questions. He helped me make a few changes in my set up that helped the system perform better. Although I originally ordered the auxillary fresh water flush system, I didn't end up using it. Rich refunded me for the unit. I have used the WM for a total of about 300 gallons of fresh water with no problems so far. I love this thing!

I have no commercial interest in this company, I am just a happy customer.

Cheers, Bill
Same here. Very happy customer, great tasting water......
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Old 12-06-2017, 02:10 PM   #36
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Same here. Very happy customer, great tasting water......
Cruise RO has really gained a significant share on the West Coast and everyone I know has spoken highly of them. They haven't made the same gains on the East Coast yet.
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Old 12-06-2017, 04:23 PM   #37
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Cruise RO has really gained a significant share on the West Coast and everyone I know has spoken highly of them. They haven't made the same gains on the East Coast yet.
I don’t know what the installation bench mark is but her in JAX, he’s leading the pack by a lot.
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Old 12-06-2017, 05:02 PM   #38
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I don’t know what the installation bench mark is but her in JAX, he’s leading the pack by a lot.
That's good. I just haven't heard of a lot in my area but that doesn't mean they aren't here. Perhaps they're getting fewer factory installs and that's a lot of what I have been familiar with.
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Old 12-07-2017, 10:41 AM   #39
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I changed out out low capacity watermaker and installed a 40 GPH Cruise RO system two seasons ago and it changed the whole way we think about water.

We use what we want. It I want to wash off the boat at anchor on a nice sunny day I can. If the wife wants a 20 minute shower, she can. When it’s time to wash clothes we can.

BTW, can’t say enough good about Rich with Cruise RO. Fantastic to work with and fantastic post sale support!
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Old 12-07-2017, 03:15 PM   #40
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I changed out out low capacity watermaker and installed a 40 GPH Cruise RO system two seasons ago and it changed the whole way we think about water.

We use what we want. It I want to wash off the boat at anchor on a nice sunny day I can. If the wife wants a 20 minute shower, she can. When it’s time to wash clothes we can.

BTW, can’t say enough good about Rich with Cruise RO. Fantastic to work with and fantastic post sale support!
There are certain conveniences of life we just aren't willing to sacrifice on and water ranks right at the top of that list. We've read too many books and blogs of boaters limited by water. The wearing clothes multiple days, not showering daily, reducing the length of the shower....all those things to us are not something we want to do. Easily solved by good watermakers.
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