Water Maker Suggestions

[cod]

I am considering installing a Water Maker and started my preliminary research. Many choices and different set-ups but here is what I have so far. Looking for input.

General reason for a Water Maker:

We hold 140 gallons. I would guess we use 35-40 gals./day (typically wife and I) without trying to conserve water. Typically, we can go about 4 days. Certainly we could stretch that but never needed to as we normally don't stay on the hook more than 4 days at a time and then hit a marina. However, now that we made a couple of trips to the Bahamas and plan to continue to discover different islands, there are many islands that are remote without any marinas or facilities. The water maker would be a nice option to have. Even if you are at the dock in the Bahamas, the cost of water can be as much as $0.60/gallon.

Sizing of Water Maker

There are many options available and I would say the minimum size is about 8 Gal/hr. or 192 Gallons /day. Now that sounds like it would be enough but you have to consider if I have guests or my kids on board, we will use much more water. I would also like being able to pretty much use the water as if I'm at the dock, washing her down as needed. From what I've read, there is a noise associated with the pumps running. There is a primer pump and a high pressure pump. Naturally, different mfg's. will have different pumps at different noise levels. Something to look into.....But in conclusion and speaking with other people, I think I would want to be able to produce a minimum of 30 gals./hr. I also understand there isn't much cost difference if you are at the 30 gal./hr. and then increase to approx. 40 gals/hr.

Type of Water Maker

Water makers come as a complete unit or modular. I have a great spot for a complete unit to be installed under my swim platform inside the engine room. There is a big empty shelf. The hydraulic pump for my davit is located here on one side and the other side is empty. The problem with this is solution is I don't like the access to it. I prefer to go modular and locate the different components throughout the engine room and cockpit for ease of use and maintenance. I have a compartment in the cockpit that I only use to store cleaning products. I would like to place the control panel in this compartment, similar to the opposite side being used for the generator guages and fuel tank selector panel. I still need to find a convenient spot to locate the filters for ease of changing.

Features/Options

These systems require fresh water flushing/pickeling. I believe it can be manual or automatic. My first thought is to go with automatic. Worth it? Maybe someone with personal experience can offer an opinion on this. I also want some type of digital display for operation.

Manufacturers

There are more than several manufacturers including: Sea Maker, Horizon Reverse Osmosis (HRO), Cruise RO, Sea Clear, Water Makers Inc., Spectra Watermakers and Sea Recovery. Probably others too. Right now I like the Spectra and the ​Sea Recovery products. They seem to have a nice product and I like the control panels. I now have to compare cost and actual features of each.

If anyone has installed a water maker, I would love to know what mfg./model, if you a happy with it, what you would do different, glad you installed it or is it more maintenance than its worth (think I know the answer to that) Thanks for any advice

 

[Sea Gull]

I have the Spectra 400 gpd. Mine is a 24 volt unit. It's quiet and efficient, has a digital remote display, is self storing and easy to pickle when needed. They also have options for 120v.

 

[northern]

We have a VillageMarine. Got it in 2006. It is Squirt 600, makes 20 to 30 gallons an hour and runs on 120 volt AC. Boat is all electric so we run it when we have the stove on. They have very good teck support. I have had the boot that swings from the discharge to good supply to the tank fail. Been told it is the preservative chemical that rots the rubber. We make about 30 gallons a day and use it most days for about 3 months a year. Filters $25 each and we change them twice a year. The charge pump failed last summer. Replacement was $400. I took the old one apart and was able to make it work. It is magnetic drive very similar to the AC pump. I am sure I could have got it for less some place else other than VillageMarine. The watermaker is all one unit about 2' by 1' high by 18" deep, runs by remote station, does not need adjusting pressure when you start it, preserving and cleaning are done by filters, no chemicals or hoses to fool with. The membranes are still good. Produced water from salt water is 80 to 100PPM.

 

[northern]

The VillageMarine if used once a week or more requires no flushing. If you are not going to use it for 7 days you need to back flush. On the remote panel you push the flush button and 2 minutes later it is back flushed. To pickle it for 4 months you remove the prefilter replace it with a preservative filter, flip two valve and run it for half an hour. I would get another one if we were to get a different boat. When we go north if you get in a bay with lots of tannins from the trees the water will taste different. A Brita filter will correct the problem for drinking water or you can replace the pre filter more than twice a year. No idea of cost now but the one we have coat 6,000 CDN installed in 2006.

 

[Alex F]

Steve,

I would recommend getting in touch with Greg. He installed very nice modular system that's been working like a charm for few years now. He can give you all the specific pointers you need.

 

[cod]

Thanks Alex, I pm'd Greg last week requesting info on his installation..... Waiting for a reply...

Thanks Northern and Sea Gull for your input as well....
Sea Gull, I'm curious to know If you used it enough this season to determine if the 400 GPD was sufficient.

 

[northern]

Good luck. Ask around and see what type of service support you get on the phone. When the boot failed I was told what to do to make the unit work until I got the boot replaced. I carry spare boots and replace it at the start of each season. You also need to find out who socks parts and filters and how quick you can get them.
There are many out there the more automatic they are the better.
Main item seems to be to keep chlorinated water away from the membranes as it can damage them.

 

[Sea Gull]

400 gpd is enough for us, given the 300 gallons we hold in our tank and our pattern of water use. If you want or need to keep less water in reserve, because you have a small tank or don't want the weight aboard, you might consider a bigger unit.

Ours is quiet enough to run at night if we are also running the generator and A/C, but probably not (haven't tried it yet) in a quiet anchorage with genset off and portholes open while sleeping. If you can only run for short periods, you might need a bigger unit.

Best to know your own use pattern and tolerance for running the thing.