fliti
Well-Known Member
We are about to choose a 20-40 lph water maker for our Beneteau 50. Can anyone help us with tips or recommendations, please?
Recommended water makers
- Thread starter fliti
- Start date
Sandyman
Well-Known Member
Try these http://www.spectrawatermakers.com/
jonic
Well-Known Member
Echotech supplied by the Hydrovane people. I have had one for just over a year. Very good and excellent support from Hydrovane. High amp draw but very reliable. Simple to maintain system.
narcer
Well-Known Member
Water Maker
Fitted a SLCE about 4 months ago. The boat is now in St Lucia with no reported probs. This seems to be a high quality unit, I think better than Ecotech who are based in the WI´s and supply is a problem around here, but not for SLCE- ordered straight from Germany from Shipshop. Must admit though the water tasted distusting for the first few days ! I hope it got better.
Fitted a SLCE about 4 months ago. The boat is now in St Lucia with no reported probs. This seems to be a high quality unit, I think better than Ecotech who are based in the WI´s and supply is a problem around here, but not for SLCE- ordered straight from Germany from Shipshop. Must admit though the water tasted distusting for the first few days ! I hope it got better.
jonic
Well-Known Member
I have had no supply problems from Echotec. I was in Mallorca when I ordered the unit, shipped in 4 days and was fitted by local co. near Palma.
Needed some parts when in Florida and had them within two days. Both times organised by Hydrovane.
Needed some parts when in Florida and had them within two days. Both times organised by Hydrovane.
wilkinsonsails
Well-Known Member
Desallator very good 40 to 60 litres in 40mins.
BruceDanforth
Well-Known Member
Having done some offshore passages with watermakers on board the best one by far was very simple and didn't involve a computerised controller just pumps, switches, valves and a membrane with a set proceedure for operation.
HinewaisMan
Well-Known Member
We too have an EchoTec and are delighted with it.
The pro's are its price (about 1/2 that of Spectra (well, in Oz about 5 years back)), its simplicity - with no computerised bits you can pretty much fix everything yourself -, easy to install yourself and that it's built like a brick dunny house.
The downside is power useage - it's certainly heavier than the more expensive ones - we work on about 1 Amp per litre.
But then, like any watermaker, it works best when used a lot so if we're running the engine for more than an hour, it's always on topping up the tanks. And, God, a hot shower in the middle of an ocean passage - priceless.
The pro's are its price (about 1/2 that of Spectra (well, in Oz about 5 years back)), its simplicity - with no computerised bits you can pretty much fix everything yourself -, easy to install yourself and that it's built like a brick dunny house.
The downside is power useage - it's certainly heavier than the more expensive ones - we work on about 1 Amp per litre.
But then, like any watermaker, it works best when used a lot so if we're running the engine for more than an hour, it's always on topping up the tanks. And, God, a hot shower in the middle of an ocean passage - priceless.
narcer
Well-Known Member
Hi, yes I remember when I had the pleasure of meeting you guys on the public quay in Porto Cristo...I think in 2005 ? You may not remember me - I was working on a boat next door, I think you were heading for Alcudia to leave the boat there for the winter.
However more recently, supply from Ecotech was a little more complicated than 5 yrs ago. There wasn´t one single unit available in Europe, only option was from Trinidad or the states somewhere. I suppose it proves they must be good units though !
fliti
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone for all the comments. Whilst Echotech appears to stand out, availability in Europe rules it out. Does anyone have any experience of the Powersurvivor 160E or the Schenker 30 or the Spectra 380?
grumpygit
Well-Known Member
Hi, I've just this last week finished installing a 160E and I'm very pleased with this product, it's simple to use and produces the ltrs/ph as specified.
I looked into the Schenker first but it was to larger a unit and valuable locker space would have been lost.
The 160 has tucked away very nicely into what was more or less a redundant space. If I remember correctly there was very little difference between the two as in ltrs/ph. Sorry, I have no knowledge about the Spectra.
I dealt with Jim Macdonald at Mactra Marine and they did a cracking package and excellent to deal with.
There's no connection by me to them except for being a very satisfied customer.......
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mlthomas
Well-Known Member
So there is not a new thread, is there a preference to electric or mechanical too? we have one on the wish list in the not to distant future.
rivonia
Well-Known Member
We have the Shenker which produces 30lts per hour and it is just over a year old now. Apart from the initial teething problems with a faulty screw tread (replaced along with a spare-no charge) ALL IS GOING WELL.
Good luck in your search.
Peter
Marsupial
Well-Known Member
Thats not much water maker for 50ft, we run an echotec 60ltph and it seems to cope - just. A very simple robust machine, I will leave mine to my childrens grandchildren. Not sure I understand why being in europe rules it out, the service from hydrovane is superb. They're in Canada by the way.
jonic
Well-Known Member
Agree, the service from Will Curry at Hydrovane has been exceptional. His family run the business and they have all been long distance cruisers. They are used to our demands and the idea of shipping stuff to marinas anywhere on the globe. It's a straightforward system and appears pretty much bullet proof. Many of the parts are generic and can be found almost anywhere.
See http://www.hydrovane.com
(I have no connection other than being very pleased with the unit and the support)
jonic
Well-Known Member
Hi Narcer, yes that would have been us ( did we talk to you about getting wi-fi there?). We did leave the boat in Alcudia, and then were able to get a berth in the Real Club in Palma, which was fantastic.
HinewaisMan
Well-Known Member
We looked at the mechanical belt driven EchoTech first, but mocking up representative sized box with masonite and a bit of work with a ruler soon proved we didn't have enough room at the front of the engine to mount it.
I think it would be fair to say that most other cruisers we've chatted to have also taken the electrical route.
fliti
Well-Known Member
Dear Rivonia,
What production and how many amps are you getting from the Schenker? 30lph @9 amps, as advertised?
Thanks
Fliti
What production and how many amps are you getting from the Schenker? 30lph @9 amps, as advertised?
Thanks
Fliti
fliti
Well-Known Member
Hi Marsupial,
The real problem with the echotec is the belt drive. Not only would that barely fit in my engine room but after previous experience, I have a horror of running high pressure salt water in the vicinity of my engine. I would rather have the flexibility of a battery driven system and the main remaining issues are efficiency and reliability. So far, the Schenker seems to have the edge in the former and the Powersurvivor in the latter. On balance, I rank reliability over efficiency especially if cost is also factored in. Still don't quite know where Spectra fits between the two..
thanks
The real problem with the echotec is the belt drive. Not only would that barely fit in my engine room but after previous experience, I have a horror of running high pressure salt water in the vicinity of my engine. I would rather have the flexibility of a battery driven system and the main remaining issues are efficiency and reliability. So far, the Schenker seems to have the edge in the former and the Powersurvivor in the latter. On balance, I rank reliability over efficiency especially if cost is also factored in. Still don't quite know where Spectra fits between the two..
thanks
Marsupial
Well-Known Member
You may find that the echotec direct drive 12v system will suit you. Ours is a 240v system "spread all around the boat" (43ft), if fact none of it is visible. Before you embark on a low pressure low volume system you might like to have a read of this:
http://www.swcc.gov.sa/files/assets...EMBRANE FOULING - THE FINAL FRONTIER....1.pdf
I am not going to say that systems that offer high performace for low power input are useless but talking to people in commercial RO plants in Jeddah they were sceptical about thier long term ability to remain unclogged because there is not enough feed water to scour the membrane.
Another thread talks of "if its not 240v I m not comming" - well a 240v generator does have its uses, at least I wont wake up with a bread knife in my leg! I hope . . . .
