Schenker Water maker

[rivonia]

Hi has any one else out there got one? We have one and it provides about 30 Lts per Hr. As we are STILL in the marina we are not using it at present. The problem is that we are advised to flush it every 7 days, which we do. BUT it takes forever just to get enough pressure up so the thing can work. Is any one else getting the same problem or is any one else having any other problems?

 

[rivonia]

Hi its me back again. Problem solved! I now find out that we do not have to have more than 2-3 bar of pressure for flushing. Doh.... Also it is OK to flush every 10 days if not making water. We live and learn. Many thanks to Jim of Shenka for all help and advice.

 

[Anonymous]

Flush the watermaker every seven days? With our Spectra I often leave it for seven days then if we are staying in port I flush with fresh water, which is good for another fortnight then any longer and I pickle it. I wouldn't have thought you need to fiddle every week.

 

[ccscott49]

Do you just use tap water? I was told any chlorine in the water is death tom membranes, but I'm a newcomer (really) to watermakers, so have used distilled up to now.

 

[pmyatt]

Just having a watermaker installed (HRO Mini 170 C) and have been advised that, when unit is not in use, using the automatic product water flushing system every 7 days precludes need to pickle membrane. Of course, if you are not on board, you need to have shorepower, a tank full of product water and have bought the automatic flushing system (!) - suppose it keeps the company in business.

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you just use tap water? I was told any chlorine in the water is death tom membranes, but I'm a newcomer (really) to watermakers, so have used distilled up to now.

[/ QUOTE ]You can use water from a General Ecology filter (as long as it is new) as they remove all chlorine. We use product water. I have two 8 litre water containers (I just bought mineral water from a supermarket and the containers were included....we poured the mineral water away as it is vastly inferior to product water). You would want to leave Port Vell for an hour or so but the water along there, away from the harbour, will be fine for running the watermaker. The really nasty thing is oils and they float on the surface, of course, so if your inlet is a metre or so down you haven't got a problem. Chlorines are equally horrid so avoid grey water. I have never used 'distilled water'.

 

[ccscott49]

Great! I'll pipe an extra line into my GE filter, so as to have it available all the time, for flushing and mixing the "pickling" fluid. Might as well just have a small valve on the end to fill my flushing tank, thanks for that.

 

[Anonymous]

Just remember that the chlorine is removed by the activated charcoal part of the filter. I don't know if it is destroyed, in time, in the filter or whether it 'clogs' the filter. If you look at the GE spec zero Cl gets through. But why not just use product water....there is nothing better? Fill a couple of containers from the GE, until you get it into service, then use the output straight from the watermaker, after you have tasted it? I assume you let the watermaker run for ten minutes or so then taste the water before diverting to the tank? Your taste buds are better than any electronic instrument you are likely to have been sold as part of the kit.

 

[ccscott49]

Yes, I do taste test my water, and eventually will have all product water, but I will fill a couple of 20 litre containers and stow them. best idea really. I have a 10 litre container, plumbed in, to allow me to mix pickling stuff cleaner etc. so I'll keep that full.

 

[rivonia]

With regard to flushing yes it is important to flush it every 10 days if you are not using the machine. We use the same water that we have desalinated. As we are live aboards it will be highly unlikely that we would have to 'Pickle it' but we would if we ever left the boat for more than 2 weeks.