GregOddity
Well-Known Member
Cool I was wondering about that. I thought about making it an Auto feature as the electronics are simple. But was not sure if it was a desirable feature, again no proper research yet
Water Maker Scaling up with generic of the shelf parts.
- Thread starter GregOddity
- Start date
Cool I was wondering about that. I thought about making it an Auto feature as the electronics are simple. But was not sure if it was a desirable feature, again no proper research yet
GregOddity
Well-Known Member
The reason for me the water maker is so important is that I found myself on a sailboat Leaving Barcelona with a Diesel contaminated tank, we only had bottles of wine and whisky on board and as funny as that may seem, because we all had a 1.5 L water bottle that we bought as we were leaving, we discovered it at a point that took us 6 hours to a port. I was PARCHED with 40 Celsius in August. I like the idea of being able to make my own water and having a full tank or 2 smaller ones full if the water maker packs up. Being thirsty at sea was not funny.
We later found out, the guy that refuelled the boat put a good 6 L Diesel on the water tank before he noticed the mistake, but “forgot” to say something.
We later found out, the guy that refuelled the boat put a good 6 L Diesel on the water tank before he noticed the mistake, but “forgot” to say something.
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
No Electronics involved in mine , it's the KISS system, Seacock in , goes in a filter , into a jabsco lift pump , into two mico filters ( 20&5) straight into the cat pump ,pump pushes it through a pressure valve into the membrane good water goes into the tank , bad water out . only other thing we have is a three way valve to change from sea water to produce water to wash out and a tap to test and fill drinking water .
GregOddity
Well-Known Member
Me likes the KISS principle. I may very well go down that route instead. I'm guessing youre using generic membranes for price.
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Desal uk for Dow membrane there around £200 mark
GregOddity
Well-Known Member
Saving that, thanks dude, appreciate the time and patience. :encouragement:
lw395
Well-Known Member
I think a nice simple few 2l bottles of water is always worth having on board.
Tanks can leak, watermakers can go wrong etc.
GregOddity
Well-Known Member
I "learned" that fact :encouragement:
at least a full pack of 1.5L bottles goes on board with me.lw395
Well-Known Member
Seriously, I think having at least two separate waer tanks is a big plus.
GregOddity
Well-Known Member
I couldnt agree more. I intend to do a water tank partitioned in two. Thinking of adding a smaller one as spare. The advantage of the Colvic Countess is that I have the space for that. At 6.1 tons as she is now it's not like a few hundred killos will make much difference. And I do like a shower..
geem
Well-Known Member
Not for me. Having a single tank sat on top the keel so the weight is as low as possible is my perfect set up. Built in tank is part of the boat. The boat isnt effected by one tank empting and changing the lean of the boat or the pitch. Properly comstructed with no expense spared. 38 years later, no leaks. Same for diesel tank.
geem
Well-Known Member
Not for me. Having a single tank sat on top the keel so the weight is as low as possible is my perfect set up. Built in tank is part of the boat. The boat isnt effected by one tank empting and changing the lean of the boat or the pitch. Properly comstructed with no expense spared. 38 years later, no leaks. Same for diesel tank.
GregOddity
Well-Known Member
My idea is to have the tank central over the keel beam to beam direction as per design, rectangle split in two lengthwise, if one tank is emptying no change of lean is felt. Diesel just a normal tank.
geem
Well-Known Member
That would work but you need to work out how you would fill them and switch between them. Also how do you know how much water is in them. We have never had a problem with a single tank.
Brent Swain
N/A
I built my own 540 GPD watermaker for around $700 CDN. Any 3 gpm pressure washer pump with ceramic plungers will work. The 540 GPD membranes fit a standard 2 1/2 inch sch 40 stainless pipe perfectly, letting you build your own housing.
lw395
Well-Known Member
Surely filling and switch between a couple of tanks is a whole lot simpler than a watermaker?
Not that I'm against watermakers or anything, but if you've only got one tank and it's contaminated, you don't want your watermaker pumping into it.
GregOddity
Well-Known Member
If the tank is split into two it’s not too complicated to have a central valve that can be switched electrically from one to the other. You can also use a cheap laser to measure the water level as used in industry. Sadly, I only have one. lol :ambivalence: Two tanks need two.
can you point me to a link so I can have a look at it? Sounds promising.
My reasoning. I like my water drinkable. Accidents happen.. and on a sailboat EVERYTHING happens
geem
Well-Known Member
Why would it be contaminated? Contaminated by what? Water only goes in from watermaker never a tap or bad water source. Water is treated with UV as it enters the tank. Water is tested with TDS meter before entering the tank.
If you spend a couple of months cruising uninhabited islands as we have done this season then the watermaker is a game changer. We can last three weeks or so off our tank but the watermaker makes life comfortable. We can do laundry aboard and live life normally. We havent put water into our tank from a source other than the watermaker for about three years (apart from rainwater)
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Discussion on a water maker , anchors, batteries and so on depend highly on the type of sailing you do and where,
And people option also depend on that , if I was sailing from Marina to Marina like I use to do in the UK , I wouldn't have a water maker , even sailing in the Med which we been doing for a lots of years , you done really need one , we manage for well over 20 years in the Med , the word is MANAGE , things have change and still are , where once you could go and buy 10lts of fuel and fill you tank up free , then days have gone , where you could once go into a Marina just to fill them days have now also gone most Marina now want you to take a berth for a night , €50 now that expenses water. I have done my time carrying water cans in the dinghy and filling up when ever I come across a tap . Getting a bit old for all that now .
If your cruiseing long time of living on a boats as we do , a water maker come in very handy .
Greg. A way of separating tanks is a good way to go .
As far as contamination goes , I been there a few time , every time from a Marina or a tap , my TDS from my water maker is 110 ppm last tested a tap water it was 390.
lw395. Yes a water maker can break down but so can everything else on a boat .
And people option also depend on that , if I was sailing from Marina to Marina like I use to do in the UK , I wouldn't have a water maker , even sailing in the Med which we been doing for a lots of years , you done really need one , we manage for well over 20 years in the Med , the word is MANAGE , things have change and still are , where once you could go and buy 10lts of fuel and fill you tank up free , then days have gone , where you could once go into a Marina just to fill them days have now also gone most Marina now want you to take a berth for a night , €50 now that expenses water. I have done my time carrying water cans in the dinghy and filling up when ever I come across a tap . Getting a bit old for all that now .
If your cruiseing long time of living on a boats as we do , a water maker come in very handy .
Greg. A way of separating tanks is a good way to go .
As far as contamination goes , I been there a few time , every time from a Marina or a tap , my TDS from my water maker is 110 ppm last tested a tap water it was 390.
lw395. Yes a water maker can break down but so can everything else on a boat .
Last edited:
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Brent , how often to you use it and how long for at any one time ?
Plus how long have you had your pump.
I only asking because we know three people who made them out of pressure washer pumps , all full time liveaboard and I too was tempted as one of the costly parts was the Cat pump by didn't after I was told they all where renewing they pump at less once a year one guy twice in a year as these pump wasn't made to run for long periods or time .
Unlike us all three spend six month in a Marina so they where only using them for six month and all for very short period at a time , we out for at less nine month , adding the sums it was much cheaper the buy the Cat that will last us years as long as we looked after it .
I have been thinking about experiments with a pressure washer pump as a spare in case our Gen stop working as a temporary measure as we would be able to run it off our inverter ,
Last edited: