Watermaker intake - Independent or shared?

[Tim Good]

Sorry for all the watermaker threads but I thought best to keep topics separate.

On my boat I have a manifold that brings water in for Two heads, generate, galley salt, fridge and then has one free slot. However, not far away is a separate seacock for the Watermaker inlet.

Is it customary to have a totally independent inlet for the watermaker because it seems to me like they made another hole in the boat needlessly when they could have taken it from the manifold. Is this a precautionary thing in case you get backwash from the generator or toilets and going into the watermaker or did they just not think it though?

 

[miyagimoon]

This may help you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XURN_awplww

 

[Tim Good]

This may help you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XURN_awplww

Excellent thanks! Yes that explains it's all. I do have ways of isolating all other services but my genset comes off my main manifold through hull so looks like I'm stuck with leaving it as it is.

 

[nauticalnomad]

Just make sure its on the opposite side and away from the heads outlet..