Water Maker options

[trawlercap]

Sorry to this, ask I did a search. Trying to get educated on what is available out there on water makers. I have been reluctant as we have 800 gallon tankage, but the wife wants us to have a Watermakers (what she thinks is more independence.) We have 10KW gen set, massive battery bank and proper inverter set up.
Do you love yours? What is it? I am blessed with engine room with room. So room and power should be no problem. I'd lean to a larger capacity to run less hours if that works in the watermaker world. So let me know what you love or hate or? About your water makers?
[/ATTACH]

 

[OldDan1943]

Is that current water maker 120vt or 12vt? I suspect it is 120vt.
If you insist on a 2nd water maker, consider a 12vt, in case the gen goes down.

How can you use so much water? Fill the hot tub? Sell fresh water at the dock? Swap for diesel fuel?

 

[trawlercap]

Is that current water maker 120vt or 12vt? I suspect it is 120vt.
If you insist on a 2nd water maker, consider a 12vt, in case the gen goes down.

How can you use so much water? Fill the hot tub? Sell fresh water at the dock? Swap for diesel fuel?

We have no water maker onboard, I'm looking for info on the options of installing and maintaining one.

 

[AlanT]

A

In my experience watermakers do better when they are being used than not. So in your shoes I would be working out what my average daily run is (hours) and how often VS your consumption and work that back into a formula so that you are producing that amount of water to replace what you are using over the course of a daily run. I would then plan to run the WM anytime underway in clean water. When I had a sailboat it was a totally different calculation as I wanted to run the engine or genset as little as possible so I plumped for a larger capacity WM to compensate for reduced operating hours.

Also suggest choice of voltage should reflect what you choose to have running while underway. If you always have a genset running, then 120VAC makes sense. If not then 12/24 VDC might suit you better. I personally wouldn't want to run the WM off an inverter. (two points of failure where only one is required).
~A

 

[OldDan1943]

Well, you bride wants lots of fresh water to fill and keep filled the 800 gal tank.
I hesitate recommend a singular water maker with a capacity of 800 gallon.
I have a Newport 400 Mk2 with a remote. I opted for 12vt so there are rumors that the water make will not meet its full capacity. To get full capacity one needs the 120vt. I decided I rather rely on the 12vt system. I have not used it as of yet. It is 'factory fresh' Like your wife, independence if necessary.
Village Marine water maker is another option.
There are water makers that are components so it can be stashed in places close but not all in the same place.
You dont a water maker with a huge output. Big deal if you have to run it 6 hours or 12 hours. I doubt if you and the Mrs use anything approaching 200gpd.

 

[Lepke]

I use a self built watermaker, 40 gallon/hour, similar to what CruiseRO sells. https://www.cruiserowaterandpower.com/
If I had it to do over, I'd buy one of theirs.
While I could run the watermaker on my inverter, it doesn't make sense. I usually make water at anchor every other day. I have a large hot water tank super insulated so the heat lasts between generator runs. And I do any laundry, run the dishwasher at the same time. I flush my watermaker with 5 gallons of fresh and never pickle.
When cruising I only make water if a generator is running, and that's rare since the inverter. I have a couple alternators on my mains that keep the inverter bank charged.
If you plumb for it, you can use the hp pump as a pressure washer, too.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Yep, CruiseRO. Have used ours for years. Individual components, so easy to fit where you want to. No proprietary parts, that’s a big deal when outside US waters.

AC HP motor for 40 gals an hour, LOL, 10 hours would only fill your tanks half way.

Good Luck.

 

[Hippocampus]

Our current boat has VM high output unit. Folks like them but will require the genset to run. Beyond pickling if you’re not using it take the membrane out. Store it correctly independently from the unit in a protected environment. Most membranes go bad from improper storage not hydrocarbons in the water.
Our prior boat had a Spectra Cape Horn Extreme. Totally mechanical no electronics to break. Gave us no issues ever in nearly 8 years of use. Trick is KISS unit and at least once a week usage. Was pickled twice in 8 years but had a Z ion unit. We lived on that water so needed to be aware that we got enough minerals in our diet. Split our tanks. One shore water. The other nothing but RO. Was in areas where infectious diarrhea was a concern so used the tanks accordingly. Never got sick. Never bought bottled water except to have non tank water available on passage if pumps broke or tanks got contaminated. Many places will give you free water it you buy fuel first so didn’t pay for shore water either except very rarely.
For your set up would go with an AC unit. Those vendors than make units for on shore as well as on ocean use tend to have better dealer/service networks and engineering. You have enough space as to not require modular. Better if everything is in one place. Less piping and easier to service and keep an eye on it in my opinion. Would pick by where you cruise and dealer/service network. Both Spectra and VM seem to be good for NA and Caribbean. You can DYI up a unit but for something as critical as water was happy we didn’t do that. Their performance does vary by ambient water temperature. Pick a unit that is designed for where you’re likely to be.

 

[dhays]

I may have missed it, but what are your cruising plans? Where, when, and for how long?


I don't have a water maker and the PO of my boat removed the one he had. My understanding, as others have mentioned, is that a watermaker works best when used regularly. I have looked at watermakers and considered a build my own option. I have 350 gallon capacity in two tanks. With 5 adults on board for a week it was enough, but I had to monitor water usage. However, most of the time it it just two of us for no more than a week. Because of this, the frequency of use wouldn't justify the cost and maintenance of a WM.


Your situation may be very different.

 

[Sealife]

+1 cruise RO, can't beat support if needed. Also NO computers!

 

[twistedtree]

If you are interested in Spectra DC water makers, I know where you can probably get two 700 GPD units that are new, but were installed and removed before startup. Contact me via PM and I can make the introduction.

 

[socalrider]

We bought and I installed a Spectra 12V watermaker for this past season after tons of research. We'd decided to simplify and remove the generator and 120VAC from our boat, which made it an easy decision.

I think there are two schools of thought that make sense:

(1) the 12/24V DC Spectra solution, which is extremely efficient and yet quite bulletproof, using a special mechanical pressure-amplifier pump to work its magic. Run it more frequently, but it'd barely touch your battery life & no generator use required.

(2) 120V systems - I also really like the CruiseRO stuff because it's so simple. Much less efficient, but much higher GPH and when you're using your generator, probably no big deal.

Really depends on your plans. One thing to remember is that water makers like clean water. You can run them in silty places, but you'll have to change prefilters more frequently - in some areas this could tilt you toward one or the other type of system as well.

 

[IRENE]

We have been using a Spectra Newport MKII 12VDC for a little over 3 years. It was nearly new and pickled when we bought this boat, and we commissioned it and run it regularly.

It produces the specified output or 1 GPH greater, and has been mostly trouble free. We use it almost exclusively while in open water for reasons others have mentioned. Often we are anchored in open areas (stabilized boat) and we will run it while our bank is supplied by the solar panels. It is fairly quiet and the filter life is not beating us up. Typically we run it for 2-6 hours when the water clarity permits. We continue to normally shower, wash dishes, do laundry, and “bucket wash” the boat, and feel it was properly selected for an active couple. We are not being super conservative or wasting water…I would say we are mindful of the source. We have occasionally washed the boat with a hose or resupplied a buddy boat. Spectra has been patient and helpful on the phone with my wife when she has called for support. The manual has been useful when needed.

Problems - the LED display in the salon was failing. I used some information online to take it apart and repair it to about 90%. I think it should have lasted much longer than it did without help. We had a fitting fail, resulting in a leak and some chasing around for a replacement fitting. When the primary filter begins to fill with contamination, the unit gets louder as if there is air in the pump. A filter rotation fixes this.

So far we are quite happy that it is 12VDC and with its production output. Credit to the previous owners who installed it. We would replace it with a like or similar Spectra unit if it died tomorrow.

Best Wishes

 

[RedRascal]

Here are couple more DIY brands to consider, I have no experience with either but you may find the products and features helpful for comparison shopping.

https://seawaterpro.com/

https://sunpurewatermakers.com/

 

[ksanders]

I use my watermaker for 100% of my water needs as a stayaboard.

I have not taken on dock water for five years now.

My watermaker was designed and sold by Rich over at Cruise RO, but I would hesitate to call it a "cruise ro watermaker" because it is not. It is a bunch of parts that are available from a multitude of sources. None of them are "cruise RO" brand with the exception of the aluminum panel that has the controls mounted to it.

I like that because I can go to anyone for parts. Dow corning membranes, a general pump high pressure pump, a jabsco low pressure pump, filters available at any home depot.

One time I spent an afternoon sourcing all the various components used in my watermaker and figured out I could save about $500 over what I paid Cruise RO for my watermaker.

That told me that I got a great bargain in that if I would have designed it myself as a first timer I would have wasted much more than that in engineering trial and error.

Then I tried to place a monitary value on the level of support Rich provides in answering his phone and emails on a sundy evening and I was glad for the little bit I paid him for all his efforts.

I guess you can tell that I am a happy Cruise RO customer.

 

[tiltrider1]

I have no problem with people recommending Cruise RO or Spectra units. I have been impressed with both when it comes to function and support. Spectra’s are not cheap but they seam to last for decades.

What I would look for in any water maker is standard sized membranes. If they do not use standard size membranes I would keep looking.

I prefer more manual and less computer controlled units, having to replace a WM because you can no longer find an electronic control board sucks. Now that I have said that, I have a completely automatic WM all I do is tell it to start or stop, it’s very cool, I just fear the day it doesn’t start.

 

[trawlercap]

In my experience watermakers do better when they are being used than not. So in your shoes I would be working out what my average daily run is (hours) and how often VS your consumption and work that back into a formula so that you are producing that amount of water to replace what you are using over the course of a daily run. I would then plan to run the WM anytime underway in clean water. When I had a sailboat it was a totally different calculation as I wanted to run the engine or genset as little as possible so I plumped for a larger capacity WM to compensate for reduced operating hours.

Also suggest choice of voltage should reflect what you choose to have running while underway. If you always have a genset running, then 120VAC makes sense. If not then 12/24 VDC might suit you better. I personally wouldn't want to run the WM off an inverter. (two points of failure where only one is required).
~A

Very good thoughts. Will do some penciling on our needs and cruise habits.

 

[ktdtx]

https://www.cruiserowaterandpower.com/
+1 for this watermaker. Sort of modular, can install the different parts wherever they fit. Nothing proprietary and great support.

 

[trawlercap]

We are Alaska bound. I’m fascinated with KSanders not using dock water, I know it’s available. Thanks everyone for your take, it hits home. Most excellent posts here. You all saved me a ton of research and head scratching.

 

[ksanders]

We are Alaska bound. I’m fascinated with KSanders not using dock water, I know it’s available. Thanks everyone for your take, it hits home. Most excellent posts here. You all saved me a ton of research and head scratching.

My not using dock water at all was something that was just easy. In the winter here in Seward Alaska they shut off the dock water everywhere except one spigot about 300 feet away that they leave running all winter so it does not freeze up. That is a lot of hose to deploy when you need water.

I also thought about it and decided that when cruising I do not want to take on water of dubious quality. Nor do I want to further strain a resource in short supply when traveling to arid areas like socal/mexico. That made the decision to be 100% independent an easy one.

What I like about a modular watermaker is that the control panel can be put where convenient as apposed to being where the rest of the components are.

I control my watermaker from the salon, and only have to access the components in the lazarette to change filters. This makes the whole watermaking process easy to start and stop, and easy to monitor while in progress.

I also put a pure water tap that flows into my galley sink. That provides an easy place to fill my drinking water jug, which then goes into the fridge for a supply of fresh, pure water to consume.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I use a self built watermaker, 40 gallon/hour, similar to what CruiseRO sells. https://www.cruiserowaterandpower.com/
If I had it to do over, I'd buy one of theirs.
While I could run the watermaker on my inverter, it doesn't make sense. I usually make water at anchor every other day. I have a large hot water tank super insulated so the heat lasts between generator runs. And I do any laundry, run the dishwasher at the same time. I flush my watermaker with 5 gallons of fresh and never pickle.
When cruising I only make water if a generator is running, and that's rare since the inverter. I have a couple alternators on my mains that keep the inverter bank charged.
If you plumb for it, you can use the hp pump as a pressure washer, too.

Agree 100%

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

yep, cruisero. Have used ours for years. Individual components, so easy to fit where you want to. No proprietary parts, that’s a big deal when outside us waters.

Ac hp motor for 40 gals an hour, lol, 10 hours would only fill your tanks half way.

Good luck.

110%

 

[DDW]

Just keep in mind that if you install a watermaker you want to use it very regularly, or you will be maintaining it more than using it. They do not like to sit unused and do not like dirty (usually harbor) water.

 

[Hippocampus]

Three things kill WMs.
Chlorine-change your carbon filter regularly. Only back flush with RO water.
Sediment-change your prefilter and filters regularly. We also put in a strainer before the filters. Watch your pressure gauge. Increased vacuum means change the filters. Was up to Maine. Just a couple of days after our scheduled filter changes. Pressure changed . Changed filters. Full of sediment.
Any hydrocarbons in supply water. Any. We only run the watermaker outside. Not even in a bay unless it’s remote and uninhabited.
We had no trouble with our membrane in that we were anal following what other cruisers told us to do.
Stuff will grow in RO water. We didn’t put chlorine or other chemicals in it. Rather whole boat filtering and UV.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Three things kill WMs.
Chlorine-change your carbon filter regularly. Only back flush with RO water.
Sediment-change your prefilter and filters regularly. We also put in a strainer before the filters. Watch your pressure gauge. Increased vacuum means change the filters. Was up to Maine. Just a couple of days after our scheduled filter changes. Pressure changed . Changed filters. Full of sediment.
Any hydrocarbons in supply water. Any. We only run the watermaker outside. Not even in a bay unless it’s remote and uninhabited.
We had no trouble with our membrane in that we were anal following what other cruisers told us to do.
Stuff will grow in RO water. We didn’t put chlorine or other chemicals in it. Rather whole boat filtering and UV.

100% Great post.

Something I learned from Crusty. Always have 2 sets of pre-filters. Once you are done making water, remove the pre-filters. Replace them with the second set of clean filterers. Then take the dirty filters outsize and wash them down with salt water. Then put them aside to dry. Once dry, they are ready to replace the current filters once you make water again. You will only use 4 filters all summer.(in our RO watermaker)

 

[Nancy n Larry]

Anyone have any experience with a RAINMAN?

 

[twistedtree]

100% Great post.

Something I learned from Crusty. Always have 2 sets of pre-filters. Once you are done making water, remove the pre-filters. Replace them with the second set of clean filterers. Then take the dirty filters outsize and wash them down with salt water. Then put them aside to dry. Once dry, they are ready to replace the current filters once you make water again. You will only use 4 filters all summer.(in our RO watermaker)

A media (sand) filter makes all the difference in the world. Without one, you will be changing filters constantly in bio-rich waters like Maine and the PNW. After installign a media filter, I only changed by pleated fabric filter cartridges once a year as a preventative measure.

 

[socalrider]

A media (sand) filter makes all the difference in the world. Without one, you will be changing filters constantly in bio-rich waters like Maine and the PNW. After installign a media filter, I only changed by pleated fabric filter cartridges once a year as a preventative measure.

Interesting - any details? Do you backflush after each use? I'm trying to figure out how it wouldn't turn into a petri dish, particularly if you were not using for a while.

 

[tiltrider1]

Anyone have any experience with a RAINMAN?

I am not making any comments pro or con about Rainman WM. This is only an observation of Youtube video's and since I don't know the back story you can not truly draw a conclusion from what I have seen.

In both productions, they rave about getting their new Rainman gas powered watermakers. In both productions they demonstrate how much fun it is to make water with the new water maker. This goes on for several months. Then with one production they suddenly stop talking about the Rainman and you never hear them talk about making water any more. The subject just vanishes. The other production lets it slip that the Rainman doesn't work anymore and then the subject just vanishes.

I do not know if the equipment failed or they chose to go a different direction. Even if the equipment failed I wouldn't know if it was operator error or poor design.

So the answer to the question is, I haven't seen enough data to answer the question truthfully. Anything I would say would be speculation.

 

[twistedtree]

Interesting - any details? Do you backflush after each use? I'm trying to figure out how it wouldn't turn into a petri dish, particularly if you were not using for a while.

Yes, you just backwash it to clean it, but not necessarily every time. And it's no more of a petri dish than a cartridge filter. There's an article on putting one together in my blog. A search there should turn it up pretty easily.