A Tip For Spectra Watermaker Installers

[mvweebles]

a64Pilot - mea culpa. Did not mean to infer you are arguing. Just pointing out that there are many ways to skin a cat. Best I can figure, Spectra makes a nice unit. At a premium.

[crayiii]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

a64Pilot - mea culpa. Did not mean to infer you are arguing. Just pointing out that there are many ways to skin a cat. Best I can figure, Spectra makes a nice unit. At a premium.

14gph from a unit that is VERY quiet, can run from solar that ordinarily is dumped (batteries charge fast), and doesn't rely on another complicated piece of equipment to run was a strong selling point.

It replaced a 30gph 115v see recovery unit that we were able too sell. The admiral was pretty excited about the replacement plan at first. Now I'm not making eye contact. 😬

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by crayiii

14gph from a unit that is VERY quiet, can run from solar that ordinarily is dumped (batteries charge fast), and doesn't rely on another complicated piece of equipment to run was a strong selling point.

It replaced a 30gph 115v see recovery unit that we were able too sell. The admiral was pretty excited about the replacement plan at first. Now I'm not making eye contact. 😬

Question on solar for 120v watermaker: I have an 800w solar array; 700AH LiFePo battery bank with 3200W Magnum inverter. The SeaMaker 30 watermaker ($4850 no-frills) draws 1150w with booster pump. Would there be a problem running this for an hour or so off my batteries, especially on a sunny day when at least half the energy consumption real-time? I do have a generator, but really trying to minimize dependence.

I realize the Spectra and competing units are technologically advanced with almost no-touch automation and roughly 50% more efficient than basic 120VAC units, but for me, adding proprietary construction and motherboards is the wrong direction on the complexity curve.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Question on solar for 120v watermaker: I have an 800w solar array; 700AH LiFePo battery bank with 3200W Magnum inverter. The SeaMaker 30 watermaker ($4850 no-frills) draws 1150w with booster pump. Would there be a problem running this for an hour or so off my batteries, especially on a sunny day when at least half the energy consumption real-time? I do have a generator, but really trying to minimize dependence.



I realize the Spectra and competing units are technologically advanced with almost no-touch automation and roughly 50% more efficient than basic 120VAC units, but for me, adding proprietary construction and motherboards is the wrong direction on the complexity curve.

Depends completely on how much your boats other electric draws are.
However you don’t want to run a watermaker for an hour, that is very inefficient use, reason is the water you waste during flush is the same amount whether you run it an hour or all day long.

I’d run the generator and save the wear and tear on your batteries and inverter, a Honda burns what a qt an hour?
Don’t worry about the noise, the watermaker isn’t all that silent either.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

I realize the Spectra and competing units are technologically advanced with almost no-touch automation and roughly 50% more efficient than basic 120VAC units, but for me, adding proprietary construction and motherboards is the wrong direction on the complexity curve.

The Spectra Cape Horn doesn't have a motherboard and is fully manual. 15 gallons per hour @ 19 amps consumption. That's 16 watts per gallon @ 12 volts. The Seamaker 30 uses about 3 times the current per gallon.

a64 is correct - run it for more than one hour. 3 or 4 hours would be better. And yes, much better with a generator. 4 hours off the battery bank is about 400 AH.

The Spectra is quiet as well.

[Tudorsailor]

Originally Posted by admiralslater

I have a 15 year old spectra and love it . There is a spectra dealer in the Rodney bay complex who can get parts . There is a ferry from le Marin that goes there

I have a 18 year old Spectra and it is great! I live in the UK and the yacht in the Med. I have had fabulous support from Furneaux Riddall. However the watermaker is whisper quiet when running on batteries.

I have learned a few tricks along the way. I have found a few things that can be bought from generic supplies such as the pump fans - which are standard computer fans

I would recommend the Spectra but in truth I do not have any experience of any other make

TudorSailor

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Question on solar for 120v watermaker: I have an 800w solar array; 700AH LiFePo battery bank with 3200W Magnum inverter. The SeaMaker 30 watermaker ($4850 no-frills) draws 1150w with booster pump. Would there be a problem running this for an hour or so off my batteries, especially on a sunny day when at least half the energy consumption real-time? I do have a generator, but really trying to minimize dependence.

I realize the Spectra and competing units are technologically advanced with almost no-touch automation and roughly 50% more efficient than basic 120VAC units, but for me, adding proprietary construction and motherboards is the wrong direction on the complexity curve.

Spectra makes a less automated, and less expensive unit (still not inexpensive, just less expensive). See their Cape Horn line.

Even on the models with all the automation (and newer control software versions), you have control over which features/alarms you use and can disable them individually if wanted...right from the control panel. You can also by pass the automation/alarms entirely.

[senormechanico]

Put me down as an owner of a 20 year old spectra 180 upgraded to a 200.
Simple, efficient, quiet and no problems.

[merrydolphin]

20 yrs ago I was a Spectra tech out cruising. I didn’t see this problem back then but the company has changed ownership since then and many changes.