Echotec watermaker inability to build up pressure

[lucseawalker]

I am in the Philippines now, ready to go in a rally to Indonesia in one week from now ... I am checking all systems before the departure and I just got a problem with my 260 DML-1 watermaker

I ran it last week for 3 hours ... no problem (after I changed the pump oil and cleaned it well). Pressure ran 900 and water quality was good.
Today I ran it fine for about 1 hour when I suddenly saw the pressure be at only 200. No turning of the handle made any difference.

I tried using the alternate pickup in a bucket in case there was a problem with the sea water intake but that made no difference ... I tried running fresh water pressure as intake (like to flush the system) ... but that does not bring the pressure over 150-200 ...

In the manual it says that "discharge valve chamber may have air trapped within it " and " to allow more time to prime and ensure that there are no air suction leaks". How do one does that???

Anyone has any idea of what to do ??? (yes, I just emailed Echotec themselves also ... but some cruiser might have some great ideas also ... more brains .. more solutions

[noelex 77]

Sorry to hear about your problem.

I did have a very similar problem on a watermaker many years ago and the overwhelming diagnosis with a sudden failure like this was a failed membrane rather than any problem with HP pump.

I replaced the whole watermaker rather than the membrane so I don't know if the diagnosis was correct.

I am sure someone like Tellie with real knowledge about these things will be along shortly to give a better answer.