Watermakers and Harbors

[mark_morwood]

It depends a little on brand, but the sequence with our Spectra Catalina install was:

Salt water:
raw water seacock -> strainer -> boost pump -> 5 micron pre filter -> control unit -> feed pump -> membrane -> discharge overboard

Fresh water supply:
membrane -> monitor -> diversion valve (automatic) -> sink spigot & valve (manual) -> water tank -> freshwater pump -> .5 micron filter -> taps

Fresh water flush for membrane:
tank -> freshwater pump -> .5 micron filter -> charcoal filter -> control unit flush valve

[Cuvee]

Originally Posted by scarlet

It is my understanding that the UV filter should come AFTER the watermaker as a final sterilization. It is also my understanding (based on our pond filtration system) that the UV filter is really nothing more than a pipe with a strong lamp.. so it should not slow down water flow at all.

In case I am wrong.. would someone please provide me with simple sequence of the whole water system, i.e. intake, strainer, pump.. etc.. or, whatever the proper sequence would be, for the safest cleanest and best tasting water.

Here's the watermaker setup I have on my Saba 50:

1. Thru-hull strainer
2. Bronze raw water strainer
3. Booster pump
4. Diatomaceous Earth filter (with an above the waterline outlet for backflushing the filter. This filter significantly extends the lifetime of the two downstream sediment filters.)
5. 10 micron Sediment filter
6. 5 micron Sediment filter
7. High Pressure pump
8. RO membrane/pressure vessel with output line to freshwater tank (and a rejection line for the brine water and any rejected product water)
9. Freshwater flush line from fresh water tank to RO membrane with inline Carbon block filter (to prevent any chlorinated marina water that's added to tank from damaging the RO membrane)

On the water line downstream of the water tank and water pump, I have the following Pura UV20-3 water treatment system:
1. 5 micron Sediment filter
2. 10 micron Carbon block filter
3. Ultraviolet Lamp. The UV lamp is wired to same circuit as the Freshwater Pump, and its electrical panel switch is kept ON to prevent cycling the lamp on and off which shortens its life. The lamp requires a warm-up period of 1-2 minutes if its turned OFF then ON.

The filtered water goes to all the freshwater plumbing fixtures in the boat (all faucets, showers, toilet flush water).

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

My general boat operating philosophy is to always make water before I have used 1/2 of my water tank storage capacity. That way if my water maker breaks I have 1/2 my capacity left to either go get water or fix the water maker.

I have received water maker initial start up calls via sat phone from South Pacific crossings, where the crew had emptied the water tank and now was the time to start the newly installed water maker for the Frist Time.....don't be "that guy".

Triple Ding ding dings.

Please folks, no matter what new equipment you install, give it a few weeks shake down at the least before you count on it to cross an ocean. Sorry to be a bit of a smart azz (I learned it from Rich) But every time I hear, "I gotta be out of here tomorrow and I have to be there by next week" I always respond "See you soon"

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by smj

I'm sure there were many successful and enjoyable cruises made before watermakers hit the market, so yes they are not a necessity for most but instead a luxury. Possibly a necessity for someone who is disabled and unable to jug water to the boat, but also jugging water can be a good workout and gives something to do to break up the day. We have never owned or felt the need for a watermaker and to be honest never considered the fact that we hauled water put us in "camping" bracket, but it did put us about $5-$8k ahead of those that do have watermakers! As my back gets older and hauling water becomes a chore rather than a needed workout we will consider a watermaker, but until then will haul our water with pride!

It's not a shot at those that go without. I did without longer than I did with. The reason I'm doing what I'm doing now is the Admiral Mrs. Tellie finally put her foot down. I can say without doubt that most of our new equipment is sold because of the more gentile of the sexes. 5-8k in todays sailing market is a drop in the bucket. To find those with the Pardy mentality today is getting far more difficult. Again, it's all relative. You don't need a watermaker any more than you need a boat. Who needs a diesel generator when a Honda2000 and a Home Depot extension cord will do or a simple Outdoor World solar charging panel will do. Who needs an engine when sails will do. Who needs 6k worth of navigational equipment when a sextant and some Charts will do. I mean who needs a computer when an Abacus still gets the job done.

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by Tellie

I mean who needs a computer when an Abacus still gets the job done.

[emoji2]

Some still use an abacus for sight reductions - very frustrating when the boat rolls and you have to start your calculation all over again! [emoji6]

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by mark_morwood

It depends a little on brand, but the sequence with our Spectra Catalina install was:

Salt water:
raw water seacock -> strainer -> boost pump -> 5 micron pre filter -> control unit -> feed pump -> membrane -> discharge overboard

Fresh water supply:
membrane -> monitor -> diversion valve (automatic) -> sink spigot & valve (manual) -> water tank -> freshwater pump -> .5 micron filter -> taps

Fresh water flush for membrane:
tank -> freshwater pump -> .5 micron filter -> charcoal filter -> control unit flush valve

This is interesting.. so there is a charcoal filter for the fresh water flush for the membrane, but not for the fresh water supply. Also, am I understanding that there are 3 pumps total? a boost pump... a feed pump, and a freshwater pump? and lastly, what does the .5 micron filter actually filter out?

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by Cuvee

Here's the watermaker setup I have on my Saba 50:

1. Thru-hull strainer
2. Bronze raw water strainer
3. Booster pump
4. Diatomaceous Earth filter (with an above the waterline outlet for backflushing the filter. This filter significantly extends the lifetime of the two downstream sediment filters.)
5. 10 micron Sediment filter
6. 5 micron Sediment filter
7. High Pressure pump
8. RO membrane/pressure vessel with output line to freshwater tank (and a rejection line for the brine water and any rejected product water)
9. Freshwater flush line from fresh water tank to RO membrane with inline Carbon block filter (to prevent any chlorinated marina water that's added to tank from damaging the RO membrane)

On the water line downstream of the water tank and water pump, I have the following Pura UV20-3 water treatment system:
1. 5 micron Sediment filter
2. 10 micron Carbon block filter
3. Ultraviolet Lamp. The UV lamp is wired to same circuit as the Freshwater Pump, and its electrical panel switch is kept ON to prevent cycling the lamp on and off which shortens its life. The lamp requires a warm-up period of 1-2 minutes if its turned OFF then ON.

The filtered water goes to all the freshwater plumbing fixtures in the boat (all faucets, showers, toilet flush water).

wow!!! I bet you have the best tasting water on the planet. Was this factory installed, or was this an after market add on? Did the watermaker company recommend this set up, or was it something you put together from research? How is the maintenance on this system? Oh, and does that UV filter use a lot of electricity?

[Cuvee]

It was aftermarket and put together by CaptainJay and his team at CYOA Yacht Charters. The water maker system is from Blue Water Desalination and is their Express Series model. CYOA has installed the PURA water filtration system on all the boats in their fleet.

The diatomaceous earth media filter gets back flushed after a couple of weeks of use - the spec sheet says every 100 hours. Set the selector switch on the filter, turn on the booster pump, and let it go through a 2 stage flush for 25 minutes. The two watermaker sediment filters get replaced annually. The carbon block filter is replaced every 6 months.

The two PURA filters are replaced every 6 months. The UV lamp is replaced every 12~18 months.

The UV lamp is 22 watts so ~2 amp draw.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

[emoji2]

Some still use an abacus for sight reductions - very frustrating when the boat rolls and you have to start your calculation all over again! [emoji6]

LOL, I have my wife use mine to give me back massages.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Tellie

LOL, I have my wife use mine to give me back massages.

best usage for well over 2000 years bet the Chinese developed to to do back massages but had to explain why so much government money was spent . And was born the first calculator.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Tellie

LOL, I have my wife use mine to give me back massages.

Count yourself Lucky! [emoji4]

[mark_morwood]

Originally Posted by scarlet

This is interesting.. so there is a charcoal filter for the fresh water flush for the membrane, but not for the fresh water supply. Also, am I understanding that there are 3 pumps total? a boost pump... a feed pump, and a freshwater pump? and lastly, what does the .5 micron filter actually filter out?

The charcoal filter is to protect the membrane from any chlorine that might be in the fresh water tank when back flushing. We didn't ever find the need to filter the output from our tank for taste, though we did have the .5 micron filter there. If you were filling your tank from shore then this becomes more important.

2 pumps for the watermaker. The freshwater pump is the standard one for the boat freshwater system.

In reality the .5 micron filter didn't do much at all. Our tank was always clean, but if you got growth, or sediment in your tank from its construction, it would filter that out.