demonboy
regular
Reged: 11/10/2004
Posts: 742
Loc: Think bird eaten at Christmas
|
|
Back on the old water maker chestnut. Looking to do extensive cruising into the Indian Ocean and would like to have a reliable (as possible) water maker on board.
Currently thinking of buying a Honda petrol genny to run it, but don't want to do this every day. I was chatting to a liveaboard here and she said they run their water maker once every two weeks because their system takes the last few litres of filtered water to back-wash it.
Can anyone advise me on what makes do this, which ones are recommended, reliable blah blah blah...any comments?
--------------------
Follow The Boat Log: Late Summer, 2008
Add stuff to our Sailing Wiki or add your personal blog details
|
Stingo
regular
Reged: 17/10/2001
Posts: 6484
Loc: Durban
|
|
I am under the impression that it needs to be run at least every three days in order to prevent algae build up.
When will you be in the Indian Ocean, and where? I'm leaving for the Seychelles on Wed next week.
--------------------
Cruising and Sailing Wiki By Cruisers
Anecdotes From Stingo
|
Troutbridge
regular
Reged: 19/03/2007
Posts: 333
Loc: Cruising, mon, cruising
|
|
Most watermakers use the backwash system. I have an Echotec & they reckon you can leave it for about a week.
--------------------
Some see the glass as half full, some see it as half empty. I see it as too damn small.
http:/blog.mailasail.com/troutbridge
|
Lemain
regular
Reged: 31/01/2004
Posts: 5505
Loc: Fiumicino canal (Rome, Italy)
|
|
I never leave ours more than a few days as the filter gets pongy even if I do flush it. I will leave it for ten days after taking the filter out and flushing with fresh. Ideally run it every day then they run nice and sweet all the time. Backflushing still leaves crud on the filter.
|
Foxy
regular
Reged: 08/03/2006
Posts: 126
Loc: Cruising
|
|
We use a tiny Katadyn 40e - only about 5litres an hour but can just about run it from one of our solar panels (via a battery) We fill a 15l gerry can each day over a few hours and that usually is about enough for us - although we are dirty and smelly cruisers. Don't misunderstand me, we would love a 20 or 50 l/hour monster but we dont usually use that much water daily and dont have the power/space/dosh etc. What it does mean though is it gets a fair bit of excercise. Personally, and I'll temper that with the fact that I'm often wrong, a small one that you can run often is possibly better than a large one run infrequently. Unless anyone fancies giving me a bigger one.....I promise we will wash more.
|
Foxy
regular
Reged: 08/03/2006
Posts: 126
Loc: Cruising
|
|
Hey 5000 posts Lemain!! is it raining? 
|
KellysEye
regular
Reged: 23/07/2006
Posts: 730
Loc: Curacao
|
|
I don't know if the Honda can handle it but a 240v watermaker is a good way to go. For a number of reasons, avoid units that need backflushing. Also buy one that can be left for a month without needing to pickle the membrane. HRO is one to look at.
|
highandry
regular
Reged: 17/02/2006
Posts: 359
Loc: South Coast UK
|
|
Hey! Foxy where are you cruising? Just asking so that I can stay to windward of you that's all.
I am an immaculate, shining, highly scrubbed and polished cruiser with errr a black plasic solar bag shower. 
|
Englander
regular
Reged: 07/09/2001
Posts: 14966
Loc: Barcelona/Bollyolics
|
|
Get a 12volt one, run a couple of pints of fresh water through each time you use it, bingo, no worries! Quite a few around.
I have a big mains one, but completely different kind of boat with a genny, in fact two!
|
Foxy
regular
Reged: 08/03/2006
Posts: 126
Loc: Cruising
|
|
Hey High and Dry! Well Foxy is in the Caribbean but through some quirky twist of fate I am currently sailing the top floor of a semi in west london. Though will be back to the Carib to continue shortly. Probably on the south coast the weekend though so watch out! You will be the one smelling of rubber I take it.....
Actually, on a very slightly more serious note, we plug our solar bags into a diverter valve on our water pump and use that for a hot deck shower as got bit fed up with pulling the stopper out of the bag - not only am I smelly, but clumsy too!
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
