12 volt water maker suggestions

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

You couldn't pay me enough to spark the engine in this place, and it's been like that for two days, even just to leave the place.

I literally saw an entire intact palm tree float by, not to mention the cacti, tree stumps, and normally ~50' visibility reduced to ~1'. I barely want to flush the head.

Hey Rebel....still storming down there huh? you're in Escondito?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Hey Rebel....still storming down there huh? you're in Escondito?

Yep, hanging tight in Puerto Escondido. There's two more systems headed our way over the next week but neither of them are expected to reach cyclone status so that's nice. Just enough wind to make securing everything a real issue and enough rain to make repairs a pain in the ass (scheduling painting and various curing times around the moisture).

Maybe twenty more days and we can start looking forward to getting out of here. Some people dig this place but for us it's pretty lame.

If we didn't have two little kids it would be a much different experience I'm sure.

[SV Demeter]

Originally Posted by colemj

Just bought it yesterday. A 30gph AC powered one from CruiseRO. It is replacing a perfectly good 6gph unit.

Do not underestimate the amount of water you will want/need out cruising. Particularly in the tropics and in places where water is difficult or inconvenient to get. We consider an entire day jugging water, or having to pull up from a beautiful anchorage and travel for a day, or pulling along side a rusty spike-encrusted piling as inconvenient.

We drink 4 gallons of water a day in the tropics, like to shower off and rinse gear after each of several swims and dives, want to wash dishes in fresh water, want to do laundry (by hand) regularly, and hate having salt icicles hanging from the boat when we are anchored behind barrier reefs in the tradewinds.

6gph kept up with our needs, but we were finding we needed to run the generator to do so, even with 480W of solar. So, if running the generator occasionally (or motoring with 180A of alternators), why not make 30gph and always have full tanks?

Anything less than 6gph would put us into camping mode and not living mode. I realize this statement makes me a target for those using 1.5gph units, but frankly, I don't see how they get by with those without adopting a camping style of boating. Like I said, we drink 2-3 hours worth of their output each day.

And to head off the other critiques, we have 480W of solar, do not want a windgen and have a permanent rain catchment system that provides 100gph when it rains hard (the problem in the tropics is that it does not rain for 6 months at a time).

I guess we are pampered and piggish...

Mark

Mark thanks for your post. Very helpful. This watermaker project is actually for a clients boat and not for my own. Two very different sets of needs here. I think my own boat with my family could do fine with a low power consumption unit that make 5-10 gallons in a 4-5 hour run. We are 400 watts solar and planning to add a wind genny to the mizzen as well as another 200 watts of solar.

My client will use the boat in a term charter basis with 4-6 guests aboard and will likely need something on the order of a 30gph unit. What I'm wondering though is how big of an AC powered unit can I get him that could still be run on say a Honda EU2K? He doesn't have a genset, has 900Ah bank and although there is some solar and wind I believe the boat is motoring a fair bit due to entertaining guests.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by SV Demeter

What I'm wondering though is how big of an AC powered unit can I get him that could still be run on say a Honda EU2K?

30gph. DYI lists a 60gph with specs suitable for a EU2K, but I doubt that number and think it may be a misprint. Basically, you need to keep the power draw below ~10A.

Mark

[SV Demeter]

Ended up quoting a spectra Catalina 300 for the client. Will see what he thinks.

[Tellie]

If this boat is going to be used for a charter and there will be 4-6 guests on board each charter then a Catalina 300 is going to be a very, very, small watermaker and will be worked hard to keep up with the demands of a charter boat. A 400 would be the bare minimum, a 700 would be better.

[SV Demeter]

Agreed. So would an engine powered unit that put out 60 GPH but this boat is limited to 12 volt options.

[Katiusha]

We have a Dessalator Duo 100. It can be run on AC (100 l/h) or DC (about 80 l/h). Fills up the tanks quickly and without a fuss.

[SV Demeter]

Is there a Desallator dealer in the Caribbean who stocks spares and can be called in to service these units?

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by SV Demeter

Is there a Desallator dealer in the Caribbean who stocks spares and can be called in to service these units?

Dessalator is a common brand installed by French boat builders, so it's serviced all over the world. here are the Caribbean locations: http://www.dessalator.fr/en/agents/a...caribbean-sea/ you can check other locations in the menu on the left.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Katiusha

We have a Dessalator Duo 100. It can be run on AC (100 l/h) or DC (about 80 l/h). Fills up the tanks quickly and without a fuss.

Those are very expensive - over 10,000 euros (>$13,500 USD). At 60A DC draw, it really isn't a DC option unless you are running a charging source simultaneously.

In the US, there are more competitive options available.

Mark

[rcmpegasus]

I am using a CruiseRO 40 gal per hour running off 1200 watt of solar, a EU2000 and a victron 3000W inverter charger. I run the water-maker very three days or so. I run the EU2000 at anchor or the alternator when motoring to ke water. A couple hours and the tanks are topped off. I have 4 more panels to be installed and I can eliminate the EU2000.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by SV Demeter

Agreed. So would an engine powered unit that put out 60 GPH but this boat is limited to 12 volt options.

Chartering is a whole different animal than personal boats cruising around. The demands are different in so many ways and will be different on each charter. To choose a watermaker set up on a charter boat you have many things to consider that you would not normally worry about on a personal boat. Ex, How big is the boat in question?, How many gallons of tankage does she have?, Is it a Cat or Mono?, Is this a high class charter venture or a bare bones attempt of chartering to have guests pay for the first few years of a boats cost for the owner?, Will there be a captain and crew on-board the charter or will the boat be handed over to the customer upon arrival?
Todays charter guests can and will be extremely demanding. If a poorly chosen or inferior watermaker stops working mid charter, your guests will for the most part not understand or care about the reasons they have to head back to or find a dock during the middle of their charter just to fill up and then still be on water rationing for the rest of their expensive vacation. You can feed them the best food, take them to the best diving and fishing spots, but if the teenage daughter or the guests can't take their two showers a day, let the water run while brushing their teeth, rinse off the salt after each swim, and you can't clean the boat and keep it looking like the day it came out of the factory, etc. they are not going to be happy and your business will suffer.
Because of your 12V limitations I would suggest, and this comes from hard won experience, is to consider two 12V mid range watermakers of 400gpd each. This will give you plenty of fresh water for your guests at 32-36gph and the redundancy that if one fails you can still make 16-18gph with the other. This is done far more frequently than you may realize. This is a better option than an anemic watermaker that won't meet your demands or is way over worked and a large watermaker that if it fails for any reason leaves you explaining to your guests that they have suddenly gone on water rationing. I would also suggest you look at upgrading the pre-filtration system on any watermaker you settle on for the charter business as well, you'll be a happier Captain for it.

[SV Demeter]

Thanks tellie for the observations. Very correct on all counts. This boa will be on term charter with at most 4 people. The person doing the term charter is offering to purchase the watermaker. There is no captain an the guests are fairly salty cruisers.

[sy_gilana]

Hey Ted. You should look at the Eco-Sistems Watermakers | Marine watermakers with Energy Recovery System watermakers.
I have installed 4 now, and they just work. I think the energy per volume water ratio places these among the most efficient out there. Would like to hear your thoughts if you do read up on the systems. Modular, Kit, and Turnkey are available