Spectra Watermaker Newport 400

[sailnbyu]

Hi Folks!
I was just wondering if anybody knew the specs for doing a mild dish soap wash on the membrane of a newport 400. How many gallons of fresh water/how much dish soap, and how long do I run it through and how long do I flush with fresh water afterward?
Thanks,

Shelly

[jeremiason]

Soap won't clean out or kill the biological matter inside the membrane.

Not sure what you are trying to accomplish, but I would suggest using a Biocide , not soap.

We have the same unit and have never had to flush it, since we use the Auto-Flush and Z-Brane.

[Hartleycruiser]

Shelly

I have a newport 400 and have been talking with a company that services them and they say not to use anything other than the spectra cleaning compounds. Here is a link to the spectra site with some info.

Spectra Watermakers - Article - Operator Notes for Cruisers .
Have a read as you haven't stated your exact problem this may help .

Greg

[Hartleycruiser]

Shelly

They also say not to use chlorinated water to clean or flush the watermaker .
Greg

[sailnbyu]

Thanks guys! the article gave me hope!
I am on the island of Culebra in Puerto Rico, have had problems with my feed pressure off and on for a couple of years. Granted my system has just under 2500 hours and in that time we have replaced the membrane once, the feed pump once and many odds and end parts. That said, last year after much begging, pleading and complaining to Spectra I finally got the ONE tech out that serves the entire country of Puerto Rico while I was docked on the mainland. He did a few diagnostics and told me I had been using the wrong lubricant on the filter casing o rings. He then proceeded to use 2 gallons of water and some dawn detergent and cleaned my membrane. This is why I thought it would be the least invasive thing to try.
This past December, after having my system pickled for over 6 months I turned it on to purge the chemicals and it would not purge for more than 3 minutes with out the "change pre filter" light coming on and shutting down. I had to purge 7 times to get the full 20 minute purge session done. Yes I changed the filters and always have after every other watermarking session. When I try to fresh water flush I get the same situation "change pre filter". I have been working with it to get the feed pressure up and am finally at the number of bars on my MPC board that usually gets me below 740ppm on my salinity, but this time I can't get the number down below 1020. I realize I am going to have to do the brine/fresh water test and figure out where I am, but with the information you have given me I am also going to check my voltage on the pump.
Now having said that, I really don't know how to do it! I have a voltage meter and I have used it a time or two but I'm really not sure where to put the tester thingys on the motor/pump to check for voltage. I also have an older model that does not have the ability to adjust the speed with the allen wrench as you suggested. I've been through this before with Spectra in California.
I have had this system since 2004 and feel like I know it pretty well, but the pressure readings on the accumulator have never meant much to me and anytime I have called Spectra for help this has not been brought up. I can tell you the pressure reading on my accumulator tank is 90 with the system pressurized. I suppose I should go step by step through the articles troubleshooting before asking for anymore help.
Thank you so much for your time and help so far.

Shelly

[Tellie]

All you have to do is a "Search" and enter Spectra watermaker and you'll get..........Me! <grin> I've worked on one or two Spectras in my time.

First Shelly, you have a few issues that can lead to a long response here. If you'd like more info you can PM me for my cell number anytime. The suggestion to use soap is not for Bio fouling but for oil contamination. The SC-2 and SC-3 won't help with oil fouling. If your membrane is slightly clogged with oil usually your pressures will climb and production will drop. If oil contamination is the real problem and it is not extreme, using about three gallons of either product water, or as I prefer three gallons of distilled water, mix about two to three tablespoons of Dawn dishwater soap in a five gallon bucket. Make sure it is Dawn, it's a better oil cutter than other soaps. Get out your two pickling hoses. Give your system a good fresh water flush or two first. Then close your thru hull, attach your pickling hoses, set the yellow valve to the "Service" position, open your pressure relief valve 1.5 to 2 turns. Start your system manually at the toggle switch and let your system run like this for about two hours. When you are done, install new pre-filters and throw out the ones you removed, open the thru hull, move the yellow handle valve back to the "Run" position, unattached the pickling hoses and re-attach the brine discharge hose and white service cap, again run your system in the manual mode for about 30-40 minutes with the pressure relief valve still open. After this time slowly close off your pressure relief valve and measure the product water using a graded bucket and a watch. You should be getting around 16gph. Also test your product with your TDS meter. Oil fouling is a tough nut to crack as is Bio-fouling. In my experiance by the time a boat based watermaker is showing signs of either of these condtions it is usually new membrane time. Not to say I haven't seen cleaning work but it is usually the exception not the rule and even those that can be saved their life expectancy is drastically reduced. This should be taken into consideration when planning a cruise.
Your system going into an Alarm of "Check the pre-filters now" right after you've installed new filters is most likely because you have either clogged pressure sensors, an incorrect program setting or the sensors have failed. To keep your system running simply disconnect these two sensors temporarily at the 5 and 20 MIcron filter housing until you can have a Spectra trained tech look at this for you. It won't hurt the system but you will lose the GOOD REPLACE function and Feed pump Pressure readings on the control board until the problem is resolved.
90psi on your pressure gauge is not bad depending on the water you are floating in. Normal pressures on your system should be between 90-120psi.
At 90psi a reading of 1020PPMs is indicative of a membrane issue as well.

As I said, a PM to get my cell number is a good idea with your multiple issues. I'll even help you with reading a Volt meter.

Best Regards
Tellie

[sailnbyu]

Mr Tellie, I don't know how to PM you from this forum. I've only used it twice!
Do you think the membrane could have Bio-fouled while being pickled for so long?
Do you think the first thing I should try is unhooking the pressure sensors and just purging the heck out of it for a day with sea water?

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by sailnbyu

Mr Tellie, I don't know how to PM you from this forum. I've only used it twice!
Do you think the membrane could have Bio-fouled while being pickled for so long?
Do you think the first thing I should try is unhooking the pressure sensors and just purging the heck out of it for a day with sea water?

It's possible if the pickling procedure wasn't done correctly. Anytime you leave it pickled for that long I would prefer you use Propylene Glycol instead of the SC-1 if that wasn't what you originally did.
Yes go ahead and disconnect the two pressure sensors and let the system run for a few hours under pressure. If your PPM readings don't drop down below 500 then it's probably time for that new membrane.
To PM just click on my screen name to the left and a drop down will appear and you can click on the second one that says "Send Tellie a Private Message. You can do that with any member. But belows my cell anyway. Feel free to use it anytime.
(954) 515-7077

[Zanshin]

I un-pickled my Spectra today (6 months storage in the Caribean on the hard) and remember reading a section of the that manual states that a dash of liquid soap in a bucket can be used to clean a filter clogged by oil. If you don't have the manual, I've got it on my website: Manuals for equipment used aboard Zanshin

[Spectra]

Originally Posted by sailnbyu

Hi Folks!
I was just wondering if anybody knew the specs for doing a mild dish soap wash on the membrane of a newport 400. How many gallons of fresh water/how much dish soap, and how long do I run it through and how long do I flush with fresh water afterward?
Thanks,

Shelly

Hi Shelly,

The best place for information on Spectra Watermakers is techsupport@spectrawatermakers.com
Spectra also has all the available technical bulletins posted on the website Spectra Watermakers - Service Bulletins and MP-5 explains how to clean the membrane with detergent.

Best of luck and let us know if you need any help,

Michael Anderson - Tech Support Spectra Watermakers