Want to re-use watermaker after 5 years idle

[Safc]

Hello all,

My boat came with an SLCE Aquabase ETW-301 watermaker.
Unfortunately, the previous owner did not use the gear for about 5 years.
I am not sure whether it is pickled or not...

New filters and new membrane (both about 7 years old) also came with the boat.

My question to you guys: What steps to take to try and carefully re-use this gear? First run it on fresh water, or first clean the (old and mounted) filters, directly replace with the "new" 7-year old membrane or try the old one first, etc.

I'm on a budget and really hope the watermaker will work again. I have no previous experience with watermakers...

The set has two prefilters (5 and 20 micro) and 1 membrane (SW30-4021). Output should be 30 l/hour.

Thanks for the help guys.

Brgds,
Safc

[jcapo]

I would not be surprised if both of your membranes are toast but I have heard of membranes that were stored for years and still worked fine.

I would replace the pre-filters and crank it up. You might luck out. I definitely would not go to the trouble of replacing a membrane until I knew the pump would run.

[hobopacket]

Just think "what's the worst that can happen". If it's just try it now and maybe the membrane will go out. Then replace that.

As with all my projects. Start simple and then work your way up.

[TMT2]

Safc...If you have a TDS Meter and a Coliform test kit - I'd ensure all mechanicals are running well, replace pre-filters (as Jcapo suggests), make water from a natural environment source (don't use tap water or harbor water) and test for TDS (immediate) and Coliform (12-18 hrs). Reminder...ROP process will not remove petroleum product residue. Then - if you have "positive" Coliform test result at your millipour port ...replace RO menbrane and re-test...when the coliform test is "NEG" and TDS is satisfactory - you can divert product water to your tank/s. You may need to recycle a pickling sequence a few times to clean your product water lines on the "good water" side of your RO membrane before diverting to tanks since it has been sitting so long?

TMT2

[Safc]

Originally Posted by TMT2

Safc...If you have a TDS Meter and a Coliform test kit - I'd ensure all mechanicals are running well, replace pre-filters (as Jcapo suggests), make water from a natural environment source (don't use tap water or harbor water) and test for TDS (immediate) and Coliform (12-18 hrs). Reminder...ROP process will not remove petroleum product residue. Then - if you have "positive" Coliform test result at your millipour port ...replace RO menbrane and re-test...when the coliform test is "NEG" and TDS is satisfactory - you can divert product water to your tank/s. You may need to recycle a pickling sequence a few times to clean your product water lines on the "good water" side of your RO membrane before diverting to tanks since it has been sitting so long?

TMT2

Hi TMT,

Thanks for the useful info ! Had to google that TDS meter... Would this be a good one ?
https://www.bol.com/nl/p/tds-meter/9...98&language=en

As for the coliform test; not sure where to get one in Europe (France) - but googling will probably give me the solution.

So, the TDS meter gives a good indication whether or not filters need replacement, right ? Might be easy to have for the future as well...

Thanks again.
Safc

[AiniA]

When I bought my boat the water maker had not been used for several years and had not been pickled. I asked the technician about replacing the membranes and he said lets just try it and see what happens. It worked fine and kept working. If it had not worked it would have meant new membranes.

[TMT2]

Sfac - yes ... that's the TDS meter. Its purpose is to measure the Total Disolved Solids suspended in the water (the floaty stuff that make you go EWW!..I'm not drinking that!...There is a TDS "range" for potability (each country has a standard) and you can google that too.. but the TDS measurement will not tell you if there is harmful Coliform bacteria in the water product...the Coliform test kit I use is at this link... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. Its made by LaMotte (4-3616 Coliform Test Kit).

Disclaimer - I am not a health professional but I do have significant military ROPU experience. Potability of RO product water is a function of acceptible TDS plus a Negative result from a Coliform test and absence of petroleum or Anthrax spore residue (other tests)...if your TDS measurement is within World Health organization standards and there is no Coliform bacteria present AND you made water from beyond the 12 mile littoral...I'd drink it...which means the membrane/s is doing its job.

TMT2

[Kenomac]

Run it and test the product water. If the water is good, you're all set. If not, replace the membrane.

[a64pilot]

A TDS meter does not register the floaty stuff, but the invisible dissolved stuff.
Then there is no reason to wait until your 12 miles out to make water, you don't want to make water maybe in a nasty place with Diesel floating around on the water, but you can make water in brackish and not so clean looking water, you will need to more frequently clean your pre filters though, and adjust your pressure by watching volume of water your making to stay within limits in brackish water.
I don't even own a watermaker, yet

Watch Rich's videos on watermakers, they will tell you a lot
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cruise+ro

[Cheechako]

I would be a bit concerned about a piston pump with salt water sitting in it for 5 years. Bronze or SS. But heck, doesn't hurt to give it a shot, I doubt it will last long but most stuff is replaceable and a lot less than buying a whole new watermaker.

[Safc]

Thanks for the great answers guys!

I'll test it in two weeks, we'll see... Ordered the TDS meter and test kits.

Greetings
Safc

[Moontide]

I haven't used my watermaker for years as I figure the cost to make water way exceeds getting it from ahore. May have to reload at numbers now that I'm in caribean. 30 cents a gallon is a bit steep

[captmikem]

Originally Posted by TMT2

Sfac - yes ... that's the TDS meter. Its purpose is to measure the Total Disolved Solids suspended in the water (the floaty stuff that make you go EWW!..I'm not drinking that!...There is a TDS "range" for potability

While you have your TDS meter out, it is informative to check what you drink. The "pretty much acceptable " (an industry term I am sure) is 500 ppm, Perrier usually tests around 350 to 400, some bottled waters go down to 100 others are pretty high. When I am running my watermakerI usually dump it until it is 300 or below.

Be careful when you run it on fresh water, keep the pressure down around 300 psi or less and make sure you do not have any chlorine in the supply, you can put a charcoal filter in the supply line if needed. But I find regular old sea water to be the best when recommissioning a watermaker, just let it run for a good while, then test it. then flush it for a bit with fresh water with just a wee bit of pressure (say 100 psi) and you are good to go.

M

[Symphony]

good info here. thanks

[Safc]

Hi all !

Tested the watermaker today:

- Bought 20 l of mineral water in the store
- Replaced both pre-filters (20 and 5 micro)
- Left the old membrane in place (it’s actually about 10 years old…)
- Filled up the existing “cleaning tank” (10 l), this tank was installed for pickling purposes I suppose
- Made sure all valves were set up correctly
- Turned on watermaker

Everything seemed to work, except I did not read any pressure on the manometer…

By the way: my watermaker has an automatic “switch” which determines if the water is good enough to go to the tanks or to guide it overboard. It’s called “automatic salinometer”. I have no idea if this switch still works and/or what made it decide to let all the water go overboard (as it did).

Any ideas why I had no pressure reading ? And would a test with salt water have any different results ? Unfortunately I’ll only be able to test again in a few months

Summary: My watermaker had no pressure on the high pressure pump and it decided to guide a lot of FRESH water overboard instead of to the tanks. . . (This water had 134 ppm TDS reading)

Thank for the help again guys.

Greetz,
Safc