Water Maker Membrane

[Nauti-Nauti]

Does anyone the model number/ product number foe a replacement membrane for a Spectra Catalina 300 Water Maker? I think it is SW30-2540, but not sure. Also I know about Allied, are there other sources to check on?

[jeremiason]

There are two Catalina models... One Membrane is listed as Part # FT-MB-40 and cost $595.

Go to the company web site for informtion...
Spectra Watermakers - Catalina 150d MPC Modules

FT-MB-40HI REJECTION MEMBRANE 40"$595.00

[Stingo]

Give Tim a call:

Tim Allen
Boundless Outfitters, Inc.
Boca Raton, FL 33487
(561) 228-4106 Phone
(866) 226-6408 Fax
BoundlessOutfitters.com

The connection: I am a very satisfied customer.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by Nauti-Nauti

Does anyone the model number/ product number foe a replacement membrane for a Spectra Catalina 300 Water Maker? I think it is SW30-2540, but not sure. Also I know about Allied, are there other sources to check on?

All Spectra 40" membranes are SW30-2540, and if you guys just come to me here, I'll answer all your questions on your Spectras.

[devint]

Tellie,

Thanks for the part numbers for Dow. Does that include the Spectra 200C which the manual says the membrane is 43" x 3.5" which I assume is the outside dimensions?

Do you know the p/n and where to get replacement feed heads for the 200C as well, they appear to be Shurflo pumps but much more expensive?

Thanks, Devin

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Devin.

[stargazer11arie]

Originally Posted by Tellie

All Spectra 40" membranes are SW30-2540, and if you guys just come to me here, I'll answer all your questions on your Spectras.

Tellie
We bought a Spectra Catalina 300 in 2010, installed it in 2011. I am posting part of the last email to Spectra that we wrote after they said they did not know what to do?
There have been so many ongoing problems as you know since the unit was new out of the box. From being told there was to much algae in the water in the northwest, which turned out to last until San Diego, to all the problems since and now. Maybe this voltage problem has been the underlying issue all along. I am beginning to think that this could partly be the reason the first Bodine Motor burned up so quickly.

We met our neighbor in September 2011 in San Diego, who by complete chance, had the exact same unit the same age as ours. They however, had no problems running their unit in San Diego's harbor. And, they were anchored only 100 feet away from us. The only difference we could come up with is that their house battery bank was 24 volt, we are only 12. In addition, they had added a 20 micron filter in front of their 5.

Meeting them turned out to be very fortunate as finally we had a "control group" so to speak we could use to talk to you guys. This time, when I called you about this issue, you came up with the idea of installing a voltage booster for the feed pump. That, along with installing a 20 micron filter in front of the 5 seemed to fix things and finally for the first time since installing the unit in Seattle, it worked, at least for awhile.

I was surprised to learn that the older version of our unit had a 20 micron filter installed in front of the 5. For reasons that have not been made clear to me, our newer version, with the MK ll designation, did not have the 20 micron filter. I am still puzzled by this.

Now with this latest issue and all the issues since, if it turns out low voltage is indeed the underlying problem, I'm even more puzzled. We have a 1750 amp hour battery bank, comprised of brand new Fullriver AGM batteries with a 15 KW Genset and two 3000 watt 150 amp inverter/chargers. Also a 90 amp alternator on the genset. Total charging capacity of almost 400 amps. Far larger than most cruising sailboats. When the genset has completed its charge cycle, we have 12.70 volts on the house bank and 12.59 volts at the terminal both while the unit is running, but only 11.90 volts at the Bodine Motor. Somewhere there is a 0.69 voltage loss inside the unit.

Bill had a thought that the 14 gauge wire that comes on the Bodine Motor is too small. After talking to Bill, I shortened the leads as much as I could and still be able to reach the new motor where the old one was mounted from the factory, approximately 16 inches one way run. This indeed helped a little. Now we have 12.08 volts at the Bodine. Bill had also mentioned that the Bodine requires a minimum of 12.50 volts to run to specs.

If I could test the voltage along the path from the terminal strip to the motor, this might shed some light. You were saying the MPC 5000 board just sends a signal to a 40 amp relay and has no effect on voltage. I know I have already asked this question, but is there a way we can test the voltage at that relay? After shortening the leads to the New Bodine, we are still losing 0.50 volts somewhere inside the unit.

When we originally purchased this system, we had come down to options. First, was an engine driven system or a large 240 volt AC pump that made 40 to 50 gallons per hour. We could have easily taken power from our genset or main engine, a six cylinder Lehman, to accommodate this system. The genset power plant is a Perkins 4-108. Many sailboats use this engine as their main auxiliary. It could easily run a high output pump, mechanical or electrical, as we come nowhere close to its limitations. At most, with everything running including our washer and dryer we are only using about half of its capability.

The second option was a system that used far less power that we could run when the genset was not, or if and when it failed. This also had the advantage of being able to run from a solar array or wind power if the genset and/or main engine failed for some reason. We could still make water.

We deliberated on this choice for months researching the many options on the market. Spectra had by far the best power consumption to product water ratio on the market. And, by all accounts we could research, a very highly rated unit. Needless to say, we chose Spectra.

If all of this is in vane, and the voltage we are providing the unit is just too low, I will have to run the generator to get higher voltage to run this 12 volt system. This defeats the purpose of buying this unit in the first place.

This still may all be moot however. Even when we run the genset and have over 14 volts of power available, the flow test only showed 2.05 gallons per hour including product water. Almost 0.30 gallons per hour too low. Salinity is still over 800. All with a new Bodine Motor and new feed pump head installed. Another puzzle.

This was written to Spectra after they have had us replace all the parts except the membrane and the Clark Pump. We never heard back from them and we still have the same problem with the salinity.

[Rachel-3]

Hi Tellie, I have a Newport 400 MPC-5000 MkII and need a new Membrane, at least i think so.
It was left for 6 months with out flushing and now I have "HIGH PRESSURE"
tried cleaning with soap but no joy. dont have any other cleaning stuff with me.
Do you know the membrane model number in this model and where is it best to get one.
I am in Ecuador with the yacht at the moment, but will be sailing up to Panama beginning of January. so will get the parts sent to Panama.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by jeremiason

There are two Catalina models... One Membrane is listed as Part # FT-MB-40 and cost $595.

Go to the company web site for informtion...
Spectra Watermakers - Catalina 150d MPC Modules

FT-MB-40HI REJECTION MEMBRANE 40"$595.00

$595 for a 2.5" x 40" RO Membrane is Craziness.

We sell the SM30-2540 RO Membrane for $187 online to folks with all different brands of water makers.
Sea Water RO Membrane
DHL shipping to Panama (or in most places around the world) will be about $100 and take about 7 days.

This membrane is used with not only the Spectra water makers but most that don't make their own "Proprietary" membrane. Also, don't let the "High Flow" or "High Salt Rejection" games fool you. The standard off the Shelf DOW SW30-2540 Membrane is the Gold Standard in the industry.

To the person with the low voltage...14GA wire is just TOO SMALL for that motor at any length of run and given the importance of Voltage to a DC Motor...I would be using 10GA wire! Lower voltage doesn't just mean more amps and heat, it also means a slower turning DC motor.

[Svdestiny]

I'm looking for replacement membranes for my PUR 80E. It takes two and so far they cost over $350 Each, OUCH.

[colemj]

A 3gph watermaker requires two membranes? How small are these things? A 6gph unit from others only uses a single 20" membrane.

Mark

[Svdestiny]

Originally Posted by colemj

A 3gph watermaker requires two membranes? How small are these things? A 6gph unit from others only uses a single 20" membrane.

Mark

Yeah unfortunately it needs two, and the membrane is i think what they call a "proprietary" design so there is no nice cheap aftermarket replacement. But hope springs eternal so I occasionally post hoping things have changed.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by stargazer11arie

Tellie
We bought a Spectra Catalina 300 in 2010, installed it in 2011. I am posting part of the last email to Spectra that we wrote after they said they did not know what to do?
There have been so many ongoing problems as you know since the unit was new out of the box. From being told there was to much algae in the water in the northwest, which turned out to last until San Diego, to all the problems since and now. Maybe this voltage problem has been the underlying issue all along. I am beginning to think that this could partly be the reason the first Bodine Motor burned up so quickly.

We met our neighbor in September 2011 in San Diego, who by complete chance, had the exact same unit the same age as ours. They however, had no problems running their unit in San Diego's harbor. And, they were anchored only 100 feet away from us. The only difference we could come up with is that their house battery bank was 24 volt, we are only 12. In addition, they had added a 20 micron filter in front of their 5.

Meeting them turned out to be very fortunate as finally we had a "control group" so to speak we could use to talk to you guys. This time, when I called you about this issue, you came up with the idea of installing a voltage booster for the feed pump. That, along with installing a 20 micron filter in front of the 5 seemed to fix things and finally for the first time since installing the unit in Seattle, it worked, at least for awhile.

I was surprised to learn that the older version of our unit had a 20 micron filter installed in front of the 5. For reasons that have not been made clear to me, our newer version, with the MK ll designation, did not have the 20 micron filter. I am still puzzled by this.

Now with this latest issue and all the issues since, if it turns out low voltage is indeed the underlying problem, I'm even more puzzled. We have a 1750 amp hour battery bank, comprised of brand new Fullriver AGM batteries with a 15 KW Genset and two 3000 watt 150 amp inverter/chargers. Also a 90 amp alternator on the genset. Total charging capacity of almost 400 amps. Far larger than most cruising sailboats. When the genset has completed its charge cycle, we have 12.70 volts on the house bank and 12.59 volts at the terminal both while the unit is running, but only 11.90 volts at the Bodine Motor. Somewhere there is a 0.69 voltage loss inside the unit.

Bill had a thought that the 14 gauge wire that comes on the Bodine Motor is too small. After talking to Bill, I shortened the leads as much as I could and still be able to reach the new motor where the old one was mounted from the factory, approximately 16 inches one way run. This indeed helped a little. Now we have 12.08 volts at the Bodine. Bill had also mentioned that the Bodine requires a minimum of 12.50 volts to run to specs.

If I could test the voltage along the path from the terminal strip to the motor, this might shed some light. You were saying the MPC 5000 board just sends a signal to a 40 amp relay and has no effect on voltage. I know I have already asked this question, but is there a way we can test the voltage at that relay? After shortening the leads to the New Bodine, we are still losing 0.50 volts somewhere inside the unit.

When we originally purchased this system, we had come down to options. First, was an engine driven system or a large 240 volt AC pump that made 40 to 50 gallons per hour. We could have easily taken power from our genset or main engine, a six cylinder Lehman, to accommodate this system. The genset power plant is a Perkins 4-108. Many sailboats use this engine as their main auxiliary. It could easily run a high output pump, mechanical or electrical, as we come nowhere close to its limitations. At most, with everything running including our washer and dryer we are only using about half of its capability.

The second option was a system that used far less power that we could run when the genset was not, or if and when it failed. This also had the advantage of being able to run from a solar array or wind power if the genset and/or main engine failed for some reason. We could still make water.

We deliberated on this choice for months researching the many options on the market. Spectra had by far the best power consumption to product water ratio on the market. And, by all accounts we could research, a very highly rated unit. Needless to say, we chose Spectra.

If all of this is in vane, and the voltage we are providing the unit is just too low, I will have to run the generator to get higher voltage to run this 12 volt system. This defeats the purpose of buying this unit in the first place.

This still may all be moot however. Even when we run the genset and have over 14 volts of power available, the flow test only showed 2.05 gallons per hour including product water. Almost 0.30 gallons per hour too low. Salinity is still over 800. All with a new Bodine Motor and new feed pump head installed. Another puzzle.

This was written to Spectra after they have had us replace all the parts except the membrane and the Clark Pump. We never heard back from them and we still have the same problem with the salinity.

I'm sorry but I missed this post stargazer. I know it's several months later but if you get this I'll be more than happy to help. Some of what you are describing is a bit confusing. Getting the right information from the right people is critical. Salesmen are usual a poor lot when it comes to trouble shooting and pin pointing problems. A call to me would be more reveling as to what is really happening. But since you asked here I'll give you my input. First, all of these Catalina Bodine motors do use a #14 gauge wire (it IS the proper sized wire) from the control board to the motor itself, every single CAT300, and there are several thousand of them out there are working just fine. These are probably the best 12V motors out there and are not some lets build it cheap off the shelf slap it together motors. For one of these motors to burn up is extremely, extremely, rare. I've worked on hundreds of Cat300s and have only replaced two motors in the last seven years and those two were rusted out shells from constant salt exposure. There is always a possibility that a motor is a Lemon right out of the box but I have yet to see one. You certainly have an electrical issue leading to the units terminal. Your battery banks size and charging capabilities don't mean anything. Voltage is voltage and amps are amps regardless if it is a small car battery or a 5000amp battery bank. Voltage is only half the diagnoses equation. I need to know the amp draw as well, both on the supply feed lines and the #14AWG wire. With the symptoms you described a voltage booster on the boost pump won't do much if anything at all. Also, the difference between your neighbors CAT300 of 24V and yours or 12V again mean nothing as far as what you are experiencing. Also you don't tell me what size wire you are feeding the system with and the length of this wire from the power source to the watermakers terminals. That being said all 12V motors are voltage sensitive and 12V at the motor is on the very low side and can lead to premature failure over a period of time. But remember the terminals are the first point of action on this watermaker and if a problem starts here it will affect everything down line. In my years of working on practically all makes of watermakers my money says the problem is right between the supply source and the units terminal not any further. Now as to the other issues. A five Micron pre-filter is usually all that is needed for 95% of all cruisers with this unit. Yes older models had a 20 Micron, older units than those also had a 50 Micron as well. This was in the days when boat based watermakers were just starting to gain momentum and over kill on membrane protection was the norm. As companies with the desire to improve their units invested a lot of time, testing, and money, in R&D they came to realize how much is and is not needed in pre-filtration according to units size and ratings. Your single 5 Micron filter is all that is needed and unless you re-programmed your controls adding a 20 Micron to the mix is only going to get you a quicker "SERVICE PRE-FILTERS" alarm before it's needed. Your flow rate is a bit low which would account for a part of the 800PPM readings. But flow is just half the equation as well. You need to give feed pressure and static pressure readings along with this as well. This may require a pressure gauge installed if one is not already. Also you haven't mention the measure product output. With the low voltage you are stating I'm certain your pressures are lower than normal contributing to the difference in causing the 800PPM readings. The only other two things that could contribute to high PPMNs is a bad Clark pump, which I doubt and a de-coupling feed pump, again which I doubt. So in short we have to solve your electrical feed problem first. Again this seriously sounds like a problem I would have to speak directly with you about to start from the beginning and untangle what is actually happening. Feel free to PM my for my number if you still need help.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by Rachel-3

Hi Tellie, I have a Newport 400 MPC-5000 MkII and need a new Membrane, at least i think so.
It was left for 6 months with out flushing and now I have "HIGH PRESSURE"
tried cleaning with soap but no joy. dont have any other cleaning stuff with me.
Do you know the membrane model number in this model and where is it best to get one.
I am in Ecuador with the yacht at the moment, but will be sailing up to Panama beginning of January. so will get the parts sent to Panama.

Hi Rachel,

Yes chances are very good that your membrane is fouled if left unflushed for six months. It happens. A small amount of JOY dish water soap can sometimes work for cleaning a small bit of oil contamination. But you have bio-fouling and you would need the SC-2 to attempt a bio-foul cleaning. But In my experience cleaning membranes rarely works and in those that it does seem to work for the membrane is usually not going to last long. Your membrane is a standard SW2540 for that unit. All membranes are not alike. Do not use an Applied membrane in your unit. If you are out of warranty a Filmtec membrane will work good enough and can be found online. If you are comfortable pulling this membrane out from the high pressure input side of the membrane vessel, pull it out and carefully remove the brine seal and place it on the other side of the membrane (Being careful to note the seals orientation) and re-insert the membrane in the opposite way you pulled it out. This has a slight chance of working a bit. If a membrane gets fouled from lack of changing filters properly this works for that as well...sometimes.

[Svdestiny]

Tellie- what membranes can I use for my pur80e?