12v Watermaker - Experiences for article?

[69Datsun510]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

You could have rulled out the Cruise RO too soon because with a LiFePO4 battery bank and that size of solar system you can swap out the AC motor with a DC motor on the high pressure pump and make water directly from your battery bank with one of the simplest, easy to repair and robust pumps in the market. Not to mention save thousands of dollars and get a system with no proprietary parts and makes 30 gallons per hour! If you are paying for the Winston batteries...you might as well take advantage of what they can do for you.

We have dozens of clients with No generator aboard but with large solar arrays and LiFePO4 batteries running the 30GPH water makers. Most run them through their 2000W inverter but some also swap to a DC motor. Personally I recommend staring with the AC Motor and going through the inverter since it is so easy and then makes the Honda as a back up for water making and charging simple.

You can (and should).still carry the Honda for cloudy days....you can never have enough power and Water on a cruising boat.

You have good points on reasons to go back to my original choice. I really like the simplicity of the Cruise RO system. I'll save the money, stick with the AC motor, and have the option of running my Honda to power if problems with electrical component failures. Even replacing the AC motor would be easier and cheaper then the DC version.

This is why I joined CF, to get help from previous experienced members, so solution can be found for best fit, with less trial and error.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I don't get the folks who say they want a high output system so they only have to run the unit once a week. That is not the way to maintain a watermaker. Run it at least twice a week, 3 times in the tropics.

Which is the Beauty of the Choice provided by the Free Market.
I similarly can't understand the folks that can cruise with a low output water maker having to conserve water, turn the shower off during lathering up and don't wash their boat down with fresh water while at anchor. Ok...I'm exaggerating a bit to make a point. But I cruised with two kids for 5yrs and then lived aboard as a family of 4 for another 5yrs....and we used water not like we were camping so we "needed" the larger output.

But what is absolutely TRUE is that both systems work well for people that buy the right unit for their cruising lifestyle.

[Mr B]

30 gallons per hour is a lot of water,
Who uses 30 gallons of water per day, Unless you have a crowd of people on board,

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Mr B

30 gallons per hour is a lot of water,
Who uses 30 gallons of water per day, Unless you have a crowd of people on board,

A crew of two using 7.5 gallons per day per person for shower, dishes and drinking. Then making water every 2-3 days. 7.5GPD per person isn't that much water. Throw in additional crew, dive or snorkel gear washing and it adds up quick.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

A crew of two using 7.5 gallons per day per person for shower, dishes and drinking. Then making water every 2-3 days. 7.5GPD per person isn't that much water. Throw in additional crew, dive or snorkel gear washing and it adds up quick.

We use 12-15 gal per day for two people, including showers and dive gear rinsing.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Paul L

We use 12-15 gal per day for two people, including showers and dive gear rinsing.

Yep that's about our average after living aboard for 12yrs..about 7.5GPD per person. 5 is on the low side 10 on the high.

[admiralslater]

We live aboard for the winter on our Outremer 45 wich was fitted with a spectra watermaker of about 150 gallons a day . We bought the boat from an estate so I suggest it was not used for about 4 years before us . A local contractor checked out the membrane and got it up and running .
Having never used one before I was nervous ,but it has been fantastic . I wait until the tanks are low and fire it up . We have 5 firefly batteries and 960 watts of solar .
More than enough juice , at least in the Caribbean .

[drcat]

Last check I had with Adventures Adrift youtube, that the owners of Varuna were happy with their Sun Pure 12v watermaker they installed 3 yrs back They got a special deal from co (normally went for $2600 3 yrs ago), They get 8-12 gal/hr with the 39 amp 1/2hp dc motor and 20" membrane. They did indicated they'd go for the 25 gal/hr with 40" membrane, 1 hp 120v AC version if they could figure out how to power it.
Sun Pure has a series of watermakers - all costing around $3000 now