Echotec watermaker no pressure

[Paul Klein]

G'day Bob,
Yes towing behind was recommended by Peter Coleman, retired, the Australian agent when I bought mine.
The only reason I can come up with for overproduction gwoiler is having is perhaps low salinity input water.

[Paul Klein]

G'day Bob.
Peter Coleman, the retired Australian agent recommended towing prefilters but I had the same problems as you so resorted to the deck wash hose.
The only reason for high output I can think of is low saline input water.
Good luck with prefilters.

[gwoiler]

Originally Posted by Paul Klein

I run at 800 psi. As per instructions. My output is down to about 40 litres per minute at the moment as the membrane does need replacing after a year and a half shutdown and pickeling.


I'm in Australia and my Telco allows 300 minutes to countries like the US on a A$30 per month plan!
Trinidad is country code 1 which is US. I think your Telco is ripping you off!
Good luck,, sorry I can't be more definitive.

Thanks! I have a discount cell package with Straighttalk. Even if Trinidad has international calling as "1", it is out of the main land USA and they won't let me call unless I up my service. That is the beauty of Whatsapp. You can call anyone anywhere if they have that app.

[gwoiler]

I replaced the membrane this morning. It was tough to get apart, easy to go together and after 10 minutes of dumping product water, it tested 142ppm. 10 minutes later it was 136ppm. An hour later it was 140ppm. I still have an hour to go before saving the water. I bought this membrane back in March from Amazon.

[Tellie]

Just a quick note here. DO NOT!!! tow pre-filters behind your boat.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Just a quick note here. DO NOT!!! tow pre-filters behind your boat.

Thank you…..this practice drives me bonkers.

[BobFord]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Just a quick note here. DO NOT!!! tow pre-filters behind your boat.

I have been towing for 10 years and no problems with the EcoTec sourced filters. Please let me have your reason for 'don't tow , Cheers,Bpb

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by BobFord

I have been towing for 10 years and no problems with the EcoTec sourced filters. Please let me have your reason for 'don't tow , Cheers,Bpb

Towing allows the stuff you’re filtering out to get on the inside of the pleated filter.

[BobFord]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Towing allows the stuff you’re filtering out to get on the inside of the pleated filter.

I take your point but if the filters are arranged so that water enters from the inner passageway , then the membranes would be under the opposite pressure to that when in use ? Comment welcomed ,Sm.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by BobFord

I take your point but if the filters are arranged so that water enters from the inner passageway , then the membranes would be under the opposite pressure to that when in use ? Comment welcomed ,Sm.

Exactly almost. So, if you are towing your filters behind with the line threaded through the middle of the filter with a safety knot on the bitter end you are reversing the flow through the filter. Your filters are designed that the water flows from the outside inwards when it is in the canister. Your thought if I'm correct is that this reverse flow cleans the filters from the inside outwards because the filters end is pointing towards your boat as it moves forward. This is certainly true, it will "blow" off the outside contaminants. But the problem is that these pleated filters are designed to have a certain amount of flow through them. When dragging a filter behind a boat this flow is way over what the filter was designed to handle and does start to damage it. But secondly and most importantly is with reversing this flow and with the too large of volume now flowing through it you are filtering the same water in the opposite direction at a much higher flow and pressures these filters would ever see in a watermaker. So now you install this filter back into the watermaker with all the filtered debris on the inside of the filter instead of the outside. You start your watermaker and the flow reverses on the filter again inside the canister and it will now flush a lot of that debris straight to the pumps and anything larger than five Micron starts to build up in the membrane and cumulatively will clog a membrane sooner than later. Take my word for this. I used to recommend this all the time as well. Until I had to start replacing a ton of membranes at my cost. It sure sounds an easy enough way to clean filters, but you are most assuredly inviting
trouble to you watermaker.

[BobFord]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Exactly almost. So, if you are towing your filters behind with the line threaded through the middle of the filter with a safety knot on the bitter end you are reversing the flow through the filter. Your filters are designed that the water flows from the outside inwards when it is in the canister. Your thought if I'm correct is that this reverse flow cleans the filters from the inside outwards because the filters end is pointing towards your boat as it moves forward. This is certainly true, it will "blow" off the outside contaminants. But the problem is that these pleated filters are designed to have a certain amount of flow through them. When dragging a filter behind a boat this flow is way over what the filter was designed to handle and does start to damage it. But secondly and most importantly is with reversing this flow and with the too large of volume now flowing through it you are filtering the same water in the opposite direction at a much higher flow and pressures these filters would ever see in a watermaker. So now you install this filter back into the watermaker with all the filtered debris on the inside of the filter instead of the outside. You start your watermaker and the flow reverses on the filter again inside the canister and it will now flush a lot of that debris straight to the pumps and anything larger than five Micron starts to build up in the membrane and cumulatively will clog a membrane sooner than later. Take my word for this. I used to recommend this all the time as well. Until I had to start replacing a ton of membranes at my cost. It sure sounds an easy enough way to clean filters, but you are most assuredly inviting
trouble to you watermaker.

Hi Tellie,
Thank you for your thoughts . Very logical and ,to me , confirms my method of cleaning / towing . Mostly , I like to 'tow ' in a current of a knot or two , together with a vigorous shake up occasionally . Underway, a limit of a couple of knots and for short periods. In early days ,I lost too many thro' speed and props and sharks !! First (3) pairs lasted (8) years or say ,80k litre. Replacement sets are not of the same quality ( all sourced from Eco ). Quality in terms of life before too much lift pump pressure.
Anyhow , great discussion , thank you !Cheers, Bob

[gwoiler]

Originally Posted by BobFord

Hi Tellie,
Thank you for your thoughts . Very logical and ,to me , confirms my method of cleaning / towing . Mostly , I like to 'tow ' in a current of a knot or two , together with a vigorous shake up occasionally . Underway, a limit of a couple of knots and for short periods. In early days ,I lost too many thro' speed and props and sharks !! First (3) pairs lasted (8) years or say ,80k litre. Replacement sets are not of the same quality ( all sourced from Eco ). Quality in terms of life before too much lift pump pressure.
Anyhow , great discussion , thank you !Cheers, Bob

I am new to this game, with new-used sailboat, and just replaced the membrane. Seems to me, if towing does a good job of cleaning the outside, and some dirt is getting embedded on the inside, then after towing, why not use the spray nozzle on a hose and shoot outside in and all the inside dirt comes out? If you got all the years you said you did, then it is worth hunting down some good quality filters. I got a bunch off Amazon. I only have 7 hours on them so have no idea how well they work. I am also in the ICW near an inlet and only run the watermaker when the water looks clean as it floods to high tide. I am getting great TDS readings though! My average is 136.

[BobFord]

G'day Mate,
When I was sailing the ICW it did seem too 'cloudy '. Here in Australia ,Coral Sea coast, the only issues are density of boats. Whilst the water may seem very clear , if there are too many boats around ,I think there would be the risk of Giardia. Parasites transmitted thro' sewage. Fortunately , it is easy to find an exclusive anchorage. Your TDS is excellent . I aim for < 300 as a start point to fill. Filters - I have heard that some makes do not stand up to pressure cleaning. Keen to hear how your ones fair , and source . Cheers, Bob

[gwoiler]

Originally Posted by BobFord

G'day Mate,
When I was sailing the ICW it did seem too 'cloudy '. Here in Australia ,Coral Sea coast, the only issues are density of boats. Whilst the water may seem very clear , if there are too many boats around ,I think there would be the risk of Giardia. Parasites transmitted thro' sewage. Fortunately , it is easy to find an exclusive anchorage. Your TDS is excellent . I aim for < 300 as a start point to fill. Filters - I have heard that some makes do not stand up to pressure cleaning. Keen to hear how your ones fair , and source . Cheers, Bob

I can see the inlet a mile away. I wait for flood and an hour before high tide I make water - only because many local sailors do. But you make a good point about parasites. I wondered about that. Most here only dump at night when the tide is going out. I have a few ozone generators at home and wish I had one here to bubble the tanks to make sure they were sterile. Maybe I should get one.