How long can you pickle a watermaker?

[Catmandu]

I pickled our watermaker over three years ago. We have not needed to use it since then as we have had easy access to city water and the trips that we have taken have been short enough that we could get by without it.

Does anyone have any experience as to whether 3 yrs is too long to expect the membranes to produce good water once I flush out the pickling solution?

[a64pilot]

What did you pickle it with?
Either way I'd give it a shot, pumps need running anyway I'm sure,maybe you will get lucky

[Catmandu]

Sorry a64, I can't remember ... chemicals that were purchased for the pickling in St. Martin (Island Waterworld) ... not very helpful.

... Is there a preferred method/chemicals for when I re pickle it assuming all goes well?

[MikeFergie]

My spectra manual says 6 months before having to change the pickling solution. I did not commission my water maker for a year and it was pickled at the factory and it was fine

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by MikeFergie

My spectra manual says 6 months before having to change the pickling solution. I did not commission my water maker for a year and it was pickled at the factory and it was fine

Keep in mind that a watermaker pickled at the factory hasn't processed thousands of gallons of seawater loaded with microscopic living things.

[Get-away]

In my experience, you should be fine. Its not recommended to go over 1 year with the same solution. But, as long as the pickling solution has remained in place and the membrane is wet, you should be fine.

The worst thing you can do to a membrane is allow it to dry out.

The best thing you can do for a watermaker it is use it regularly. I got 7 years out of a set of membranes that were used almost daily years ago when I worked on a large charter yacht.

[chuckr]

Our Katadyn says no more than 1 year. We always run our watermaker regardless when we are out. Good water or not we run it just to keep it going - and it is easy to pickle so why not. It is our belief that not sitting and not used may fail to function when you want them to work -
just our thoughts

[clownfishsydney]

Ours was pickled for at least 2 years when we bought the boat and worked okay.

[Tellie]

It can depend on what watermaker you have and what chemicals are used. But standard, as mentioned above, is a year at most and re-pickle each years with fresh solution. But I have seen many membranes work after years of sitting in the same solution. Though the membranes are important, more importantly is the rest of the system, watermakers, like diesels, like to be run, the worst thing you can do is to let them sit unused for a long period of time. Recommission your watermaker sooner than later at this point to make sure it is ready and able for your next cruise.


HaldenMarineService@yahoo.com

[a64pilot]

If it's a Spectra, I wouldn't do anything until I got a Pm into Tellie asking him what to do step by step. I think he wouldn't mind.
For long term preservation I believe that food grade Propylene Glycol is preferred for membranes, but I would be real sure to verify with the manufacturer first. I'd hate to preserve my membrane, but destroy the seals in my pump or something.

[MV Wanderlust]

Our neighbor bought his boat four years ago. I had a watermaker already installed and pickled. They just un-pickled it last month, changed the membrane, and everything ran normally.

[Catmandu]

I appreciate the feedback. I guess we will flush and hope for the best ...

[Cabo Jim]

Catmandu,
I have a Spectra that was pickled 5 years ago, so I planned on putting in a new membrane and asked Spectra technical support for a start-up procedure. Here it is:

"Thank you for contacting spectra Watermakers technical support. I would tell you to just purge to storage solution for at least an hour, maybe more, and try the system. Put in some new fresh Pre-filters, check the strainer, and turn it on. If the feed pump is under performing, you’ll see it. If the Clark pump is not magnifying the feed pressure, a flow test will tell you that. Turning it on is the only way to check the solenoids, motor, and the rest of the electrical items. Don’t install the new membrane FIRST, because you might have other things wrong that leave you not able to Fresh Water Flush."

I told them I was in the Bahamas with no more Spectra pickling solution and they replied with this:
"I only know of the SC-1 or 100% propylene glycol (West Marine carries this) for proper storage. Certain chemicals damage the plastics of the Clark pump, and anything other than food grade (non toxic) propylene glycol might damage the membrane.

Fresh water flushes every 5 days is one way to keep it fresh for a period of time. We sell a Z-ion unit for reducing the number of flushes by expanding the days between flushes up to 30."
I hope this helps,
Cabo Jim

[bluewaterbill]

I have a Spectra and it had been pickled for 8 years. I called Spectra and they said "fire it up … you may be OK". While they "recommend" not more than a year, I have previously asked and they said "2-3 years might still be OK. In my case, they felt it was "50/50" … but because we were planning a trans Atlantic crossing, I bought a new membrane … just in case. When we checked the old membrane vs new, you couldn't tell difference.
I now use propylene glycol for longer layups.

[Toys_with_time]

Originally Posted by Get-away

In my experience, you should be fine. Its not recommended to go over 1 year with the same solution. But, as long as the pickling solution has remained in place and the membrane is wet, you should be fine.

The worst thing you can do to a membrane is allow it to dry out.

The best thing you can do for a watermaker it is use it regularly. I got 7 years out of a set of membranes that were used almost daily years ago when I worked on a large charter yacht.

I wasn't aware of the drying out part. I pickle my watermaker each year for the winter and leave it for 7 months (it's an Echotec single membrane). So far I haven't had a problem but I realised that I don't plug the salt water reject outlet and as that is lower then the membrane the fluid will flow out. Should I therefore put valves on both the in and out sides of the membrane low pressure lines so it stays full of liquid or does there remain enough moisture in the membrane chamber not to worry?

TwT