Small watermaker 3 gph

[Schooner Chandlery]

This is the performance curve for the Pumptec 107SS with the various common cams. https://media.schoonerchandlery.com/...ITH-105CAM.pdf Hope that info is helpful to everyone. I'm also seeking a good resource to share minimum flux needed for the various membranes since we've had outreach by several cruisers who want to use 2.5x40 membrane size which is way too large in our view for this pump. If anyone has a good document we can link to for membrane sizing and flux, please let me know. Thanks!

[catsketcher]

Hello,

I have been very impressed with Pizzaz' DIY setup. I have been given a PUR Powersurvivor 80 by a friend. I hope it is worth keeping and setting up. Here in Australia, the Katadyn replacement membranes are very expensive. I am also having some trouble getting the 14 inch vessel and membranes delivered to Australia for anything like the prices quoted.

I see that people are using the 21inch vessels for the Pumptec pump. I know it is not recommended to use a 21 inch for the Powersurvivor 80, but considering both it and the Pizzaz watermaker have similar output (about 3.5gph for the PUR 80), why not? I can source the 21 inch membranes and vessels much easier.

I am also thinking that I want to avoid making a system that is unsupported. If I go 14 inch and the membranes get harder and harder to find cheaply then I have developed an orphan machine.

I am willing to trade membrane life it is means being able to buy cheaper 21 inch membranes.

cheers

Phil

[sailorxyz]

Originally Posted by catsketcher

Hello,

I have been very impressed with Pizzaz' DIY setup. I have been given a PUR Powersurvivor 80 by a friend. I hope it is worth keeping and setting up. Here in Australia, the Katadyn replacement membranes are very expensive. I am also having some trouble getting the 14 inch vessel and membranes delivered to Australia for anything like the prices quoted.

I see that people are using the 21inch vessels for the Pumptec pump. I know it is not recommended to use a 21 inch for the Powersurvivor 80, but considering both it and the Pizzaz watermaker have similar output (about 3.5gph for the PUR 80), why not? I can source the 21 inch membranes and vessels much easier.

I am also thinking that I want to avoid making a system that is unsupported. If I go 14 inch and the membranes get harder and harder to find cheaply then I have developed an orphan machine.

I am willing to trade membrane life it is means being able to buy cheaper 21 inch membranes.

cheers

Phil

It should work. However you won't know for sure until you try. If the worse comes to the worse, you could always just swap out the pump for the Pumptec one.

[SV_FlyingTigress]

I have a powersurvivor 80 we will be taking out this fall (supposedly works fine, I have never used it because our vessel was purchased and is refitting in Rio Dulce which is a muddy lake) . if anyone is interested please reach out as I understand parts are hard to get

[catsketcher]

After doing more (and more and more) research and reading through the very informative forums, I am getting a little worried that I may be flogging a dead horse with the old PUR 80. Finding the 2514 gear with our weak Aussie dollar is pricey.

At the risk of some serious thread drift, is there a pump out there, similar to the pumptec, that could power a 2540 membrane? The 12 volt Rainman uses a single 2540 and puts out 30 litres an hour at 30 amps. For my cat, 30 amps is very easy to achieve with solar in the middle of the day. So with a similar system I could get all the water I need in an hour or two (we don't use much) at no load on the batteries and all in one or two hours of noise.

Does anyone have any leads on a 12 volt pump that could power a 2540?

cheers

Phil

[Enkai]

Originally Posted by Schooner Chandlery

This is the performance curve for the Pumptec 107SS with the various common cams. https://media.schoonerchandlery.com/...ITH-105CAM.pdf Hope that info is helpful to everyone. I'm also seeking a good resource to share minimum flux needed for the various membranes since we've had outreach by several cruisers who want to use 2.5x40 membrane size which is way too large in our view for this pump. If anyone has a good document we can link to for membrane sizing and flux, please let me know. Thanks!

Thanks for your support here!

Can you quote shipping to Australia as an estimate? For 1 pump and 5 pumps please?

If there are any Aussies that would like a pumptec maybe we can do a group buy?

Nico

[ScottieD]

After a season in the Bahamas, I found the Pizzazz water maker to be fantastic for a small boat on a budget. We made about 11 litres/ hour drawing 14.5 amps. We never flushed it, but did make sure to use it about every other day at least. It made all our drinking water and most of our showering/ washing water.

[sailorxyz]

Originally Posted by ScottieD

After a season in the Bahamas, I found the Pizzazz water maker to be fantastic for a small boat on a budget. We made about 11 litres/ hour drawing 14.5 amps. We never flushed it, but did make sure to use it about every other day at least. It made all our drinking water and most of our showering/ washing water.

Good to know, I've assembled all the bits for mine and will finally put it together later this year.

[Monkenstien]

Hi guys and girls I am making a small water maker following this design, I just have a question in regards to the pressure vessel. I’m using a 2.5inch x 21 inch vessel and membrane. I ordered the pressure vessel directly from chia via Alibaba. It has turned up and looks good but the seals for the end caps are quite small rings and the groove on the actual end cap has a larger cross section. Is this normal? I have attached photos

Also maybe a bit of a silly question but how are orients measured? Is it the overall length or diameter? As I want to order some replacements

I’m using the new equivalent pump from Pumptec along with a pressure regulating hose, that smooths out the pressure spikes ect. Sourcing the parts in Australia is hard if you are looking for ntp fittings! Every thing here is bsp

Thanks in advance anybody that answers

[rapanui 2]

Originally Posted by Pizzazz

I am sharing my 3 gph watermaker design for those who want to DIY. After many months of experimentation I settled on the following design:

Parts
- Pumptec 116C stainless steel pump/motor combo. Make sure you order the .105 CAM which gives you around 15 gph total flow. The cost is substantially less than $500, feel free to negotiate with distributors but I can't disclose the actual discount I am getting.

http://www.pumptec.com/media/downloa...8215_80940.pdf

- Fiberglass pressure vessel and membrane from HCTI. The company is very easy to work with and they have great prices, expect to pay less than $400 for the pressure vessel and the membrane. I am using the 2514 size but I believe the 2521 could work as well.

HCTI - Vessels

The rest is fittings, pressure hose, a simple needle valve and a pressure gauge. You should aim to obtain all parts for less than $1,000.

Design
Salt water goes from intake to a strainer, 20-micron filter and then to the pump. The pump has three inlets and three outlets. Plug the four that you do not need. The pump output is attached directly to the pressure vessel (to minimize the number of connections). The high pressure output from the vessel goes (via a suitable length hose) to a t-connector that has a 1,500 psi gauge on one end and a needle valve on the other end. After the needle valve you can use common low pressure hose and fittings.

For extra safety, you can get a 1,000 psi pressure switch that can be inserted in one of the free pump outlets. It will cut current to the pump motor if the pressure is exceeded. You do not need a regulator, although Pumptec sells some if you want to experiment with one.

Performance
This design makes between 2.8 and 3.2 gph (Socal waters) at approx. 14A or about 4.5A/gallon. Water quality is 105-110 ppm. You do not need a feed pump (adds complexity). Best performance is around 850-900 psi. The pressure can vary somewhat with voltage (i.e. if you set the unit in operation at 12.2V and then the solar panels kick in raising the voltage to 14.4V, then the pressure will increase by about 100 psi. So, either you need to be careful when setting the max operating pressure, you need a safety switch or you need to tend to the watermaker. I typically run it when the engine is running to minimize the relative noise.

Improvements
I believe the water maker can be improved in a couple of ways. If we connect a longer membrane, say 2521, I believe the water output will increase to around 4 - 4.5 gph without losing much water quality (i.e. the ppm can jump to 200-250 ppm but that is still reasonable). One can add a soft start circuit to the motor, so that the needle valve can be left in its position and you only use an on/off switch to operate.

I believe this is the lowest cost watermaker on the market today, using standard parts (stainless steel pump, good pressure vessels, etc.). For the record, I experimented with cheaper stainless steel vessels rated for 300 psi and they work fine at 1,000 psi after strengthening the bolts, etc. but it is too much effort to save a few bucks. The pump motor combo is incredible, the pump is supposedly 96% efficient, the motor has average efficiency. It may be worth experimenting with a more efficient, higher output motor (the pump will just turn faster, allowing higher water output) but I never bothered.

Comparison to PS35 / PS40.
This unit makes double the water for one quarter of the price of the PS40. It is noisier but the noise is a regular pump noise vs. the thumping sound of the PS40 which some find objectionable. I have both on the boat and I use 3 gph watarmaker much more often.

Reliability
I have had the pump in various configurations for over a year. Max continuous run times has been about 18 hours. Never had any issues. I have had the watermaker sit unused for over two months, then it starts with no problems and the water quality is as described above. I see no need for regular cleanings, just run it every now and then to replenish the water.

Good luck and let me know if you have questions.

SV Pizzazz

If you have no DIY skills or no time I do it for you with all the need ed parts and safety alarm
https://www.pkcwatermakers.eu/boutiq...res-p544324504
can ship all over the wlorld exemple to st marteen FWI 150 us $

[jbmia]

Question for folks running the design here in this thread.. how long of a freshwater flush and/or what volume of water should be flushed through 14" or 21" membrane? Thanks...

[SkipperJer]

After our tank is filled I fill a 5 gallon bucket of water from the water maker, not the tank, and use that to flush/pickle the water maker. The reason I don't use tank water to flush is sometimes we fill the tank at a marina and the water could have chlorine.

[ScottieD]

We have a 14” membrane and make water most days when we are using it for the season and don’t flush during that time unless we won’t be able to make water for several days. We will use about 5 liters to flush. We use 10 liters to pickle at the end of the season. Two season so far and working well on the original membrane.