Spectra Watermaker Feed Pump Vertical Lift?

[Chotu]

I have a unique installation for my water maker. I plan to drop a weighted sipping tube down from the bridge deck to make water.

This means my feed pumps for the water maker, I have two of them, will need to pull water up about 4 ft to the bridge deck level.

Are they capable of this? Here is what they look like:

https://www.gps4us.com/SPECTRA-Feed-...BoCfOsQAvD_BwE

[Chotu]

Hmmm. I guess saying this another way..

Do these pumps need to “push” from below the waterline to feed the Clark pump, or are they happy “pulling” up a 4ft hill to feed the Clark pump?

[Tellie]

36" is the maximum height above the waterline. But, at or close to the waterline is best.

[Chotu]

Thank you, Tellie.

Is there a pump that can be substituted that has a better vertical lift?

Also, these pumps pictured can “push” up from the waterline to a Clark pump 4-5ft above the waterline, right?

[Sailmonkey]

Pumps of almost any kind can push fluid a far greater distance than they can pull it. 4’ of head for a pump able to generate 120psi will equate to a fractional loss of volume.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Pumps of almost any kind can push fluid a far greater distance than they can pull it. 4’ of head for a pump able to generate 120psi will equate to a fractional loss of volume.

Thank you. This is some thing I’m still learning about. So, you don’t think it will be a problem? If I exceed the recommendation by spectra, it won’t damage the clark pump in someway? As in, there will be a fraction of a drop in input pressure to the clark pump? That fraction isn’t half is it? LOL

With a 120 psi pump, if I had to lift it up to 6 feet, will there be a substantial drop in pressure? With that negatively affect the clark pump?

[Sailmonkey]

120 psi will lift water to 280’....in a perfect world. 6’ will literally lose 2.5 psi. The Clark pump works around 80ish psi. Your loss of water volume will also be negligible

[Chotu]

Actually, thinking about Tellie’s post I have solve the problem.

The pick up, instead of dropping down from the Bridge deck, can just go through the hull above the waterline. Like a standard above the waterline thruhull for a sink drain.

I can still use the same technique with a weighted pick up hose that drops down deep into the water. But it can drop down from 12 inches or 24 inches above the waterline. Through the side of the hull instead of down from the bridge deck.

That will enable me to install these seed pumps in a way that they are designed. And using a spec straight from spectra.

From there, I can put the rest of the water maker up at the desired height.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

120 psi will lift water to 280’....in a perfect world. 6’ will literally lose 2.5 psi. The Clark pump works around 80ish psi. Your loss of water volume will also be negligible

Oh! Ok!

I didn’t see this before I posted my other post. Thank you.

[Tellie]

I'm a bit confused. What are you trying to do with this "Pickup" or "Sipping tube" line? Are you meaning you want to drop the intake line from the bridge deck each time you use the watermaker like a portable watermaker? Give me a better idea of exactly what you are trying to do, what size the Clark pump is (7%,10%, 15%,20%), where's the membrane vessel, and why do the components need to be so high in the boat. Unless I'm missing something this sounds like a really bad installation. Also, what kind of boat is this.



PS Again, Spectras line is no more than 36" above the waterline. I don't even like that height. You go higher than 36" You'd better have plenty of spare pump heads and motors to take with you.

[Dsanduril]

Chotu,

We have a very similar weighted sipping tube for our washdown pump. When we are pulling up the anchor we drop it down from the anchor locker. I can tell you that keeping it in the water while underway is not trivial. If you only plan to make water while stopped then no worries, but if you plan to be on the move give some thought on how you will keep the tube in the water at speed.

[Chotu]

I have got to put a in in the thread until I can look at the watermaker next week.

I don’t have all the information about the specific Clark pump.

You get it Tellie. Looking to drop a weighted pick up down to the water from the bridge deck. I realize this only works at anchor and not underway.

There is no installation yet. I have the watermaker. I have a utility area I want to put it in at bridge deck level. I have no through hulls below the waterline as a design parameter of the boat. So, I’d like to drop a pickup overboard to supply water for the water maker.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I have got to put a in in the thread until I can look at the watermaker next week.

I don’t have all the information about the specific Clark pump.

You get it Tellie. Looking to drop a weighted pick up down to the water from the bridge deck. I realize this only works at anchor and not underway.

There is no installation yet. I have the watermaker. I have a utility area I want to put it in at bridge deck level. I have no through hulls below the waterline as a design parameter of the boat. So, I’d like to drop a pickup overboard to supply water for the water maker.

The warranty on your Spectra and many other watermaker manufacturers require a dedicated thru hull otherwise the warranty will be voided. Other than that I'd be curious as to why there are no thru hulls in your boat. My reason for asking what kind of boat this is.

[waterman46]

Shouldn't be a problem as its a diaphram pump and 4' isn't much anyway.
If you need to replace it, you can get the same pump at half price from an irrigation supply company online.


[/QUOTE]

[waterman46]

You won't damage the Clark pump if it receives a little slower input from feed pump. Incoming water is put into the chamber and pushes the piston. Lower rate of water volume input just pushes the piston slower. When the piston reaches end of travel, you notice the pressure gauge increasing and hear the click as you've reached the pressure needed to go to next cycle. This will happen more slowly if feed pump has to work to overcome a significant height above water. But with the modest heights you are referring to, you won't notice a difference, and the slower operation won't hurt the pump.



I have the dual feed pump setup. You can operate Clark pump with one or both pumps running - they are plumbed in parallel. So with one pump running it puts out one-half the product compared to running both.