Spectra watermaker questions

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by SVSeaHawk

OK, that's a good move too.
I jumped that switch. No change.
I will put it back and try as advised here.
Then I'll find a bike pump and work on the accumulator tank.


Do you think, should it turn out to be a pump problem that there are options to repair the pump itself in the field? O-rings. Seals. That sort of thing.

I have tried this with no success. Damned things are a mess inside and not easy to take apart.

Buy a new one

[SVSeaHawk]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Have you checked for impeded flow to the pump?
The thruhull might have critters living in there.
Try disconnecting the input hose and see if you get a geyser.

Good idea. Will try this today.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by SVSeaHawk

Good idea. Will try this today.

This is a no-brainer, but when you flushed the antifreeze out, you did it with no pressure on the clark pump. Are you sure you have retightened the pressure valve so the clark pump is running on full pressure? This is the knob on the top of the clark pump - make sure it is turned down tight.

[SVSeaHawk]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Have you checked for impeded flow to the pump?
The thruhull might have critters living in there.
Try disconnecting the input hose and see if you get a geyser.

Tried this. Found no critters. (sadfaced emoji)

[sailorboy1]

It is a classic feed pump problem. You should acturally be ahppy as that is a lot less $$$ and trouble than something wrong with the clark pump.

but the production has nothing to do with the higher TDS, that is only a leak or membrane issue

[SVSeaHawk]

Originally Posted by carstenb

With the pressure switch still in line - put a kink in your hose from the feed pump to your pressure filter. If the pump won't generate enough pressure to kill the switch, you have a feed pump problem

I tried putting a locking wrench on the hose. The pressure switch didn't trip. It just kept trying to plug along.

Took off the accumulator tank. It was at 20psi. Brought it up to 60psi. Reinstalled.

Now the pressure gauge on the accumulator tank seems to work. It climbs to about 52.5 then spikes to sixty. Then drops to forty and climbs again with each cycle of the clark pump.


On the panel the feed pressure goes as low as 49 then climbs to 54.


Salinity is now 600+ output unchanged at 4.2gph


I've tightened the valve on the clark pump as tight as i dare with a wrench.


now it seems I'm out of ideas for testing.


The problem must be either the pump or membrane...
I'm leaning pump at the moment.

+ The gauge on the accumulator tank working again and not showing proper pressure... the panel not showing proper pressure.

+ When i close the water line after the pump, the pressure switch fails to respond.



Before I go ahead and order a pump and fly it into the country, i want to be certain it's not the membrane.

Would a visual check of the membrane confirm that it functioning?

[SVSeaHawk]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

It is a classic feed pump problem. You should acturally be ahppy as that is a lot less $$$ and trouble than something wrong with the clark pump.

but the production has nothing to do with the higher TDS, that is only a leak or membrane issue

Oh great, classic good news/bad news.

Confirmation that the pump is bad. yay!

But also the membrane is probably bad. Aw.



How would a leak effect the TDS? Wouldn't a leak appear the same as a low pressure situation from a bad pump?


How might I confirm the membrane is also at fault prior to ordering parts and having them shipped in? Is it just a matter if high TDS?



The pump part number seems to be Spectra EL-FP-12V Shurflo Pump (12V) ~$450 at Defender. Could I perhaps use a substitute pump that generates 55+psi? Might be easier to find on the island.



Also, yes, I'm happy I don't need to rebuild the clark pump again.


Thank you (all) for your help and insights...

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by SVSeaHawk

Oh great, classic good news/bad news.

Confirmation that the pump is bad. yay!

But also the membrane is probably bad. Aw.



How would a leak effect the TDS? Wouldn't a leak appear the same as a low pressure situation from a bad pump?


How might I confirm the membrane is also at fault prior to ordering parts and having them shipped in? Is it just a matter if high TDS?



The pump part number seems to be Spectra EL-FP-12V Shurflo Pump (12V) ~$450 at Defender. Could I perhaps use a substitute pump that generates 55+psi? Might be easier to find on the island.



Also, yes, I'm happy I don't need to rebuild the clark pump again.


Thank you (all) for your help and insights...

First you don't need to buy both the motor and pump (unless you suspect the motor is bad) just the pumphead - Defender $250

second - even a TDS of 500 is drinkable so not to worry. I suspect that once you et your pressure up, your TDS will go down.



carsten

[sailorboy1]

before getting a new pump head (you should have 1 if cruising), what is your voltage AT THE PUMP while it is operating

BTW if the pump operates a never shuts off the pressure isn't causing any operation problem

What type hose pressure tubing connections are on your clark pump, the bronze or SS. Is the pressure the same on each stroke?

[senormechanico]

The valve on the Clark Pump should only be hand tightened. It doesn't take a lot to close it.

[Symphony]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Have you checked for impeded flow to the pump?
The thruhull might have critters living in there.
Try disconnecting the input hose and see if you get a geyser.

This! Easy things first. And pump up the accumulator tank since it’s definitely wrong even though it simply smooths operations.

[BlueH2Obound]

If you DO decide the membrane is bad, you might want to replace it (and the housing) with a non-spectra housing and membrane.
One of the reasons we didn't purchase a water maker that had proprietary parts was that we wanted to be able to open source replacement parts without going through the original manufacturer. But then, in 18 months of running (we're full time cruisers), we've not had to replace any parts other than the 5 micro, the 20 micron, and the carbon (backflush) filters (not membranes).
The industry standard membranes and membrane housings are considerably less expensive than proprietary parts.

[VeinDocFL]

I bought a membrane from Wateranywhere. Fits and works fine. Much less expensive than Spectra part.

[SVSeaHawk]

For those still following along at home, i replaced the pump head and saw an improvement... not huge but something.


Pressure rose from 49psi as a low before to 54psi as a low now. Salinity down to 400s. Output up to close to 5gph


However, while testing the pump head I got a low voltage reading and started messing around with the multimeter.


The house bank was at 12.5v but the meter read 11.6 at the bus bar that powered the watermaker.


There is another circuit (water pumps) in the area and it was a higher gauge wire, (10awg, 8 maybe) so I put the water maker on that circuit. There was an improvement.


Then I put on the generator. The house bank went up to 13.1v but the meter read 12.6 at the watermaker bus bar. This combo put out 5.6gph and low 400s so I knew I was onto something. The pump pressure went up to a high of 61psi.



With the generator still running and the batteries still at 13.1 I put the water maker back on its usual busbar. It dropped to 11.6 despite the (12awg) wires reading 13.1 before I connected the watermaker.


I don't know that much about voltage drop and how the circuits are supposed to function. Any thoughts would be welcome...



Now I'm thinking I will install a15amp breaker off that fatter circuit and call it a day. Unless there is something about the above that indicates another problem or avenue for improvement ( a guy can hope).


Anyway, thanks for reading this far. It's been fun one so far...

[SVSeaHawk]

Originally Posted by VeinDocFL

I bought a membrane from Wateranywhere. Fits and works fine. Much less expensive than Spectra part.

yes. I have an amazon membrane now. $280 is not bad.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D43H4XQ
cheap enough even that I might replace it just to see if I can get another gal. per hour out of the system once I've put every other option to bed.