What Brand Water Maker Do You Have and Are You Happy?

[CaptLinda6pack]

Hi all, I decided to start a new thread here! and what I would like to know a few thing as to help me and others make a good sound decision on who's the best and ARE YOU HAPPY! Please use this format below:.

1. Product Name:
Product Guarantee:


2. Date installed:
By who:



3. Problems noted while operational and any additional costs:



4. Would you recommend it to "Your Family" members:



Please DO NOT! give any stories of he said she said stuff. This will tell it all.

Thanks and at the end of 30 days I will give a report. Thanks !! Linda

PS Just copy and past questions into your window.. Again Thanks

[missnmountains]

Originally Posted by CaptLinda6pack

Hi all, I decided to start a new thread here! and what I would like to know a few thing as to help me and others make a good sound decision on who's the best and ARE YOU HAPPY! Please use this format below:.

1. Product Name: Aquamatic 700
Product Guarantee: 1 year


2. Date installed: 4-13-12
By who: Southern Gulf Yacht Service, Inc.



3. Problems noted while operational and any additional costs:
Touch screen display at helm replaced


4. Would you recommend it to "Your Family" members: Yes



Please DO NOT! give any stories of he said she said stuff. This will tell it all.

Thanks and at the end of 30 days I will give a report. Thanks !! Linda

PS Just copy and past questions into your window.. Again Thanks

See above

Ken

[Tbaker]

Type: Village Marine "Little Wonder"

Used every other day during 6 year offshore cruise, no breakdowns or problems

Used Village Marine cartridges to clean and pickle when not using for winter months after getting back home

Installed: 2005 and still going strong

Output: Reliable 7 gal/hr, got 8 gal/hr during first season

[rivonia]

Shenka water maker.

30 litres per hour- but in realistic terms only produces 25 litres per hour.

Installed by a professional guy

Has worked non stop for four years = no prob's.

We pickle it every winter whilst in the marina

Have recomended it to many many other yachties who are also happy.

Hope this helps

Peter

[S/V Alchemy]

You might want to add "amps eaten per litre" or some similar tally of how hard...or not...the watermaker's electrical needs hit your boat's reserves.

That's clearly not a problem if you have shore power, but I think most people make water underway or at anchor in clean waters and perhaps would prefer not to start the engine if possible just to make the water.

[colemj]

Watermaker: Village Marine Little Wonder 150

Guarantee: Lifetime on pump when bought (with nice embossed certificate to that effect), but Parker voided all guarantees and warrantees when they bought VM. When VM damaged my HP pump while rebuilding it in their shop, Parker refused to cover it and would only give me the option of buying a new pump at full price or pounding sand (again, THEY damaged it in their shop, not me - they even admitted the damage was caused by their incorrect rebuild!).

Date installed: 1998 by original owner - then stored from 2003-2008 - then reinstalled by me.

Problems since install: The unit has run mostly flawlessly for the past 5 years. A new HP pump was bought before installation in 2008 after VM damaged the original one that was sent to them for a routine rebuild (see above). Also, the original pressure vessel was replaced because it developed a non-repairable leak around a fitting.

I would no longer recommend Village Marine at all since Parker bought them. They no longer focus on the marine consumer market and I would not be surprised if they exit this market in the future. Parker is absolutely one of the worse companies to deal with in the consumer marine market - I view them equal to, if not worse than, Xantrex.

Also, while our 1998 unit uses mostly standard components and membranes, this is no longer true. VM now uses a non-standard sized membrane and pressure vessel that they sell at outrageous prices. My suggestion to anyone looking for a watermaker is to boycott any company that refuses to use standard membrane sizes and pressure vessels. There is absolutely no reason, or advantage, in using non-standard sizes here other than to gouge consumers on necessary consumables and keep them beholden to the company for everything.

Mark

[WMarineCanvas]

Originally Posted by rover88

I chose the Spectra after two years of research.

1. Reputation for reliability,
2. Best 12 volt "amp per gallon" efficiency (16 gallons for 20 amps),
3. Standard 2.5 X 40 membrane housing,
4. Reputation for excellent customer support,
5. Ability to easily fresh water flush

I also liked the feature of the dual pre-pumps that if one goes out you can still use it on a single pump at 1/2 output.

Another vote here for Spectra!

Self-Installed on a Kanter 50 back in my sailing days.

Great efficiency running on 12-volts!

Great control/monitor display and lots of options to set for auto-run/flush, etc.

The biggest bonus if you live-aboard = SO QUIET!

[rover88]

Originally Posted by rover88
I chose the Spectra after two years of research.

1. Reputation for reliability,
2. Best 12 volt "amp per gallon" efficiency (16 gallons for 20 amps),
3. Standard 2.5 X 40 membrane housing,
4. Reputation for excellent customer support,
5. Ability to easily fresh water flush

I also liked the feature of the dual pre-pumps that if one goes out you can still use it on a single pump at 1/2 output.

[Tbaker]

Colemj

Thanks for the feedback on Village Marine. Yes it looks like Parker did gobble up Village Marine and our local store in Seattle is no longer there. Good thing is we have 2 marine suppliers in Washington State that still carry parts and I just reserved some maintenance related parts before they go bye bye. I did pass on the RO membrane since I don't have $382 US to she'll out right now.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by CaptLinda6pack

1. Product Name:
Product Guarantee:
Spectra Ventura 150
I think the high pressure pump (the expensive bit) is guaranteed for the life of the original owner.

Tellie is this correct?

2. Date installed:
By who:
2009
By me
3. Problems noted while operational and any additional costs:
Nil problems
Only costs have been filters.
4. Would you recommend it to "Your Family" members:
Yes

It has made almost all our water (we collect a little bit of rainwater off the deck occasionally), almost 365 days a year, running from our solar panels, with no problems.

[barnakiel]

Shenka I think possibly (Schenker?)

No WM here but I used Spectra and loved it. Would by one for my own boat without hesitation.

b.

[ka4wja]

Linda,
Perhaps this data (and a "poll"), combined with the SSCA Equipment Survey results / comments will give you the info you seek....
SSCA 2008 ES Final Reports Survey

So, here's my data....


1. Product Name: Spectra Ventura MPC-5000
Product Guarantee: Lifetime warranty on Clark Pump, one year on everything else...


2. Date installed: Dec 2006 (12,000+ offshore miles ago)
By who: Dick Murray, Murray Marine Services, Rivera Beach Florida


3. Problems noted while operational and any additional costs: Multiple "salinity probe" failures (although they didn't effect system operation, it was frustrating...)



4. Would you recommend it to "Your Family" members: Yes!!


Please have a look at photos and article, of my own installation....
Watermaker



Fair winds and good luck...

John
s/v Annie Laurie

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

It has made almost all our water (we collect a little bit of rainwater off the deck occasionally), almost 365 days a year, running from our solar panels, with no problems.

Unfortunately Spectra no longer offers the life time warranty on the Clark pump to the original owner on newly purchased units . Even though the pump is even better than before there comes a time when you continually sell so many watermakers that such an offer becomes unreasonable. The Clark pump warranty is now for two years with the ability to buy an extended five year warranty. But unlike Parker who has bought VM and now SR and HRO, with their eyes on a few others, Spectra won't cancel the warranty. Those that bought a Spectra under the life time warranty are grandfathered in and that warranty is and will be honored. But knowing Spectra, if you had a pump issue a few months out of warranty my bet is that there would be no problem. They also have always had an exchange program that's worked well for those that have bought boats with a used Spectra already on board. For about the cost of a CAT pump re-build kit you can have a totally re-maned Clark pump.
To clarify, I don't own Spectra and I don't work for Spectra, I have my own small niche Marine business in which I deal with Spectra. I deal with most major brands of watermakers (that list is currently thinning out). If I don't provide the best service I possibly can I'm out of business. The companies I deal with have to feel the same way. I deal with Spectra mainly because the service to their customers world wide is next to none.

[ksanders]

1. Product Name: Katadyn powersurvivor 160
Product Guarantee: dont remember


2. Date installed: 2/2012
By who: professional installation



3. Problems noted while operational and any additional costs:

Our water here is very cold. The unit puts out between 5 and 6 measured GPH.
Unit works great but is noisey. I have heard all watermakers are noisey though.



4. Would you recommend it to "Your Family" members: yes

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Unfortunately Spectra no longer offers the life time warranty on the Clark pump to the original owner on newly purchased units . Even though the pump is even better than before there comes a time when you continually sell so many watermakers that such an offer becomes unreasonable. The Clark pump warranty is now for two years with the ability to buy an extended five year warranty. But unlike Parker who has bought VM and now SR and HRO, with their eyes on a few others, Spectra won't cancel the warranty. Those that bought a Spectra under the life time warranty are grandfathered in and that warranty is and will be honored. .

Thanks Tellie.
Do you know the date when the warranty change occurred. I have looked through my Spectra manuals and there is no mention of the warranty conditions.