Why do you need a watermaker?

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

Our A/C produces about 8 litres of condensation a day, when running it 24/7 in the marina here in Oman. We use it to fill the drinking coolers, which provide water for me, HWMO and the dogs. We all seem fine.

One dog did do a bright green **** this evening, but I thing that was more to do with the blue food colouring in the birthday cake and pancakes we let her eat yesterday.

[Oceanride007]

Its always been a bit suspect, but maybe its like a lot of traditions and it not really proved to be the villain I thought it to be. Maybe untreated you could use it for plants, wash down the deck. Maybe with thorough cleaning and you are well out of the reach of pollution you could risk showering in it, maybe cooking. The final step, why risk it unless you had to. And there are test kits available.

Oceanrider would prefer to wait for a rain event.

[Kenomac]

Wow! Just when I thought I'd heard it all. I'd say.... give it a try and get back to us (if you're still alive) with the results.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Wow! Just when I thought I'd heard it all. I'd say.... give it a try and get back to us (if you're still alive) with the results.

you must have missed it, SaucySailoress does.

[valhalla360]

It's more a question of why?
- If you are tied up with shore power to run the A/C, you can probably just use the adjacent tap to fill the tanks.
- If you are anchored out, you likely aren't using the A/C anyway.
- If you are anchored out running the A/C 24/7, you probably have to fill the fuel tank regularly and can fill up the water when you visit the fuel dock.

It seems like in only the rarest of cases would there be a benfit.

[scoobert]

i plan to run the generator at least 6 hours a day when making a passage.
our holding tank holds 100 gallons.
6 hours of condensate would be a significant dent, and would allow fresh water showers more often.

[Tellie]

Why do you need a watermaker?
Why do you need a boat?
Many people find many of the reasons go hand in hand.

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Tellie

Why do you need a watermaker?
Why do you need a boat?
Many people find many of the reasons go hand in hand.

i can answer the boat one....
i want to see the world, and mostly the places that air fair will not take you.

nope, it didnt answer the first one.

[Paul Elliott]

Well, if you've got to run the AC anyway, then the condensate should be OK as long as you don't let it sit around and grow bugs.

Why do you have to run the generator 6 hours a day? Seems ludicrously excessive. So does AC at sea on a small boat for that matter. How long will your passages be? Your power consumption plans are way beyond "normal" for a small sailboat, so I hope you are thinking this through properly.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i plan to run the generator at least 6 hours a day when making a passage.
our holding tank holds 100 gallons.
6 hours of condensate would be a significant dent, and would allow fresh water showers more often.

100 gallons is a big holding tank.... I hope you're not considering drinking water from the holding tank

Seriously.... I've looked at my air conditioning units, and I can tell you there's no way I'd consider drinking water coming off those units.... they represent the perfect environment for growing all sorts of bacteria. This whole idea is insane. Running a/c on a passage for 6 hours a day is also nuts.

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by scoobert

I cannot be the first to think of this. Perhaps it is done now.
Why do you need a watermaker when you have a/c condensate?
If you do not have a/c you could use a dehumidifer.
Then pass the water thru an undersink RO system.
My a/c makes no less then 15-20 gallons in 24 hours.
Why filter salt from sea water when you can use this water?

That's a lot of condensate. How do you measure it? My house doesn't put out that much.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Why do you have to run the generator 6 hours a day?

In order to run the air conditioning silly!

[Therapy]

OH GAWD.

COME ON YA'LL

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Well, if you've got to run the AC anyway, then the condensate should be OK as long as you don't let it sit around and grow bugs.

Why do you have to run the generator 6 hours a day? Seems ludicrously excessive. So does AC at sea on a small boat for that matter. How long will your passages be? Your power consumption plans are way beyond "normal" for a small sailboat, so I hope you are thinking this through properly.

i figured i would have to if i use the alpha 3000, the radar, the radio, pressure water, water heater(for my wife's daily shower), GPS, laptop.....

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

100 gallons is a big holding tank.... I hope you're not considering drinking water from the holding tank

Seriously.... I've looked at my air conditioning units, and I can tell you there's no way I'd consider drinking water coming off those units.... they represent the perfect environment for growing all sorts of bacteria. This whole idea is insane. Running a/c on a passage for 6 hours a day is also nuts.

Ken

You run out of beer? What is all this talk about drinking out of the holding tanks?

Believe me in that if the AC condenser coil, drain pan and tubing were clean the water would be fine and is no worst than water that has been sitting in a nice warm dark water tank to start with.