Piston pumps are notorious for have a low tolerance for poor inlet conditions. Being a much better mechanic than a sailor, it occurs to me to locate the water maker below the waterline to create what we call a flooded inlet condition. Excavator manufacturers etc. etc. do this to make their piston pumps last longer and reduce cavitation noise. Of course not being familiar with sailboat "stuff" perhaps this isn't feasible.
Appreciate the info, but I must say.. it’s pretty easy to make some brackets with some scrap material, and a hole saw or jig saw, but even two mounting type zip ties at each end, one fastened above, and one fastened below, would secure your filter better than with string.
While SD cards don't die on a regular basis, I have used my Mavic3 with the RC Pro to record in two locations, plus you have the gimbal to keep the video rock solid. Some build a unit to mount it to hold it solidly and safely.
Nice Job guys! We just built a water maker also... We were able to salvage some parts from a HRO system that we had on board... long past it's prime, from previous owners... I'm sharing your video with some sailing friends who have space, energy and budget constraints. Your design may fit their needs! Thanks, Corey (Salty Escape)
Love your watermaker solution. I was wondering if you put together a diagram for the installation? If so, is it available for someone to access or purchase. I am planning on following your plan for my installation. Thanks
Excellent! Just what I've been waiting for someone to do! So - are you selling the complete assembly and install instructions as well? I'd buy those, as how else am I going to figure that all out? Fair winds 😀👍🏻🙏🏻
Hey there! We don’t sell the components but we did provide a list of the components we used (or their most recent model) in the blog post on the description 😊😊
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences with this DIY watermaker. Sounds like a great addition to many boats, both in terms of space and energy consumption as well as cost. Do you have a diagram of the final configuration with priming pump, dampening hose and flush connections that you could share? The manual operation may be a big plus on boats that dont run the engine to generate electricity regularly (each day). A bit more effort, but never a surprise of having the watermaker draining the batteries on cloudy days.
I kinda like the size, but I don''t really like that pump. I have a 12v 1hp pump. It pulls 80 amps, but I can get 40 gallons per hour on the high side and 35 pretty much in any situation. It cost around $1800. So just as a comparison to make 40 gallons of water on your system, you will probably run for 13 hours at 14 amps per hour. That is 182 amps. I would use 83 with the boost pump and be done in an hour rather than watching the system all day. You can go to SV Adventurers watermaker video:How to make a 30 gallon per hour watermaker. The parts are there in the more section and comments.
This pump would be around 1/4 hp, but I guess the real point is that it fits well with a solar system, in that, you can use it for a few hours a day, after the solar controller has finished charging the batteries (and would otherwise be dumping that power). 14A would be doable with a 300 or 400W system. Sure, a bigger pump would deliver water more quickly, but then you probably have to think of a different way to provide the electric current, and if that is a generator, you might just be better of running a 110 (or 220V) AC directly to the pump. In other words, this looks like a neat solution for smaller boats that have surplus solar power (at least some days). The only downside might be the noise level for an extended period, but i didn't hear them comment on that, so maybe that is not an issue.
Your system is definitely more efficient (assuming my watt calculations are close to accurate), but a solar based system that can muscle that pump would have to enormous. As the other gent mentioned, a reasonable option for a larger vessel. 180W for 2-3 hours would supply several days of emergency rations of water. If I was designing a system with large power use I’d definitely go with the bigger pump.
@@just-dl Nah the wire gauge to the pump is the biggest cost 8 gauge will do it over a short run in silicone insulated. The solar panels do a pretty good job of recovering the battery completely during the day. My batteries are LIFEPO4 and even most 100ah batteries can handle 80 amps continuously. I have 560ah in my boat.
@@allynonderdonk7577 you got the right batteries for the job. That’s an area where money is well spent not having to over think the DOD. Do you run the water maker in isolation? Or is that draw on top of normal everyday use?
At 3 gallons per hour that means an average sized tank would take 10 hours to fill. That's an awful lot of power if there's not much sunshine. Does a better pump mean more output of fresh water?
I think most of us use far less than 30 gallons of water per day. Our average usage is 4-5 gallons. We typically run the watermaker for a couple hours most days so we are definitely keeping up with our usage. We have set up our solar so that on sunny days our batteries are topped up by noontime so we run the watermaker on the “extra”. A bigger pump would mean more output but you’d also need to add a membrane or get a bigger membrane and your costs add up quickly. And a bigger pump would also consume more power.
Another comment is in regards to your needle valve. You mentioned lack of sensitivity to reset. In hydraulics we always turn to a Parker (Fluid Power) product called a color-lock. they have a very fine thread and a long slender taper needle. Just don't know if you can get them in stainless.
On the technical side, it would be very informative to hear and feel the difference of using pressure damping hoses and/ or accumulator dampener. Try reaching the manufacturer or supply shop for a demo. Good follow up video. Thanks for the video. Very fascinating.
How much pressure is the fiberglass presumably designed to withstand? Also, why the needle valve and not a ball, gate or other design? I suspect it is for fine/granular control but curious if other valves are possible? And maybe a passive pressure regulator?
The housing is rated to 1000psi working pressure, burst pressure I would be 3-4 times that I assume. You’re correct, it’s needs something with fine adjustment to get the pressure correct. A pressure regulator is something I have thought about and may experiment with in the future.
But now you need the reverse osmosis part as there are some minerals you need and get from your drinking water. Also look into a prefilter to keep sediment out 9:53
There is a prefilter. Andy talks about it at 3:55. And the total dissolved solids are within healthy drinking water standards. You don’t need to add back in unless you are distilling.
Can i ask what the noise level is like? Obviously, by going with a smaller pump you will need to run the unit longer (several hours) but is the noise level disturbing?
As a cruiser who has built several watermaker I now build a bigger capacity watermaker at least 100l per HR, 200 per HR is better, run it for an hour and forget about it for a few days
When we originally designed this water maker it was to fit in our 1965 Alberg 30 so space was a HUGE factor. Also higher output is going to cost more money 😊 I think now that we have much more space on our T37 we will likely make a higher output version at some point!
Well done Gwen and Andy! Thanks for taking the time to document your installation and explain all you went through. Also, thanks for sharing all the components you used on your installation. I'm sure, many of us will use your "recipe" to build a more affordable watermaker. However, I wonder why you choose the smallest membrane... (Space, Cost, something else)? Thanks, Pedro - SV Tulip
Hi Pedro! Space was the main reaso since we original built this system to fit on our Alberg 30 and had already bought all the components just prior to buying our Tartan 37. Cost was a factor as well since we were trying to be under $1000 but it was mostly a space issue.
Hello and thanks for all the info you are giving us. Do you happen to know what is the biggest membrane this pump would work with? thanks again, I'm amaze at what you've done. @@AbroadReachTravel
My son on his boat he's using a dehumidifier and it runs around the clock any produces a good bit of water apparently he said about 5 10 gallons a day going count the humidity so high around the ocean what are y'all think That's what he's doing hey I think he cost him 200 bucks The one he's got does have a holes on it plus it also has a pump in it to pump the water he bought it I think it's $186 you paid for it I didn't know it would work but he says it does so what do y'all think
What is that movie scene from? Looks like das boot but the actor looks a little like james bond (but not sure which). Wasn't there a scene like that in no time to die? Don't remember haha But it's ingenius and I will consider this! Watermakers are just so expensive, oh my god.
I would have recommended flushing the system (operating it) for hours before drinking the water. Also, not sure if the teflon tape used was WRAS (or NSF) approved but I would look for that as well as meeting T-27730A mill spec.
This was the second round of running it so it had already been flushed once before when the sealant failed a few days earlier. And it had been run for over an hour the second time but no one wants to watch it just running for an hour. The magic of editing. I promise we didn’t poison anyone.
This looks like a fine system for folks like me, solo live aboard cruiser with purely 12v charging system and single 300ah LFP battery. Wondering if there is anything you would have done differently with the benefit of hindsight?
I think our only regret was not redesigning for a bigger system (a second or larger membrane) when we bought our bigger boat. But then our costs would have gone up so I’m still not sure we would have done it. Two seasons in and it’s still chugging along! Just made 10 gallons yesterday!
I think loudness will definitely be relative to where you mount it. Ours is mounted to a bulkhead which did not help. The noise went down significantly after we installed the pulse dampener. I don’t have decibels (it’s currently pickled so I can’t grab it for you), but I will say I can’t hear it in the Vberth when it’s running and you can definitely still hold a normal conversation in the rest of the boat without it being intrusive. It’s significantly quieter than the engine and only slightly louder than our fresh water pump. Hope that helps! I’ll try to remember to come back here and update with decibels when we get it running again in a couple months!
The water that comes out is not distilled. There are still some left over dissolved solids (ie minerals/salt). The lowest we’ve ever seen is 100ppm but it typically runs around 200-250ppm which is similar to tap water. 😊
@@AbroadReachTravel OK! thank you for info , I have been working with ship evaporators and there the water comes out destilled and requires a mineralizing filter, RO seems much more simple - I going to build a small RO unit to evaluate the function :)
I posted these questions on your blog but I think the answers would have a broader audience here. Greetings, We were just about to push the button on a $3500 water maker when we found you. Thank you for the article. Couple questions. Why only 1 pre filter? Most if not all WM use a 20 micron followed by a 5 micron. Second is that a brass fitting I see on the product outlet of the housing? I just spent 2 days replacing a rotted out brass fitting in our boat. Is there enough pressure on the product port to push the water say 25 feet to the water tank? Also what is the pressure on the brine output port? I see the pressure gauge read 800 psi but the hose after that is a reinforced plastic hose. How does that hose take that kind of pressure? Also you mentioned you wanted to upgrade the pressure regulator, have you found one yet?
We only used one pre filter due to space constraints and the conditions we operate in. You can definitely use two. A plastic fitting could be used, but we haven’t had any issues with brass fittings on our freshwater plumbing. We had a hard time sourcing fittings locally at the time, so we used what was available and on hand. 25 feet shouldn’t be an issue, but try to keep the restriction to a minimum. Any restrictions will need to be overcome by a slightly high operating pressure. The needle valve is used to control the pressure of system by creating a restriction. Therefore upstream of the needle valve sees high pressure, downstream is very low pressure.
3 gallons an hour... For the aggravation alone, I'll just do the rainman portable. While I appreciate the DIY approach, and certainly your willingness to share, I personally think that's why a proven system is likely the best route for most folks to consider.
@@AbroadReachTravel I get it. I love a DIY approach, personally. Going on my Meridian 459 and space isn't a controlling issue. Though my yacht may seem more extravagant, the only way I have afforded to retire to one, is by hard work and not spending money when I can do something myself, as good, and cheaper. But, in the case of a water maker, I have yet to find a DIY that I can build myself, as good or better than name brand, for any significant savings. The added bonus, is I can pack it up and take it with me if I get an even bigger yacht, or lend it to a fellow cruiser for a few hours in their time of need. I meant ZERO disrespect in my original comment, btw. I actually respect the hell out of not only you trying it, but also sharing your findings and outcome. Your ingenuity and willingness to share make you the best kind of cruisers out there. Fair seas !
Yup! It is easily pickled through the flushing port! We have been flushing with product water so that we can guarantee there isn't any chlorine so the flushing input is just a hose we can stick in one of our 5-gallon jugs. Easily replaced with a bucket of pickling solution! Since we are in the Chesapeake for the summer it’s currently pickled, we will bring it back to life once we are back in Florida!
At 1:40, Gwen says "Water is going to move through a membrane from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration." - Just the opposite, eh?
I think at 1:40 I’m talking about how osmosis normally works. During regular osmosis, water will move across a membrane from an area that has low concentration of non-water molecules (salts minerals etc) to an area with a higher concentration because it will naturally try to make the concentrations equal through dilution. But with reverse osmosis, like we use in desalination, we use a high pressure pump to make it do the opposite. We force the water through the membrane leaving behind the salt and minerals. The product is fresh water the waste is extremely concentrated salt and minerals with a little water left over.
No. The rejection rate is at about 75-80% with this set up. If you added more membrane area your product water would go up and rejection would go down but there wouldn’t be a high enough flow rate to remove salt/impurities. Would a video about how we calculated flow rates/rejection rates be helpful? We’ve been tossing around doing a super technical deep dive on this for those that would find it useful!
@@AbroadReachTravel Hello, any update on this? This vid is a bit confusing with only some of the assembly/install shown, the final product with additional part requirements discussed only. Also curious about flushing. Thank you.
Ahem, if you need a cheap "watermaker" (reverse osmosis water filter), come to Taiwan. A model for home use (just providing drinking water) can be had for USD 300+. There are several filters with different lifetimes of 1-6 months. They work with pretty weak motors, so you can just let it run continuously until the tank is full.
@@bearpanda3889 Surprise! It worked! Previous comments with links were not so lucky... Edit: Nope, disappeared again. Let's try this: Go to Google and search for these terms: ro濾水器 RO純水機 That should yield a few results.
@@OlafFichtner Thanks for those links. i can see that they work but at the moment the server is busy so I will follow them up in more detail when it is quieter.
Because there are already a lot of companies out there doing just that. The point of this is that if you have a small budget or not a lot of space there are options outside of the traditional commercial versions that might work.
Pretty scary. No engineering knowledge wrt pressure boundary codes and construction. No small wonder it leaked at first. No small wonder about the crystalised salt in the pump. No small wonder a booster pump was not used (very common to use a high volume, low pressure centrifugal pump to feed the high pressure pump). I find it incredibly scary at how laissez faire you are wrt pressure boundary. I would not go anywhere near that contraption. There is a reason why actual water makers cost what they do. Finally, your costing only includes the cost of parts and not the huge amount of time you spent jerry-rigging the watermaker. Everything has an opportunity cost. FYI, I am an actual engineer dealing with pressure boundary issues so I know little bit about what I am talking about. Using a high pressure positive displacement pump with no pressure relief valve anywhere in the system.
Plenty of cruisers have more time than money, which is why we look at DIY solutions to expensive problems. The poster has been honest about his mistakes, and the unit obviously does what it’s intended to, so I don’t see the issue here.
Another plus for DIY watermakers is componets can be put where they individually fit instead of one big space for an assembled unit.
Piston pumps are notorious for have a low tolerance for poor inlet conditions. Being a much better mechanic than a sailor, it occurs to me to locate the water maker below the waterline to create what we call a flooded inlet condition. Excavator manufacturers etc. etc. do this to make their piston pumps last longer and reduce cavitation noise. Of course not being familiar with sailboat "stuff" perhaps this isn't feasible.
Put the thru hull below the water line a primer pump will do the same job idk if he is using one yet
all desals use a feed pump
By poor inlet conditions, you presumably mean that it does not self prime? And that is resolved by having the inlet below the waterline?
It's doable in most boats.
You two are too down to Earth and normal for UA-cam (meant as a compliment). I bet this will become your most viewed video. Thanks!
Thank you!! 😊
Got all the information I was looking for in a single post. Outstanding. Thank you.
Amazing, as a bonus.. you built it, so you can repair it.
My husband and I really like your videos. You’re our new favorite streaming show to binge watch!
Appreciate the info, but I must say.. it’s pretty easy to make some brackets with some scrap material, and a hole saw or jig saw, but even two mounting type zip ties at each end, one fastened above, and one fastened below, would secure your filter better than with string.
While SD cards don't die on a regular basis, I have used my Mavic3 with the RC Pro to record in two locations, plus you have the gimbal to keep the video rock solid. Some build a unit to mount it to hold it solidly and safely.
Thanks for the great video! I’m definitely going to do this!
Thank you: super useful video. I'm curious how you set things up to do the fresh water flush after each use. Oh, and your dog looks so sweet!
Guys...how is your watermaker today, two years ago?
Could you recommend a 1 line diagram for assembly. Thank you
Salt water needs pre filtered. And system needs backflushed daily
It is prefiltered: 3:55
Nice Job guys! We just built a water maker also... We were able to salvage some parts from a HRO system that we had on board... long past it's prime, from previous owners... I'm sharing your video with some sailing friends who have space, energy and budget constraints. Your design may fit their needs! Thanks, Corey (Salty Escape)
Its very common for those pumps to leak at the seals most pressure washers always leak
What a great video. Thanks for sharing the good bad and ugly!
Brilliant video, many thanks. Maybe a rundown of the new setup at some point would be worthwhile to viewers?
Would you do this again and it still holding up? Thank you
Brilliant video, with excellent content. Very great full to have watched this. Thank you ❤❤❤.
Love your watermaker solution. I was wondering if you put together a diagram for the installation? If so, is it available for someone to access or purchase. I am planning on following your plan for my installation. Thanks
Your pup looks so much like our Molly.
New subscriber here...AWESOME video on your 12v DIY watermaker.👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks for showing all the updates. If really help!
Great informative video. Thanks for the details.
Cute white dog, the mellowest dog I've ever seen.
He is getting to be an old man so he has definitely mellowed out but he still can zoomie with the best of them on a beach!
Well done, and many thanks. I would just add a three way fitting to let in the sugar, yeast and lemon!
YEAST?!? I was right there with you to the lemonade part....
A big Thanks! What is the pump model number? The website link is broken an d there is no additional information other than a broken link.
Excellent! Just what I've been waiting for someone to do! So - are you selling the complete assembly and install instructions as well? I'd buy those, as how else am I going to figure that all out? Fair winds 😀👍🏻🙏🏻
Hey there! We don’t sell the components but we did provide a list of the components we used (or their most recent model) in the blog post on the description 😊😊
Where's the demonstration? And any upgrades?
How loud is the system while running? Im worried that having to run it all day may be annoying?
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences with this DIY watermaker. Sounds like a great addition to many boats, both in terms of space and energy consumption as well as cost. Do you have a diagram of the final configuration with priming pump, dampening hose and flush connections that you could share?
The manual operation may be a big plus on boats that dont run the engine to generate electricity regularly (each day). A bit more effort, but never a surprise of having the watermaker draining the batteries on cloudy days.
Hi Jonathan! Andy is working on a diagram for our Patron Resource Library. It should be available to our patrons in the next hour or so!
have you replaced the needle valve as of yet? If so can you provide a source if you are happy with the new one?
Would a 40" membrane produce more water? The recovery claims to be 8% on the 40" while the 15" is 2% or am I misunderstanding
I kinda like the size, but I don''t really like that pump. I have a 12v 1hp pump. It pulls 80 amps, but I can get 40 gallons per hour on the high side and 35 pretty much in any situation. It cost around $1800. So just as a comparison to make 40 gallons of water on your system, you will probably run for 13 hours at 14 amps per hour. That is 182 amps. I would use 83 with the boost pump and be done in an hour rather than watching the system all day. You can go to SV Adventurers watermaker video:How to make a 30 gallon per hour watermaker. The parts are there in the more section and comments.
This pump would be around 1/4 hp, but I guess the real point is that it fits well with a solar system, in that, you can use it for a few hours a day, after the solar controller has finished charging the batteries (and would otherwise be dumping that power). 14A would be doable with a 300 or 400W system. Sure, a bigger pump would deliver water more quickly, but then you probably have to think of a different way to provide the electric current, and if that is a generator, you might just be better of running a 110 (or 220V) AC directly to the pump. In other words, this looks like a neat solution for smaller boats that have surplus solar power (at least some days). The only downside might be the noise level for an extended period, but i didn't hear them comment on that, so maybe that is not an issue.
@@stephenburnage7687where they placed the pump, I suspect noise is not an issue. If it’s in the galley or salon, that’ll be more of an annoyance.
Your system is definitely more efficient (assuming my watt calculations are close to accurate), but a solar based system that can muscle that pump would have to enormous. As the other gent mentioned, a reasonable option for a larger vessel. 180W for 2-3 hours would supply several days of emergency rations of water. If I was designing a system with large power use I’d definitely go with the bigger pump.
@@just-dl Nah the wire gauge to the pump is the biggest cost 8 gauge will do it over a short run in silicone insulated. The solar panels do a pretty good job of recovering the battery completely during the day. My batteries are LIFEPO4 and even most 100ah batteries can handle 80 amps continuously. I have 560ah in my boat.
@@allynonderdonk7577 you got the right batteries for the job. That’s an area where money is well spent not having to over think the DOD. Do you run the water maker in isolation? Or is that draw on top of normal everyday use?
At 3 gallons per hour that means an average sized tank would take 10 hours to fill. That's an awful lot of power if there's not much sunshine. Does a better pump mean more output of fresh water?
I think most of us use far less than 30 gallons of water per day. Our average usage is 4-5 gallons. We typically run the watermaker for a couple hours most days so we are definitely keeping up with our usage. We have set up our solar so that on sunny days our batteries are topped up by noontime so we run the watermaker on the “extra”. A bigger pump would mean more output but you’d also need to add a membrane or get a bigger membrane and your costs add up quickly. And a bigger pump would also consume more power.
Hey thanks for doing this for us.
Another comment is in regards to your needle valve. You mentioned lack of sensitivity to reset. In hydraulics we always turn to a Parker (Fluid Power) product called a color-lock. they have a very fine thread and a long slender taper needle. Just don't know if you can get them in stainless.
On the technical side, it would be very informative to hear and feel the difference of using pressure damping hoses and/ or accumulator dampener. Try reaching the manufacturer or supply shop for a demo. Good follow up video. Thanks for the video. Very fascinating.
Your amp draw is that ac amps or DC amps? Because depending on your inverter you DC amps is seven times the ac amps
I can’t find the details on the pump, will you kindly send me the details, please. I’m in Canada, thank you.
How much pressure is the fiberglass presumably designed to withstand? Also, why the needle valve and not a ball, gate or other design? I suspect it is for fine/granular control but curious if other valves are possible? And maybe a passive pressure regulator?
The housing is rated to 1000psi working pressure, burst pressure I would be 3-4 times that I assume. You’re correct, it’s needs something with fine adjustment to get the pressure correct. A pressure regulator is something I have thought about and may experiment with in the future.
@@AbroadReachTravel its mind boggling how much pressure that pipe can handle.
But now you need the reverse osmosis part as there are some minerals you need and get from your drinking water. Also look into a prefilter to keep sediment out 9:53
There is a prefilter. Andy talks about it at 3:55. And the total dissolved solids are within healthy drinking water standards. You don’t need to add back in unless you are distilling.
Wow Sailor great episode ❤
do you have an update link for the pump?
I’m a transplant from scho and jo. Well…. Don’t forget Ollie too. I like your videos.
I am so sad that this will be their last cameo on our channel for a while! But glad to have you here!!
11:35 how come you aren't flushing you system with sodium metabisulphite (a winemakers biocide) when not in use
Can i ask what the noise level is like? Obviously, by going with a smaller pump you will need to run the unit longer (several hours) but is the noise level disturbing?
As a cruiser who has built several watermaker I now build a bigger capacity watermaker at least 100l per HR, 200 per HR is better, run it for an hour and forget about it for a few days
When we originally designed this water maker it was to fit in our 1965 Alberg 30 so space was a HUGE factor. Also higher output is going to cost more money 😊 I think now that we have much more space on our T37 we will likely make a higher output version at some point!
Well done Gwen and Andy! Thanks for taking the time to document your installation and explain all you went through. Also, thanks for sharing all the components you used on your installation. I'm sure, many of us will use your "recipe" to build a more affordable watermaker. However, I wonder why you choose the smallest membrane... (Space, Cost, something else)?
Thanks,
Pedro - SV Tulip
Hi Pedro! Space was the main reaso since we original built this system to fit on our Alberg 30 and had already bought all the components just prior to buying our Tartan 37. Cost was a factor as well since we were trying to be under $1000 but it was mostly a space issue.
Hello and thanks for all the info you are giving us. Do you happen to know what is the biggest membrane this pump would work with? thanks again, I'm amaze at what you've done. @@AbroadReachTravel
My son on his boat he's using a dehumidifier and it runs around the clock any produces a good bit of water apparently he said about 5 10 gallons a day going count the humidity so high around the ocean what are y'all think That's what he's doing hey I think he cost him 200 bucks The one he's got does have a holes on it plus it also has a pump in it to pump the water he bought it I think it's $186 you paid for it I didn't know it would work but he says it does so what do y'all think
What is that movie scene from? Looks like das boot but the actor looks a little like james bond (but not sure which). Wasn't there a scene like that in no time to die? Don't remember haha
But it's ingenius and I will consider this! Watermakers are just so expensive, oh my god.
It’s from U571!
Great video really liked it. Seemed a little mean to let your friends drink the water right after the dog.
is this still holding up?
and thanks for the video btw👍
I think you should have had a few cuts from the Waterboy. That's some fine H2O
Hahaha missed opportunity! 😂
How's the system 10 months later?
How long will the membrane last?
I would have recommended flushing the system (operating it) for hours before drinking the water. Also, not sure if the teflon tape used was WRAS (or NSF) approved but I would look for that as well as meeting T-27730A mill spec.
Me too. You need to flush out the manufacturing preservative before consuming it yourself, or giving it to your dog… or dock neighbor… ❤
This was the second round of running it so it had already been flushed once before when the sealant failed a few days earlier. And it had been run for over an hour the second time but no one wants to watch it just running for an hour. The magic of editing. I promise we didn’t poison anyone.
@@AbroadReachTravel LOL! Very good. Nice job on the video and installation by the way.
This looks like a fine system for folks like me, solo live aboard cruiser with purely 12v charging system and single 300ah LFP battery. Wondering if there is anything you would have done differently with the benefit of hindsight?
I think our only regret was not redesigning for a bigger system (a second or larger membrane) when we bought our bigger boat. But then our costs would have gone up so I’m still not sure we would have done it. Two seasons in and it’s still chugging along! Just made 10 gallons yesterday!
Great episode, thank you. How loud is the pump while running? With how much it would be running I'm concerned about the noise all day.
I think loudness will definitely be relative to where you mount it. Ours is mounted to a bulkhead which did not help. The noise went down significantly after we installed the pulse dampener. I don’t have decibels (it’s currently pickled so I can’t grab it for you), but I will say I can’t hear it in the Vberth when it’s running and you can definitely still hold a normal conversation in the rest of the boat without it being intrusive. It’s significantly quieter than the engine and only slightly louder than our fresh water pump. Hope that helps! I’ll try to remember to come back here and update with decibels when we get it running again in a couple months!
@@AbroadReachTravel Perfect thank you for the update. That is what I was looking for, comparative to the fresh water pump is a great comparison.
How do you maintain a proper hardness of the water? You cannot drink destilled/ too clean water ?
Do you add minerals? Or have a mineralizing filter ?
The water that comes out is not distilled. There are still some left over dissolved solids (ie minerals/salt). The lowest we’ve ever seen is 100ppm but it typically runs around 200-250ppm which is similar to tap water. 😊
@@AbroadReachTravel OK! thank you for info , I have been working with ship evaporators and there the water comes out destilled and requires a mineralizing filter, RO seems much more simple - I going to build a small RO unit to evaluate the function :)
I posted these questions on your blog but I think the answers would have a broader audience here. Greetings, We were just about to push the button on a $3500 water maker when we found you. Thank you for the article. Couple questions. Why only 1 pre filter? Most if not all WM use a 20 micron followed by a 5 micron. Second is that a brass fitting I see on the product outlet of the housing? I just spent 2 days replacing a rotted out brass fitting in our boat. Is there enough pressure on the product port to push the water say 25 feet to the water tank? Also what is the pressure on the brine output port? I see the pressure gauge read 800 psi but the hose after that is a reinforced plastic hose. How does that hose take that kind of pressure? Also you mentioned you wanted to upgrade the pressure regulator, have you found one yet?
We only used one pre filter due to space constraints and the conditions we operate in. You can definitely use two.
A plastic fitting could be used, but we haven’t had any issues with brass fittings on our freshwater plumbing. We had a hard time sourcing fittings locally at the time, so we used what was available and on hand.
25 feet shouldn’t be an issue, but try to keep the restriction to a minimum. Any restrictions will need to be overcome by a slightly high operating pressure.
The needle valve is used to control the pressure of system by creating a restriction. Therefore upstream of the needle valve sees high pressure, downstream is very low pressure.
Is this the 107SS model?
3 gallons an hour...
For the aggravation alone, I'll just do the rainman portable.
While I appreciate the DIY approach, and certainly your willingness to share, I personally think that's why a proven system is likely the best route for most folks to consider.
If you have the space and cash…yup! 😊 but we didn’t have either when we set up the system and bought the components for our Alberg 30 🤷🏻♀️
@@AbroadReachTravel I get it. I love a DIY approach, personally. Going on my Meridian 459 and space isn't a controlling issue. Though my yacht may seem more extravagant, the only way I have afforded to retire to one, is by hard work and not spending money when I can do something myself, as good, and cheaper. But, in the case of a water maker, I have yet to find a DIY that I can build myself, as good or better than name brand, for any significant savings.
The added bonus, is I can pack it up and take it with me if I get an even bigger yacht, or lend it to a fellow cruiser for a few hours in their time of need.
I meant ZERO disrespect in my original comment, btw. I actually respect the hell out of not only you trying it, but also sharing your findings and outcome.
Your ingenuity and willingness to share make you the best kind of cruisers out there.
Fair seas !
Hello I check the company to buy the pump and it appear that they sale a new model all stainless steel do anybody have return on this pump?
Very cool
Isn't that a 37 Tartan?
Do you have a way to pickle the membrane?
Yup! It is easily pickled through the flushing port! We have been flushing with product water so that we can guarantee there isn't any chlorine so the flushing input is just a hose we can stick in one of our 5-gallon jugs. Easily replaced with a bucket of pickling solution! Since we are in the Chesapeake for the summer it’s currently pickled, we will bring it back to life once we are back in Florida!
At 1:40, Gwen says "Water is going to move through a membrane from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration." - Just the opposite, eh?
I think at 1:40 I’m talking about how osmosis normally works. During regular osmosis, water will move across a membrane from an area that has low concentration of non-water molecules (salts minerals etc) to an area with a higher concentration because it will naturally try to make the concentrations equal through dilution.
But with reverse osmosis, like we use in desalination, we use a high pressure pump to make it do the opposite. We force the water through the membrane leaving behind the salt and minerals. The product is fresh water the waste is extremely concentrated salt and minerals with a little water left over.
does the motor have enough power to use a 40" membrane or two of them?
No. The rejection rate is at about 75-80% with this set up. If you added more membrane area your product water would go up and rejection would go down but there wouldn’t be a high enough flow rate to remove salt/impurities. Would a video about how we calculated flow rates/rejection rates be helpful? We’ve been tossing around doing a super technical deep dive on this for those that would find it useful!
@@AbroadReachTravel I'd be really interested to know how to size a membrane based on available pressure washer (:
@@AbroadReachTravel Hello, any update on this? This vid is a bit confusing with only some of the assembly/install shown, the final product with additional part requirements discussed only. Also curious about flushing. Thank you.
nice, new sub here
watch the pressure to gal per hr. flow. dont ruin your membrane with too much pressure
Stick to l battle tested watermakers even if they are costly, especially portable one's just incase
1,000 psi? 🤨
Hi!
Are you sure this dog is not a cat?
Ahem, if you need a cheap "watermaker" (reverse osmosis water filter), come to Taiwan. A model for home use (just providing drinking water) can be had for USD 300+. There are several filters with different lifetimes of 1-6 months. They work with pretty weak motors, so you can just let it run continuously until the tank is full.
If you could provide a link to a few of them it would be very useful for us not in Taiwan
@@bearpanda3889 Surprise! It worked! Previous comments with links were not so lucky... Edit: Nope, disappeared again. Let's try this: Go to Google and search for these terms:
ro濾水器
RO純水機
That should yield a few results.
@@OlafFichtner Thanks for those links. i can see that they work but at the moment the server is busy so I will follow them up in more detail when it is quieter.
Question: why don't you manufacture them and make millions off of it?
Because there are already a lot of companies out there doing just that. The point of this is that if you have a small budget or not a lot of space there are options outside of the traditional commercial versions that might work.
Pretty scary. No engineering knowledge wrt pressure boundary codes and construction. No small wonder it leaked at first. No small wonder about the crystalised salt in the pump. No small wonder a booster pump was not used (very common to use a high volume, low pressure centrifugal pump to feed the high pressure pump). I find it incredibly scary at how laissez faire you are wrt pressure boundary. I would not go anywhere near that contraption. There is a reason why actual water makers cost what they do. Finally, your costing only includes the cost of parts and not the huge amount of time you spent jerry-rigging the watermaker. Everything has an opportunity cost. FYI, I am an actual engineer dealing with pressure boundary issues so I know little bit about what I am talking about. Using a high pressure positive displacement pump with no pressure relief valve anywhere in the system.
Still half the price.
Many don't go to university and become engineers and know what "wrt pressure boundary" means, but learn by doing (:
Plenty of cruisers have more time than money, which is why we look at DIY solutions to expensive problems. The poster has been honest about his mistakes, and the unit obviously does what it’s intended to, so I don’t see the issue here.