-----Original Message-----
From: Paul [mailto:sailmanpc@...]
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 3:37 PM
To: amelyachtowners@...
Subject: [Amel Yacht Owners] Re: Water Maker Info



Hey there....in response to you question on the watermaker and
washing machine...I too like to make water while doing the wash.
Until lately I have not had a problem running the both together. In
Dec I found that my high pressure pump was leaking...Amel indicated I
would need tho have the pump rebuilt. At the same time the genset had
a hard time starting the watermaker and would kick the breaker unless
I started the watermaker with no other load. In in the Virgins
waiting for my Raymarine GPS and autopilot to be repaired so I could
sail down to Martinque to get the pump rebuilt....well today when
atempting to make water...the pump now stalls the Genset...my bet
more $$$ than just a rebuild....of course only 3 months out of
warranty. One would think the think would last for more than 200
hrs... Paul Camp SM418 Lady H WDB5667@...

--- In amelyachtowners@..., "Ian Shepherd" <g4ljf@c...>
wrote:
> As promised, here is the word on Dessalator water makers. It comes
via their
> UK agent who met with Patrick, the number two at Dessalator last
weekend. I
> was hoping to forward an email from them, but to date it has not
arrived.
>
> Firstly our water makers are designed, built and installed with the
salinity
> probe functional. The diverter valve will only send the water to the
> freshwater tank after the 2 minute timer has completed it's cycle
and the
> salinity probe detects that there is a low enough salt content. The
reason
> why my short circuit test of the probe did nothing is that in order
to
> prevent erosion of salinity tester probes, the polarity in reversed
some 500
> times per second. Short circuiting does not simulate salty water. I
guess
> the only way to test it would be to cap the probe hole and dunk the
probe in
> a cup full of salt water.
>
> If at any time the salinity probe detects salt, the unit does not
shut down,
> but diverts the water overboard. The green 'water good' LED will
also change
> colour.
>
> Patrick also said that membrane perforation is very unlikely, the
more
> common problem being that the membranes clog up, causing reduced
output. It
> is possible that an O seal will fail or that a membrane end cap
might split.
> However, if this happens, the salinity probe will detect bad water
and
> immediately operate the diverter valve to send the bad water over
the side.
> The symptoms of a perforated membrane would be an increased flow
rate above
> normal and a low pressure indication.
>
> So in a nutshell, we have nothing to be concerned with. Our
Dessalator water
> makers are perfectly safe and should a membrane failure occur, they
will
> fail to a safe condition.
>
> In our conversation, one interesting point was raised. I don't know
about
> you, but when I am using the washing machine, I do try and use the
gen set
> to advantage by also running the water maker to replace the water
used.
> Unfortunately, I cannot run my 160 l/h unit at more than about 80
l/h, else
> the gen set trips. Does anyone else find this happens? Maybe I have
a slack
> circuit breaker on the Onan. It should trip at 30 amps AC.
>
> Patrick says that to run the water maker out of the green range is
not good
> practice. The reason is that the membranes are constructed by
rolling up the
> material like a roll of wall paper. In order for the membranes to
achieve a
> perfect seal, they need to be under pressure, else sea water can
work its
> way from the centre of the roll to the outside, maybe at
concentrations just
> below the salinity probe detecting unsafe water. It will be OK but
not taste
> quite so good.
>
> I hope this clears up once and for all any doubts about our
equipment, which
> I have always found to be excellent. The latest models have an
automatic
> back flush, which may be beneficial if you don't use your water
maker
> regularly. M. Wagner says that it is only necessary to back flush
if you are
> not using the system for a period of 10 days or so, but automatic
flushing
> might improve the taste and prolong the membrane life if you forget.
>
> I have an inquiry out to see if the modification to an automatic
back flush
> is feasible on our circuit boards, and at what cost. I will post
the answer.
>
> Fair Winds
>
> Ian Shepherd SM 414 'Crusader'
> ----------
>
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>
>
>





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