Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] Re: Water maker power draw
Ian Shepherd <ocean53@...>
Gary,
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I fitted an AC current meter by drilling two holes in the left hand side of the grey plastic 220V box just to the right of the cupboard above the sink. The holes matched the two threaded studs the poke out of the back of the meter. I then bolted the appropriate leads in the AC system supply to the studs and presto, one very useful bit of kit which is viewable whenever the cupboard door is open. Total cost about $10. It measures AC load from both shore power and the genset. I have a 160 Ltr/hour water maker too, and the total AC current draw is 17 amps at full output. I note your further investigations to the sality probe function. When I get Crusader back in the water in abou 4 weeks time, I will do the same test that you did. What did you use to bung the hole that the probe screws into? Regards Ian SM 414 Crusader
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From: amelliahona Date: 02/19/06 11:03:14 To: amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Amel Yacht Owners] Re: Water maker power draw --- In amelyachtowners@yahoogroups.com, "edmund_steele" <edmundsteele@...> wrote: Ed and others:I had similar trouble with my 160 l/hr watermater on SM # 335. This behavior began about 6 months after it was new (about the time we set off across the Atlantic). The 20 amp breaker would trip intermittently and periodically just as yours did. This problem continued intermittently until recently when it became more frequent. So I checked the current draw at the 220 volt breaker panel in the galley by using a clamp type AC ammeter and with the high pressure pump running under load. The draw was only 13.5 amps. The breaker is a 20 amp breaker. Normally inductive motor start up loads are high and you would expect the trip to occur with HP pump motor start, but this has not been my experience. The trip would happen seemingly randomly and unrelated to load or start. I didn't have a replacement breaker so I adjusted the existing breaker. This is done by turning the red painted "set" screw on the back of the breaker slightly. I turned mine each 1/8th turn. This tensions a spring inside the breaker and raises the tension that must be developed on the bi-metallic conductive strip in the breaker that causes a trip when load exceeds the "breaker size" limit. Of course I no longer know what the actual trip value of this breaker is. I intend to replace it with a 25 amp breaker as soon as possible. Note that 13.5 amps is probably not the total current draw for the desalinator. The circuit box on the back of the watermaker control panel has a 25 amp breaker labeled "HP" presumably for the HP pump, and also a 6 amp breaker labeled "BP" which I presume is the "Brine Pump" or low pressure feed pump. I will take some more measurements next time I am on the boat to verify this I am trying to get a copy of the schematic and logic diagrams for the water maker from Dessalator. So far they have only offered to supplly an installation wiring diagram. I am prepared to reverse engineer this system to get to the bottom of these questions. Regards, Gary Silver s/v Liahona
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