Click for Westport Click for Glendinning Click for MotorCheck Click for Burger Click for Cross

Sea Recovery Aqua Whisper Watermaker

Discussion in 'Watermakers' started by CSkipR, Mar 11, 2013.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Messages:
    7,388
    Location:
    My Office
    When you apply 12V to it does the valve move? If the 12V is constant to the pins at all times it might be because the control switching is done elsewhere
  2. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2004
    Messages:
    5,375
    Location:
    Sweden
    I am answering without knowing your setup, but watermakers I have run can flush for more than five minutes before starting to fill the tank...
  3. dikikh.dm

    dikikh.dm New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2015
    Messages:
    22
    Location:
    Malta
    I thought about it, I let it work for 1 hr and still no product water coming. Also, I guess, that the salinity indicator must show that water is bad, but it always shows only one green led.

    I disconnected and connected back 12V supply to the valve, but it makes no difference.
  4. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2005
    Messages:
    7,388
    Location:
    My Office
    Are you sure the 12V is a complete circuit and that you are not just tapping into it when testing midway?

    There should be a click or clunk that you can feel if the valve is operating.
  5. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    There is a salinity sensor and then a production flow valve. The valve doesn't open if the salinity sensor reads over 500ppm salt content, I think the salinity sensor completes the electric circuit for the product flow valve. (Generally a bad sensor or bad membranes causes the valve not to open). Also if the pressure is too low, like 600 psi the salinity sensor also won't read correctly a lot of times. Get it running and slowly bring it up to 800-830 psi, then see if it will produce.
  6. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,120
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    It s either the valve or maybe the ECU isn't sending the signal to kick it in.

    If you're is an 1800 model, should it be putting out more than 30 GPH? We have a SR aquamatic 900 is it usually puts out 39ghp.
  7. dikikh.dm

    dikikh.dm New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2015
    Messages:
    22
    Location:
    Malta
    Thanks all.
    Seems, that it works OK now. As Capt J advised, I increased operation pressure up to 850 psi and the solenoid valve actuated. Probably it never actuates unless the pressure is at maximum, but I didn't know this.
    Now I can clean it and replace filters with an easy mind.
  8. bobhorn

    bobhorn Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2014
    Messages:
    232
    Location:
    Kemah, TX
    What happens if you want to make water in brackish water? Running at 850 psi would overload the membrane by producing more than the rated flow. You should be able to make water with all kinds of feed water by slowly raising the back pressure until you get the rated output. If the unit only works at 850 psi you are limited to only making water while using salt water.
  9. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    No, the sensor detects salinity content in the product flow and if the salinity doesn't fall below 500 PPM, then the product flow valve doesn't open..... since the incoming water (brackish) has a lot lower salt content, then running a lower pressure, the membranes would still produce freshwater at a lower operating pressure and you can still make water. I'm guessing because his unit hasn't run in a long time has a little to do with it, but at lower pressures either the unit isn't making enough product flow for the valve to open or the membranes were so packed with salt that they didn't produce good water until being run at a higher pressure or just needed to run a few mins. On the FCS watermakers, if you don't start them with the valve set to run at 800psi or so, the unit times itself out and shuts down before you can crank the valve up to even make fresh water.

    I've run a water maker in pure freshwater before, and was making the rated 30 gph at 300 psi, but every couple of minutes as the salt got flushed out of the membranes they kept getting more efficient and I had to keep lowering the pressure until after 10 minutes it leveled out at 100 psi......Don't ask, we left the marina after spending the night, and between the 2 mates, neither thought of topping off the 600 gallon water tank because I forgot to tell them to, even though we had been travelling for over 3 weeks at this point and I assumed they would fill it.....like at every other stop LOL.