Click for Abeking Click for Mulder Click for Comfort Click for Mag Bay Click for Nordhavn

SeaRecovery Salinity probe

Discussion in 'Cabo Yacht' started by CSkipR, Dec 22, 2013.

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

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    My day for questions. The salinity probe needs to be cleaned every once in awhile on my watermaker. On mine in order to clean you need to unscrew the probe which has a wire attached. Unfortunately it twists the wire to unscrew it and it twists it to screw it back in and I am sure that it will eventually break the wire. Anyone have a better method.
  2. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Don't monkey with it till it needs service. Other than the silt, you have good water where your at. Run it for a while every 4 to 6 weeks.

    I have dock water available for the input of my water maker. I can rinse the whole system with that.
    When the boat washers need 350+ gallons of soft water, I'll lite my HRO & Rich systems up and flood my tanks R/O from the dock. Wash boys get a treat and I get to run my equipment.

    What I'm trying to say; If it's not broke, Don't try to fix it.

    If you really have to remove it often and can not un-plug it from one end and coil it up, then install an in-line service plug, like a trailer light plug, near the sensor. Should have 2 leads and drain.
  3. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    RC Water maker

    RC,
    Well it must need cleaning again as I show no salinity measurement and have not for awhile. Not sure what you mean it should have two leads and drain. The probe is just one wire possibly two wires inside jacket, not sure. Here is a picture of probe wire and this is located on right side of watermaker. There is a sensor or something on the other side of the watermaker by the raw water filters. Hopefully this is the correct one.

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Dec 22, 2013
  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
  5. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    The whole assemble looks like you can remove it from the hangers, disconnect the 1/4" water tubes then un-screw the probe from the manifold with out cork-screwing the sensor signal wire.
  6. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    This one should be just after the filters and a low pressure (vacuum) switch. If your pre-filters clog, that switch will alarm and/or turn the system off.
  7. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Yes I think you are correct. Is there a way to check the probe to see if its working? The idea of the probe is to measure the salinity of the already filtered water correct? And each light represents a 100ppm of sw salinity.
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    The idea of the probe is to measure the salinity of the water after the membrane. It may be quick or several minutes before the water is measured a poor electrical conductor and deemed salt free.

    Your lights don't come on any at startup??

    If you have the valves/plumbing already in place for cleaning and de-bug-ing, then just circulation of boosted brine should lite up the lights for a few moments.

    When I started working on my old Rich system, I used a jar full of salt water made in the galley. Say heavy half ounce salt per pint of water. Then, I was just trying to make that D$%^ light come on & off.
    My Rich & HRO system have rather crude ways of enabling the logic without turning the pumps on; Paper in-between the open relay contacts.
    I would hope your newer system has a safer way to enable the system without running the pumps (maintenance/test switch). Then, drop your sensor into a jar of salt water.
    All of your lights should come on and brightly with this mixture.
    Then put in a jar of fresh water and the lights should go out and safe light on.
  9. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,120
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    We have a sea recovery aquamatic 900 on huge boat I run and I have never heard of having to clean the salinity probe... Where did you hear/see/read you have to?

    Of ours the probe is in the box, not by the filters. The only sensors by he filters are pressure sensors,

    I really don't understand why you d want to clean the probe...
  10. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 29, 2008
    Messages:
    8,120
    Location:
    Miami, FL
    If it s working it should read very high on start up, over 1000 ppm then gradually come down as you or the WM control increase pressure at that point it should come down to 300 or less
  11. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I generally see in the neighborhood of 2550 ppm of salt on startup and after a few minutes you should see 500 ppm or less. Most watermakers will not produce R/O water if the salinity is above 500ppm.
  12. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    SR900 AquaWhisper

    Pascal,
    They maybe the same watermaker. Mine is a SR900-2 AquaWhisper. Makes approx 900gls day. The reason to clean is the probes get some type of buildup. When that happens you won't get any salinity readings. It has happened to me a couple of times. It is in the manual on page K-16.
    Skip
  13. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    Do you flush the watermaker every 2 weeks? Is your carbon/charcoal freshwater flush filter changed frequently (every 3-4 months)?
  14. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Capt J,
    I flush it at least once a month sometimes more. On the large freshwater flush filter I changed it this morning. Change it every 6 -12 months. Guess I should do that more often.
    Cleaned and tightened everything today and the salinity meter was working well. Also changed the 5 & 25 micron filters. Slight leak when I put them back on. Call Beard to order filters and he said was probably the o rings. New ones on order.
    One more project almost completed. Started working on head. Swapped vacuum pumps and the problem stayed with the existing head. Going to check o ring that d_meister mentioned on head post.
    Thx, Skip
  15. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Usually the final (charcoal) filter is past the salinity probe.
  16. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Skip
    Been thinking about your probe requiring allot of cleaning.
    What kind of junk are you cleaning off of it (the sensor dots)?
    Looking back at your picture, any sediment in the line, would settle on the probe. Anyway to rotate that T a little to help keep sediment from settling in there?
    Maybe running mine for the boat washing kids keeps our sensors clean, but on other boats it was a routine maybe when needed, every 3 years+.
  17. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    RC,
    I was able to turn the T some so maybe that will help. Its not really sediment on the probes its more like a carbon or something similar. Also found a small piece of Teflon tape that was end there. Maybe now it will be better.
    Thanks, Skip
  18. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    OOeh, Got to real careful with sealants and tape with water makers. Keep the tape up from the thread end when you really have to use it. Food grade grease (little at that) & O rings are our friend.
  19. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    You may have some kind of copper (bronze?) buttons that make the electrical contact with the water.
    Plastic tooth brush or like used for cleaning? Or more aggressive cleaning required?
    I wonder if the mfg has designed a better probe yet?
    Maybe worth a call.

    When you just cleaned it, it work properly?
  20. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Yep just cleaning it worked.