Tested the watermaker
After I changed the raw water filter with a shorter one and repositioned the desalinator to bring its water intake below sea level, I had to test it. The Staff Commodore for Waikiki Yacht Club, Michael Roth towed me out with the club whaler to cleaner waters. Michel Swenson was with us to help with the departure and return. Without extra hands, moving my rowboat out of her berth then back in, would have been impossible with the winds inside the marina.
My host Michel Swenson was with me on the way out of the marina. I did not want to take a chance with currents, swells or wind during the test…
Once outside, I flooded the water chest to fill it up to sea level. There is a button on the new filter housing which releases any air inside while flooding it with water. When this did not seem to work, I closed the through hull at the bottom of the water chest and using a bucket, filled the chest up to its brim with sea water to create extra head. Still no luck. I turned on the desalinator in bypass mode to have it move water through the filter but air bubbles seemed to persist between the filter and the desalinator intake.
Waikiki waterfront was a sight to enjoy from a distance.
As we began the return trip to the marina, I was despondent. Worst case scenarios were running in my head about lack of parts and how long it took to bring them from mainland to Hawaii. Getting a new tall filter and new valves for it was an option though it would cost me time and money.
After we docked the rowboat back in her berth, I began to inspect the system once more. Michel ran off to find distilled water to apply biocide; chlorine in tap water would damage the membrane in the desalinator. I then made a quick trip to a marine store for supplies.
With the longer hoses, I was able to manipulate the filter housing to remove all air out of it. This also positioned it even further down which seemed to do the trick. I will test again.
Once we reunited by the rowboat, I removed the filter unit from its mount then unscrewed the mount from the wall of the hold to get the mount out of the way. I replaced the hose extending from the water chest into the hold with a longer one so that I could lay the filter housing at the bottom of the hold; that was as low as I could place it. Lowering the housing allowed me to use the air release button on it and with a bit of manipulation, I got all the air out. So there was hope.
Before returning to the marina, I had filled a bucket with clean ocean water. Together with the distilled water that Michel brought, I was able keep the water chest sufficiently full to produce potable water. I will have to tinker some more with the desalinator to make sure that it works as intended.
Erden.