Watermaker install on a Hunter 466?

artboas · Feb 23, 2015

Roger

rlamb said:
All,
I have a 2004 Hunter 466 and am getting ready to order and install a watermaker. Since I dont have a rear A/C unit I plan to install the watermaker under the Port aft cabin bed. My question is valving. I have the 3 tank fill hoses and was planning on building a valve setup where you select which tank the fresh water is sent to. I wondered if anyone with this same (or similar) boat had done this and how. I would love to learn from someone who has already done this.

If you had pics that would be even better.
Thx
Roger

I wouldn't do it this way.
On my 49, and I assume you have the same setup, all water tanks go to a manifold. I would simply plumb the water maker output to the manifold output.
This way you can fill the tanks singularly, or all of them.
Hope this works

Johnb · Feb 23, 2015

I am also planning a water maker installation and intend to take the production water to an intermediate container before putting it into the tanks.

That will give us the opportunity to check it before potentially messing up a whole tankful.

artboas · Feb 23, 2015

I wouldn't do it that way

Johnb said:
I am also planning a water maker installation and intend to take the production water to an intermediate container before putting it into the tanks.

That will give us the opportunity to check it before potentially messing up a whole tankful.

Here is what you want to do:
Just install a 2 way valve, with the alternative postion connected to a short length of connected light guage hose.
Then simply uncoil the hose and take it to the galley sink.
You run a bunch of water into the sink, and test it for taste.
Once you are satisfied, switch the valve to the other position
If you want to get fancy, forget the coiled hose, and put in a small spigot at the galley sink.
Lastly, if you want, you can buy 12v water solenoids for $15 on ebay
So, you install a SPDT switch at the galley.
In position 1, water flows to the spigot
Position 2, the other valve fills the tanks.
Less than $50 in parts. Also, it's really cool.

artboas · Feb 23, 2015

Yes

rlamb said:
That is interesting. My tank selectors are under the floor boards mid-ship. Does that mean that the watermaker you installed is basically "pushing" the water into the bottom of the selected tank? I didnt realize the watermaker could push against the pressue of the water in the tank. If that works it would be a great way to install.

That is more or less the way that Hunter installs their water maker
They just "T" into the blue whale hose coming off each tank.
FYI, I've done something a little different on my 49 for water fill at dock.
I plumbed the stern water inlet through a valve into my water manifold cold side.
Now I never need to fill my tanks from the deck fills.
I simply turn on the valve, and my tanks fill from the dock water.
Real easy.

artboas · Feb 23, 2015

By the way..

artboas said:
That is more or less the way that Hunter installs their water maker
They just "T" into the blue whale hose coming off each tank.
FYI, I've done something a little different on my 49 for water fill at dock.
I plumbed the stern water inlet through a valve into my water manifold cold side.
Now I never need to fill my tanks from the deck fills.
I simply turn on the valve, and my tanks fill from the dock water.
Real easy.

On the 49, the tank out lines go into the top of the tanks; not the bottom.
So, the system uses a dip tube into the tanks, and the FW pump suction pulls water from the tanks.
On my previous 40.5, I do remember that the water tanks had the outlets on the bottom.

Ninsar · Feb 24, 2015

Watermaker output

Yes, pluming the water maker via the manifold works fine.
The water maker has no problem filling the tanks through the bottom..
My setup has been pumping every 10 days for the last year without problems

See photo (attached) from 450cc installation.
The blue line is the input from the water maker.

Ron Roman · Feb 24, 2015

There is a article on installing a water maker on a Hunter 44 in this months( Feb.2014) Cruising World mag. Very good.

Watermaker install on a Hunter 466?

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