Why choose an ECHOTec Watermaker?

RELIABILITY - While many manufacturers are satisfied by simply assembling standard off-the-shelf parts, ECHOTec engineers design into our product more proprietary components than most watermaker companies, in order to achieve ultimate reliability, performance and cost efficient operation.

COST EFFICIENCY - What makes ECHOTec the practical choice for cruisers as well as commercial users is that all innovative system components are built to allow the use of widely available off-the-shelf consumables and spares.

Proprietary System Components Designed to Eliminate Common Problems/Deficiencies:

1. DUPLEX SS PUMPS
   • Custom built duplex stainless steel high pressure pump heads for ultimate corrosion resistance, guaranteed for life vs. 316SS or bronze.
   • Premium efficiency high pressure pump motors are epoxy primed and polyurethane top coated vs. single component painted standard motors.
   • All ECHOTec high pressure pump/motor units are anti-vibration mounted with engineered soft vibration dampers - dramatically reduces noise transfer into the hull.
   • AUTOMATIC PRESSURE REGULATOR FOR ENGINE MOUNTED PUMPS - Custom Duplex spring loaded automatic pressure regulators for constant operating pressure at changing engine RPM’s with single O-ring seal vs. 316SS needle valves that require operation at fixed RPM, over pressure shut off devices and packings to be service.
2. CUSTOM HIGH PRESSURE FITTINGS
   • Custom built duplex stainless steel high pressure fittings for material consistence throughout the system vs. 316SS and/or bronze.
   • Custom built leak free O-ring sealed high pressure fittings vs. standard compression fittings.
   • Custom build large radius 90 degree high pressure fittings connect directly to hoses and components for low flow restriction vs. multiple NPT adaptors with 90 degree standard elbows.
   • CUSTOM CUT LENGTH OF HIGH PRESSURE HOSES - Field attachable high pressure fittings for clean do-it-yourself installations vs. standard supplied hose lengths with crimped fittings.
3. GUARANTEED PRESSURE VESSSEL
   • Custom engineered pressure vessels guaranteed for life, built with glass fiber reinforced epoxy and duplex end plug components.
   • No seizing or cracking of stainless steel bolts or retaining rings in contact with supporting aluminum parts – which is a common problem with standard GRP/aluminum/316SS vessels.
   • Custom O-ring sealed high pressure ports with threaded duplex backing plates on all pressure vessels.
   • No cracking plastic end plugs due to over tightened NPT high pressure fittings.
4. STAINLESS BRACKETS - 316 stainless steel custom filter housing brackets for ultimate corrosion resistance vs. painted aluminum or mild steel.
5. CONTROL PANEL - 316 stainless control panels vs. painted aluminum panels that easily corrode in contact with stainless gauges and valves (no mix of metals).

Where can I purchase consumables?

Other than most competitor brands, ECHOTec watermakers do not require proprietary consumables. 
All pre-filter housings and RO pressure vessels are built to standard sizes in order to allow replacement with widely available spare elements.

Remarks like: “consumables are manufactured exclusively to more demanding requirements and higher specifications” may indicate that this manufacturer’s product requires the purchase of proprietary spares and consumables at drastically elevated prices, only to meet the listed system specifications.

However, there is a vast difference between off-the-shelf consumables, especially within pre-filter cartridges:

A laboratory test with a highly concentrated mixture of water and coarse test dust was performed to demonstrate relative performance between different types of pre-filter cartridges.

The test results below dramatically show that “inexpensive” string wound cartridges hold, depending on their filtration surface 80% less sediments. They can filter only 10% of the seawater than the twice as “expensive” pleated polyester cartridges.

Other than spun or woven filters, pleated polyester cartridges can be cleaned several times before they need to be exchanged and therefore are more than 20 times as cost efficient!

For your comparison, ECHOTec pleated polyester cartridges have an effective filtration surface of 6 sq. ft. per 9-3/4" length; 2-3/4" O.D.; 1-1/16" I.D. element.

AC and belt driven watermakers work well with almost any quality RO membrane element. DC systems perform better with high rejection membranes.

In case you cannot obtain suitable quality consumables locally, all products are available economically priced and for same day shipping from parts@echo-marine.com