If the boat is stopped, it is recommended that the water maker be rinsed with fresh water at least every week. For long periods it is necessary to “ winter ” it and use a membrane preservative to have the system prepared for the next season. In this way we prevent the growth of marine microbiology and protect the membranes in the long term. The system will remain ready for around 6 months for temperate climates and 4 months in the tropics; After this time, the conservation process must be rinsed and repeated if the water maker is going to continue to be stopped. To preserve and also protect against freezing in winter climates it is necessary to use antifreeze based on a propylene glycol solution.
If in the end we have not done a correct “wintering” and the membranes are dirty and we want to try to recover them, we can use other products to clean the system. An acidic cleaner will be used first (which removes mineral scale deposits) and then an alkaline cleaner (which removes biological matter and dirt from the surface of the membranes). However, it is worth remembering that chemical cleaning is usually NOT effective if membrane production has been reduced to below 80% of the original condition.
The basic procedure for all maintenance and cleaning treatments is the same: the chemical solution is circulated through the system for 20 minutes and then rinsed. It is important to always follow the manufacturer's instructions and not exceed the recommended doses.