The right portable watermaker desalinator depends almost entirely on how much water you need, how much power you have available, and whether you want something you can move between boats, vehicles or campsites. This guide skips the jargon and walks through the practical questions that actually determine which unit makes sense for you.
What a Portable Watermaker Desalinator Actually Does
A portable watermaker forces raw water, seawater, brackish water, or river water, through a semi-permeable reverse osmosis (RO) membrane at high pressure. The membrane passes clean water molecules through while blocking dissolved salts, bacteria, and most other contaminants. The concentrated brine is discharged overboard or to waste, and you collect safe, fresh drinking water on the output side.
The key word is portable. Unlike a fixed below-deck unit, a portable system requires no installation. You place it where you need it, connect a hose to the water source, run the output to a tank or container, switch it on, and make water. When you are done, you pack it away or move it to your next location.
That simplicity is exactly why portable desalinators have become so popular with Australian sailors, off-grid travellers, and remote-area workers over the last decade. There is nothing bolted in, no plumber required, and the same unit can go from your catamaran to your 4WD to a remote property without modification.
The Output Question: How Much Water Do You Need?
Output, measured in litres per hour (LPH), is the number that most directly determines which unit you need. Get this wrong and you either buy more machine than you need, or you find yourself running your watermaker for impractical lengths of time every day.
A rough guide for planning:
- Drinking and cooking only: roughly 3 to 5 litres per person per day at sea
- Drinking, cooking and basic washing: 8 to 15 litres per person per day
- Showers and full domestic use: 20 to 40 litres per person per day or more
For a crew of two on a coastal passage making conservative use of water, a 10 or 20 LPH system run for an hour or two each day is often sufficient. For liveaboards, charter boats or larger crews expecting creature comforts, you need to step up considerably. Our article on how much water you actually need goes into the maths in more detail.
Matching the Right Unit to the Right Use
LEDI makes three distinct systems, each aimed at a genuinely different type of user. Here is how to think about which one fits your situation.
The LEDI Scout: portable, solar-friendly, no install
The LEDI Scout is the unit that most people asking about portable watermaker desalinators actually need. It is a self-contained 12V DC system available in 10 LPH or 20 LPH output. The whole unit weighs 18 kg, making it a one-person carry, and setup takes minutes: drop the stainless intake over the side, connect the supplied hoses, and switch on. No drilling, no installation, no plumber.
It runs on 16 to 18 amps at 12V, which means a standard house battery with 200 to 400 watts of solar handles it comfortably without a generator. The built-in UV steriliser means the output meets Australian drinking-water standards, with 99.4% salt rejection and typical output TDS of 250 to 300 ppm, well under 800 ppm.
The Scout handles seawater up to 35,000 ppm as well as brackish water and river water, making it equally useful for coastal passages, inland camping, and remote properties. It is manufactured on the Gold Coast using a Pumptec 107SS high-pressure pump (made in the USA) and 316 stainless steel components. Pricing starts from $4,799 AUD.
The Scout suits: trailer sailers and cruising yachts 20 to 50 feet, catamarans, smaller crews, campers and 4WD travellers, and anyone who wants to move the unit between vessels or locations.
The LEDI Nomad: higher output for bigger crews
The LEDI Nomad is designed for users who need more water than a 20 LPH portable can reasonably deliver. Available in 40, 60 or 80 LPH output and in 12V, 24V or 48V configurations, it includes an integrated control panel, two-stage pre-filtration, TDS and flow monitoring, and autoflush compatibility. At around 38 to 42 kg, it is heavier than the Scout but still a genuinely portable and relocatable system.
The Nomad suits liveaboards, larger crews, charter boats, and anyone who expects showers underway or heavy daily water use. Pricing starts from $8,299 AUD. Final pricing on the higher output configurations is being confirmed, and the Nomad is available very soon. If the Nomad sounds like the right fit, register your interest with the team and they will keep you updated.
The LEDI Modular: when you want it out of sight
The LEDI Modular is a kit for permanent or semi-permanent below-deck installation, suited to refits and new builds. It is configurable from around 10 to 80-plus LPH, includes a remote control panel and auto freshwater flush, and is designed to be installed out of sight in a locker or engine room. Pricing depends on configuration. If this is the direction you are heading, the team can work through the specifics with you directly.
Power: the Detail Most People Overlook
One of the most common concerns about portable watermakers is power consumption. The Scout draws 16 to 18 amps at 12V, which sounds like a lot until you do the maths. Running the 20 LPH Scout for one hour uses roughly 200 watt-hours, which is well within what a modest solar setup replenishes on an average Australian day at sea.
You do not need a generator. A house battery bank with 200 to 400 watts of solar running the Scout is a setup that many coastal and offshore cruisers already have. This is a practical advantage over 240V or high-draw systems that require shore power, a generator, or a large inverter. Our article on whether a watermaker can run on battery power covers this in detail if you want to check your own setup against real numbers.
What Does a Portable Watermaker Desalinator Cost in Australia?
This is a question worth answering honestly. The LEDI Scout starts from $4,799 AUD. That figure sounds significant against cheaper filter-based options, but the comparison is not like-for-like: a filter purifier cannot remove dissolved salts from seawater, which means it simply cannot replace a watermaker for marine use.
Compared to traditional fixed marine watermakers, which commonly run $10,000 to $25,000 installed, the Scout is considerably more affordable. The reason comes down to how LEDI builds and sells: manufactured on the Gold Coast rather than imported, sold direct with no distributor markup, and using non-proprietary commercial-grade parts that are serviceable anywhere. The same Pumptec pump and RO membrane used in the Scout are found in commercial marine installations worldwide.
Ongoing costs are modest. The 5-micron pre-filter cartridge is $25 AUD. The RO membrane is $300 AUD and typically lasts several years with proper care. Maintenance chemicals for flushing and pickling are $12 AUD. All wear parts are field-replaceable, and LEDI posts spares Australia-wide and internationally, usually within one business day. You can browse the full spares range here.
For a fuller breakdown of what watermakers cost across the market, see our article on how much a watermaker costs in Australia.
What Maintenance Does a Portable Desalinator Need?
Portable watermakers are not maintenance-free, and any seller who tells you otherwise is being misleading. The practical requirements for the Scout are:
- Pre-filter changes: the 5-micron cartridge needs replacing based on your source water quality and hours of use. In clean coastal water this might be every few weeks of heavy use.
- Freshwater flushing: when the unit is not being used for more than a few days, flushing the membrane with fresh water prevents biological growth. This takes a few minutes.
- Membrane pickling: for longer storage, the membrane needs to be preserved with a food-safe biocide solution to prevent biological fouling. LEDI's maintenance chemicals cover this.
Every part that wears is individually replaceable. There is no need to return the whole unit for a service unless you want to. LEDI offers lifetime in-house servicing on the Gold Coast, and the 1-year warranty extends to 2 years when you register your unit after purchase.
Portable vs Fixed: When Portable Actually Wins
Fixed watermakers have their place, particularly on larger vessels with dedicated space and the electrical infrastructure to support them. But for a meaningful proportion of Australian sailors, the portable option is genuinely the better choice, not just a budget compromise.
The practical advantages of a portable desalinator include no installation cost, no loss of locker space to a permanent installation, the ability to move the unit between boats or use it off the boat entirely, simpler fault-finding when something goes wrong, and no need to replumb when you change vessels. If you want to weigh this up more carefully, our article on portable vs installed watermakers lays out both sides without a sales angle.
Ready to Find the Right Unit?
If you know what output you need and how you plan to use your watermaker, the choice between the Scout, Nomad and Modular is usually straightforward. If you are not sure, the LEDI team is happy to talk through your situation and give you an honest recommendation, including suggesting a competitor if they genuinely suit your needs better.
Call +61 494 562 668, email info@ledi.com.au, or browse the full product range at lediwatermaker.com. You will speak to a real person, not a call centre.
0 comments