Rainman Frame 48VDC 140L, auto
What you are actually buying
Drawn to this model’s own published specification: framed, 2 × 40in membranes, and a pump driven by a 48V DC motor.
What it costs to run
A four-person crew using 25 litres a head needs 100 litres a day. On this system that is:
DC systems have to fit inside the energy your solar, wind and alternator can spare. Run the numbers against your own bank in the calculator.
Is it worth it?
At 9.8 watt-hours per litre it sits mid-table: 2.7 times the energy of the most efficient system we rank, and about 2.0 times less than the thirstiest. 984 Wh puts 100 litres in the tank.
Suits
- Filling tanks in a short window. At 100–154 litres an hour, 100 litres takes 0.8 hours — the length of an engine run you were making anyway.
- Owners who want it to start, flush and stop without them. That automation is most of the premium over the manual version of the same machine.
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone shopping on price alone. At $12,115 it is in the dearest quarter of the table, and cheaper systems make the same litres.
- Boats you cannot drill. This is an installed system: intake, seacock, brine discharge and a wiring run, quoted separately from the unit.
Worth pricing against it: Schenker Zen 100 makes 100 litres an hour at 4.0 Wh/L, so the same 100 litres costs 584 Wh less every day — for $2,515 less up front. See the Zen 100 →
Every line above is a consequence of a published figure. We have not tested this machine and publish no opinion on its build, reliability or support. How we judge systems.
Where it sits in the market
Ranked 16 of 34 rated systems on watt-hours per litre, where lower is better.
A conventional high-pressure pump, but with enough membrane area behind it to keep the energy per litre reasonable. How the two technologies differ →
What people cross-shop it against
The rest of the Rainman range
Common questions
- How much power does the Rainman Frame 48VDC 140L, auto use?
- It draws 1,250 W and makes 100–154 L/hr, which works out to 9.8 watt-hours per litre. Making 100 litres — four people at 25 litres a head — costs about 984 Wh, or roughly 82 amp-hours from a 12 V bank.
- How long does the Frame 48VDC 140L, auto take to make a day's water?
- At its rated 100–154 L/hr, 100 litres takes about 0.8 hours. Output falls in cold or silty water, so treat that as a best case rather than a promise for every anchorage.
- How much does the Rainman Frame 48VDC 140L, auto cost in Australia?
- Our indicative figure is $12,115, taken from the manufacturer's published US list and excluding freight, duty and installation. Australian dealer pricing is usually all-inclusive and reads higher. Ask a stockist for a landed AUD quote before you budget.
- Who sells the Rainman Frame 48VDC 140L, auto in Australia?
- 16 verified Australian businesses are listed as Rainman dealers or specialists, including Quadrant Marine, Spot on Marine, CROFTECH Marine and Motor. Each entry links to the manufacturer or company page that proves it.
- Is the Frame 48VDC 140L, auto efficient?
- It ranks 16 of 34 rated systems in our table on watt-hours per litre, where lower is better. The best in the table is 3.7 Wh/L. It uses a conventional high-pressure pump, which is the main reason it sits above the energy-recovery systems.
- Is the Rainman Frame 48VDC 140L, auto worth it?
- At 9.8 watt-hours per litre it sits mid-table: 2.7 times the energy of the most efficient system we rank, and about 2.0 times less than the thirstiest. 984 Wh puts 100 litres in the tank. It suits several cases: Filling tanks in a short window. At 100–154 litres an hour, 100 litres takes 0.8 hours — the length of an engine run you were making anyway. Look elsewhere if: Anyone shopping on price alone. At $12,115 it is in the dearest quarter of the table, and cheaper systems make the same litres. We publish no opinion on build quality or reliability, because we have not tested it.