Rainman Modular AC 140L
What you are actually buying
Drawn to this model’s own published specification: modular, 2 × 40in membranes, and a pump driven by an AC 240V 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:
This is an AC system, so it needs a generator, shore power or a large inverter. The Wh figure is what the generator has to cover.
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.
- Awkward spaces. The modules mount separately, so they fit around obstructions a single frame will not clear.
Look elsewhere if
- Boats without a generator or a large inverter. 1,250 W on 240 V is not something a modest inverter starts happily.
- 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 $4,140 more 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 13 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 Modular AC 140L 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.
- How long does the Modular AC 140L 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 Modular AC 140L cost in Australia?
- Our indicative figure is $5,460, 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 Modular AC 140L 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 Modular AC 140L efficient?
- It ranks 13 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 Modular AC 140L 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: Boats without a generator or a large inverter. 1,250 W on 240 V is not something a modest inverter starts happily. We publish no opinion on build quality or reliability, because we have not tested it.