Rainman Portable 12VDC 34L
What you are actually buying
Drawn to this model’s own published specification: portable, 1 × 40in membranes, and a pump driven by a 12V 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 12.7 watt-hours per litre this is one of the thirstier systems we rank — 3.5 times the energy of the most efficient, for the same litre. 1,270 Wh a day for a crew of four is an engine run, not a solar surplus.
Suits
- 12 volt boats with no inverter. It runs straight off the bank, drawing about 106 Ah a day at 100 litres.
- Boats where it has to come off. A portable unit stows, moves between boats and can be serviced on a bench rather than upside down in a locker.
- Tight budgets. At $4,898 indicative it is in the cheapest quarter of the table — the saving is up front, and the energy is where you pay it back.
Look elsewhere if
- Solar-only boats. 1,270 Wh a day is more than most cruising arrays spare once the fridge has been fed.
Worth pricing against it: Schenker Zen 30 makes 30 litres an hour at 3.7 Wh/L, so the same 100 litres costs 903 Wh less every day — for $1,402 more up front. See the Zen 30 →
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 26 of 34 rated systems on watt-hours per litre, where lower is better.
A conventional high-pressure pump with limited membrane area, so each litre costs comparatively more energy. Fine on a generator, expensive on a battery bank. 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 Portable 12VDC 34L use?
- It draws 400 W and makes 26–37 L/hr, which works out to 12.7 watt-hours per litre. Making 100 litres — four people at 25 litres a head — costs about 1,270 Wh, or roughly 106 amp-hours from a 12 V bank.
- How long does the Portable 12VDC 34L take to make a day's water?
- At its rated 26–37 L/hr, 100 litres takes about 3.2 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 Portable 12VDC 34L cost in Australia?
- Our indicative figure is $4,898, 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 Portable 12VDC 34L 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 Portable 12VDC 34L efficient?
- It ranks 26 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 Portable 12VDC 34L worth it?
- At 12.7 watt-hours per litre this is one of the thirstier systems we rank — 3.5 times the energy of the most efficient, for the same litre. 1,270 Wh a day for a crew of four is an engine run, not a solar surplus. It suits several cases: 12 volt boats with no inverter. It runs straight off the bank, drawing about 106 Ah a day at 100 litres. Look elsewhere if: Solar-only boats. 1,270 Wh a day is more than most cruising arrays spare once the fridge has been fed. We publish no opinion on build quality or reliability, because we have not tested it.