Katadyn · Watermaker

Katadyn PowerSurvivor 40E & 80E

The PowerSurvivor 40E is Katadyn’s small 12 V reverse-osmosis watermaker for yachts up to about 13 m: a stainless steel piston pump with energy recovery, driven by a gearmotor through an eccentric drive, that makes about 5.7 l/h at 4 A and can be converted to hand pumping when the power fails. Katadyn still lists it as article 8013438, although US dealer Fisheries Supply marks it as no longer available; the larger 80E (12.9 l/h, 12 or 24 V, separate housing with two membranes) was discontinued in 2017 and the 160E in 2010. Later units have a grease-lubricated drive instead of the original oil bath. The hand-operated Survivor 06 and Survivor 35 are liferaft units that go back to a Katadyn service centre; they appear here only as pointers.

Manuals & documents
Wear parts & part numbers
Service intervals
Specifications
Good to know
Videos & how-tos
On the marketplace

Manuals & documents

The links go to Katadyn’s own documents — some as archived copies of pages the maker has since taken down. We host no manuals or drawings.

PowerSurvivor 40E owner’s manual: installation, operation, seal and drive service, troubleshooting Operation manual katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN · DE · FR
PowerSurvivor 80E owner’s manual (12 V and 24 V) Operation manual support.katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN
PowerSurvivor 160E owner’s manual (scanned) Operation manual support.katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN
PowerSurvivor 40E fact sheet Spec sheet katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN · DE · FR
PowerSurvivor 40E product page: specs, spare parts, downloads Product page katadyngroup.com · EN · DE
PowerSurvivor 40E box contents with kit numbers Spares list katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN
Repair seal kit PowerSurvivor 40E (8012610): fitting instructions Servicing guide katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN
Repair seal kit PowerSurvivor 80E (8012889): fitting instructions Servicing guide support.katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN
PowerSurvivor 40E kit reference: which kit for which fault Servicing guide support.katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN
Troubleshooting the PowerSurvivor: how to Servicing guide support.katadyngroup.com · EN
Survivor/PowerSurvivor kit instruction sheets (seal, check valve, membrane, silt, plunger rod, spool valve, eccentric drive, brush kits) Manual portal support.katadyngroup.com · EN
Katadyn support articles on Survivor and PowerSurvivor: spares, membrane, motor, drive, lubricants Manual portal support.katadyngroup.com · EN
Survivor 35 owner’s manual (multilingual) Operation manual katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN · DE · FR · ES · IT · PT · SV · DA · FI
Survivor 06 owner’s manual (multilingual) Operation manual katadyngroup.com · PDF · EN · DE · FR · ES · IT
PowerSurvivor 40E product page as Katadyn published it in 2004 (12 V and 24 V data) Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
PowerSurvivor 80E product page as Katadyn USA published it in 2007 (variants, article numbers) Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN
PowerSurvivor 160E product page as Katadyn USA published it in 2007 Archived maker page web.archive.org · EN

Wear parts & part numbers

Part	OEM number	Also fits	Note
Pump seal kit	`8012610`^1,2,3,4,5,6	—	40E. Katadyn’s complete set of user-serviceable pump seals: piston and rod seals, check-valve poppets with springs, reject valve seat, O-rings, the membrane quad seal, lubricants, Loctite 270 and the piston seal installation tool. About an hour’s work, three hours the first time.
Pump seal kit	`8012889`^7,8	—	80E (12 and 24 V), as listed in the 80E owner’s manual; instruction sheet print no. 8012825. Katadyn’s web shop no longer shows it, so ask Katadyn service whether it is still available.
Reverse-osmosis membrane	`8012793`^9,10,2,11,12	—	40E and 80E: one element in the 40E, two in the 80E (also Survivor 35 and the old PowerSurvivor 35). The kit holds element 8012980 (12.9 in) with quad seal, O-rings and lubricant; the quad seal goes on the seawater end, away from the product water nipple. Limited shelf life: Katadyn says buy it when you need it.
Prefilter element	`8013323`^15,2,13,16	Pentair (Pentek) `R30`^13,14	40E and 80E (Katadyn: all PowerSurvivors). Standard first stage, 30 micron pleated polyester, 2.5 × 9.75 in; a new 40E comes with two. Katadyn’s box list and product page name the spare element as a Pentair R30. Never use paper elements.
Prefilter element	`8012858`^17,2,18	—	40E and 80E (Katadyn: all PowerSurvivor models). 5 micron second stage for the housing of the silt reduction kit, after the 30 micron element.
Silt reduction kit (second prefilter + booster pump)	`8012859` · `8014409`^{19,20,21,2,7,22}	—	A second housing for a 5 micron element plus a 1 A booster pump, bracket, hoses and fittings (two 5 micron elements included). 8012859 is the 12 V kit (40E, and the 80E and 160E with 12 V), 8014409 the 24 V kit for the 80E and 160E. The booster pump and its plumbing must sit below the waterline. Spectra’s shop page calls the elements 2.5 micron; Katadyn says 5 micron.
Storage & cleaning chemicals	`8013609`^23,2,7,13,24	—	Membrane preservative, 240 g (8 oz); 40E and 80E (on the 160E it is called biocide). Mix at no more than 2 % for the 40E; a pickled unit keeps for about a year below 25 °C. One tub comes with every new 40E. Spectra’s shop page says up to 6 months; the Katadyn manuals say about a year.
Storage & cleaning chemicals	`8013615`^25,2,7,26	—	Alkaline cleaner, 240 g (8 oz); 40E and 80E. For organic fouling (biofilm, brackish water, poor storage). Never mix it with the acid cleaner.
Storage & cleaning chemicals	`8013608`^27,2,7,28	—	Acid cleaner, 240 g (8 oz); 40E and 80E. For mineral scale; use it after the alkaline cleaner if output stays low, with a flush in between.
Storage & cleaning chemicals	`8021285`²	—	Propylene glycol, 106 oz, listed in the 40E manual. Food grade; mixed at more than 25 % into the preservative solution when the unit may freeze.
Valve kit	`8016525`^{29,30,2,13,31,32,7}	—	Spool valve kit (the reversing valve); fits the 40E, 80E and 160E. A spare comes with every new 40E, and it is Katadyn’s first suspect when water passes freely but no product water comes. Pressed in with the supplied tool and screw. One drawing in the 80E manual labels it 8018615, which is the 40E relief valve kit; order 8016525.
Piston, rod & O-ring	`8013877`^33,30,2,34	—	Plunger rod kit, 40E: assembled rod with seals, backup washer, bushing, spacer, wiper block and lubricant. Cures most leaks at the piston next to the gearbox; rods usually get scored after a prefilter failure. Spectra’s shop page for this kit carries 8013615 in its address, which is the alkaline cleaner; Katadyn’s number is 8013877.
Valve kit	`8012665`^2,35	—	Check valve plate kit, 40E: the complete check valve plate with O-rings and lubricant, for intake or pressure-building problems.
Valve kit	`8018615`^36,2,37	—	Relief (cleaning) valve kit with socket, 40E: valve, two O-rings, two screws and lubricant. Opens at about 1000 psi; the lever must be down (run position) to make water.
Valve kit	`8018664`^13,14	—	3-way valve kit, 40E: the two plastic 3-way valves that switch between seawater and the chemical intake and between tank and drain. Comes with every new 40E.
Piston shaft seal	`8013013`³⁸	—	Flared seal, 40E, sold singly (two are in the repair seal kit). Katadyn’s usual cause of leaks at the back of the pump; when fitting, push the thin edge fully into its bore.
Service kit	`8019114`^{39,2,40,41,42,43}	—	Eccentric drive kit (Katadyn’s drive service kit); fits the 40E, 80E and 160E. Conrod with slider, eccentric, ball bearing, grease and small parts. Replaces a worn drive or converts an old oil-filled drive to grease, and is needed whenever an oil-filled drive has been opened.
Motor-gearbox unit	`8013994`^2,42,44	—	Motor and drive kit 12 V, 40E: complete gearmotor with eccentric drive, for a general overhaul.
Motor	`8013402`⁴²	—	Replacement motor 12 V, 40E, without the drive; pair it with the eccentric drive kit 8019114 if the old drive is oil-filled.
Motor brushes	`8012649`^2,45,46	—	Brush kit (two brushes) for 12 V motors: the 40E and, according to Katadyn’s motor article, the 12 V 80E and the PowerSurvivor 35; not for 24 V motors. Apart from a complete motor, brushes are the only motor part Katadyn sells.
Hose	`8013989`^2,13	—	Hose kit, 40E: intake hose (34.5 in) with strainer, 10 ft product water hose and the brine hose; 3/8 in ID reinforced hose for intake and brine, 3/16 in ID clear hose for product water.
Onboard spares kit	`8012606`^18,47,2,7,5	—	Discontinued. Extended cruise kit for the 40E: repair seal kit, one acid and two alkaline cleaners, one preservative and six 30 micron elements; Katadyn now sells the parts separately. Also discontinued: preventive maintenance package 8012607 (cruise kit plus silt kit); for the 80E 8012895 / 8012905, for the 160E 8012513 / 8012514.
Pump seal kit	`8012520`⁴⁸	—	PowerSurvivor 160E only (not 40E/80E), from the scanned 160E owner’s manual; Katadyn specifies it about every 500 h.
Pump seal kit	`8013053`¹¹	—	Not for the 40E/80E: Survivor 35 and the discontinued PowerSurvivor 35. For a PowerSurvivor 35 Katadyn also lists O-rings 8013013 (1×) and 8013012 (4×) and suggests re-using the old bushings. Katadyn now routes Survivor 35 service through authorised service centres.
Reverse-osmosis membrane	`8013166`^49,50,51	—	Survivor 06 only: element with seal, plug, two O-rings and lubricant; limited shelf life. Katadyn says the Survivor 06 is factory-calibrated and belongs in a service centre, so ask Katadyn before you fit it yourself.

Numbers checked against the sources below on 13 October 2026. Always confirm against your serial number and exact type before ordering.

Service intervals

Task	Interval
Prefilter change	Check after every run and smell it before each start; if anything is trapped, empty the bowl, fit a clean element and grease the bowl O-ring. Dirty elements can be rinsed in the sea, dried in the sun and reused; replace them as use demands²
Fresh-water wash	Before any idle period, flush with the first product water you saved at start-up, never with chlorinated water. Without a flush the unit may stand for up to 3 days²
Storage / winterising	Idle for more than a week (3 days in the tropics): pickle with membrane preservative at no more than 2 %. That protects for about a year below 25 °C; repeat yearly. Add food-grade propylene glycol (over 25 %) if it can freeze²
RO membrane	Clean only when output has dropped at normal voltage, salinity and water temperature: alkaline cleaner first, acid second; recirculate 15 min, soak 5–10 h, recirculate 30–60 min, flush. With good care the membrane lasts several thousand hours; replace it when salinity stays high after a fresh seal kit²
Lubrication	Piston shaft: now and then and always after a membrane cleaning, wipe the exposed shaft and grease it with silicone (non-petroleum) grease²
Pump seals	About every 1000 h on the 40E and 80E, whether or not it leaks or output has dropped; on the 160E about every 500 h^3,48
Grease	Eccentric drive: about every 1000 h, or whenever seawater may have got in: open, clean, inspect and regrease (the bronze slide bushing takes no grease); housing bolts 25 Nm. Do not open an oil-filled drive without the eccentric drive kit^2,42
Motor brushes	About every 5000 h: have the brush wear and the commutator checked²
Full service	Survivor 06 and Survivor 35 (hand units): every year test with real or simulated seawater for output, quality and leaks, then refill with fresh preservative. Units unserviced for 4 years or more usually need a new membrane; Katadyn replaces rather than services units older than 12 years^52,51

From Katadyn’s PowerSurvivor 40E owner’s manual (print no. 8012602/9) and the repair seal kit instruction sheet; 160E values from its scanned manual, the hand units from Katadyn’s support portal. The hours are guide values. Drive: the 40E manual says units from June 2014 have a grease-filled drive, while Katadyn’s support portal speaks of oil-filled drives before 2013, so check yours before opening it (thread tape on the large plugs facing the membrane and oil inside mean an oil bath).

Specifications

Models	PowerSurvivor 40E (12 V, still listed) and PowerSurvivor 80E (12 or 24 V, discontinued 2017). Pointers only: PowerSurvivor 160E (discontinued 2010) and the hand-operated liferaft units Survivor 06 (article 8013419, 0.89 l/h; also as Survivor 06-LS-RES) and Survivor 35 (article 8019948, 4.5 l/h; same membrane kit as the 40E)^53,54,55,10
Versions	40E: article 8013438, 12 V; Katadyn’s 2004 page also listed a 24 V version (3 A). 80E: modular 12 V 8013441 and 24 V 8013442; enclosed and vibration-damped 12 V 8013443 and 24 V 8013444^14,56,57
Years built	40E: on Katadyn’s website by 2004 and still listed in 2026 (article 8013438), though Fisheries Supply marks it as no longer available. 80E: discontinued 2017. 160E: discontinued 2010^53,56,14,58
Type	Reverse osmosis with a 316 stainless steel piston pump and built-in energy recovery (the brine pressure pushes on the back of the piston), driven by a 12 V gearmotor through an eccentric drive. 40E: membrane inside the pump assembly; 80E and 160E: separate membrane housing. Can be converted to hand pumping^2,14
Flow rate	40E: 5.7 l/h (1.5 US gal/h) ±15 % at 13.5 V, about 151 l (40 US gal) a day, from 57 l/h of feed water. Less in cold or very salty water and at low battery voltage^2,14
Flow rate	80E: 12.9 l/h (3.4 US gal/h) ±15 % at 13.8 V, from 129 l/h of feed water⁷
Flow rate	160E: 25.4 l/h (6.7 US gal/h), from 300 l/h of feed water⁴⁸
Voltage	40E: 12 V DC; do not run it below about 11 V²
Current draw	40E: 4 A average at 12 V (somewhat more when new), about 8.5 W per litre^2,14
Current draw	80E: 8 A at 12 V, 5 A at 24 V⁷
Current draw	160E: 16–21 A at 12 V after a 20-hour break-in; a 24 V version was also built⁴⁸
Breaker / fuse	40E: 10 A fuse or breaker²
Breaker / fuse	80E: 15 A at 12 V, 10 A at 24 V⁷
Power cable size	40E: at least 1.5 mm² (16 AWG); 2.5 mm² (14 AWG) for runs over 6 m²
Battery	40E: a bank of at least 60 Ah at 12 V; 4 to 5 hours of running a day cover four people⁵⁹
Operating pressure	40E: about 55 bar (800 psi) at the membrane; the relief (cleaning) valve opens at about 69 bar (1000 psi)²
Test values	40E: salt rejection 98.4 % (minimum 96 %). Katadyn counts water below 1500 ppm TDS as drinkable and expects below 1000 ppm after a membrane change^14,2,60
Weight	40E: 11.3 kg (25 lb) for the pump, motor and membrane unit^2,14
Weight	80E: pump 15.4 kg (modular); enclosed version 22.2 kg^7,57
Weight	160E: pump 16.3 kg⁴⁸
Dimensions	40E: 15.2 cm high × 44.5 cm long × 40.5 cm wide; prefilter housing 30 × 15 cm²
Dimensions	80E: pump 15.7 × 44.5 × 34.3 cm; separate membrane housing 79 × 6.4 cm (31 × 2.5 in); enclosed version 23.6 × 52.8 × 43.2 cm^7,57
Dimensions	160E: membrane housing 64 × 8.9 cm (25 × 3.5 in)⁴⁸
Mounting	40E: membrane housing horizontal, in a dry, cool space free of fuel vapour and away from bunks; leave enough hose so the unit can be moved and pumped by hand²
Operating temperature	Ambient below 40 °C, so engine rooms are usually too hot. Clean open-sea water only: no oil, chlorinated dock water, silt, foul water or red tide²
Inlet hose	40E: 3/8 in ID reinforced hose; through-hull at least 1/2 in (13 mm) ID with seacock and coarse strainer; teeing into an engine or generator intake is acceptable²
Discharge hose	40E: brine through 3/8 in ID reinforced hose; product water through 3/16 in ID clear hose²
Inlet hose	80E: 1/2 in ID intake hose⁷
Discharge hose	80E: brine 1/2 in ID, product water 1/4 in ID; high-pressure hoses to the membrane housing 3 ft and 5 ft long⁷
Lubrication	40E: grease-lubricated eccentric drive on units built from June 2014, oil bath before (see the note under service intervals). Pump seals and O-rings: non-petroleum silicone grease only²
Lubrication	160E: oil-bath gearbox⁴⁸
Tightening torques	40E drive housing bolts: 25 Nm²
Pump strokes	Hand operation (40E): unpin the piston from the drive, unbolt the drive (four nuts, 1/2 in spanner), fit the supplied handle bracket and lever, then make about one full stroke every 2 seconds²
Warranty	40E: two years in the current owner’s manual; Katadyn’s product page says three years on most components. 80E: three years. Seals, O-rings, filters and the membrane are wear parts^2,14,7

Good to know

Most “no water” complaints are air leaks on the suction side. Check every joint from the through-hull to the prefilter bowl, double-clamp everything below the waterline, fill the prefilter bowl with seawater before starting, and if in doubt run the unit from a bucket of settled seawater to rule out the intake.⁶¹
Carry a spool valve kit (one comes in the box): if water flows freely through the pump but no product water appears, it is Katadyn’s first suspect after the bucket test. A leak at the piston next to the gearbox usually means a scored plunger rod, so the plunger rod kit is the second spare worth having.³⁰
Log output against battery voltage. A slow drop over months points to a dirty membrane; a sudden stop is almost never the membrane but air, a valve or the seals.²
Keep the greases apart: silicone grease is for everything in the pump, while the heavier drive grease belongs only in the eccentric drive because it can ruin the membrane. Petroleum-based lubricants damage seals and membrane.⁶²
Check whether an older 40E still has an oil-filled drive (thread tape on the large plugs facing the membrane, oil inside). Such a drive cannot simply be opened and closed again: have the eccentric drive kit ready before you take it apart.⁴²
When fitting a seal kit, push the two flared piston shaft seals fully into their bore, leading the thin edge in with a thumbnail; half-seated seals are the classic cause of a leak at the back right after a rebuild.³⁸

Videos & how-tos

Links to YouTube, nothing embedded. The maker’s own channel comes first; the rest are channels we found clear and correct for this model.

PowerSurvivor drive upgrade: from oil-filled to grease drive with kit 8019114 Video Katadyn · maker’s channel · EN

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Sources

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