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Has anyone installed a shower sump pump on DE32.
Oasis has a nice shower curtain installed and has a very usable retracting sink-shower-faucet for taking showers. Currently the head's water drain goes straight down through the floor and water eventually exits via the main bilge pump (water drips -- or spews, depending on water volume -- into the bilge underneath the shower, runs underneath the water tanks, runs down underneath engine compartment somewhere, mixes with rest of bilge water, and is pumped out). It would be cleaner to keep the area under the head & the water tanks dry, and the main bilge shouldn't be taxed with possible hair clogging, etc from shower water. (Plus the bilge water gets pretty mucky from shower soap, etc.)
However this area under the shower is a bit inaccessible for running drain pipes and I'm not sure where the exit for any sump pump would be, or how to run the drain to best avoid clogging, so open to suggestions.
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I attached a hose to the thru-hull in the bottom of the sump, goes up inside the basin locker (as high as possible) via a strainer, to a hand diaphram pump (handle exits towards the head), to a simple in-line valve (to prevent siphoning back into the boat) then out thru a minifold above the sink outlet seacock.. Works well.
Tim - 'Pelli' DE32.
PS. not good to have anything draining into the bilge. Bad for smells etc. Also Plugged the fridge/freezer drain and sponge it out when neccessary. I have a totally dry bilge so I never have any dampness/mildew in the boat even when closed-up for a lengthy period of time.
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timbalfour said:
I attached a hose to the thru-hull in the bottom of the sump,goes up inside the basin locker (as high as possible) via a strainer, to a hand diaphram pump (handle exits towards the head),to a simple in-line valve (to prevent siphoning back into the boat) then out thru a minifold above the sink outlet seacock.. Works well.
Thanks that is great info. Though I take it the hand pump has to be worked regularly while taking a shower. Did you change the sump (to hold more water)? I just checked mine (don't know if it is the original molding or not) and it's only about 4" or 5" from shower floor to sump's floor —does not hold more water than,what,a couple liters? —so when taking a shower I'd imagine regular pumping going on,to empty the sump. There is space underneath the sump,so it could be a bit deeper (maybe 2"? Though the drain fitting might limit that distance.).
On Oasis,the sink outlet feeds into the toilet inlet (as well as to the thru hull out the boat)- so the sink's fresh water acts as the toilet flush water,if the jabesco's switch is flipped that way and if the thru hull is closed.
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Yes, I think the shallow sump is standard - but it holds more than you think, possibly nearer two gallons!! We find it plenty for at least one person. We are pretty frugal with our water though and have a shut-off valve on the shower head so that it can be easily turned off whilst soaping up.
Our sink outlet seacock is 1 1/2" ( the original was smaller) and has a threeway manifold above it (Forespar I think). The sump pump empties into it and the head inlet comes out of it as well. As you say - we can close the seacock and pump clorox through the head via the sink. The bad smells in the head always come from the inlet, not the outlet.
Tim - 'Pelli' DE32
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On Valkyr (DE38) the prior owners had a line from the shower drain running to an inline filter and inline pump that pumped water back to the main bilges. This did not work well at all. The filter clogged on a regular basis, like every other time you used it. If you took the filter out the pump clogged every other time you used it. I ended up just yanking it all out and have nothing there now and we don't use the shower. However I have purchased a small unit that is a box with a built in bilge pump and a decent sized scrum box built in. It has various sized inlets to run hoses from other places to it and then one outlet that you can run to a above the waterline through hull. My plan is to seal off the chain lockers and then run a hose to drain them back to this box so that water from the chains and openings up there don't run through the whole boat. Also the shower will drain to it. If it is overwhelmed with to much water it will just overflow and water will run back to the main bilge. I am hoping that it works well but only time will tell.
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You may want to look at a new design from Whale, The Gulley I C. It was written up in Practical Sailor's April issue. I sounds a little like a new twist on what you already have, so the install should be relatively easy (famous last words). A little pricier than the sump @ $243.00 P.S. is currently installing one in their test boat and should be reporting soon.
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Very nice..:) I want one.. It's prettier and cooler and has cool electronics:)
Your right though in that it is about 3 times the cost of what I purchased and it basically does the same thing. I think that for value it misses the mark. Certainly has cool factor though.
If I rolled my own system I could even buy a Johnson bilge pump with internal water sensor/on off switch and build my own little box to house it in and run the water into for around 50 dollars total. I have to admit that I bought my unit which is all pre-made at a premium over what I could have engineered simply because I didn't need another project and figured the time I saved not building it would be worth more to me than the extra dollars.
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I finished installing the new sump system last week. It works great. A bit more of a project than I planned because I installed a new electric panel on the boat to handle power for it and the refrigeration at the same time. I put that panel on the portside bulkhead over the fridge in the galley. The sump automatically pumps out as soon as the float tells it that it is full. I might wire a regular bilge switch at some point so I can turn it on manually if I want. The way it is designed though it is pre wired to only run automatically if the float switch comes on.
Pictures and a write up on it hopefully coming soon 🙂
scott
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Scott Carle said:
I might wire a regular bilge switch at some point so I can turn it on manually if I want. The way it is designed though it is pre wired to only run automatically if the float switch comes on.
I was thinking a good bet would be to use a timer switch.
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Not a bad suggestion.
I also like the suggestion I have heard to use a timer on the propane line to the stove so that if you forget to turn it off the timer will run out and turn it off. Physical timer unit/valve. Wish I knew where to buy one 🙂
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Scott Carle said:
If I rolled my own system I could even buy a Johnson bilge pump with internal water sensor/on off switch and build my own little box to house it in and run the water into for around 50 dollars total.
If using a bilge pump, then a small amount of water will remain in the bottom, correct? -- i.e. the pump itself must be submerged before pumping begins and there will always be residue from wash back.
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That is correct and the current off the shelf system I am using has that draw back also. however it has a lid and though not water tight if it flooded faster than the pump could handle it doesn't let odor out if the water goes sour that is sitting in it. A one way valve just outside the housing on the discharge line would keep it down to about an 1/4 inch of water or less with the pump that is in it I think.. I have purchased a valve but not installed it yet. Other than that the system has been in place now for a month or so. haven't used it much other than to test it. though it might be working when I'm not around if any water is coming in the chain locker from rain.. I don't think there is though.
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