Deprecated: Function set_magic_quotes_runtime() is deprecated in /var/www/vhosts/tartan37.com/httpdocs/t37forum/common.php on line 88 Tartan37.com • View topic - Dealing with the shower/ice box sump

Tartan37.com

Tartan 37 Owner's Forum - Ride the wind, but look good doing it!
The time is 28 Mar 2024 13:04

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 Posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 08 Mar 2023 07:26 
Offline
Able Bodied Seaman

Joined: 18 Jan 2021 20:46
Posts: 37
I'm tired of dealing with the kludge of hoses on my boat to empty the shower sump.

Currently there's a hose and strum box attached to a diverter aft of the "deep" part of the bilge. The diverter connects to the bilge pump mounted under the galley sink and has a separate hose and strum box in the deep part of the bilge. The diverter isn't mounted to anything and just floats there.

It's difficult to use and means I need to lift floor boards to check the sump and change the pickup via the diverter.

I was thinking of putting a separate pump in the sump, but I haven't figured out how to mount it since there is no clearance under the sump for a backing plate for the pump. I guess I could just mount it in the sump without a backing plate and hope for the best.

Has anyone found an elegant solution to easily keep the sump dry?

Appreciate any suggestions/pictures.

_________________
-Steve

Heart of Gold #343
Long Island Sound


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 08 Mar 2023 11:39 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 13 Feb 2011 21:19
Posts: 337
Location: Canyon Lake, TX
Yes, pictures please. My boat came to me with no sump attachments. Shower and icebox just drain to the bilge. I need to fix this as my Water Witch bilge switch stays on when soap scum covers the contacts. I just slide a paper towel between the base and the contact to clean it up but preventing the problem is a better solution.

_________________
Wayne
Master and Commander of the Sailing Vessel Impetuous
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing.
Subservient to no man except SWMBO
Any day without dock lines is a GOOD day!


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 08 Mar 2023 16:45 
Offline
Navigator

Joined: 06 Sep 2020 10:08
Posts: 99
I don't call what we have elegant, but it is what it is:

Our rebuilt fridge no longer has a drain, although the old hose (seems to be two hoses connected with a T) from the icebox still seems to be under the new fridge. It just hangs out in the bilge and does nothing. The aft wall of the sump has a thru-hull fitting which is currently plugged in case we want to install a new sink drain.

Hoses from the shower and the head sink drain combine in a T just behind the mast step. The outlet of the T goes to a thru-hull fitting in the forward wall of the sump.

A third marelon mushroom-style thru-hull in the bottom of the sump (near the aft edge) goes to a strainer and then to a diaphragm pump mounted behind the quarterberth (where a port lazarette would be if we had one). The pump output goes through a siphon-break and then into a bronze T fitting that's part of the port cockpit drain. A float switch in the sump can activate the pump, or it can be triggered manually from the Tartan 12VDC panel. (Photos of the pump, siphon-break and bronze T are attached)

Two bummers about this setup: the float switch doesn't trigger until the sump is fairly full, so left on its own it will leave a lot of water in the sump. Manual activation leaves about 3/8" of water in the sump because that's the thickness of the thru-hull's "mushroom head." That can be dried out if needed with a sponge. When I have some leftover epoxy from another project, I pour it into the sump so I can gradually raise the sump floor to make the thru-hull the low point and get rid of the residual water. (Of course there's been few epoxy projects since I made that part of the plan...)

I'll try to grab some pictures when I'm next at the boat.


Attachments:
File comment: siphon-break inside port cockpit coaming
PXL_20210806_191714983.jpg
PXL_20210806_191714983.jpg [ 3.67 MB | Viewed 0 times ]
File comment: sump pump behind quarterberth
PXL_20210806_191725354.jpg
PXL_20210806_191725354.jpg [ 3.41 MB | Viewed 0 times ]
File comment: Port cockpit drain thru-hull with T for sump pump
PXL_20210520_191135391.jpg
PXL_20210520_191135391.jpg [ 2.05 MB | Viewed 0 times ]
 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 09 Mar 2023 19:31 
Offline
Navigator

Joined: 06 Sep 2020 10:08
Posts: 99
Photos of the sump. Yes, it still has a little residual water, hair, and crud in it.

Photo 1 shows: inlet from the head sink and shower at the top, former inlet (now just a plugged hose) at the bottom, and the outlet drain in the sump floor. There's just enough room below the sump to allow a right-angle thru-hull fitting.

Photo 2 shows: outlet in the sump floor, unused fridge drain, and float switch


Attachments:
File comment: Photo 2
PXL_20230309_183505583.jpg
PXL_20230309_183505583.jpg [ 2.16 MB | Viewed 0 times ]
File comment: Photo 1
PXL_20230309_183453411.jpg
PXL_20230309_183453411.jpg [ 2.82 MB | Viewed 0 times ]
 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 09 Mar 2023 22:17 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 13 Feb 2011 21:19
Posts: 337
Location: Canyon Lake, TX
Well, I have some glass work to do. My sump had a slot cut into the lower part of the fore/aft wall. And no fittings are attached.

_________________
Wayne
Master and Commander of the Sailing Vessel Impetuous
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing.
Subservient to no man except SWMBO
Any day without dock lines is a GOOD day!


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 10 Mar 2023 07:44 
Offline
Able Bodied Seaman

Joined: 18 Jan 2021 20:46
Posts: 37
MadMike -

you're giving me some ideas here - thanks!

WayneH - do you at least have the inlets from the shower and ice box?

My sump doesn't have an outlet like MadMike - I have a cutout in the aft side of the box and a pump hose ran over the top of it to empty the sump. Perhaps you 'had' something like that.


Attachments:
sump-bilge.jpeg
sump-bilge.jpeg [ 2.03 MB | Viewed 0 times ]

_________________
-Steve

Heart of Gold #343
Long Island Sound
 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 10 Mar 2023 16:17 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 13 Feb 2011 21:19
Posts: 337
Location: Canyon Lake, TX
Ah, no. My slot goes across the sump about 1/4" from the bottom.

I need to glass that hole closed and then install new fittings.

_________________
Wayne
Master and Commander of the Sailing Vessel Impetuous
I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing.
Subservient to no man except SWMBO
Any day without dock lines is a GOOD day!


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 11 Mar 2023 10:48 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 21 Oct 2006 18:12
Posts: 325
Instead of a shower sump I just feed directly into an electric whale gusher pump connected via a water witch controller in the shower drain basin. It has worked well for over 15 years, nevers clogs or smells.
Never found the old shower sump ever worked well.

Richard


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 13 Mar 2023 06:20 
Offline
Able Bodied Seaman

Joined: 18 Jan 2021 20:46
Posts: 37
Richard -

That sounds most interesting - can you post any pictures, especially of the water witch placement? How did you wire the water witch?

And how do you deal with your icebox/fridge drain?

Thanks!

_________________
-Steve

Heart of Gold #343
Long Island Sound


 
 Profile Email  
 
 Post subject: Re: Dealing with the shower/ice box sump
PostPosted: 17 Mar 2023 18:49 
Offline
Skipper

Joined: 21 Oct 2006 18:12
Posts: 325
No pictures as I am away for 2 months, but the water witch is installed on the lowest part of the vertical part of the sump drain. I originally tried a small float switch but there wasn't quite enough room for the switch to come on reliably before it hits the bottom of the grate. Maybe a smaller switch would work. The timing for the water witch seems to work well for running for a few seconds to drain the water lower than the sensor too.
I plugged the fridge drain as I have a small grate at the bottom of the fridge/freezer and really don't seem to get much moisture in there, at the end of the season will just soak up the bit that I do get.

When home in mid May can do a picture of the water witch install if you want,

Richard


 
 Profile Email  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 15 Posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Powered by phpBB © 2002, 2006 phpBB Group