Bilge Growth

On my 1983 48' MY the A/C condensate and rear showers drain into the rear engine room bilge. I usually clean this every couple of weeks. Last week when I went to sponge it out I noticed a bunch of white slime the consistency of jelly fish. I scooped it out with my hand into a bucket. I checked again yesterday and I have some more in there. Has anyone experienced this? I started to put chlorox in but I was concerned I might damage the bilge pump or wiring. Any feedback/guidance would be appreciated. The ultimate solution would be a separate sump and overboard pump but in the interim I have the current configuration to deal with. Pouring an anti-bacterial solution down the shower drain woul get to all the surfaces. Any suggestions as to what that should be without damaging the bilge pump?

Thx, Bob B.

I don't think that any of the solutions that you mentioned will damage any of your equipment. You only need to worry about the bleach fumes building up.

Regular maintenance of your A/C drain should be a 1/6th solution of bleach and water poured though the drain monthly. That should kill anything that is growing.

Separation of those drains is the ideal arrangement. The best is to drain the A/C condensate over the side and install a sump and pump for the showers if you can't drain them over the side as well.

I'd install a separate sump if you can for the AC condensate. AC condensate is distilled water and is some of the most corrosive and rot-promoting stuff you've ever seen, since it has no minerals or dissolved anything in it. It also promotes amazing amounts of bacterial growth as well.

Thankfully all of mine go right overboard. Pouring the bleach/water mix in the drip pans keeps the hoses clear.

I once had an episode where water was spitting out of my A/C vent. The drip pan had clogged allowing the blower to pick up water and throw it at me. I"m glad I was on board at the time...

Got to keep those lines clear...

Bob, The white slime is most probably a build up of the remains of soap from the shower. I still cannot imagine that Hatteras did not install a sump for that shower, but the concensus here when discussed previously was that they did not. I would do a retro fit on that immediately. FWIW, I regularly use bleach and also "Clorox Cleanup" in my showers, head and bilge with no obvious ill effects.