Shower Pump

[rangerscott275]

I have one of the 53 MY's where the two rear head's share 1 shower in between them...this shower has a 32V pump that is used to pump the shower water out. I have rebuilt this pump 3 times in the last couple of years....I think the pieces just don't fit together right....after it runs for a period of time that various pieces start to come undone....I have used locktite and a number of other solutions....in any event I'm telling you this because I have exhausted my patience with rebuilding and trying to get the pump to stay together. I believe most recently I have burned out the motor on it which is the most expensive part anyway so instead of dealing with this unit, I'm getting a new one. the question is should I get another standard 32v pump and keep it hooked to a manual switch that I pull when showering or is there a better solution? Whatever I do, be it the same type of pump or something different, I want it all to be new. I want trouble free showering for as long as possible b/c as it's been, I'm going nuts. Any suggestions? Thanks for you help in advance!

 

[thoward]

Here you go
http://www.reddenmarine.com/site/new-detail.cfm?id=RUL98

You could easily make one for a 32v system.
Rule 32v 2000
Super switch(auto)
1/4 starboard
3m 5200

 

[wndsr]

mine uses a typical shower sump system similar to ones that can be purchased at west marine etc. The problem is-the 32v systems are pricey. I simply made one using a 32v bilge pump and float switch mounted in the plastic shower sump box.

 

[rangerscott275]

the only problem with one of those boxes is it has to be located lower than (below) the shower drain so water flows down to it and is then pumped out. I'm not sure where I can locate given that requirement. any suggestions?

 

[doc g]

Scott , I just a few seconds ago ordered a new Rule 2000,32V and float switch for my aft head. Go to www.hamiltonmarine.com they have the best price I could find. Use a float switch then you don't need to turn it on and off and it will act as another bilge pump also. Mine is in a hole under the aft bed which requires me to hang upside down up to my waist to get to it . Real fun with a flashlight and tools dropping . Gotta be careful who's around when you do this one. At least the bilge monster gets fed. How does all that stuff you drop in the bilge disappear??..........Pat

 

[Pascal]

any bilge pump will do, but i think a 2000gph is not just an overkill but it will flow back more water than a smaller one, resulting in frequent cycling.

scott, i dont' understand your concern about the level / location of the pump. alll sumps need to be lower than the shower unless you have some diaphrgam pump but that's not a standard setup... PO mod ?

i also have the single shower shared buy the both heads. my sump in in the stbd ER, under the forward part of the engine. that location works fine. I think some 53s or 58s have the sump under the master SR floor.

i used to have an atwood 32v sump which failed. i replaced it with a 12v rule sump, which was ok since i have a 12v bank for the inverter and a few other things on the boat.

if you can find a small 32v pump (under 1000gph) you can jsut put that with a float switch in your existing sump or any plastic box that woudl be big enough....

 

[rangerscott275]

Hey there,

yes, I have a diaphragm pump currently...I guess I thought that was original b/c it sure looks old! that is what I have rebuilt numerous times. I thought this was the standard set up given that amount of space below the drain on the shower is limited. I'll measure areas tonight for placement of sump box & pump. Thanks!

 

[thoward]

any bilge pump will do, but i think a 2000gph is not just an overkill but it will flow back more water than a smaller one, resulting in frequent cycling.

I agree but I have never found a 32v pump smaller than the Rule 2000. Rule is the best and I would not go with anything else. 12v would be the cheapest way to go it is a PITA if you do not have 12v or need to run wires a great distance....

 

[Pascal]

that's what i thought... problem with a 2000 is that the hose is larger and the pump itseld will hold more water. when it stops, all that water rushes back and i woudlnt' be surprised if that alone will be enough to lift the float high enough. especially if the hose is pretty long... and adding a check valve is going to be a major source of headaches...

my blueprints show the sump pump under the master SR for the 58YF and under the front of the stbd engine for the 53MY... hose is routed under the VIP head and in the bilge... actaully, I'm wondering if it woudln't make any sense to put the sump under the stuffing box... that woudl also catch any drip and keep the stbd bilge dry

 

[Traveler 45C]

There’s nothing wrong with using a big pump in this application since it will also double as an extra bilge pump. I set up my fwd bilge this way, now a high water pump for this compartment is unnecessary.

Good point about the backflow Pascal, but there shouldn’t be any issues with the float switch, I don’t have any problems with my set up. The pump will be cycling anyway; water will be coming in from the shower drain…until the shower is over.

 

[rangerscott275]

when you suggest that it can double as a bildge....is that because you aren't putting it in a seperate box and hence pumping the shower water right into your bildge or is it because you are putting in box but not putting top on the box so that if bildge was to fill it would spill over sides of box and hence trigger shower sump (bildge) to start pumping out as well?

 

[Traveler 45C]

The idea is that if that compartment was to start filling up, water would rise to the top of the shower sump box (no lid) and begin to fill. The float sw. would trigger the shower sump pump (large capacity) and act as a high water pump (alarm separate) and assist the real bilge pump in saving my boat. You can’t have too much pumping capacity, especially when you’re sinking…

I wouldn’t want shower water dumping direct to the bilge…YUK!

 

[rangerscott275]

me neither! thanks for the help....I'll check out where my hose is currently run, spacing and whatnot tonight and get this figured out. I imagine using a shower sump will also be a bit cheaper than a new 32V diaphragm pump which is somewhere in neighborhood of $350

 

[rangerscott275]

Ok, now I'm changing my mind....since everything is already in place for manual diaphragm pump.....I have been pricing other replacement pumps and found this flojet pump.

http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=32651F

It is 32 V, can be manually activated....question is will it self pirme and be fine if I kick it on when dry?

Since it is only $106.95 I think it would be easier than getting a sump box & new bildge and re-laying the hosing so it stays below the drain

any problems with this that you can think of?

 

[Fanfare]

My 50MY has this shower setup. The shower pump is a PAR Sea Gulp Jr. diaphram bilge pump, and is the most reliable pump on the boat. Contrast this to the foward shower which has a Rule centrifugal pump and a float switch. This NEVER works. If the Rule has not frozen because the shaft has rusted then it won't work because the float switch has failed. Or it got left on and burned out. I have on my list replacing it with another diaphram pump. Then, if the pump is inop at least shower water will fill up the hose and begin pooling on the shower floor to warn me. As it is, it overflows the shower sump box under the deck and I learn it has broken again only when the bilge alarm goes off. (This is particularly bad if I happen to be the one in the shower as it alarms my crew!)

The diaphram bilge pump has the benefit of producing a suction vacuum and therefore does not have to be mounted beneath the shower. There is no room under my aft shower for anything because it is right against the hull. My pump was originally mounted in the generator room, but I relocated it in the stbd engine room because of easier access. A diaphram pump will never backsiphon and will suck all the water out of the hose. They last a long time because none of the motor parts are in contact with the water, and they don't get accidentally left on because they make burping/sucking sounds that cannot be ignored.

My pumps are 12v, and easy to obtain. Replace your old pump with a new 32v one and I bet it will last for years.

 

[thoward]

It only pumps 3 gpm and I will bet dollars to donuts your shower puts out more than that! Do you have acess to the bilge under the shower? If so you could use a large(as large as will fit in the acess hole) tupperware container and 5200 the switch and pump in to the bottom then, lay the hose in the container, finally hook up the wires and the output hose.....done deal have a beer

 

[rangerscott275]

Perfectly said Jim....I just ordered the new 32V diaphragm thinking the same thing. thanks

 

[rangerscott275]

yeah, but 3.3 gpm is fine I think for pumping a shower....I think either solution is fine, but on my last boat I had same problems as Jim with the bildges in boxes failing and think that the diaphragm I have in place now is just old and beat and a new one will drop right in its place with relatively no hassle and then I'll be able to have that beer!

 

[Fanfare]

(Pressure) water pumps don't have the suction of a bilge pump and they don't seem to handle debris or hair as well as a bilge pump. Also, most are more expensive, probably because of the complexity of the pressure-regulating sensor. You can guess how I learned this.

 

[thoward]

yeah, but 3.3 gpm is fine I think for pumping a shower....I think either solution is fine, but on my last boat I had same problems as Jim with the bildges in boxes failing and think that the diaphragm I have in place now is just old and beat and a new one will drop right in its place with relatively no hassle and then I'll be able to have that beer!

Better go get a 5 gal pail and a stop watch