Whale Gulley IC shower sump work started - 2011

It is time to start the shower sump project, tested this new\used one.

August 2010 - At Marina Cortez Harbor Island, San Diego, CA
We have previously removed the old shower sump (SS) from the boat. It was a large rubber box with a bilge pump in it. It was open to the air and bilge.

 You see the old one next to the new\used one we got at the Shula Vista swap meet. The new one has a cover that screws on. I think the old one still worked but because it was open it would sit there with standing bath water in it. Not good.

We tested the new SS and there are previous posts on all this.

Now that we have freed up the through hull for the shower sump and winter is approaching it is time to get a move on. The through hull (TH) we are going to use for the SS is the old macerator through hull. It is the correct size for the SS but not for the macerator. It is also easily accessible behind the salon back cushion. The original SS TH was under the bed.

 When we installed the new macerator we also ran a new SS discharge hose to the TH. Not connected yet but it is there. Now it is time to mount the pump and start the connections. Problem is the old SS was incased in fiber glassd. We got a lot of it out when we removed the old SS but there was a fair amount left in the bilge. That is this project. Remove all the old fiber glass, clean it up and paint it out so the space is ready for the new SS.

 We have now gotten an even newer shower sump. My how the technology has changed. With this new SS there is no standing water at all. We like that. So now to sell back the SS we got at the swap meet.

WHALE PUMPS

Gulper IC Gray Water Systems

We also purchased the 2-Way Manifold with the pump.

300 GPH, Port Size: 3/4" and 1"

 We used the battery powered Ryobi cutting\grinding tool for this or as much as possible. We have two Lethem batteries and neither would seem to hold a charge very long. This tool does seem to use a lot of battery. We also use it to cut SS tubing. Using it we got most of the big sections of fiber glass cut out. OnIy it makes a real mess and I was wearing a respirator and safety goggles. Well at least one of them as I would forget the other at times. I was trying!

 The gutting was loud and dirty and dusty and the edges were sharp.  Laying on the deck reaching into the space with the tools you do need to be cautious as this toll will take a finger off real easy or cut into the hull in a flash. I cut myself only once being impatient and pulling on a piece of fiber glass. Gee imagine that me being a bit impatient. Taking battery being dead breaks I would go out on deck and do some compounding and waxing. When the big chunks of fiber glass were out I switched to the Dremel and an old saw bale that fits the Dremel. It worked sop fine I could have used it for the whole job. 

Because of dead batteries it would maybe have been easier. It did fit good in the tight spots and it was not such a worry about hitting the hull.

Now with all the fiber glass out the iron sander got some work.

 The clean up was of course a pain. After working all day then coming home to the boat and moving out the new bead system we had stored there and the new SS etc and getting the tools set up etc and then doing the job you get wore out. Then clean up dam, after all it is home so no putting this off till later.

 Something like that?

 Now we placed the pump into the area which it will mount just for kicks. This will be a nice setup. Plus it will have redundancy. We are going to get the same pump to use as the main every day bilge pump. If the a pump goes out they could be switched around. 

Ok all cleaned up and ready to paint.

Now that it is painted out the next part of the project will be to mount the pump and connect the hose to the TH and wire up the pump. You can see he progress here.

1. Then there will be connecting the pump to the 2-Way Manifold
2. The run a vent hose from one of the manifold hose barbs
3. The run a hose to a strainer and then to the shower.
4. Also we will need to place a strainer over the shower drain.