SHOWER SUMP

[etcwade]

Hi fellow Tugnuts,

Recently my shower sump pump became inoperative. The symptom; aft bilge pump activated pumping soapy water overboard.

I have checked the 20 amp fuse on PDP and it is good. The sump is full. I loosened two (2) of the screws securing the top cover to relieve pressure.

The issue is how to remove the pump. I can remove all four (4) screws securing the top cover, but there does not appear to be enough verticle clearance to remove the pump. On CHUBASCO (R27 2011) the sump is situated under the sink in the head half way between the removable access panel and the hard shelf at the starboard lazarette.

I could use a little advice on the removal. Thanks everyone.

Gary Wade

 

[Tug@myHeart]

I installed a complete grey water system and managed to avoid touching that sump pump and containment box. Just the exit hose got rerouted. Good luck

 

[Irish Mist]

Can you check the wires to the pump? On my searay I had the same type of sump and had a failure and found the wires to the pump had corroded at the connection . If you use a wet vac and remove all the water in the sump and clean perhaps you may see a solution ..Also can you unfasten the whole container and move it to access the pump better? I know on the searay the pump was over 10 years old and still going strong
Good luck hopefully someone with the same situation has a solution

 

[Levitation]

It can be other things but most likely it is the float.
You will have to get the box open for that.
It takes sheer determination - and taking hoses apart - and unhooking/removing 'anything' that is in the way.
Some of us have put a three way switch on the pump for the future where we can bypass the float when desired and make the pump run manually.
I did take some pictures but never got them into the album.
Perhaps ROAM has some. I'm not sure of their album name.
When I replaced the float I put in a new pump also - just because it is a job and a half to get to it - better now than sorry.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but :mrgreen:

 

[Favunclerich]

Here's a link to a forum from a couple of years ago.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1958

I did replace the float switch and later the pump on Roam and wrote a procedure that you'll find in the forum. Roam is an R-25, so I can't speak to what might be different on an R-27. Hopefully the procedure will be helpful.

I'll reiterate what Denny says about adding a secondary switch while you're in there. If your switch fails open or your motor quits, you'll not be able to drain the sump. If the switch fails closed, the pump will run until you pull the fuse, disconnect the wire, or you drain the house batteries. I installed the switch linked below in the cabinet wall below the sink. It will prevent an unintended pump run, and if your float switch fails in the future, you'll be able to run the pump using the "on" position.

http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?pa ... id=2246837

Please call me at 586-254-6415 if you have questions. Good luck with the project.

Rich

 

[Kenny Marrs]

Hello Gary,

Any updates on the shower sump? I agree I would check the float switch on the unit first, before you pull everything out. This is a manual switch so you should be able to test the unit once the cover for the sump box is off. If you have an questions please give me a call at the shop, (253) 839-5213.

Thanks,
-Kenny

 

[etcwade]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the replies. Kenny I plan on getting back to the boat tomorrow, hopefully I will have an update then. Rich I too have thought of adding a bypass switch; a nice to have modification in case of float switch failure.

Thanks again to all for the assistance.

Gary

 

[JamesTXSD]

One other thing to check before you pull the shower box out: there is a one way valve (a "duck bill" valve) on ours (may be different on your boat) that occasionally needs to be opened up, if it has been sitting unused for a while. On ours, it looks like a piece of flat black rubber, but opens to allow water out. I have had to open that up (a Bic pen works fine for that), and it flows again. It may save you the hassle of removing/replacing.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[Osprey]

This thread has come at a good time for me. A couple of weeks back I woke at 5 AM to a humming from some unknown source. Once I got both eyes open I determined that the First Mate was not the source! (an easy one to fix). The sound was from the shower sump pump. I pulled the fuse, waited, than replaced it. All was quiet for a couple of hours, then the pump started again. A number of the above posts will be very helpful when I get to do the repair. This Tugnut site is a really good way for Ranger owners to help one another.

 

[Osprey]

I just finished installing a new Rule-A-Matic float switch in the shower sump on my Ranger 27. This is an awkward job which caused me to think some unkind thoughts about Mr. Ranger Tug's family tree! I noted that the sump pump, a Rule 500, should be fused at no more than 3A according to the pump's specification sheet. (The float switch is good up to 20A but you need to fuse to the weakest item in the circuit). Some folks believe that fuses are to protect the curcuit wires while others believe the fuse should match the electrical device specification. In either case the Ranger's 20A fusing seems excessive. My marine supplier told me he has seen these Rule pumps melt down when too large a fuse is installed. He was amazed that Ranger uses 20A.

 

[SEEKER]

Interesting all this shower sump discussion. I to just ran into a sump issue, I shut down our engine after cruising for about 2.5 hours and heard the familiar hum that was previously described, turned out my shower sump was running. I think I've used the shower 2x's since I bought the boat new in 2011. The timing was such that it was our last time on our boat for the season so I happened to have RV antifreeze on the boat. I just put a gallon of antifreeze into the drain and allowed the pump to pump it out than pulled the fuse. Now I get to look forward to replacing the float switch or pump next spring. I like the idea of a bypass switch, I will look at the previous link and see if that has pictures and descriptions. So does anyone know if there is a common problem with these pumps? Any service bulletins?

 

[Levitation]

The common problem with the shower sump box is that it takes four letter words in at least three languages to get it out and back in.
If you are not electrically inclined and handy with tools then forget about changing the float (assuming it wants to run continuously) and put a simple on-off switch in the power line and control the pumping manually.

 

[Osprey]

I took no pictures of the actual work but I could post a picture of the nasty slice on my left index finger (by the tail end of a hose clamp) or perhaps the dark bruise on my right forearm, about 6 inches above my wrist. The bruise was caused by the having to force my arm under the structure located above the shower sump box. A previous poster mentioned that one needs to file of the sharp edges off the structure. By filing you reduce the chance of cuts and scratches on your forearm.
One does not need to remove the whole box, only the cover held in place by 4 screws. Due to limited clearance one needs to use a ¼ inch ratchet drive fitted with a phillips screwdriver bit. A previous poster has described how to remove the filter, pump and float switch. It is very fortunate that Ranger saw fit to leave a sufficient length of wires such that the components can be lifted out into head for service.

 

[SEEKER]

I think I'll go with Danny-O's advice and put in a switch. I'd rather get a 12volt shock than a broken arm and bloody knuckles, at least the shock may be beneficial to my sanity by the time I'm done with the job.