cleaning and maintaining the dreaded shower sump....

[CliffA]

up front I will tell you I have been negligent on cleaning the shower sump on our boat....I am ashamed to admit but is has been a very long time since the last cleaning.....

well, I went in this past WE and as would be expected it was NASTY......but it was still functioning properly somehow in spite of the scum and hair build up....I used Spray Nine cleaner and an old toothbrush and a roll of paper towels to clean things up.....now things are back in proper condition and I have promised myself to not let the sump get into this condition again by using frequent inspections and cleanings as needed....

so I got to thinking that if Spray Nine did such a good job cleaning the sump from a neglected condition why would it not work well as a maintenance chemical between cleanings....I buy Spray Nine by the gallon because it is one of my 'go to' general purpose cleaners....it disinfects and prevents mold and algae growth without containing bleach...bleach can be corrosive to metals and make plastic brittle over time so Spray Nine may be safe for the pump and float switch in the sump....I am thinking I could just pour a small amount down the shower drain on a regular basis to help keep the sump clean....

I have read many archived post on chemicals used in the shower sump and things like chlorine and bromine and bilge cleaners seem to have negative aspects relating to damaging the pump and switch...not to mention the potential for dangerous gases given off....

just thought I would throw this out there for comments...

cliff

 

[dtfeld]

Nice job. You could get $150 an hour doing that

 

[fwebster]

I do 2 things differently. For what they are worth, my shower sump is larger and the lid is clear acrylic sheet. Sea Ray used 1/4” thick acrylic with 6 - 1/4” bolts and wingnuts to secure the lid. I replaced the 1/4” acrylic with 1/2” and put a 6” inspection port in the lid. To clean the tank, I just have to remove the inspection plate......the lid never comes off unless there is a float switch or pump failure.

The other think I do is to use a gray water tank cleaner and deoderant (Camco product available at Walmart or Amazon)every time we leave the boat. Seems to work pretty well because it been years since I’ve had a shower sump toxic clean up to deal with.

 

[CliffA]

Frank, thanks for the lead on the Camco gray water treatment....I will give it a try....

cliff

 

[JVM225]

I’ve been putting a bit of Noflex down the shower drains and in the AC drip pans every once in a while to see what it does.

 

[Korkie]

I have used Pine Sol (scent of your choice) for several years. Keeps the grime at bay and leaves a pleasant scent. As above, I just poor a little down the shower drain now and then. And in the AC drain pan anytime we change the linens on the bed.

 

[be_prepared]

I have read many archived post on chemicals used in the shower sump and things like chlorine and bromine and bilge cleaners seem to have negative aspects relating to damaging the pump and switch...not to mention the potential for dangerous gases given off....
View attachment 58156

My shower sump probably doesn't get the tlc it deserves often enough. Fortunately, we shower at the marina or home a lot more often than on the boat, so I can usually get away with ignoring it, and then it gets professionally cleaned when winterized. If we have a few extended mid-season trips however, it can get kinda scuzzy. (That's a highly technical term the admiral uses when I need to clean something, or there will be consequences...)

I often wondered about bilge cleaner, but haven't tried it in the sump yet. Your note had me wondering about whether that was OK. I understand not using bleach and other chlorine products, but I assumed that bilge cleaner would be safe on things like bilge pumps, float switches and associated tubing, since, well, bilge cleaner would be used in a bilge, where the bilge pumps live? Spray Nine is of course, a miracle liquid, so I may follow your lead and use that.

I also like the alternative idea of the gray water product... we know that camper stuff at Walmart will be cheaper than anything at West Marine

 

[wrvond]

The first time I cleaned my sump, I thought the strainer was made of metal. While not looking forward to cleaning it again, at least it'll only be our kooties next time...

Since I shop at WalMart a lot, I'll have to give the grey water tank treatment a try.

 

[In Two Deep]

I’ve been putting a bit of Noflex down the shower drains and in the AC drip pans every once in a while to see what it does.

+1 on the no flex

 

[Little Ducky]

If you have AC condensate going to the sump you can pop a few AC Pan Tablets in the AC pan and they will keep the slime down between deep cleanings.

 

[CliffA]

If you have AC condensate going to the sump you can pop a few AC Pan Tablets in the AC pan and they will keep the slime down between deep cleanings.

I think those would work well during the warm/hot months when the HVAC unit is in 'cool' mode and is producing condensate but what about during the colder months when the HVAC unit is in 'heat' mode?.....would there be any condensate generated from the unit to keep the tablets dissolving and draining to the sump?....

cliff

 

[Little Ducky]

I think those would work well during the warm/hot months when the HVAC unit is in 'cool' mode and is producing condensate but what about during the colder months when the HVAC unit is in 'heat' mode?.....would there be any condensate generated from the unit to keep the tablets dissolving and draining to the sump?....

cliff

You're correct.

If you extend your boating season past the point of where AC is needed you might want to use alternative means to keep the sump fresh and working properly.