need help with shower sump problem

[Bajan]

I just checked my shower sump for the first time this season and noticed it was full and leaking into the other sump just above the shower/ac sump box.

I lifted the float lever swithch on the side but the pump still would not come on. I checked the dc circuit breaker panel and the breaker did not trip.

How would I know if the pump is bad or the float switch?

If I have to replace either do I have to cut the wires and splice them or is there some way of disconecting at either unit?

The float is a Rule-A-Matic plus, the pump is Rule 600gph bilge pump.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[flflatrate]

on the outside of the sump box there should be the wires from both the float and the bilge pump. If you have a meter you should have 12volt power on one of the grey wires from the float switch. If no power at all there is no power coming to the box. If you do have power you should cut or if you could unplug that wire from the boat side and touch it to the brown wire from the bilge pump. If the pump turns on your float switch is no good which is a common occurence. If the pump doesn't turn on you can make sure that you have good ground to the black wire to the pump. also look at the pump itself and make sure it looks rite, meaning some of them will overheat and melt which will discolor red and white color on the pump and even distort pump.

 

[Bajan]

on the outside of the sump box there should be the wires from both the float and the bilge pump. If you have a meter you should have 12volt power on one of the grey wires from the float switch. If no power at all there is no power coming to the box. If you do have power you should cut or if you could unplug that wire from the boat side and touch it to the brown wire from the bilge pump. If the pump turns on your float switch is no good which is a common occurence. If the pump doesn't turn on you can make sure that you have good ground to the black wire to the pump. also look at the pump itself and make sure it looks rite, meaning some of them will overheat and melt which will discolor red and white color on the pump and even distort pump.

I got the system working again. I removed the mounting screws that keeps the float switch in place and I kept slamming the switch open and close after spraying some cleaning solution inside. I also repeatedly submurged the foat switch in a container of hot water and finally it started working, I think the contacts must have been gummed up, and the combination of the cleaning solution, hot water & working the float lever finally did the trick.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[flflatrate]

keep an eye on it. they stick allot

 

[barryg]

Yeah, I had to replace mine, and it is a VERY common problem, so check it often..

 

[jimdavi]

Just had my float switch go bad for the opposite reason, it wouldn't shut off. I bought my boat new last spring so it was still under warranty. Interestingly MM replaced the whole sump box.

 

[Bajan]

Yeah, I had to replace mine, and it is a VERY common problem, so check it often..

How reliable is the float switch and bilge pump closest to the transome? My generator sits right above both, it doesn't look like you can get at them without pulling the genset. I'm thinking that if these things are so unreliable, am I going to have to pull my generator to replace them and typically how often do they fail?

 

[barryg]

It's usually the sump pump for the shower in the cabin that fails.. not the ones in the bilge.

 

[Bajan]

It's usually the sump pump for the shower in the cabin that fails.. not the ones in the bilge.

Do you think it's a cost issue why Sea Ray would use a less reliable/quality float switch and sump pump in the shower box?

 

[boatmailster]

Do you think it's a cost issue why Sea Ray would use a less reliable/quality float switch and sump pump in the shower box?

Actually failure rate for float switches is somehow high.
Since everybody moved away from mercury switches (going green) new designs rely on mechanical contacts and those fail a lot.
Shower sump pump switches getting sticky more often because soapy residue build up inside switch preventing from floating freely.

 

[Bajan]

Actually failure rate for float switches is somehow high.
Since everybody moved away from mercury switches (going green) new designs rely on mechanical contacts and those fail a lot.
Shower sump pump switches getting sticky more often because soapy residue build up inside switch preventing from floating freely.

I never use the shower, the only other source of water going in there is the condensation from the AC, is that correct?

Although, last night when the float was stuck, the box was full of pink antifreeze, would that turn gummy enough over time and cause the float to not make contact?

 

[Mr Salt]

Do you think it's a cost issue why Sea Ray would use a less reliable/quality float switch and sump pump in the shower box?

The basic float switchs are the same, but the one form the show and the sinks gets all of the soap, hair and what ever goes goes down the drain that can attack the switch. I have also found that the covered ones will get gunk up in side them, especially in a shower ssump that will keep them from working properly.

 

[wkearney99]

I never use the shower, the only other source of water going in there is the condensation from the AC, is that correct? Although, last night when the float was stuck, the box was full of pink antifreeze, would that turn gummy enough over time and cause the float to not make contact?

Yes, the pink combined with whatever left-over shower gunk could get gummy, or worse grow nasty hairy mold. But also be sure your fresh water pump isn't running unexpectedly. I had a shower mixer crack and leak just enough to fill the sump during the week. Didn't really notice it until I heard the fresh water pump kick on when nothing was using the water (no faucets or the icemaker). Upside was Shurflo sent me a replacement cartridge gratis and it was a 5 minute fix.

I'd also advise not to leave any shore water hose connected or turned on. Some folks advise never leaving it on when the boat is unattended. Good advice in general, but it's certainly something to avoid during the first couple of weeks after spring recommissioning. No point in having an unexpected water leak overwhelm the bilge pump (or its broken float) and sink the boat, right?

 

[electricaldoctor]

Yes, the pink combined with whatever left-over shower gunk could get gummy, or worse grow nasty hairy mold. But also be sure your fresh water pump isn't running unexpectedly. I had a shower mixer crack and leak just enough to fill the sump during the week. Didn't really noticed it until I heard the fresh water pump kick on when nothing was using the water (no faucets or the icemaker). Upside was Shurflo sent me a replacement cartridge gratis and it was a 5 minute fix.

I'd also advise not to leave any shore water hose connected or turned on. Some folks advise never leaving it on when the boat is unattended. Good advice in general, but it's certainly something to avoid during the first couple of weeks after spring recommissioning. No point in having an unexpected water leak overwhelm the bilge pump (or its broken float) and sink the boat, right?

Leaving the shore water hose disconnected when unattended is excellent advice as we suffered a major insurance claim to the tune of $16,000.00 on a previous boat and that cost me $1,000.00 for the deductable. The water pressure regulator where the water hose connects to the boat split open on the back and flooded the boat. The bilge pump could not keep up and eventually failed and the rest is history.

~Ken

 

[wkearney99]

Leaving the shore water hose disconnected when unattended is excellent advice as we suffered a major insurance claim to the tune of $16,000.00 on a previous boat and that cost me $1,000.00 for the deductable. The water pressure regulator where the water hose connects to the boat split open on the back and flooded the boat. The bilge pump could not keep up and eventually failed and the rest is history.

Ouch! I prefer not to depend on just the handle up on the pedestal. You never know when someone might accidentally turn the wrong handle and leave your line pressurized. I put a set of in-line shut-off valves; one at the pedestal:

and the other at the boat:

The angled one helps route the hose better at the boat-side inlet. That and I can shut it off at the boat when departing (one less step back up to the pier). It's probably overkill to use two valves, but it's less hassle to twist those shut off valves than deal with the potential damages.

There's also a gadget called a Flow Guardian that you can set for a measured amount of water. I've not used one though.

 

[randerson]

on the outside of the sump box there should be the wires from both the float and the bilge pump. If you have a meter you should have 12volt power on one of the grey wires from the float switch. If no power at all there is no power coming to the box. If you do have power you should cut or if you could unplug that wire from the boat side and touch it to the brown wire from the bilge pump. If the pump turns on your float switch is no good which is a common occurence. If the pump doesn't turn on you can make sure that you have good ground to the black wire to the pump. also look at the pump itself and make sure it looks rite, meaning some of them will overheat and melt which will discolor red and white color on the pump and even distort pump.

I have the same problem, my shower sump does not pump. Is the float built into the pump itself? I have only 1 unit in the sump box, a Sahara S500 Model 4505 pump built by Atwood and I'm having troubleshooting where the problem lies. It mentions that it is fused with a 2A fuse which I cannot seem to find. Any ideas?

 

[lope4946]

I just noticed that I am getting water around my shower sump box in the cabin. It looks like it is coming from where the hose from the sump box meets the outside wall on the haul. I can't see down in the sump area but it I could feel the water coming from this area when the pump kicked on. It feels like this hose is just pushed in the hole in the haul and water is leaking from around the hose when the pump runs. I looked at the outside hole when the pump is running and it doesn't appear to be any blockage. Any suggestions?

 

[Groucho]

As someone else said common problem. Also I was told the more use it gets...the better off you will be. Run some clean water thru it every time you leave. That is what I now do and no problems since.

 

[randerson]

I have the same problem, my shower sump does not pump. Is the float built into the pump itself? I have only 1 unit in the sump box, a Sahara S500 Model 4505 pump built by Atwood and I'm having troubleshooting where the problem lies. It mentions that it is fused with a 2A fuse which I cannot seem to find. Any ideas?

Sorry for posting this again but it may have been missed. This seems to be an odd configuration as the float must be built into the pump on this model. Any idea on how to determine if it is the entire pump that's bad?

 

[ditto]

we add cup of mister clean or other cleaning liquid each week before we leave and let it soak the sump for the week or so till we return..never a problem with scum build up or mold smell..