Shower sump question

[Kurt]

Every year I open the sump and clean the scum off the pump and housing, it gets pretty bad actually because my wife uses the shower all the time. My question is: is there any product that I could dump down the shower drain to kind of keep it clean during the year? I thought about vinegar or diluted CLR, any ideas or tricks someone can share?

Thanks
Kurt

 

[tbirdvet]

How about bilge cleaner?

 

[Southpaw II]

After someone on this forum suggested using liquid bath soap, I tried it and it makes a big difference in the "scum" level. Even still, I clean mine about once a month, but my A/C runs a lot.

Don

 

[themikehyde]

Do you also put the soap in your ac pan? Mine is looking a little crappy and not really sure how to clean it. I was thinking maybe a couple drops of bleach, but not sure about having that smell in the cabin.
Mike

 

[Kurt]

I did find some "green" liquid bildge/shower sump cleaners. I wonder what the main component is. I am not sure if bleach is an emulsification agent that would break down those soap scum bonds.

 

[wetpaint]

Any orange type scum is from the rust in your a/c pans........You will also find staining on your gel coat under your a/c and shower discharge outlet. Because they used a ferrous metal pan (idiots) in lieu of plastic or a non ferrous pan, rusting will always be a problem....I am working on a solution now.....

 

[ImpulseIII]

The solution to gel coat staining is putting small pieces of hose in the water outlets to divert the cooling and waste water away from the boat. Use a piece of tubing about 2 inches long. insert the tube as far into the thru hull as you can leaving about an inch outside. Water will stream away from the boat and when you shut it down, the last few drips will not touch the gel coat.

 

[Alex F]

....My question is: is there any product that I could dump down the shower drain to kind of keep it clean during the year?....

About every week or every other week I put a small cup of bleach (few hours prior showers would be used to allow the solution to work its way thru). You can do the same in your bilge, if you need to.

 

[wastinaweigh]

I pour some Raritan CP into the sump and the head when I close up the boat. It seems to do okay at keeping the sump clean.

 

[HUMPH]

About every week or every other week I put a small cup of bleach (few hours prior showers would be used to allow the solution to work its way thru). You can do the same in your bilge, if you need to.

I hope not straight bleach?

 

[sbw1]

We pour a citrus smelling concentrated bilge cleaner down the drain once a week. We also use a circular fiberglass window screen installed beneath the drain cap in the shower. The scum accumulates on the screen. We change the screen every two weeks when traveling as we use the shower two times a day. Our sump has stayed clean for 7 years.

 

[Kurt]

We pour a citrus smelling concentrated bilge cleaner down the drain once a week. We also use a circular fiberglass window screen installed beneath the drain cap in the shower. The scum accumulates on the screen. We change the screen every two weeks when traveling as we use the shower two times a day. Our sump has stayed clean for 7 years.

Thumbs up! Best answer yet I think
Thank you, I love this idea. Going to get some screen before I go down this week.

 

[Half Fast]

Thats what she said.

 

[Alex F]

I hope not straight bleach?

Regular bleach.

 

[Bottom Line]

Kurt....I dump a little bilge cleaner or Raritan CP down the drain in the shower every other week end or so.

 

[sbw1]

Thumbs up! Best answer yet I think
Thank you, I love this idea. Going to get some screen before I go down this week.

I learned this trick from veteran Tiara owners as access to the sump on our boat requires removing the steps into the cabin along with various wires and the sump cover which is also a challenge on it own. Owners either wait for the pump to fail and clean it when it is replaced or try to prevent the problem altogether which makes more sense. I can see my sump with a flashlight, and it still looks clean through the plastic cover. It still functions normally after heavy use.

 

[HIFI]

We pour a citrus smelling concentrated bilge cleaner down the drain once a week.

Can you tell us what the brand is?

 

[sbw1]

Can you tell us what the brand is?

Stare Brite Power Pine Concentrated Bilge Cleaner. I just smelled it, and I guess it really is more pine like in sent. It's a very viscous orange colored liquid that goes a long way. The bottle in our head is 7 years old and is still half full.