Shower Pumps

[Androo]

Just wondering why a shower or bath pump is needed to suck out the water when the bathroom sink and the kitchen sink just drain away like any household system into the drain (in this case the canal).

 

Androo

[denboy]

um because the shower and or bath is below the water line

[Androo]

um because the shower and or bath is below the water line

 

Thanks

 

Androo

[blackrose]

um because the shower and or bath is below the water line

 

Yes, if the bottom of a sink is far enough above the waterline it can be gravity drained, whereas the bottom of a shower or bath cannot (unless you propped the bath up by about 3ft I suppose!)

 

I knew someone fitting out a boat with stern galley who insisted on having a fashionable butler sink. Those sinks are very deep and in my opinion it was a classic mistake of fitting out the boat around the fixtures rather than buying fixtures to suit the boat. When it came to plumbing in the waste pipe he realised that the skin fitting would end up a couple of inches above the waterline. In theory that's ok because any canal or river water entering the pipe would have to climb up the pipe & over the level of the sink before it caused a flood, but occasionally skin fittings can get damaged or knocked off in locks and then you've got a hole in your hull right next to the waterline. The best option for this situation is to have a pipe welded in flush instead of using a skin fitting.

Edited March 20, 2009 by blackrose

[alan_fincher]

I knew someone fitting out a boat with stern galley who insisted on having a fashionable butler sink.

And of course another favourite gaffe is to use a draining board type sink, where the drainer is put at the "downhill" rather than "uphill" end of the boat.

 

A mistake that has not just been made by enthusiastic amateurs, but also by professional boat fitters who really should know better.

[Androo]

Yes, if the bottom of a sink is far enough above the waterline it can be gravity drained, whereas the bottom of a shower or bath cannot (unless you propped the bath up by about 3ft I suppose!)

 

I knew someone fitting out a boat with stern galley who insisted on having a fashionable butler sink. Those sinks are very deep and in my opinion it was a classic mistake of fitting out the boat around the fixtures rather than buying fixtures to suit the boat. When it came to plumbing in the waste pipe he realised that the skin fitting would end up a couple of inches above the waterline. In theory that's ok because any canal or river water entering the pipe would have to climb up the pipe & over the level of the sink before it caused a flood, but occasionally skin fittings can get damaged or knocked off in locks and then you've got a hole in your hull right next to the waterline. The best option for this situation is to have a pipe welded in flush instead of using a skin fitting.

 

 

Just find it a bit uncomfortable standing in the water whilst taking a shower. I have a bath fitted. Couldn't this be a problem if a shower is fitted and you enjoy a long shower (it starts coming over the top?) or, is it normal practice to leave the pump on whilst in use?

 

 

Andrew

[denboy]

Just find it a bit uncomfortable standing in the water whilst taking a shower. I have a bath fitted. Couldn't this be a problem if a shower is fitted and you enjoy a long shower (it starts coming over the top?) or, is it normal practice to leave the pump on whilst in use?

 

 

Andrew

You can have the pump switched on when using the shower

[Androo]

And of course another favourite gaffe is to use a draining board type sink, where the drainer is put at the "downhill" rather than "uphill" end of the boat.

 

A mistake that has not just been made by enthusiastic amateurs, but also by professional boat fitters who really should know better.

 

Before I realised the bath or shower was underneath the waterline I thought why does the surplus water flow away from the plug and not towards..now I know..

[sueb]

You can have the pump switched on when using the shower

And drain the hot water tank.

Sue

[Lady Muck]

And of course another favourite gaffe is to use a draining board type sink, where the drainer is put at the "downhill" rather than "uphill" end of the boat.

 

A mistake that has not just been made by enthusiastic amateurs, but also by professional boat fitters who really should know better.

 

Our boat has one of those - I have to use a drainer with a built in tray...

[blackrose]

Just find it a bit uncomfortable standing in the water whilst taking a shower. I have a bath fitted. Couldn't this be a problem if a shower is fitted and you enjoy a long shower (it starts coming over the top?) or, is it normal practice to leave the pump on whilst in use?

 

 

Andrew

 

If you enjoy a long shower you're probably best off not being on a boat, unless you also enjoy filling up your water tank frequently. I'd say most people on boats try to economise, not only to save money on heating water but also to save battery power (if the boat's not on a mooring with shore power), and to save on trips to the water point.

 

It helps if the switch to your shower pump is accessible from inside the shower. To save water I generally soak in the shower for half a minute, switch off the water and shower pump, wash myself, and then switch the water & shower pump back on to rinse off. With diaghram pumps like the whale gulper you can leave them on running dry, but I'm not sure if it really does them much good.

Edited March 21, 2009 by blackrose

[alan_fincher]

Many boat domestic water pumps can't deliver much over 11 litres per minute, even before it's been piped though a load of 15 mm piping, mixer valves and shower head.

 

I suspect that most shower heads are delivering well under 2 gallons a minute, (if you are using a Paloma or Morco to heat the water it's probably only about 1 gallon per minute).

 

So given that most water tanks hold 100 gallons or more, (and many are much more), you actually need to leave the shower running for quite a while to seriously dent your supply, or cause a major refilling problem.

 

Baths, of course, are a different prospect.

[Nightwatch]

A bit of a personal revelation. Must go back to days in the mob (Navy)

 

I get wet, eventually, soap up, rinse. That's if the water hasn't run out as the wife may have misunderstood the "standing orders" on the bulkhead when having her cleanse.

 

The discharge pump makes a hell of a racket, like a tupperware boat with a duff outboard going flat out.

 

Martyn

[chris w]

A bit of a personal revelation. Must go back to days in the mob (Navy)

 

I get wet, eventually, soap up, rinse. That's if the water hasn't run out as the wife may have misunderstood the "standing orders" on the bulkhead when having her cleanse.

 

Martyn

That's actually known as a "Naval Shower". Leaving the water running all the time you're in the shower is known as a "Hollywood Shower".

 

Chris

 

It helps if the switch to your shower pump is accessible from inside the shower. To save water I generally soak in the shower for half a minute, switch off the water and shower pump, wash myself, and then switch the water & shower pump back on to rinse off. With diaghram pumps like the whale gulper you can leave them on running dry, but I'm not sure if it really does them much good.

You can normally leave all diaphragm pumps running dry. I have a Jabsco shower pump and a Shurflo water pump and both state in the instructions that they can be run dry. I never switch off the shower pump whilst I'm in the shower and, like you, take a Naval Shower. Typically a Naval Shower will only use about 7-10 litres of water.

 

Chris

[Nightwatch]

"I do wash more than me naval"

[Mick_B]

you have a special shower for your navel!!!

 

Gin palaces on the cut....

[blackrose]

So given that most water tanks hold 100 gallons or more, (and many are much more), you actually need to leave the shower running for quite a while to seriously dent your supply, or cause a major refilling problem.

 

Not if you are living onboard & showering everyday, in which case your water usage will have a major effect on how often you have to fill up.

[saltysplash]

Not if you are living onboard & showering everyday, in which case your water usage will have a major effect on how often you have to fill up.

 

 

and in my opinion keeps the tank in better condition with less standing water

[sueb]

Many boat domestic water pumps can't deliver much over 11 litres per minute, even before it's been piped though a load of 15 mm piping, mixer valves and shower head.

 

I suspect that most shower heads are delivering well under 2 gallons a minute, (if you are using a Paloma or Morco to heat the water it's probably only about 1 gallon per minute).

 

So given that most water tanks hold 100 gallons or more, (and many are much more), you actually need to leave the shower running for quite a while to seriously dent your supply, or cause a major refilling problem.

 

Baths, of course, are a different prospect.

Is that the cold water tank? I am sure our caliorfier doesn't hold that but I suppose it depends on how you heat your water, or if you like cold showers.

Sue

[ditchcrawler]

If you enjoy a long shower you're probably best off not being on a boat, unless you also enjoy filling up your water tank frequently. I'd say most people on boats try to economise, not only to save money on heating water but also to save battery power (if the boat's not on a mooring with shore power), and to save on trips to the water point.

 

It helps if the switch to your shower pump is accessible from inside the shower. To save water I generally soak in the shower for half a minute, switch off the water and shower pump, wash myself, and then switch the water & shower pump back on to rinse off. With diaghram pumps like the whale gulper you can leave them on running dry, but I'm not sure if it really does them much good.

The best thing I ever got was a shower head with an on/off valve built in. Get in the shower and get wet, click the button and the water stops, soap up, click switch again and rinse off.

[Nightwatch]

Thats handy.

Where did you get that shower head from?

 

I really,really want one of them!

[alan_fincher]

Is that the cold water tank? I am sure our caliorfier doesn't hold that but I suppose it depends on how you heat your water, or if you like cold showers.

Sue

Fair comment.

 

We have only had a Morco up until now, so not limited by calorifier capacity.

 

I'll let you know how we fare now we have a calorifier.

 

That's 55 litres, (12 gallons), but as I'd not wish to shower with water heated to 85 degrees, ( ) clearly quite a lot of the shower comes from the cold rather than the hot water tank.

[lombardini]

The best thing I ever got was a shower head with an on/off valve built in. Get in the shower and get wet, click the button and the water stops, soap up, click switch again and rinse off.

i bought one of them from focus in the sales cost me a fiver its brill saves loads of water

 

Thats handy.

Where did you get that shower head from?

 

I really,really want one of them!

i got one from focus but you can buy them from caravan bits and bobs shops