Plugged Drains On Boat...?

[dumluck53]

Hey Fellas,

The sink and shower drains on the boat drain slowly. I'm thinking hair, soap scum are slowing it down. I'm worried Drain-O would be to harsh on the boat plumbing. Or would it? Is there another product out there that would clear the drain? Are there any rubber seals that Drain-O would ruin or could I use it?

Thanks for your advice.

[coolchange]

Mine stopped up completly....lack of use and over wintering..here is my solution...:
at the pump (on the 2855 this is under the cushion covering the fridge..check to see that the strainer is clear

I took a coat hanger and after filling the shower pan with water pushed that in(at the shower pan) and agitated as much as possible

I then, with shower pan holding a lot of water turned the pump on and used a toilet plunger and kept pumping it over the shower drain...I think its best to tip the plunger some at first so that you are trying to force water rather than air.

anyway by pumping and trying to get water into and out of the drain and the pipe/hose to the pump it took about 2 minutes

good luck.

[bradvo]

Tony, yes I would not be using drain o. it may not be good on the pumps either if getting into bilge- But I have wondered the same.
If you have the shower sump box there is a filter that catchs all water that passes thru, this includes hair also. i always tried to make sure that every 3 to 4 months i removed the filter and cleaned out. More then likley this could be your problem, sounds like the water is slow to get into the shower sump drain.
I need to get down into mine as well, But Becky would fit in there better- maybe she should get after it- she still has hair.
Brad

[Webjammin]

Shower strainers clog every year if you use them and need to be cleaned, like the others have mentioned they clog up.
once you find it or them unsrew the clear cap and then there is a stainless screen that comes out so it can be washed off.

Strainers are upstream of the pumps and look like this
http://www.starmarinedepot.com/smd/images/prodimages/jabsco/ja1415_L.jpg or http://shop.torresen.com/shipsstore/utility/images/JABSCO/items/36400-2000.jpg

the sinks are just gravity drains so no strainers on them so they maybe they just need the lines cleared out.

Bob

[dumluck53]

Bob, Brad and CC,

Thanks for your erudite and succinct suggestions vis-a-vis my slow drain issue.

I will implement your suggestions and report, forthwith, the outcome.

:roll:

ooxx,

[Randygh]

Erudite??? Succinct???

Tony---You gotta remember some of us a college graduates so we don't understand smart and to-the-point words. If its five letters or more, I'm grabbing for the dickshunary.

[Stompor]

Tony call me!

You just have to clean the fliter trap in your sump.
Lift the forward access panel under the mid berth, you will see a white box with a transparent lid. Remove the 4 screws and take top off.

Inside box is a bilge pump and float, and a plastic tube that is made of mesh.
Inside the platic tube will be all sorts of hair etc that you and your crew have washed down a drain. It looks like a dead mouse when you get it out.

Anyway, clean the tube out (it pulls up on the starbored side and out) and replace. Things will drain just like new.

I clean mine out twice a year.
Scott

[dumluck53]

Thanks for the help, Scott. I'm on my way to San Diego for the Poinsettia Bowl (son plays for Navy). I'll clean it out when I get back.

Randy...hehehe... ;>)

:argh