2005 Hunter 33 Shower Sump Pump

4Winds

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Jun 8, 2022
51
Hunter 33 Wilmington, NC
Am I correct that water from the galley and head sinks drain directly to the ocean via a throughfitting under the waterline? What about the shower? I have a sump pump panel switch, a sump pump switch under the lip of the head sink (no idea which position is on or off) and a jabsco 50psi model 31395-3000 under the deck between the head and the nav table. I cleaned the filter (the glass plate with red ring in the pic); the disgusting impassable stinking matted hair and decaying (what!?) lead me to believe it is the sump pump. When I turn on the sump pump panel switch, a light goes on, but no reaction from the pump, regardless of the position of the switch on the head sink. Is it possible that the pump burned out because the prior owners did not clean the filter, letting the pump run dry til it died? If this theory is not an entirely ignorant idea, how might I test if the pump is burned out? Where is the seacock on the sink drain...? I apologize if some of these questions seem silly ... am learning ... fast. THANK YOU All of you!
 

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Sep 25, 2008
7,111
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
I know you didn’t come here for a lecture but thruhulls sink more boats than any other cause.
I urge you to become familiar with every hose connection and thruhull including their function and location asap and certainly before using the boat as an essential safety measure before worrying about a shower sump pump (which also should pump overboard and make noise doing so). These are usually cheap pumps easily both killed and replaced.

and every thrulll seacock should be exercised routinely to ensure they work.
 
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Rick

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Oct 5, 2004
1,095
Hunter 420 Passage San Diego
The above is all good advice, however to answer your questions, yep the sink drains straight into the ocean. Follow the line out of the bottom of the sink and you will find your thru hull. As for your shower sump. If you know how to use a voltmeter, you can turn your switch on and check the leads at the pump for voltage. If no power at the pump, might be the switch itself. If power at the pump, it most likely the pump. If you cant use a voltmeter, or dont have one, pick one up. You tube is your friend. I would be willing to wager a case of ones favorite cold one, that 99% of the skippers here have one aboard and know how to use it in detail.

Good luck and hang in there. The joys of being a boat owner. Love it!
One other thought on your thru hulls and exercising them, if they have wooden backing plates around the valve and the wood is wet, dont exercise them until you have a plug and mallet in hand, as recommended above. If you have PVC backing plates, you should be good, just dont put all your weight into moving the valve and dont beat on anything with a hammer. A failed thru hull with no plug is major BAD!
 
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4Winds

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Jun 8, 2022
51
Hunter 33 Wilmington, NC
And have a wood plug to jam in if the hose slips off! Mine all have lanyards to keep 'em close to the fittings.
What material do you use for the lanyard? How do you fix to the hose to keep it from getting tossed about/wet?
 

Rick

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Oct 5, 2004
1,095
Hunter 420 Passage San Diego
What material do you use for the lanyard? How do you fix to the hose to keep it from getting tossed about/wet?
The plugs are wooden. They are ok to get wet. That being said, why are they getting wet? Simple string, pilot line, will work for a lanyard. You can tie it off to the thru hull. I just drill a small hole on the top that comes out the side, loop the line thru, and you can now sleep a bit better.
 
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May 1, 2011
4,284
Pearson 37 Lusby MD
I used some inexpensive string and tied around the base of the through hull. It's going to get wet!
 
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Sep 11, 2011
395
Hunter 41AC Bayfield WI, Lake Superior
Our boat came with the same stupid ITT pump. They have been replace with whale gulper. No filter needed. It will pump golf balls over board.
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
The switch on the panel supplies power to the switch under the sink lip. The switch at the sink is so you can turn on and off the pump while using the shower so it does not run continuously. If you cannot hear the pump running whent he sink switch is turned on then the pump is most likely burned out.
FYI the thru-hull for the shower sump goes above the waterline just above the hanging locker in the aft cabin. Should be labelled on a small teak box sitting on the shelf.
 
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Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
All thru-hulls are located at the base of the stairs. Transducers are typically under the floor in the v-berth. Bilge pump thru-hull is above the electrical panels behind the teak box on the shelf. Lift all your boards and make sure to check things out.
 

4Winds

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Jun 8, 2022
51
Hunter 33 Wilmington, NC
The switch on the panel supplies power to the switch under the sink lip. The switch at the sink is so you can turn on and off the pump while using the shower so it does not run continuously. If you cannot hear the pump running whent he sink switch is turned on then the pump is most likely burned out.
FYI the thru-hull for the shower sump goes above the waterline just above the hanging locker in the aft cabin. Should be labelled on a small teak box sitting on the shelf.
Thanks for that! I've cleared the filter on the shower pump, but water still does not drain from the shower into the line ... does this indicate a blockage? If yes, how to clear that blockage (chemical, etc?)? If not, is it necessary for the pump to work to siphon the water down the drain through the pump and out?
 
Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Thanks for that! I've cleared the filter on the shower pump, but water still does not drain from the shower into the line ... does this indicate a blockage? If yes, how to clear that blockage (chemical, etc?)? If not, is it necessary for the pump to work to siphon the water down the drain through the pump and out?
Can you hear the pump running? The pump needs to run to get any water out of the shower sump, otherwise will stay in the line and the floor of the shower.