I've been kicking around the idea of plumbing the drain from the ice box so that it connects with the galley sink drain and goes overboard. I am not sure why, but I just don't like that it currently drains to the bilge. It seems like it'd be a really simple thing to do, but I am wondering if there is something I am not thinking of?
Re-plumbing Ice Box Drain
- Thread starter DaBod
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IMHO an overboard drain would be be an un-necessary thru-hull use. Another seacock, another underwater opening to worry about, etc.
Why don't you route the drain to a bucket that is down in the bilge and drain into that? If the bucket idea doesn't work, and you are concerned about food juices and such causing a stinky bilge, you can just flush it out periodically and let the bilge pump empty it.
Why don't you route the drain to a bucket that is down in the bilge and drain into that? If the bucket idea doesn't work, and you are concerned about food juices and such causing a stinky bilge, you can just flush it out periodically and let the bilge pump empty it.
I don't think he's talking about a new through hull and seacock Rich. I think he wants to tie it into the existing line for the sink drain. The problem that I see with that is that the icebox drain might be below the waterline. I know on my H30, it is. I'm not 100% sure on the H27 though.
My icebox drain is plumbed with the galley sink drain. My ice box has a foot pump to remove the water from the icebox. The hose joins the sink hose close to the sink. The only problem you have to look for is that if you fill the sink with much water such that the sink can not drain fast enough then the water goes back to the ice box. You can add a valve on the icebox drain hose to stop this water going back to the icebox. Otherwise all works well this way.
Yeah, creating a new through hill is far from what I was thinking. I was just planning to splice a T joint (sorry if I'm not using the correct terminology) into the line coming from the sink and attaching the ice box drain hose to that. Given that the ice box isn't a through hull and is inside the cabin, what impact would it being below the waterline have? I am probably just not picturing this correctly, but it is just a gravity fed drain, right? So how would the drain's relation to the waterline matter?
Well, for starters, if the bottom of the icebox is below the water line, gravity may just drain the ocean or the lake into your icebox!
That's the problem with gravity - water always runs down hill. Seriously though, if the icebox drain IS below the water line, the foot pump idea of Joe's will work just fine. As for the "tee" you could probably use one of those fittings for tying in a dishwasher to your kitchen sink...Ha! I expected a little ribbing after that one. I must be a glutton for punishment though, as I am still struggling. Maybe I didn't describe it well enough, so I'll try again. If it still doesn't do it I'll draw a diagram.Well, for starters, if the bottom of the icebox is below the water line, gravity may just drain the ocean or the lake into your icebox!
The sink and icebox are adjacent to each other and the sink drains into a hose that runs nearly vertically down to a seacock and out, obviously below the waterline.
I haven't yet closely inspected the icebox drain setup, but the drain itself is several inches inboard and ultimately drains to the bilge.
What would be the issue with splicing a hose from the icebox drain into the sink drain hose? I don't get how the location of the icebox drain in relation to the waterline matters, given that it would only be open to the outside world through the aforementioned seacock, which is lower than the drain and splice.
Go easy on me here...
Darn iPhone...
Icebox is above the waterline, you can do a simple tee splice into the sink drain, otherwise, when you open the seacock, seawater will back flow into the icebox. If the drain is below the waterline, adding a foot pump and looping the drain hose up higher would work. Mine was the former. I added a simple plastic ball valve from Home Depot to prevent back flow from the sink drain filling the icebox. Works nicely.
Got it now. Drawing it out connected the dots in my head. Thanks everyone for your advice and patience!
You may be missing the effects of gravity. The h27 has a rather short sink discharge hose. When the boat heels to starboard water comes up to nearly the top an in occassions may spill into the sink. Now you would not want a reverse flow of water into the ice box. Water does not flow uphill unless pumped. Installing a bilge pump in the cooler might work but then you are back to square one. There is no way to drain the cooler above the boat's water line, so no, it cannot drain overboard. I never had a problem with letting it go to bilge where the bilge pump could do its job as designed.
Ours is the same as this description, and we have a problem with foul water sitting in the line between the icebox and the sink. Yes we can use a foot pump to get it out but it doesn't remove it all and it really stinks. We NEED to put in the valve Joe mentions and or find a way to raise that hose up so it doesn't allow water to sit there OR remove that hose altogether and simply use a self containing cooler and eliminate the need for a drain. I would NOT want this water in our bilge, that to me is not a good solution at all.
I agree that the ice box drain is a real pain. 2 years ago, I tried a different approach and it has worked well since. First I should say, I go on 6-21 day cruises 4-6 time a year, so the ice box if in use for each entire trip. I insert a cork in the icebox drain. Attached to the cork is an end of a soft rubber hose. The cork (real cork) and soft rubber are important because hard rubber or Tygon gets really hard in ice. I purchased a 12 volt pump for $25. Once aday (or every other day as needed) I plug the pump into the 12 outlet and pump till the water stops. I find the ice lasts longer and no water in the bildge. Lots of other uses for the 12 V pump also.
Smart Idea, but I don't like my food sitting in water like in a cooler. I keep all of the perishable liquids in an external cooler and only use the ice box like a deep freeze (in ice) Fridge (above ice)
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