Y-valve location

[Double Lucky]

We acquired Double Lucky (TE 28, 1999) in Sept 06. We are the second owners. Soon after delivery we noticed an odor problem which I thought was coming from the head. Cindy argued that the odor came from the bilge. Turns out she was right. Upon inspection I found the source of the odor. The odor was coming from the shower sump (Mayfair Model 4700 Automatic Shower Sump System--Johnson Pumps Mayfair Marine Division). The shower sump pump which was supposed to work automatically with a float switch failed and allowed the sump reservoir to capture and hold very gunky and smelly water from the shower. The shower sump is in the forward bilge (access under the cabin sole). Once this was repaired and cleaned the odor disappeared.

The entire bilge was affected and we cleaned the entire bilge from stem to stern as the problem had been ongoing for a long time--probably several years. Now the shower is clean, the sump is clean and the bilge is clean. Great feeling and no odor!

Is the shower sump system common? Has any one else had this problem? Hope this helps. Russ.

[DougSea]

We acquired Double Lucky (TE 28, 1999) in Sept 06. We are the second owners. Soon after delivery we noticed an odor problem which I thought was coming from the head. Cindy argued that the odor came from the bilge. Turns out she was right. Upon inspection I found the source of the odor. The odor was coming from the shower sump (Mayfair Model 4700 Automatic Shower Sump System--Johnson Pumps Mayfair Marine Division). The shower sump pump which was supposed to work automatically with a float switch failed and allowed the sump reservoir to capture and hold very gunky and smelly water from the shower. The shower sump is in the forward bilge (access under the cabin sole). Once this was repaired and cleaned the odor disappeared.

The entire bilge was affected and we cleaned the entire bilge from stem to stern as the problem had been ongoing for a long time--probably several years. Now the shower is clean, the sump is clean and the bilge is clean. Great feeling and no odor!

Is the shower sump system common? Has any one else had this problem? Hope this helps. Russ.

Hey Russ,

Had the same issue, although not quite as long-running as the one you describe. Lifted the access port over the shower sump while checking the forward bilge pump. Noticed an odd odor. Took the cover off of the sump - YUCK!

Same problem of a dead pump and a mess of gunk. I tried repairing it but either the pump, switch or both are shot. I'll probably replace the whole thing in the spring.

[Double Lucky]

What do you fellow Albin captains think, is this shower sump system necessary? Why not let drain go to forward bilge directly and be pumped out by the forward bilge pump? Alternatively, the sump pump if working properly could be rigged to be a reserve bilge pump, maybe--why not?

Russ

[DougSea]

What do you fellow Albin captains think, is this shower sump system necessary? Why not let drain go to forward bilge directly and be pumped out by the forward bilge pump? Alternatively, the sump pump if working properly could be rigged to be a reserve bilge pump, maybe--why not?

Russ

I guess I'd rather not have the gray water, soap scum, hair and other nastiness floating around in my bilge. Also, if properly set up, with the top sealed, a backed up sump would overflow into the shower drain, letting you know pretty quickly that you have a problem. The bilge, given it's much greater volume, would cause a delay in realizing you had an issue.

My forward bilge gets very little water into it and I'm all for keeping it that way!

[Denis]

My Albin is older than most of the 28 TE's out there and some of my features are a little different. Maybe they came that way and maybe a previous owner changed something. I will have to check again, but my shower does not drain into the forward compartment. It runs back in a hose to a diaphram pump in the bilge area. The switch in the shower turns on that diaphram pump, so the shower water goes straight overboard not into the bilge. The diaphram pump is not damaged if run dry, so you can turn it on when you start the shower and turn it off when you are done, there is no automatic switch anywhere.

[DougSea]

My Albin is older than most of the 28 TE's out there and some of my features are a little different. Maybe they came that way and maybe a previous owner changed something. I will have to check again, but my shower does not drain into the forward compartment. It runs back in a hose to a diaphram pump in the bilge area. The switch in the shower turns on that diaphram pump, so the shower water goes straight overboard not into the bilge. The diaphram pump is not damaged if run dry, so you can turn it on when you start the shower and turn it off when you are done, there is no automatic switch anywhere.

Interesting - might have to give some thought to changing to your setup. The sump is useful when several drains need to be pumped overboard, they all drain into the sump and a single pump drains the sump. Since I only have the shower drain it seems to me your arrangement would work just fine. Hmmm...

[Pitou]

Well we've gone from y-valves to heads and now on to the shower sump.

On my boat the shower drains to a sump beneath the deck in the cabin easily accessable by lifting the wooden hatch in the sole. The AC unit condenser also drains to the sump (while the raw water is pumped overboard). I agree dumping directly to the bilge would be nasty .

The only problem is the drain hose from the shower drain to the sump is not supported well and water backs up onto the shower floor. This was pointed out to me at time of delivery by the dealer describing the inherant problem. He mentioned something needed to be rigged to elevate the drain hose to pitch it properly. I have thought of installing a block epoxied to the deck in order to lift it. Certainly a PITA when on an overnight and a shower is wanted.

Who knows maybe I'll fix it this year!

[Mariner]

On our boat, the shower drains into a sump box and the AC condensation trays also drain into their own, seperate sump box. The shower sump box sometimes clogs with mold if it is not run regularly. It is a very nasty job to clean it. For this reason, I make sure to run the shower every few months. The AC sump doesn't seem to have that problem for some reason.

I would not want the shower water draining directly into the bilge. Aside from the problems of soapy water and general moisture contaminating the blige, I wouldn't want to risk having my main bilge pumps clogged with hair.

[mhanna]

After finally getting water into the system and such, I tried the head. Using the shower wand to fill the bowl and then do some pumping, it put the water into the holding tank. I then hit the macerator switch (boat is on blocks in the backyard) and heard a high pitched rrrrggggg. Nothing happened, so I got down and switched the blue Y valve (hard to get to, and located right next to the holding tank under the deck) to the other position and tried again. This time I heard it grab water and shoot it out the bottom of the boat.
Now that I know the system works I was thinking of this......
If I remove the guts from the Y valve and leave it open on the inside I should be 1) able to use the macerator as the other end of the Y pipe goes 4 ft and is capped off (the vac out port) 2) I also think I should be able to use a pump out facility as I believe the maceratorpump should have enough flow resistance to still allow the pump out vacuum system to work
I have spoke to other boaters who tell me they do the pumpout or macerator and dont even know of a valve. I wish to do the legal and right thing and would like nothing more than be able to get to this valve but I really dont see how anyone can get to it.
Has anyone tried something like this or had other ideas ?

Thanks
Matt

ps- should be alot of posts today as its not exactly a boating day ;-(

[TonyAmalfitano]

I think, but I'm not sure. The "Y" valve has to be locked. If boarded and the "Y" valve is not locked, so as to pump into the tank, it's a fine. A good wire tie works, I have a small combination lock on mine. BUT, I can reach my Y valve.

I had plans, but can't seem to find them right now, on how to plumb the waste system to use the macerator as a pump out pump, and still retain the legal holding tank. I'll keep looking.



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