Grey water plumbing

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footloose

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Joined
Dec 10, 2001
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6963
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Follow on to Head questions:

Swampy has two sinks that dump into an under-the-floor tupperware which has a small float switch and and bildge pump to a hose overboard....seems complex and unreliable....can I just go directly overboard from sink to above water thruhull? It's soapy water and toothpaste.
 
Sump pumps (the tupperware with a bilge pump) are usually used for shower drains and AC condensation draining. As said above, most boats have sink water draining directly overboard via above waterline thru hulls. That's the way my boats have always been set up.
 
I find it hard to believe that the previous owner would go to the trouble to install a sump system without a reason. How far above the through hull is the sink???

That brings up another problem. If you intend to stay at one of the few municipal anchorages they may not allow gray water discharge. Signs at St Petersburg say it's prohibited though I don't know if they're enforcing it.
 
I need to check but I am pretty sure ALL my sinks and shower and AC condensed water go to the sub floor tupperware and then out an above water throughull in the rear....get back to you on it.
 
quote:
Originally posted by footloose

I need to check but I am pretty sure ALL my sinks and shower and AC condensed water go to the sub floor tupperware and then out an above water throughull in the rear....get back to you on it.
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Any sink or other source of grey water can be plumbed directly overboard it the discharge is above the waterline.

Most shower drains and some AC condensate drains are below the waterline and need a sump and pump so they can be discharged above the waterline.

Tupperware sounds like a DIY job by someone who shouldn't have done it himself. You can buy a commercial sump and pump that's much better suited for this application.
 
I'm sure foot has a standard marine sump pump. He's only calling it tupperware with a bilge pump in it, because, basically, most look like a tupperware container with a bilge pump in it. That's what all the ones I've had looked like.
 
Regardless, there had to be a reason for the installation. I'm guessing that one or more of the drains are below the waterline, if so the "tupperware" will have to stay.
 
If your sinks are high enough then send it overboard. Keep the sump fir the shower and condensate only

Afaik, there are no grey water discharge rules in coastal waters excelpt a couple of reef in the keys. And since it s a sump, it still goes overboard anyway
 
Rebuilt the tupperware sump thingy since the tub was leaking badly and the lid was cracked.....5200 is curing as we speak - will install it and rerun the shower and condensate hoses to it this week. Thanks for all your assist folks!
 
quote:
Originally posted by footloose

Rebuilt the tupperware sump thingy since the tub was leaking badly and the lid was cracked.....5200 is curing as we speak - will install it and rerun the shower and condensate hoses to it this week. Thanks for all your assist folks!

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If it's tupperware why not just go to walmart and get a new one? I don't think 5200 will stick to tupperware. Not reliably anyway. And tupperware is cheaper than a tube of 5200.
 
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If it's tupperware why not just go to walmart and get a new one? I don't think 5200 will stick to tupperware. Not reliably anyway. And tupperware is cheaper than a tube of 5200.
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I'm sure foot has a standard sump pump box. He's only calling it tupperware, because that's an easy (and kinda accurate) description.
It's not tupperware.
 
quote:
Originally posted by cwms

quote:
If it's tupperware why not just go to walmart and get a new one? I don't think 5200 will stick to tupperware. Not reliably anyway. And tupperware is cheaper than a tube of 5200.
Click to expand...


I'm sure foot has a standard sump pump box. He's only calling it tupperware, because that's an easy (and kinda accurate) description.
It's not tupperware.
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Calling it a "sump" if that's what it is would make this conversation easier. This is a shower sump:

503242_l.jpg


I wouldn't try to glue a sump back together either. It's too easy to just purchase a new, non-leaking one.
 
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