Beneteau - water coming out of the shower drainage

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cmedsailor

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Whenever I switch on the electric bilge pump to pump out any water from the sump, there is always some water coming out of the drainage of the shower. Same thing happens if you also use the manual pump from the cockpit. Any ideas what causes this problem? It really drives me crazy. The boat is a Beneteau Oceanis 361.
Thanks
 
Is there not a 2 way switch to change pickup between sump & shower? There is on mine, I had the3 boat for 6 months before realising that all the times I had run the electric bilge pump it had never been switched to the sump /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
If so I would guess that the switch is faulty, perhaps remove & clean if possible?? Probably a sealed unit though /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I am not quite sure what you mean with 2 way switch. There is one switch of the panel for the bilge pump and a separate switch for the shower (in the shower).
Nevertheless I don't think it has to do with any electric problem because as I said same thing happens even if I use the manual pump for the water in the sump.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am not quite sure what you mean with 2 way switch. There is one switch of the panel for the bilge pump and a separate switch for the shower (in the shower).
Nevertheless I don't think it has to do with any electric problem because as I said same thing happens even if I use the manual pump for the water in the sump.

[/ QUOTE ]

On mine there is a mechanical switch in pipework that lets you select either sump or shower drain, that means that when you engage the bilge pump switch you either empty sump or shower depending on the position of the mechanical one! Similar when engaging the switch in shower.
 
If I remember right there is a Y near the back end of the boat where the bilge outlet and the shower outlets merge before exiting thru the skin fitting, get your head in the sugar scoop and check em out, could be build up of crud between the y and the skin fitting or the non return valves in the bilge pumps are leaking back
Stu
 
The shower and bilge drains have separate pumps which feed via a Y junction into a common waste pipe. There is no suggestion of any switch or valve in the handbook.

It seems in your case there is a backflow into the shower drain when the bilge pump operates. It is possible there is a partial blockage or constriction in the common waste which causes the back pressure. Alternatively can a pump expert say if there is a fault with the pump which allows the backflow.

The manual cockpit pump has a completely separate waste pipe from the bilge and should not cause any backflow in the shower drain.
 
I had a look this afternoon again. Yes the shower and bilge have separate pumps and are connected to the same waste pipe. In each place there is a filter then the pump and then connected. There is no any kind of non-return valve so when the bildge pump is turned off some water simply goes back to the pipe coming from the shower. Should I fit a non return valve somewhere? And where? Before the shower filter, between filter and pump or after the shower pump?
Thanks
 
Between the Y and the shower pump. Also - I suspect, another on the bilge pipe side, between the Y and the bilge pump. Otherwise you might end up putting shower water in the bilge.

As an aside, it seems like a shoddy piece of boat building. Apart from anything else, it sounds as if outside water could get in, if waves or heeling put the outlet under water.
 
Ken
Ive had 2 benes, both with the same system, no probs with backflow, so not a prob with the design. As always, if there is a prob, fix the prob, dont go bypassing it, if he puts one way valves in it will be another thing to go wrong, I suspect it is the valves in the pump that is the prob. By the way Nigel Calder recommends that the less holes there are in the hull the better, perhaps bene are following his advice!
Stu
 
See my other post, if there is a prob, dont bypass it, fix it. My 2 benes never suffered from backflow, same system, therefore I suspect that the one way valves in the pump are faulty OR less likely you have a blockage on the oggin side of the Y.
Stu
 
[ QUOTE ]
If I remember right there is a Y near the back end of the boat where the bilge outlet and the shower outlets merge before exiting thru the skin fitting, get your head in the sugar scoop and check em out, could be build up of crud between the y and the skin fitting or the non return valves in the bilge pumps are leaking back
Stu

[/ QUOTE ]
Stu,
there is a Y right after the two pumps that connect the two pipes (from bildge and shower) before sending any water out of the boat. Is this what you remember?
If the shower pump is supposed to have a non-return valve as you say then the problem must be there. After using the bildge pump I can actually see some water flowing to the shower filter which is before the pump. ie water flows through the shower pump. Now cleaning or replacing that valve is something I don't know how easy is to do but I guess I will have to find out.
Thanks for the help. Your comments, especially on Beneteaus are always useful.
 
Ok my memory was correct, depends on the pump, but normally the non return valve is in fact one of the valves in the pump that allows it to function. Ive only taken the jabsco one apart in the 351, (be careful, the plastic housing on the older type of Jabsco,which is threaded for the pipes to connect, is v fragile, dont ask! it cost me £70 plus for a new one) the base is held on by a load of self tappers, take apart and have a look at the valves, make sure, if it is a jabsco like mine was, that you put the valve plates back together with the right orientation, other wise you will end up like the famous boozing song, "instead of coming he went!"
Stu
 
cmedsailor said:
Whenever I switch on the electric bilge pump to pump out any water from the sump, there is always some water coming out of the drainage of the shower. Same thing happens if you also use the manual pump from the cockpit. Any ideas what causes this problem? It really drives me crazy. The boat is a Beneteau Oceanis 361.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Same issue in my first 33.7. Bilge filter was blocked. Easy fix.
 
Heckler said:
Ken
Ive had 2 benes, both with the same system, no probs with backflow, so not a prob with the design. As always, if there is a prob, fix the prob, dont go bypassing it, if he puts one way valves in it will be another thing to go wrong, I suspect it is the valves in the pump that is the prob. By the way Nigel Calder recommends that the less holes there are in the hull the better, perhaps bene are following his advice!
Stu
Click to expand...
Disagree entirely. There should be no route for the bilge pump to take water anywhere but the outside of the hull. A dedicated through hull above waterline is absolutely justified here. Calder may be published but that doesn’t mean he never says anything incorrect or is misunderstood. As a general rule fewer through hulls may be better (although modern ones are zero maintenance and rarely fail) but the emergency ones are there for very good reason.
 
Could this be as simple as the pump filters being blocked. I have a Ben 331 with same system and have never had a problem.
 
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