bunged up shower - possible cat litter

ChattingLil

ChattingLil

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Hello - I think I'm up a gumtree.

Somewhat stupidly, we've been putting the cat's litter tray in the head and now I suspect a piece of litter (or something else that has bunged it) has gone down the tiny drain hole in the floor. The drain hole is less than the diameter of a pencil. Anyway, whatever has bunged it, it's bunged and water won't drain.

The electric bilge pump still works but is not drawing anything through.

The head is lined with a complete, kind of all in one shower tray and toilet platfrom and would be, I imagine, almost impossible to remove without ripping the whole lot out.

There's a teeny access panel outside the head, which I can just get my hand in to feel underneath the floor and I can feel that there is a rubber hose with a jubliee clip attached to the underside of the drain, but there is no way I could work at it, I can only just feel it with the tips of my fingers.

This hose come out at the other end via a sealed up hole in the floor under a bunk in the forepeak where it then connects to the bilge pump.

So my questoin is - any ideas on how to clear up the bung without having the tear the insides of the boat out?

Any suggestions as to a product that might dissolve what ever is bunged up in the hose? I suspect I'm b_ggered if it's cat litter. :-(

THanks
Lisa
 
Several things to try.

Go to a car breaker and buy a speedo cable. Remove the outer, and you are left with a long springy cable about 4mm diameter. Rod that though the pipe.

2nd. Mr Muscle sink unblocker left in the pipe for a week would deffo soften it ready for clearance.

3rd Get a bicycle pump, and put the flexi pipe. Put in a bucket of water, and fill the pump. Apply flexi tube to your shower drain hole and pump. Watyer at great pressure, but not so much to go everywhere.

4th. Check the filter on your electric pump, as it blocks real easy with hair, bits of clothes fluff and carpet. I had to do ours every 3rd shower until I bought a stainless mesh pre filter to go over the drain hole in the shower tray.
 
Taking off the tube/pipe from the bilge pump end a possibility?

If so, get hold of a tubeless tyre valve from a tyre fitters, remove valve, fix the body into your tube/pipe and pump back with a foot pump. That might clear it back up into the shower.

(Mental images of cat's doo-doo plastered onto the head lining after!)
 
Great suggestions - many thanks! I can try all those. I have already checked the hoses and pump itself, so will try the Mr Muscle and the suck and blow options.

next thinking topic is where to put the cat's tray so it doesn't happen again!
 
FullCircle said:
3rd Get a bicycle pump...
Click to expand...

Or one of these:

p1095483_x.jpg


http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13894...ools/Sink-Drain-Clearance/Sink-Bath-Unblocker

Also see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_litter to find out what it might be made of
 
One of the best unblocking tools ever made is

the wirehangers you get from drycleaning. Straightened out and instant tool.

or

blow back from pump end
 
Bunged up shower drain

I'm 100% certain that this product will clear your problem ,and any thing else like raw water pipes etc. It's called a Power Drain Cleaner Part No 021785 and Produced by RDI International Ltd. Their address is 6 ,Park Farm , Witham Road, Black Nottley, Essex. CM778JX. The telephone No is 01376 333559 and FAX 01376 336569 .
The item resembles a pistol, and has two separate size pressure caps the smaller one is 50mm diameter, the larger is the 125mm diameter. The 'pistol' is pressurised by the built-in pump, and the smaller cap pressed onto the barrel; apply pressure to seal ,and fire the pistol. It does loos and sinks (by the way,overflow apertures should be coverd with a cloth or some of the muck may squirt out of it.
I bought mine at a bankrupt stock store for £1.95 !!! It's worth at least 12 quid or more. No connection... I wish I could have the franchise though for the marine fraternity!!!

ianat182
 
forgot to post a note on how this silly tale ended.

HWMBO had a brainwave of sticking the hose from the dinghy pump on the end of the pipe. One pump and it blasted right through. Thank god I remembered the advice above and had put a towel over the drain hole cos what came out was 'orribly vile.

Working lovely now.
 
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