Showers. Blocked?

[BetweenBoats]

I'm having a little trouble with the showers in my Fairline Targa 52. They are are not draining and then flooding the heads compartment and then into the saloon.

A quick check in the bilges show the shower drain pumps are working if I put water in them, suggesting that the problem is with the plumbing between shower tray and pump.

How inadvisable is it to use household drain unblocked on such pipes. Very inadvisable? Or ok if used with caution?

Any wisdom on unblocking these pipes very much appreciated!

 

[sarabande]

I would not try any chemicals until you have had a go at reverse flushing or a wire. Probably soap gunge and hair.

 

[nigelmercier]

Have you cleaned the filter?

 

[DavidJ]

I've got a similar pending problem. The shower tray fills up slightly faster than the pipes can take it to the shower sump.
How about undoing the pipe to the sump and blocking it off with a cork (or similar) then filling from the shower with Mr Muscle (or similar). Leave for 12 hrs and release the cork into a container (not sure I want concentrated Mr Muscle in my sump).
I've not tried it but just an unproven suggestion.

 

[CLOUD9]

Had a similar issue at the start of the season. Check that the drainage pipe has not sagged or become unclipped. Our problem was not that the pipe was blocked, but it had sagged a bit and formed a trap which, together with a very shallow fall to the pump box, was not allowing a fast enough flow and it was backing up into the shower tray. The pipe was refitted, the flow improved and its been fine ever since.

 

[Freebee]

had a similar problem -found a filter which was totally blocked with er um..... hair !!

 

[jrudge]

I had something similar on a targa 40. The float switch would work fine manually but in use would every now and then not work.

The switch had an intermittent problem so I just bought a new shower box which from memory was not expensive ( first time for everything !)

 

[chuzzlewit]

I had a similar problem. There was a filter to protect the pump. The filter was clogged with hair.

 

[Murv]

I've just done mine (Turbo 36)
The drain holes were actually incredibly small and blocked up with hair and all manner of things...
Quite easy to shift with a screwdriver and "rodding" through with net curtain wire.