Whale Gulper Shower Drain Pump

[neil1967]

Our yacht has a shower tray below the water line (quite common I guess) and the waste pipe goes straight to a whale gulper 220 pump very close to the shower tray and at the same height. The outlet pipe then goes through the gulper one way valve, through a second whale one way valve I have fitted, up to a siphon break and down then to a hull fitting just above water level. The problem I have is that although the gulper clears the shower tray quickly, over time I am getting leakage back into the shower tray, which can only be from the waste water between the one-way valve and the siphon break. Even the second one way valve does not stop it. I guess that even one drip every 10 seconds mounts up.

The installation diagrams I have seen suggest putting the gulper much closer to the siphon break or hull fitting, but also show a shower drain sump, which I do not have and do not want (although not impossible, it would be difficult to fit one). Would I still be better mounting the gulper much closer to the siphon break and relying on it being able to suck the water/air mix out of the tube, to the benefit of having much less water left in the pipe to drain back?

 

[VicS]

Our yacht has a shower tray below the water line (quite common I guess) and the waste pipe goes straight to a whale gulper 220 pump very close to the shower tray and at the same height. The outlet pipe then goes through the gulper one way valve, through a second whale one way valve I have fitted, up to a siphon break and down then to a hull fitting just above water level. The problem I have is that although the gulper clears the shower tray quickly, over time I am getting leakage back into the shower tray, which can only be from the waste water between the one-way valve and the siphon break. Even the second one way valve does not stop it. I guess that even one drip every 10 seconds mounts up.

The installation diagrams I have seen suggest putting the gulper much closer to the siphon break or hull fitting, but also show a shower drain sump, which I do not have and do not want (although not impossible, it would be difficult to fit one). Would I still be better mounting the gulper much closer to the siphon break and relying on it being able to suck the water/air mix out of the tube, to the benefit of having much less water left in the pipe to drain back?

I think I would try a non return valve as close as possible to the shower tray

 

[PaulRainbow]

If the outlet is above the waterline there is no need for a siphon break. There is no need for a second one way valve. The pump will pump air, so fit it as close as possible to the through hull fitting and when you use it let it runs for a few seconds after the shower tray has emptied.

 

[RupertW]

If the outlet is above the waterline there is no need for a siphon break. There is no need for a second one way valve. The pump will pump air, so fit it as close as possible to the through hull fitting and when you use it let it runs for a few seconds after the shower tray has emptied.

I agree - have the same arrangement and even after days of being on the tack that puts it below the waterline no water comes back through the pump

 

[neil1967]

Thanks Paul. The outlet is normally above the waterline, but I have had a situation where the bilge outlet (which is next to the shower outlet) was held under water as the yacht heeled in strong winds when alongside in a marina and a syphon was set up, which filled the bilge with sea water, so I'd prefer to keep the syphon break, but I could mount the pump very close to it. It will be a bit of a faff, which is why I wanted to check to see if it was likely to work.......

 

[superheat6k]

I had a gulper on my last boat for shower and bilge pump out. Great pump but a strainer is essential, otherwise particles of debris get stuck in the valves which stop it pumping. This boat had a large open sump for the shower. I fitted a flexible pick up hose this allowed me to use the pump to empty small trapped areas of the bilge easily. It was held stowed into the sump with a couple of plastic clips.

I have just fitted one of the Seaflo shower sumps with a small centrifugal bilge pump. It has both float and override connection, so with a Manual - Off - Auto switch this leaves a small level of water in the thing when in normal use, and easily pump it mostly dry when leaving the boat. I also like to run a few drops of bleach into the drain to stop any bugs growing when leaving the boat.

 

[Gumpy]

All that is needed is a longer hose between shower and pump than between pump and outlet. This means that any water left in the outlet hose has somewhere to go to rather than back into the tray.

 

[catmandoo]

Our yacht has a shower tray below the water line (quite common I guess) and the waste pipe goes straight to a whale gulper 220 pump very close to the shower tray and at the same height. The outlet pipe then goes through the gulper one way valve, through a second whale one way valve I have fitted, up to a siphon break and down then to a hull fitting just above water level. The problem I have is that although the gulper clears the shower tray quickly, over time I am getting leakage back into the shower tray, which can only be from the waste water between the one-way valve and the siphon break. Even the second one way valve does not stop it. I guess that even one drip every 10 seconds mounts up.

The installation diagrams I have seen suggest putting the gulper much closer to the siphon break or hull fitting, but also show a shower drain sump, which I do not have and do not want (although not impossible, it would be difficult to fit one). Would I still be better mounting the gulper much closer to the siphon break and relying on it being able to suck the water/air mix out of the tube, to the benefit of having much less water left in the pipe to drain back?

If I recall the gulper is reciprocating pump ie a daiphragm and two NRV"s. So back flow should be nil if properly maintained . What is happening is that water in pump chamber is leaking past suction valve into shower tray .
I suppose it impossible to have pump below the tray so suggest looking at state of internal valves . May be debris is keeping valve open , Towel cotton perhaps . Have you fitted a strainer in suction ?