Sump pump - Which way do I turn the screw?

[Yannis]

My actual configuration is that the gray shower water drops with gravity into a sump, which is directly underneath the shower plate. Into this sump are a bilge pump and a float switch that activates it. Then, the pump pumps the water through a pipe directly overboard. Along this pipe, I HAD incorporated a valve so that the water inside the pipe would not flow back into the sump, BUT, because this valve clogged every so often and started getting on my nerves, I removed it.

Now, although this actual pump almost dries out the sump and eventually stops, all the water from the pipe comes back. Not that it is terrible to continue living like this, as the water that comes back is not so important, but I would wish to install another kind of ONLINE pump, in that it will be positioned directly alongway the water pipe WITHOUT the use of the sump, and somehow, it would be SELF activated to push the water out and, once there is no more water, to stop and go to sleep. I do not want to start it myself, finish my shower and then go to the switchboard to turn it off.

Does anything like this exist, or am I looking for something in the Guinness book?

[Navatech]

I HAD incorporated a valve so that the water inside the pipe would not flow back into the sump

It's called a check valve...

BUT, because this valve clogged every so often and started getting on my nerves, I removed it.

They have a reputation for clogging...

I would wish to install another kind of ONLINE pump, in that it will be positioned directly alongway the water pipe WITHOUT the use of the sump, and somehow, it would be SELF activated to push the water out and, once there is no more water, to stop and go to sleep. I do not want to start it myself, finish my shower and then go to the switchboard to turn it off.

Does anything like this exist, or am I looking for something in the Guinness book?

I think you meant an INLINE pump... Either way, I'm unaware of a product like the one you describe... Sumps and sump pumps are the solution everybody uses for showers that have their floor under the water line... I guess you could concoct something using a standard inline pump and one of those water sensors that work electrically...

Having said that, do you happen to have a fan that you turn on and off when you shower (so as to get rid of the humidity)?!... If you hook up your new inline pump to the same switch you're good to go...

[Catalina31]

Yannis,
If you put a strainer on the discharge side of the shower drain pre bilge pump it would collect everything that could potentially get caught in your bilge pump and later on in your check valve. I think that would be your easiest solution and you could re install your check valve which would again prevent your sump from filling back up with the remaining water the pump couldn't get all the way overboard.

This is the unit I have on-board. Yes with the ladies on-board you do have to clean the strainer occasionally.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/rule-ind ... 31_001_508

Hope that idea helps.
-Brian

[Yannis]

Brian,

I had that very one, only it takes up a lot of space, that's why I want what I described.

The mesh idea however sounds logical !