Very Challenged today

Renne' and I went to bed last night exhausted!

While I was taking a shower yesterday morning, I noticed the shower drain pump was not working properly.  It was dragging really badly and pumping water out really slowly.  I was concerned as it is only 1-1/2 years old.  My old friend, Gary Hoyle, of Lenire Yacht Services, installed it when he helped me finish out the shower in the aft stateroom.  By the way, Gary did a fabulous job on the shower and save my lovely shipmate from moving into an apartment!!  I figured the issue was electrical and the dc motor was burning out.  Renne' thought it might be a clog.

I called the company, Jabsco, a division of ITT International and consulted with them about the issue.  After discussing the issue with their engineers, they called me back an hour later with the conclusion it was a clog in the line.  Not sure how that happened as the drain in the pan was clean, but to ensure both ideas were taken care of, I pulled the unit off the FAR engine room wall, disconnected the inlet and outlet hoses and cut the wiring for the unit.  Thank goodness for the internet and the ability to track down the operating instructions, as I was able to tear the unit apart and clean it (although there appeared to be NOTHING blocking the diaphragm).  When the hoses were disconnected, most of the water in the shower collection tub drained into the bilge - didn't see hairballs or sludge from that.

So I filled a bucket (oh, by the way, this all took place between 9pm and midnight), attached a hose to the inlet of the pump, ran a jumper cable from the battery to the pump and, voile', the pump worked normally!!!  At that point, I got out the shop vac and sucked what was in the collection tub out and then, reversing the vacuum hose, blew out the remaining water in the drain hose.  Then I reattached the pump to the FAR bulkhead wall, reconnected the hoses with new clamps, and reconnected the power lines.  I then took another shower!!  The pump worked.  So either both of us were right or one of us was wrong, but all told, both issues were checked and now the pump works again!  VICTORY!  One for the day!


The engine room, when it is completely assembled has an upper compartment we use for storing most of our tools and spares.   So, in order to get into the engine room, around the engine exhaust, the generator mounting plate, the generator exhaust and all of the rest of the stuff (hoses, prop shaft, wiring, fuel selector valves) I have about two feet vertically and 18" horizontally to squeeze my upper torso through.  The bilge is three feet deep in the engine room and losing my glasses (so have I told you how much I HATE wearing glasses??), screws, screwdriver, clamp, etc caused a bit of a challenge.

So, to put the pump back in, I unscrewed and began removing the bulkhead. I failed to remember the floor to the tool room is supported by the bulkhead (have I told you previously I was frustrated already with water in the engine cylinders). So I almost lost all of my tools into the bilge!!  Now that would have topped the day.  So Renne' and I spent a rather tense few minutes unloading the upper tool room of all the tools and spares remaining there.  Even with the extra room, it was like being a contortionist getting the pump back into place.

So another double shot of Captain Morgans Special Reserve Rum and three Motrin at 1am, I was able to get to sleep.  Up this morning at 4:45 on the computer searching for more advice on removing injectors on the engine.

Today I am only a BIT Pissy!!

Thanks for all of your positive comments,

JonNe'

Gary Hoyle, Lenire Yacht Restoration,  1405 Bayport Blvd (Hwy 146), Seabrook, TX  77586, Tel: (281) 474-2653
Jabsco, ITT Flow Control, 1 Kondelin Road, Cape Ann Industrial Park, Gloucester, MA 01930, Tel: 978 281-0440