Gray Water System

CurrentSea

CurrentSea

Active member
Member
Joined
Sep 23, 2002
RO Number
10265
Messages
9,958
Why would a boat thave a gray water system?
What are the advantages?
I think its to collect the sink and shower water? I don't have to have this where I boat, can it easily be modifed to dischage overboard? Does Gray water get pumped out? I never had a gray water system before.

Thanks.
 
If you boat on lakes it is usually a requirement.

Gray water collects like blackwater. Look at the system closely and ask the surveyor if it can be modified.
 
Mine has a gray water system it just has a small less than a gallon tank with a switch and pump. It does the shower and a sink. It is not a gray water holding system though. Some lakes have this a requirement. In my opinion you would need a larger gray water tank then your MSD type 3 holding tank. It should be easily modified by replacing the tank with a Rule Shower sump kit.
Bill
 
On a few specific lakes (Lake George in particular) you may not discharge gray water out of the boat. The gray water must be stored in a gray water holding tank, and must be pumped out at a dockside facility, same as a black water tank. To my knowledge, there is no technology currently available to treat gray water to a condition where it may be drained back into the outside water. Also - and this is important - gray water CANNOT be run through a treatment system that is intended for black water (sewage). You'll ruin the treatment system!

Most other places, there is no gray water requirement, and it may be drained back into the outside water. In fact, most boats have direct overboard drains for the shower and sink water.
 
quote:
Originally posted by CurrentSea

I think its to collect the sink and shower water?
Click to expand...


That would be called a "sump". Just like you might bave in your home's basement if there is a drainage problem. A shower sump (or just "sump") will have a pump and either a manual or automatic switch to pump the contents overboard.

Sinks often drain overboard if the drain is above the waterline. For most of us, if we have a shower, it will drain into a sump because the floor of the shower is below the waterline.
 
Dave

Regal list a "shower sump" on the spec sheet. The gray water from the sinks in the galley and head and the shower drain will all flow into the "shower sump" and the water will be pumped overboard. I do not think the 4080 has a gray water holding tank unless it was installed as a factory option. The "shower sump" concept must be used since your sink and shower drains are so far below the waterline. If your boat does have the gray water holding tank, it should be fairly simple to route the pump out lines to a thru hole.
 
Neal,
Yes, it has shower sump. I think all the sinks and shower pump up to the gray wayer tank. It was a factory option which I assume costs extra. What I will do is add another sump from gray tank overboard. That will be easier than re-routing every drain overboard. Plus if the gray water system is ever really needed, it will be available.
 
Dave,

Back in 2001, Regal had both galley and head sinks along with the shower to be removed from the boat via the 'shower sump pump'.
I removed the galley sink from the sump pump and have it being discharged directly overboard via gravity. This prevents the constant build up of debris from the galley sink from accumulating in the sump pump.

You can redirect to shower pump hose to discharge on the starboard side of the boat also. Access to do this is by removing the galley refrigerator, then you will have plenty of room to work.
 
Doesn't the gray water tank necessitate that the waste and or fresh water tank is smaller? Other wise I'm not sure where they installed the gray water tank. Did you lose some of the saloon floor storage? Either way I'd rather have a bigger fresh water/holding tank.
 
Dave....Maybe the way Gary explained it would be the way to go. Sounds like the sink " debris " may clog the sump pump and cause the tank to overflow ???
 
I too like Gary's idea, Don has a point about "debris" in the sump pump.

Walter
 
Dave

IMHO you will have so many things to work on just getting a brand new boat that I would not think the grey water system would be much of a priority. If you only boat 50 hours a year the system should not be a PITA. I agree with Gary that directing the galley sink to flow directly overboard should be easy and does eliminate the galley debris from clogging the sump which it will do.
 
I need to look at the system and see what is going where. The gray water system does not take away extra space from any of the other tanks. It is a seperate tank. I was also suprised that most of the thru hulls run out the back of the boat.
Here is a picture of it. It is on the port side. Those white doors you see between it and the engine are the genny sound shield covers that were off. It is not something I will address right away, but I can seriously see us filling up that tank. I am not even sure that is a tank, just saw it said Gray Water on it.

Picture170.jpg

Picture013.jpg

Picture014.jpg
 
Dave,

The blue box in the picture is the 8D house battery, and the thru hull fittings under the platform are for the various drains (cockpit, and both storage bins at transom)along with the genset exhaust.
 
Gary,
Batteries were under the floor board in the center. I could of sworn that box said gray water. I did not open it. I may be wrong. I didn't focus alot on the systems since they were all winterized.
 
oops, you may be right. I see thru hulls on the side of the hull where the shower and sink are.
I could of sworn this box said gray water system and I was reading about it in the owners manual that was on the boat.

Oh well, guess I have alot to learn about this boat and walking all over it for a couple of hours did not cut it!

Thanks!
 
The blue box is def. the 8D house battery. The batteries under the center section are the engine start batteries.
 
quote:
Originally posted by rommer

The blue box is def. the 8D house battery. The batteries under the center section are the engine start batteries.

Click to expand...


I agree, the box looks exactly like a Bonar Plastics battery box.

21335F-f.jpg


edited manufacturer. whoops.
 
Thats funny, shows you how much dealers know.
I asked him what it was, he said gray water.
Now I am curious if I have gray water or not.
Pretty big battery box!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top