Just purchased a "new to me" 3200 and found that the shower sump is inoperative. Appears you have to remove cabin stairs to gain access. I spent a little time but it is not clear to me how to remove stairs -- only saw 4 screws on floor but couldn't find bulkhead screws. Also not sure how to remove battery charger. Anyone have this issue? Any help/guidance is appreciated. Thanks.
Theres alot of screws under and behind the top step its best to just remove the top step first so you can find them. the battery charger can stay where its mounted as theres enough extra length on the wires to allow you to pull the steps into the cabin and then climb down and make needed repairs. I had same problem with my new to me 2006 3200 3 of the 4 float switches on the boat were not working.
Once you figure out how to reach the sump and make it operational, you can avoid this issue in the future by installing a round piece of fiber glass window screen under the floor drain in the shower. It is all the hair that goes down the drain that fouls the sump pump. The owner manual instructs 3200 owners to clean the shower sump monthly. Good luck with that recommendation. We have owned our 2004 since it was new and have never cleaned the sump because we knew about this work around from day one. We probably take 100 plus showers each year and have never had an issue with the sump. I keep a small supply of the screens in a baggy stored in the small cabinet in the head. They last about two weeks with our usage and you know it is time for a change when the drain runs slowly. The shower drain unscrews with the spanner wrench that came with the boat. That is used to open the sea strainers in the bilge for cleaning. The holes in the drain are the same size as those in the opening lids for the sea strainers. When changing the screen, I also pour some citrus smelling concentrated bilge cleaner down the drain so the sump gets the benefit of regular cleaning. The A/C pan drains to this sump so the soapy water gets pumped overboard along with any body oils that are in solution and the sump stays reasonably clean as you use the boat.
I am also the proud owner of a "brand new" 2005 Tiara 3200 Open. I too have discovered that at least one of the bilge pumps is not working. This would be the forward pump that requires the removal of the salon stairs. I removed the 4 screws from the base, 6 from underneath the top step and I have also removed a couple of screws that hold the trim across the door threshold in place. The stairs won’t budge! Where else do I look for screws?
The survey says there are four bilge pumps and the number four is mentioned in another of the forum threads. The manual that came with the boat states three pumps. Forward, Mid, Aft. Where is this mystery fourth pump?
I wanted to use a wet-and-dry vacuum to empty the bilge at my non-functioning pump. I then discovered there is no power to the 110V outlets. There are two breakers labeled “Outlets” and “Galley Outlets”. The latter popped and wouldn’t reset. I replaced both breakers but still no power to ANY outlet. (port forward, kitchen, stbd rear, head, engine room, TV cabinet). Question: What are those breakers labeled “Outlets” and “Galley Outlets” supposed to control? The “Outlets” breaker has power across it but where it goes then, I have no idea.
Try resetting the gfi. There are likely two mounted on the wall by your D.C. and A.C. guages behind the pull down doors in the salon. Push the button in the center until it clicks.
Thank You!!! No mention of the GFCI location in the manual. It seems that the "Outlets" breaker just controls the outlet in the engine room and the "Galley Outlets" breaker, everything else. At least that is the way my boat is wired!
I did get the salon steps out eventually. The trim piece below the metal door frame had to be removed and to get to its screws, the bottom section of metal door-frame trim had to come off. Will be easy next time!
I could then access both the bilge pump and the mystery "fourth" bilge pump that lives with its float switch in a plastic box, forward of the big bilge pump.
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Home Port: Kings Park, NY
Vessel Info: 2003 38' Open Cummin's 6CTA's (450 hp)
Posts: 696
Threads: 13
Likes Given: 1
Likes Received: 92 in 84 posts
Joined: Dec 2010
Home Port: Kings Park, NY
Vessel Info: 2003 38' Open Cummin's 6CTA's (450 hp)
That mystery "fourth" bilge pump that lives with its float switch in a plastic box is the shower sump pump assembly.... At least on my 38 Open it is.... Shower and Head sink drain into that box as well as the A/C condensation drains which is pumped overboard when water in the box triggers the pump.... I clean the box/strainer several times a year to ensure hair, etc doens't clog the pump.. M2C
The shower sump box on my 2000 41'open drains to a large storage container in the engine room. At first I couldn't figure what that was and kept getting water in the ER bilge. Soapy water was coming out of it and overflowing into the ER bilge. Once I turned on the breakers for the 2 diaphragm pumps (One on the top of the container and a second inline halfway to the discharge ) it started pumping it out. Much less water in the bilge now. Why 2 pumps i don't know but they are controlled by a float inthe container and run when needed (now that the breakers are on).