Shower drain is the only project I cant seem to do -- CHECK VALVE FLIX

[Stu Jackson]

After cleaning out the old check valve (see the picture above in Reply #3 on page 1) again, it finally stopped working completely.  The hoses are 3/4 inch, but the check valve itself was 1/2 inch.  The factory cleverly wrapped a short length of 1/2 inch hose on the check valve barbs to accommodate the 3/4 inch hose!

There are a few different 3/4 inch plastic check valves out there, although there are more choices of vendors for larger sized ones but they don't work, do they?   The Whale unit is only $20, the Shurflo is $16, but the $37 Raritan is the only one that appears to be serviceable.  I had a $10 West Marine coupon, so came out pretty even.  

If your sump starts getting backed up, check the check valve first before you start ripping up the saloon/galley deck.

I put Lanacote on the barbs and took the thing apart first and did the same on the threads.

Here's a picture of the new one and the instructions.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The key to keeping any check valve working is keeping it CLEAN !!  That's why you need a strainer in front of that one way valve to keep it clean.  See my previous post and the Mainsheet article with picture.
As Stu mentioned (picture of the Sureflow- no longer made) you can take your old check valve apart, clean it, reverse the rubber diaphragm (after you sprayed it with silicone) and reassemble.  I wrote that up in the Mainsheet many years ago.

It's hard to believe the amount of lint, hair, fuzz and junk that strainer picks up.  There are a number of strainers out there, but they need to be kept clean to keep them working.  I've even caulked a piece of bronze window screen on the top of the shower drain as it's 1st defence.  A few thoughts

[Stu Jackson]

Here's what is INSIDE the old Shurflo check valves (from the picture in Reply #3 on page 1)

[hallie]

HI. I'm adding my two cents to this, which is a very old post, but very important!  We have taken apart my sure flo that looks like this picture and boy did it have a bunch of gunk in it. It came apart in many directions at once, so I'm not sure the order of the parts, hopefully we get it right when we put it back together.

The new replacements don't look anything like this part, so it's hard to find. the new parts look just like the intake strainer valve for your engine. They have a clear plastic cup. That is the strainer that you can unscrew easily, clean, and put back without having to labor over hoses and plumbing tape. I want to take a shower now, so I am cleaning the old one! But I can't tell you how long it's taking me to figure this problem out. In a following post I'll take a picture of the part that is a replacement.

[Ron Hill]

hall: I wrote a Mainsheet tech Note article on installing a "Filter in the shower drain line" before the one way valve.  It is a small strainer with a screw in top.  Easy to unscrew and take out the mesh metal strainer and clean it!! 

A few thoughts

[KWKloeber]

This is the replacement for the old take-apart check valve.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : Believe Me !! you will have accomplished NOTHING if you don't install a filter before the one way valve - to collect all of the lint/hair/fuzzy-wazzies !!  Your one way valve will just get clogged again and stop working!!!   

A few thoughts