Ice box drain clogging up.

[D Dorle]

I am experiencing a back up in the drain to our ice box in our Cape Dory 31, so it continues to fill (slowly) with water even after I have cleaned it. It is refrigerated, but I don't think that that should cause the back up.

I realize that the ice box drain is a 'slow drain' so that room temperature air is unable to come up through the drain and therefore a little bit of water at the top of the drain is normal -- but in the case of this drain, that little bit of water accumulates over time to 3-4 inches deep. Not good for any items that are penetrable by water.

1) How to clean it, unclog it?

2) How do I keep it in good working order?

Please advise. David D.

[Steve Laume]

It's just a hose, that drains into the bilge. You could use hot water and or compressed air to blow it out.

I wonder where all the water is coming from. I always used ice in milk jugs or dry bags in my ice box. I had a foam plug in the drain and never accumulated any water. I have now converted to a refrigerator and added an extra 2" of insulation. I eliminated the drain and plan to sponge out the interior when cleaning. Could you be getting that much condensation? Make sure the seals on the lid are good and add insulation when you can, if you haven't already.

Fridge drainage in the bilge is kind of nasty, Steve.

[Jim Walsh]

The CD31 ice box drains into the shower sump. If I remember correctly it’s a 1/2” hose so water should drain quickly and never accumulate in the ice box/ice box converted to refrigeration. You definitely have a restriction in the drain.
Boiling hot water will frequently deal with plumbing blockages. If that doesn’t work I’d try a snake next, keeping in mind that gentle persuasion is best. You can run a snake from the shower sump and from the drain. One of those fiberglass electricians fish tapes would be my choice.