Another ballast question

[nogoodjr]

Question from the mechanically inept. I have gravity III ballast system and the back two bags fill and drain fine. Front bag has stopped working. Cannot hear the pump come on like with the rear bags. I tried filling it by hand in the driveway and it doesn't empty either. The red light below the ballast label turns red when depressed and stays solid for about 10-15 sec then flashes slowly. Any ideas what to do next? Thanks in advance for any help. Please speak in simple, specific terms. First wakeboat with ballast so I am learning as I go here.

[kaneboats]

Run a search on ballast and impeller. Good luck!

[nogoodjr]

I have searched. It seems people have manually opened the valves, I don't know where to find them. I see the lever valves on either side of the v- drive. From there they appear to route to the back of the motor. Where are the pumps located? Where are the ballast fuses located? There are numerous labeled fuses under the drivers dash but none are labeled ballast. Also, does the flashing light mean something?

Thanks

[deafgoose]

All 3 bags are filled by one pump. Its a big white pump that also has a shut-off valve connected to the thru-hull intake. If you can fill the two rear bags, there is nothing wrong with your fill pump.

The ballast fuses are located under the steeting wheel on the back wall where your feet go when driving.

Not sure what a flashing light means. I have never seen that before.

[kaneboats]

Allright, sorry. I'm almost positive that you are looking at posts that concern an older version of the GIII ballast. They should have changed the name when they changed the system. Your (new, better) system should have 3 reversible pumps. The pumps will burn up impellers now and then. The old system used aerator pumps-- just a single pump to fill (Rule 2000) and three smaller Rule pumps, 1 near each bag to empty. It sounds as though you have one pump that is overheating, may have tripped a breaker or may need an impeller replaced. Others with more knowledge about this particular system should chime in soon.

[nogoodjr]

Thanks Kane. I found the pumps. Located behind carpeted endwall in back left locker. Three pumps and three black boxes I assume contain the fuses. Problem, I don't know how you open the boxes. If the impeller is burned up in the pump, I believe that's a job for the dealer. Would like to try the fuse first though. Anybody with similar system?

[kaneboats]

Don't run to the dealer just yet. You can actually get a better impeller if I remember correctly from earlier posts.

[moombadaze]

think he will want the "green" for the upgrade.

Ed, where are you?

[kaneboats]

Try some of this and maybe give Wakemakers a call for advice. They know your boat and will walk you through it.

https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?t=14487&highlight=green+impeller

[DOCDRS]

There is breaker in the battery compartment for the ballast marked as such on right side wall probably. If your other pumps are working you have to determine if this pump is actually getting power to it or if the motor is burned out. The black boxes are the timers no fuse there. Green impellers are thebest and easy to change. Get yourself a cheap digital multimeter fo checking current to the motors/pumps could be a loose connection , maybe a stuck / frozen impeller impeller. 3 slot screws to remove the impeller cover although I think the forward one is the middle pump which faces down and has to be removed to get at the screws.

[nogoodjr]

Doug, thanks so much for the info. It is the middle pump but it looks pretty easy to remove. I will check the power. Are there seperate fuses for each pump? I was thinking that if one is getting power then it can't be the fuse. Anyway, thanks again everyone for the info, I knew I could count on the experts on this board.

[DOCDRS]

The front one is the left one. Ed G has a pic in his profile but you already know that if you had it apart. Easy to check power and change the impeller on that pump. Keep us posted

[nogoodjr]

ok guys, here is the update on my ballast issues. After a lot of help from this board, I went to work. I have added pictures to help anyone in the future. First I located the pumps behind the left locker
https://forum.moomba.com/picture.php?albumid=465&pictureid=3780
Removed the carpeted divider.
https://forum.moomba.com/picture.php?albumid=465&pictureid=3781
Then I checked power to the timers
https://forum.moomba.com/picture.php?albumid=465&pictureid=3788
Then power to the motor
https://forum.moomba.com/picture.php?albumid=465&pictureid=3787

[nogoodjr]

Next I inspected the impeller
https://forum.moomba.com/picture.php?albumid=465&pictureid=3785
https://forum.moomba.com/picture.php?albumid=465&pictureid=3786

Looks good. I tried kicking the motor over with impeller exposed. The motor hums but the impeller does not spin. So I removed the motor by removing the 4 mounting screws
https://forum.moomba.com/picture.php?albumid=465&pictureid=3790

Now my question is, should I replace the motor or is there another explanation as to why the impeller would not spin? Can the motor be rebuilt? Any other ideas?

Thanks

[deafgoose]

Sounds like the motor is fried.

My Rule 2000 pump did the same thing in my 1st season.