Ballast I in the Outback

[AlbertaBoy]

First off....love the info on this forum. Hope you all don't get tired of all my questions.
Anyway, I have the ballast in my 08 Outback and when I hit the switch I can hear it run for a few seconds and a slight water sucking sound but then the pump stops.
I kept hitting the switch hoping it would prime but still nothing.
I think I have the valve opened the right way. (up and down with the pump)
Any suggestions ?
Same short sound on the other pump when I hit the empty.

[Stazi]

Does the pump stop?
If not, then you have the same issue we all suffer with this setup, you have to hit the pump on while moving at a good clip to get it to prime. after that it'll work fine. For me as soon as I hit the deeper water out of my canal where I can get up on plane, I hit the fill switch and then get her up to about 20mph at least, then it primes and the bag will fill.

Hope this helps.

[AlbertaBoy]

Hi Stazi,

My pump stops on it's own after a few seconds.

[Stazi]

Hmm...do you have a reversible pump, like a Jabsco/Ballast Puppy or is it a Rule/Tsunami aerator style?

[AlbertaBoy]

Hmm...do you have a reversible pump, like a Jabsco/Ballast Puppy or is it a Rule/Tsunami aerator style?

I will have to check....new to this whole ballast thing.
New to this whole inboard thing actually. :)
I am guessing it is the latter as I appear to have one pump in the bilge area and I can hear a different one near the back seat I assume is to empty.

[deerfield]

First off....love the info on this forum. Hope you all don't get tired of all my questions.
Anyway, I have the ballast in my 08 Outback and when I hit the switch I can hear it run for a few seconds and a slight water sucking sound but then the pump stops.
I kept hitting the switch hoping it would prime but still nothing.
I think I have the valve opened the right way. (up and down with the pump)
Any suggestions ?
Same short sound on the other pump when I hit the empty.

AlbertaBoy - My '07 Outback is equipped with Factory I Ballast and standard 325 hp engine. To fill or empty, just flip the rocker switch. Boat does not have to be moving to prime the pump. If pictures would help in figuring out the problem with your ballast system, let me know and I will post them. - Deerfield

[AlbertaBoy]

AlbertaBoy - My '07 Outback is equipped with Factory I Ballast and standard 325 hp engine. To fill or empty, just flip the rocker switch. Boat does not have to be moving to prime the pump. If pictures would help in figuring out the problem with your ballast system, let me know and I will post them. - Deerfield

Thanks Deerfield...I will take any help I can get.
I flick the switch...pump noise for a few seconds .....then nothing.

[deerfield]

AlbertaBoy – On my ‘07 Outback’s ballast system, a single rocker switch controls both the fill and empty pumps.

The ballast fill pump is threaded directly to a through hull brass inlet fitting, located in the vicinity of the drain hole in the bilge. The fill pump draws water through the fitting and pumps it to a strainer about a foot downstream from the pump. From the strainer it goes through 1-inch quick release plumbing to the Fly High Fat Sac.

Once I flip the fill switch on, the pump goes to work and keeps pumping. Fat Sac fills quickly, even if the boat is sitting dead in the water. When I hear overflow, I switch the fill switch off.

Did not take a picture of the fill pump, as I cannot get one of any value unless I take the box off the engine and no one is home to help me with that right now. It’s a Rule pump. Don’t know what size or model.

Unlike the fill pump, the empty pump is located in the stern of the boat. I can hear but have not seen it. Fat Sac does not empty as fast as it fills, and sometimes when it is less than half full I have to step on or jiggle the Fat Sac to prime the pump. Like on the fill pump, the empty pump keeps working until I switch it off.

I think the empty pump is located too high to take advantage of gravity. That would explain the need to prime it. If my speculation is correct, the factory guys could have done a better job on the placement. Either that or it is simply a weak pump. It’s my one and only complaint about the ballast system on my Outback.

Hope this helps. - Deerfield

[viking]

I've had my ballast completely apart and back together as I did som modifications. Yes the empty pump is on the starboard side in the stern pretty much as low as it can go given location and found best way to empty is in motion with the bow up so the pump stays primed and empties the majority. As far as pumps running, same as Deerfield - on until switched off. Sounds like u have a short or something as it doesn't sound normal? Maybe pumps are bad? I think u can find replacements at wally world to try. Not expensive and return them if that doesn't solve ur issue


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[AlbertaBoy]

Thnaks everyone for the tips and pics. I have a rule aerator style. I disconnected it from the valve fitting and turned it on to see if the impellor was spinning and yes. I left the switch on and again turned on for a few seconds and then turns off on it's own. I then placed it in a bucket of water and and after about 5 cycles of off and on on it's own it primed and pumped and stayed on. It appears I just need to be more patient and leave the switch on to allow the pump to go off and on until it gets flowing. When I was on the lake I did not realize it would come back on after starting and shutting off after a few seconds. Must be so it won't burn out if it's dry. Will find out this week on the lake.