ballast pump? switch? who knows?

[yager97]

Hi all,

took my boat to get repairs to the ballast system last fall. The port v-drive ballast tank would no longer empty at the end of the season. I checked the fuse, and it was blown for the empty cycle. i put in a new fuse, turned the pump to empty, it would start to empty for a few seconds, and then the fuse would blow again. This would happen everytime i put a new fuse in. the repair shop told me they had removed rocks from the pump that i had apparently sucked into the pump, and that they water tested the boat and it was fixed. Seemed strange to me that they claimed they water tested it, yet when i got the boat back there was no fuse in the fuse box where I had removed the blown fuse for the empty cycle of the pump. i approached them about this, and they said the technician had put a fuse in to test it, and then removed the fuse after he was finished. I also noticed that the fuses for the fill side, were 30 amps, and the empty side were 10amps, all the other pumps drain fine with the 10 amp fuse, is this a possible problem? Any insight into this would be great, I may just buy a new pump if thats the issue. thanks

[JesseC]

The fill side is running a 2000GPH pump which I would assume to draw a much higher amperage than the 500GPH-700GPH evac pumps. I would check the pump for more debris and if there is not any, just replace the pump. It is an easy process and shouldn't take you long. I have replaced all three of mine due to them burning up at different periods. I also replace mine with 500GPH instead of 700GPH. They seem to last longer since there is not as much pressure due to the slight decrease in water volume going through the hoses. They take a little longer, but I got tired of replaceing them.

[ajmoritz17]

since you guys are on the topic of pumps i have a ques...when you are filling the pumps do you just keep the hatches open so you can see how full they are getting it seems like im runnin around the boat checking bags cause im nervous to overfill them. my buddies boats shoots the water back out the side once they are full so he knows to turn the switch off. I am also having a prob. with my front bag-can't seem to get all the air out of it everytime i fill it i have to pull it back and push air out kind of a pain where as my rear bags just fill all they way and empty every time.
________
Suzuki VX800 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Suzuki_VX800)

[byronkoz]

Yeah id think that water shooting out the side is through the vent or drain line?

[ajmoritz17]

im assuming vent line because the switch is still on 'fill' - so is that why there are 2 holes? one only to empty and the other one is a ?vent line? whats a vent line?
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CT110 (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_CT110)

[JesseC]

I do not think those are vent lines....I added a vent line to my ballast bags in the rear by putting a T connection and one way valve on the thru hull port. I put in a one way valve into the third fitting on the rear ballast bags which act as an overflow/vent line. There are probably two thru hull fitting on each side of your boats. The two on the Port side are usually 1 for port rear ballast and the other for the front bag. On the starboard side there is 1 for the bilge pump and one for the rear ballast bag. At least there are only four on my 02 LSV.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/StarkRaven/ballast010.jpg

[cab13367]

since you guys are on the topic of pumps i have a ques...when you are filling the pumps do you just keep the hatches open so you can see how full they are getting it seems like im runnin around the boat checking bags cause im nervous to overfill them. my buddies boats shoots the water back out the side once they are full so he knows to turn the switch off. I am also having a prob. with my front bag-can't seem to get all the air out of it everytime i fill it i have to pull it back and push air out kind of a pain where as my rear bags just fill all they way and empty every time.

AJ,

When the bags are full, the excess water is pushed through the evac lines and out the drain hole. Then you know the bag is full and can shut off the pump. That's how it works on my 2006 LSV. The third hole is to vent air out of the bag if you have some trapped in it.

Hope that helps.

Al

[yager97]

This may be a dumb question, but how many pumps are there in the gravity 3 system. I have isolated the fact that my evac pump may be gone, but is it not the same pump as the fill pump? I can only find three pumps in my system. Am I missing something here?

[yager97]

also, does anyone have any idea where I could purchase one of these pumps?? anywhere online, or maybe west marine?

[JesseC]

This may be a dumb question, but how many pumps are there in the gravity 3 system. I have isolated the fact that my evac pump may be gone, but is it not the same pump as the fill pump? I can only find three pumps in my system. Am I missing something here?

Not a dumb question, but there are a total of 4. There is the large fill pump that is located on the water inlet next to the trans (Rule 2000GHP). There are 3 evac pumps. One is in the ski lokcer and the other two are on either side of the engine compartment next to the ballast bags. Most of these are just Rule 700GPH thru hull pumps with a 1" NPT fitting I think. Will verify this evening if someone else does not chime in.

If you have the new style pump, here is the replacement motor --> http://www.boatersworld.com/product/477200125.htm

If it is the old style buy the entire pump.

[yager97]

Thanks,

It is the old style, it's from a 2003 boat. the New style of pump looks alot different, and may not screw in and fit into the area they put my pumps. The evac pumps are actually all located right in front of the engine on top of the transmission. apparently not the proper location.

[ajmoritz17]

thanks cab-

i have yet to fill them up to the point where water shoots back out so maybe next time i go out i will do so and that would hopefully force the air out of my front bag
________
Honda NT700V (http://www.cyclechaos.com/wiki/Honda_NT700V)

[JesseC]

Thanks,

It is the old style, it's from a 2003 boat. the New style of pump looks alot different, and may not screw in and fit into the area they put my pumps. The evac pumps are actually all located right in front of the engine on top of the transmission. apparently not the proper location.


You can no longer get the old style unless it is old stock. The new style are the same EXACT size. Thr only difference is that the motor can be replaced while keeping the pump houseing attached. I am running all ne style in my 02. They just changed it to a two piece style. Makes changing them much easier. Just unclip the motor, cut and reconnect the wires and snap it back in. No more removing the hose, then the thru hull nut then fish the motor out.......etc. Just unsnap and resoulder.

[JesseC]

thanks cab-

i have yet to fill them up to the point where water shoots back out so maybe next time i go out i will do so and that would hopefully force the air out of my front bag

In the case of the front bag, this at least for me does not work. The fill is on the top of the bag and evac is on the bottom. When water runs out, there is still air in the top of the bag....drives me crazy. Have not found a fix for this one yet. I am tempted to take it somewhere and have another fitting put on the top to add a vent to.

[etang789]

I do not think those are vent lines....I added a vent line to my ballast bags in the rear by putting a T connection and one way valve on the thru hull port. I put in a one way valve into the third fitting on the rear ballast bags which act as an overflow/vent line. There are probably two thru hull fitting on each side of your boats. The two on the Port side are usually 1 for port rear ballast and the other for the front bag. On the starboard side there is 1 for the bilge pump and one for the rear ballast bag. At least there are only four on my 02 LSV.

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q21/StarkRaven/ballast010.jpg

I would like to do that as well and where can you buy those one-way-valves?

[canuckskier]

My empty pump is not working. Hoping it is a fuse. where would it be located on an '06 Outback DD?

[aerophoto]

since you guys are on the topic of pumps i have a ques...when you are filling the pumps do you just keep the hatches open so you can see how full they are getting it seems like im runnin around the boat checking bags cause im nervous to overfill them. my buddies boats shoots the water back out the side once they are full so he knows to turn the switch off. I am also having a prob. with my front bag-can't seem to get all the air out of it everytime i fill it i have to pull it back and push air out kind of a pain where as my rear bags just fill all they way and empty every time.

I had air in my front bag I disconnected the hose pushed out the air and ready to go. No more air I only had to do it once My gravity 3 system also pushes water out when full so then I shut it off.

[JesseC]

I would like to do that as well and where can you buy those one-way-valves?

I got mine from boaters world. I used the 3/4" size valves.

http://www.boatersworld.com/product/359350147msk.htm



.

[AustinXLV]

I also just had my port ballast drain pump go out. At the same time I had an extremely strange problem where any fill switch turned on begins to fill all 3 ballast tanks! I called the dealer and they had no clue.
Has anyone had this happen and know what's causing it? I have already checked the toggle switches on the fill pumps near the vdrive.

[kjwahl]

Not sure if this is related. But we have had problems with the port bag also. Started a little last year (we have an 07LSV). The port bag seemed to "randomly" fill and usually emptied with no problem. Check the for the manual switch on the fill valve, but the switch was snapped off, so I had no idea what position it was set to, but the bag usually worked ok. This year the port bag would fill but not empty. So at first we thought the manual switch was screwed up, finally got around to switching the fill valve out, still no empty (which all makes sense now). Looking thru the forums, we found the reference about the fuses and low and behold the fuse was blow. Switch it out and it kept blowing on empty, which implied the empty pump was shot (again thanks to the forums). So ordered the new pumps got it switched out and nothing. Checked the fuses again, they were ok, checked the switches and power to them, seemed ok. Next checked the voltage at the plug to the pump, no power/voltage. Kept rechecking things, hoping that the electrical connection was continuous from the switch to the plug. Finally on fussing around I jiggled the plug while monitoring the voltage and noticed the voltage did jump to the 12volts and around. So this implied the plug was flaky. So cut the plugs out, and there was voltage on the lines (couldnt think of any other quick/simple option, I was able to pull out the hot side wire from the connector pretty easy). So I wired nutted them together and the pump spun. Still need to get it to the water for the final test. Looking back it might have been simple, but it is a learning experience.

[yager97]

just an update on what the problem was, it was simply a case of burnt out pumps.

[AustinXLV]

Took the boat to the dealer and they found that the solenoids were bad and the drain pump was also bad. Got the boat back on the water to find that the bag drains! Unfortunately after driving the 100 miles to the deal and back, I find that the rear bags still fill at the same time with the switch of 1 button! I'm not impressed. Back to the shop again next week!

[yager97]

I also have that problem, both my rear bags fill when i only want one to fill. where do I get a replacement solenoid valve though??

[cab13367]

I also have that problem, both my rear bags fill when i only want one to fill. where do I get a replacement solenoid valve though??

Home Depot. They are the same solenoid valves used on sprinkler systems.