Gravity III upgrade

[Turbinesurgeon]

I wanted to share my experience upgrading my 2006 Sunsport Gravity Games III ballast. I recently purchased this boat as a project and I really have no experience with the way the factory system worked.

The center ballast I left the factory bag 1180 installed and retained the factory drain pump. I used the factory Rule pump to feed just the center tank. I left the scupper intake as is, I didn’t want to cut it apart so instead of using a sprinkler valve to prevent auto fill I installed a 2 wire 3/4” electric ball valve and used the existing wire to the sprinkler valve. Works great!!

In the left and right rear lockers I installed 1100lb fat sacs. The factory Johnson drain pumps didn’t work so I replaced with Piranha 800 pumps. I also installed two new intakes with Piranha 800 pumps dedicated to each ballast tank. I used the existing left and right wires from the sprinkler valves for the fill pumps. I changed out the 3 amp fuses to 10amp. I had to disconnect the center pump wires from the left and right switches so it wouldn’t turn on when I’m trying to fill left or right ballast. I also installed vent lines since they didn’t have that from the factory. Just used a Y and check valve and tapped into the drain line.

I used as much existing 3/4 line as possible. Everything I ordered except the electric ball valve came from WakeMakers for around $290. $45 for the electric ball valve. I originally ordered the Tsunami pumps but they were out of stock so they sent me the Piranhas at no extra charge.

Went to the lake last Tuesday it it works great. I didn’t record any fill times, I can do that tomorrow when we go out.

Great mod if your on a budget.

Couldn’t upload any picture, sorry

[Glenwyatt]

Were you able to use the original manifold with the ball valves?

[Turbinesurgeon]

I junked the manifold set up. I have individual pumps for each bag. The two new fill pumps for the rear bags have mushroom inlets so no need for a sprinkler valve. The center bag is still on the scupper style intake so I installed an electric 2-wire ball valve so it won’t auto fill while driving.

[sandm]

good upgrade. searching through the forums will bring lots of info on swapping out the old sprinkler setup.
never got around to doing it on my boat as I traded but it was on the to-do list.

[denton.leo]

Did you install the ball valve before or after the pump?

[Turbinesurgeon]

Did you install the ball valve before or after the pump?

I have the electric ball valve after the pump where the in-line filter use to be.




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[SpitzerCR]

Do you have photos of where you drilled the holes through the bottom? Im scared to death of drilling into this thing lol

[Turbinesurgeon]

If your adding large bags in the lockers I highly suggest you get one 800 pump for each bag. Once you get over drilling one hole in your boat the next ones easy.

I’ll get pics underneath a little later.


First pic is pump just in front of the v-drive starboard side.

Second pic is the pump on the port side of the v-drive.





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[twkoehn]

As long as you’re doing it, why not use an 1100 or 1200 instead of an 800??? Also, why not increase the hose from 3/4” to 1”??? My original rear drain pumps both burnt out in the last couple years and I put the Rule 1100’s in from Wakemakers. I had to increase the size fuse but otherwise it works really well, even with 3/4” drain hose. I’m hoping to increase my drain hose this year to 1” to decrease drain time even further.

[Turbinesurgeon]

As long as you’re doing it, why not use an 1100 or 1200 instead of an 800??? Also, why not increase the hose from 3/4” to 1”??? My original rear drain pumps both burnt out in the last couple years and I put the Rule 1100’s in from Wakemakers. I had to increase the size fuse but otherwise it works really well, even with 3/4” drain hose. I’m hoping to increase my drain hose this year to 1” to decrease drain time even further.

The only reason I went with 800 is because it wasn’t worth the extra money to re-do all the hoses and such just to gain maybe a minute or two during the fill time.


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