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.
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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

[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/q...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.