Ballast Upgrade on a Budget

[cab13367]

I'm glad you're figuring all this out for me, Al. Thanks!

My pleasure Kane I'm going to have the boat on the water Thurs thru Sunday so I'll have this sorted out by Monday.

[brain_rinse]

So the vented loop is not fixing either issue? Where do you have it mounted? Did you call Jason at wakemakers to find out what he recommends?

Sadly the vented loops aren't working for me. I have the loop for the ski locker mounted by the ski pylon and the loop for the bow sac is up under the helm. The pumps push water out through the top of the loops, even with them completely tightened down. Doesn't stop the autofill/autodrain either. I haven't been able to reach wakemakers yet - hopefully tomorrow.

[cab13367]

Sadly the vented loops aren't working for me. I have the loop for the ski locker mounted by the ski pylon and the loop for the bow sac is up under the helm. The pumps push water out through the top of the loops, even with them completely tightened down. Doesn't stop the autofill/autodrain either. I haven't been able to reach wakemakers yet - hopefully tomorrow.

I'm not liking that at all. If my vented loop doesn't work and/or spews water while filling, I am just going to go get an Irritrol valve and be done with it. Since the front bag is smaller than the rears and it wouldn't have to pump water uphill if I put an Irritrol valve in, it will still fill faster than the rear bags anyway.

[newty]

Brain, if the vented loops can be dissasembled take them apart and look and see if there are any burrs on the ball or cap. I'll bet there is something preventing the ball from seating. Plastic molded stuff like that always has little burrs that the factory doesn't bother to remove. Use an exacto knife to clean them up. That may fix your problem.

[brain_rinse]

Brain, if the vented loops can be dissasembled take them apart and look and see if there are any burrs on the ball or cap. I'll bet there is something preventing the ball from seating. Plastic molded stuff like that always has little burrs that the factory doesn't bother to remove. Use an exacto knife to clean them up. That may fix your problem.

Good idea, though I must have a different type of loop. Mine has an internal rubber piece that is seated by a threaded cap.

[cab13367]

Mine has an internal rubber piece that is seated by a threaded cap.

I think they are all like that.

Based on your experience, Dan, I abandoned the vented loop for the front and put in a 3/4" Irritrol 700 series Ultra Flow valve. I did not want to deal with spewing water AND still have possible auto fill/drain problems. The valve is a sure thing and I am willing to live with a little restriction to the front bag since it is the smallest of the three and so it should still fill faster than one of the rear bags.

The Irritrol was $25 and the irrigation place I bought it from says it is the most expensive 3/4" irrigation valve they sell. The 3/4" vented loop was $27. Can you say overpriced??

I'll post up some pics later as well as the results from the on water testing after the weekend.

Al

[brain_rinse]

I talked with Jason at WM and he hasn't seen issues like I'm having with the loops before. Going to do a couple of tests tonight to try to figure out what is wrong. They prefer the brand of 3/4" loops over what they have for 1" loops, so maybe that is some of it. I'm sorry that my bad luck with loops changed your plans, Al. Once I get it figured out I'll post back in this thread.

[cab13367]

I talked with Jason at WM and he hasn't seen issues like I'm having with the loops before. Going to do a couple of tests tonight to try to figure out what is wrong. They prefer the brand of 3/4" loops over what they have for 1" loops, so maybe that is some of it. I'm sorry that my bad luck with loops changed your plans, Al. Once I get it figured out I'll post back in this thread.

No worries Dan. I never liked the concept of the vented loop anyway so I'm good with the Irritrol for my particular situation. If I was running an 1100 in the front locker or feeding a bow bag in series with the 400, then I would probably have tried to make the vented loop work.

Yeah, I'm thinking you have some defective loops. On mine, if I cover one end and blow real hard on the other, I can't get air to go out the vent. But when I suck instead of blow, air pretty easily comes in thru the vent so it appears to be working as intended.

Let us know what you find out.

Al

[kaneboats]

I abandoned the vented loop for the front and put in a 3/4" Irritrol 700 series Ultra Flow valve. I did not want to deal with spewing water AND still have possible auto fill/drain problems. The valve is a sure thing and I am willing to live with a little restriction to the front bag since it is the smallest of the three and so it should still fill faster than one of the rear bags.

The Irritrol was $25 and the irrigation place I bought it from says it is the most expensive 3/4" irrigation valve they sell.

Al

I think I'm with you on this being that it's the smallest bag and fills very quickly anyway. Can you tell me what kind of "irrigation place" you purchased this from?

[jester]

- Replace stock 3/4" intake with 1". Use 1" tees and valves.

Al, Did you have to dill to make the hole bigger when you did this or was it big enough for the 1 inch intake?