Booms Ballast Install

[G-MONEY]

Nice install and sweet wake!!!!

I love the ballast puppy system.

[larryueckert]

sweet set up BOOMS good install and i bet the wake is awsome

[Duncan]

Great install! Congrats on your killer new wake!!

[Booms]

Thanks guys. I want to play hooky and surf.

Now that I think of it, the speedset was at 11.6 mph and taps at 5 and I had 75% of the sac full and I was riding with slack in the rope or no rope at all. This weekend I will try full on the starboard side and 40% full on the port and see how the wake is.

I tried both sacs full ~2,000# and my bro-in-law told me he could see the fins when I acclerated!

[Timmy!]

Did you run your vent and drain to the same thru-hull or use one thru-hull for each?

[Booms]

Did you run your vent and drain to the same thru-hull or use one thru-hull for each?

The side thru-hulls are both vent and drain. It works well. The air exits during filling and I get a good suction during draining.

[Timmy!]

Cool! Thanks for the info!

[ragboy]

We have been working on a ballast kit, and been testing a bunch of different setups. We have also been testing each setup, and timing fill and empty to get best performance.

I am going to post a write up soon, but a couple of notes that may help you, the first is that T-Fittings and check valves, slow it down, a lot. We are getting the full 9 GPM of the ballast puppy, and the way this is done, is to suck water from the bottom of the boat, directly to pump, within 2-3 feet max if possible, and no fittings or check valves in between. This also means when you reverse/empty, you are pushing the water right out the bottom of the boat.

Looking at your diagram, it may work, but it will be slow, and most likely pushing air with the water.

We are just about finished with ours, have some final mods to do, but the end goal was full performance, fill 1000 lbs in about 11-12 mins and no need to check for prime on fill. You just hit the switch and within a half second, fully primed and pumping at full performance. Our first setup, was a similar diagram to yours, and I think we got it to go at like 5gpm, and also had to play with both switches to get it to prime correctly.

[ragboy]

Try the 1235 Prop, it is what I went with from acme recommendation, and made a huge difference, about $500 from nettles.

[dogbert]

We have been working on a ballast kit, and been testing a bunch of different setups. We have also been testing each setup, and timing fill and empty to get best performance.

I am going to post a write up soon, but a couple of notes that may help you, the first is that T-Fittings and check valves, slow it down, a lot. We are getting the full 9 GPM of the ballast puppy, and the way this is done, is to suck water from the bottom of the boat, directly to pump, within 2-3 feet max if possible, and no fittings or check valves in between. This also means when you reverse/empty, you are pushing the water right out the bottom of the boat.

Looking at your diagram, it may work, but it will be slow, and most likely pushing air with the water.

We are just about finished with ours, have some final mods to do, but the end goal was full performance, fill 1000 lbs in about 11-12 mins and no need to check for prime on fill. You just hit the switch and within a half second, fully primed and pumping at full performance. Our first setup, was a similar diagram to yours, and I think we got it to go at like 5gpm, and also had to play with both switches to get it to prime correctly.

That's a good point. I forwent the check valves as well and there's only about 3" from my pump to my rear bags. The front is less than 3'. I've had very little issues with leakage, so I doubt I'll put the check valves in. I am thinking about putting a check valve on the vent hose because it will help get more water out.

Did you put check valves on your vents?

[Booms]

We have been working on a ballast kit, and been testing a bunch of different setups. We have also been testing each setup, and timing fill and empty to get best performance.

I am going to post a write up soon, but a couple of notes that may help you, the first is that T-Fittings and check valves, slow it down, a lot. We are getting the full 9 GPM of the ballast puppy, and the way this is done, is to suck water from the bottom of the boat, directly to pump, within 2-3 feet max if possible, and no fittings or check valves in between. This also means when you reverse/empty, you are pushing the water right out the bottom of the boat.

Looking at your diagram, it may work, but it will be slow, and most likely pushing air with the water.

We are just about finished with ours, have some final mods to do, but the end goal was full performance, fill 1000 lbs in about 11-12 mins and no need to check for prime on fill. You just hit the switch and within a half second, fully primed and pumping at full performance. Our first setup, was a similar diagram to yours, and I think we got it to go at like 5gpm, and also had to play with both switches to get it to prime correctly.

With my set up it takes about 10-11 mins to fill the 1,000# sac and the same to empty. I flip the switch on the dash and within 2 seconds the ballast puppies are primmed and have water flowing into the bags.
I decided to go with a side empty system so I could see when the sac is empty. As my boys put it "The Boat is Peeing!". When there is no more water peeing from the boat then the sac is empty. With many people, kids and the ipod bumping in the boat I can get distracted from what is going on and I could see the pumps running a long time with out water. With the water draining out the side I will always know visually that the bags are empty and will not have to look in the trunk or try and hear a difference in pump sound.

[Booms]

Try the 1235 Prop, it is what I went with from acme recommendation, and made a huge difference, about $500 from nettles.

Thanks for the info. I will look into it. I need a spare prop so maybe I will get one this winter during the boat shows for a special price.

[ragboy]

Sorry, was out today.

That's a good point. I forwent the check valves as well and there's only about 3" from my pump to my rear bags. The front is less than 3'. I've had very little issues with leakage, so I doubt I'll put the check valves in. I am thinking about putting a check valve on the vent hose because it will help get more water out.

Did you put check valves on your vents?

Yes, the only 2 check valves I have are on the vents, just inside of the outside hole. We tested with and without, and the main need for them is to prevent leakage of the bag while underway. Without the valve, you can lose 25% of your bag fill just by riding around and it leaking out the vent. But with the valves, it stays full.

With my set up it takes about 10-11 mins to fill the 1,000# sac and the same to empty. I flip the switch on the dash and within 2 seconds the ballast puppies are primmed and have water flowing into the bags.
I decided to go with a side empty system so I could see when the sac is empty. As my boys put it "The Boat is Peeing!". When there is no more water peeing from the boat then the sac is empty. With many people, kids and the ipod bumping in the boat I can get distracted from what is going on and I could see the pumps running a long time with out water. With the water draining out the side I will always know visually that the bags are empty and will not have to look in the trunk or try and hear a difference in pump sound.

Yes, it is definitely nice to know when empty, we are working on a method to detect, we almost have it worked out. Here is the thing, one thing we discovered while testing, is check valves are DEFINITELY effecting performance negatively when the pump has to SUCK through it, especially when sucking from under boat. You can do a simple test to see this your self. Take a hose with a check valve in it, and blow in one side to open valve with your breath. Now turn it around and try to suck it open. You can also do tests in time to fill with and without, you will see a noticeable difference. I can tell you, that going from bottom of boat, direct to pump, no valves, fittings, priming is almost instant.

[Timmy!]

So it sounds like check valves aren't needed on the drain side? I could see that, the pump is usually lower than the bag so how would the water get back in there(unless there was a good siphon)?

[Booms]

So it sounds like check valves aren't needed on the drain side? I could see that, the pump is usually lower than the bag so how would the water get back in there(unless there was a good siphon)?

It depends on where you want to drian/empty the bags. I wanted to drain out the side. If I did not put the check valve on the fill line from the thru-hull I would have pushed water through the bottom of the hull. Water, just like air, is a fluid and wants to move in the direction with the least amount of friction/pressure. If you want to drain out the side of the boat and do not use a check valve then you might have to close the ball valve at the thru-hull everytime you empty or the water will travl where the least amount of restriction is. It could be out the side or out the bottom. Water is not smart you have to restrict it from going where you don't want it to.

I think anyway you set up the system it is going to work. I spent $90 on check valves (~$9.00 a valve x 9 valves + tax) versus $30. Spending that extra money I am very happy with the system. I think you will be happy with any way you install the system with 3 or 9 check valves.