Rustydust 21V Ballast Install

[rustydust]

Finally started my ballast install in my 2000 21V. There are so many awesome threads and people on this website to help you get started and find the right way to do this. I decided to do the ballast puppy reversible pump system. The hardest part is to get all of the hardware and plumbing parts together. I would recommend just going to Chpthrill for all of this. Here is my list of parts and where I got them. This took many trips to Lowe's.

Description Qty Price Total Supplier
GROCO SCOOP THRU-HULL WITH NUT 1-1/4" 1 $40.95 $40.95 JD Distributors
5200 Marine Adhesive 1 $12.99 $12.99 JD Distributors
1 1/4" Bronze Ball Valve 1 $52.95 $52.95 Wake Makers
1 1/4" Bronze Street Elbow 1 $31.49 $31.49 Wake Makers
1" Thru Hull Fitting - Stainless Steel 2 $16.95 $33.90 Wake Makers
Fly High 1" Flow-Rite Quick Release 4 $6.50 $26.00 Wake Makers
Fly High 1" Elbow Flow-Rite Quick Release 4 $7.00 $28.00 Wake Makers
Check Valves 6 $9.00 $54.00 Lowes
1 1/4" T (PVC) 1 $2.30 $2.30 Lowes
1" Male Adpt to hose barb 12 $0.55 $6.60 Lowes
1" T hose barb 4 $0.92 $3.68 Lowes
PVC Cement 1 $2.84 $2.84 Lowes
Screws 1 $2.45 $2.45 Lowes
1 3/8" Hole saw 1 $9.70 $9.70 Lowes
1 5/8" Hole saw 1 $10.10 $10.10 Lowes
Hole saw adapter 1 $16.80 $16.80 Lowes
1 1/4 PVC Pipe 1 $4.00 $4.00 Lowes
1 1/4" PVC Adapter 1 $1.00 $1.00 Lowes
1" slip to thread adpt pvc 12 $0.75 $9.00 Lowes
1" Ballast Hose Black 35 $1.99 $69.65 Wake Makers

Grand Total $418.40

[laserfish]

Pictures, pictures, gotta have pictures!! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. What made you decide on the pups and not the aerator type? Can't wait to celebrate your progress with you.
Another question maybe Chpthril can answer. Why is all this done with the bronze and not PVC? All the aerator system on my bass boat including the thru hulls are done with PVC. Definately a difference in quality, but is that the only reason? Any one know?

[Timmy!]

Let's see the pics!

[rustydust]

I wanted to limit the amount of PVC used to avoid the possibilities of breaking. Everything is Bronze through the Ball Valve. If something after the ball valve breaks then I will have a shut off.

I had pictures of all the hardware before installation but they have magically disappeared.

I looked at many different installs and decided on the ballast puppies for multiple reasons first being the ease of installation. My original plan was to have a backward facing scoop thru hull to the left of the V-Drive box. The check valve and ballast puppies would prevent any draining from vacuum.


I then measured where I would come through on the bottom and found I had something in the way .... the bunk of the trailer lined up exactly with where the scoop would be mounted.


I looked everywhere for an alternate location but nothing was available so I had to move to the Transome.

[rustydust]

With mounting on the transome I will not be able to fill while underway but I don't think this will be too much of an issue and still a huge improvement from where I am today. I did have to check a lot of different situations though. I wanted to make sure I was well under the water line, the elbow I needed could be threaded on without interference with the exhaust and that the valve handle would now protrude too close to the belts on the engine.

I still used the scoop since I had it and it would prevent sucking up trash into the system. I couldn't find the mushrooms with the strainers anywhere.

Also like everyone else has said practice the holes on plywood before going at the boat.

I found the transome to be extremely thick!

[rustydust]

So with this expense I only wanted to do two pumps to begin with, for the two V-Drive sacs. There will be provisions for future bow sac. I made the T for the manifold from PVC.

From the manifold the lines will go to a check valve and then a T. From there they will proceed to the pump and then to the sac.

I tried to keep all of this behind the rear panels.







So the plan is that the pump will pull the water through the check valve and into the sac. I have the vent connected to the side of the boat so I will know when it is full. Then I will empty the sacs and the pumps will push the water out, hit the check valve and then go to the drain connected to the vent line. I will then know when they are empty.

[rustydust]

So next comes cutting the holes for the drain on the sides.



The boat is in storage so kinda hard to get good pics here.

Here is a pic with everything connected.



Now pics from the starboard side. Everything is harder to see. I repositioned the taps pump so I could fit my second battery on this side.





The hardest part of the plumbing install is getting the 1" hose on all of the fittings. This took a hot hair dryer, a few blisters and a lot of motivational speeches. I used the stainless crimp clamps.

[rustydust]

I had to use the screw clamps on the fat sac fittings since these were too big for the 1" crimp clamps. I will need to wrap these to prevent cutting the sacs.

I just got the pumps in so next will be mounting these and wiring so more to come.

[Timmy!]

Nice pictures! Great install! Looks like you had it all planned out!

[rustydust]

I have to recommend again going to Chpthrill if you want to start this project. He will give you a one stop shop for everything you need. I spent countless hours searching multiple websites and store isles to find what I needed. If I would have just gone to him in the first place I would have saved some money, lots of time and ended up with some better pieces. He helps you through the set up as well.

[Pro-Fab]

I agree cheep thrill helped me by providing me with a good portion of my ballast parts such as hose, clamps, thru hulls (bronze bottom and drain)
while my plumber buddy helped me by giving me the ball valve and PVC fittings for the rest. and I already had the sacs.

My install was on my 2001 21v and I opted to go with a mushroom thru hull infront of the vdrive unit.then go directly towards starboard and 90 back towards transom right near the wall of the engine bay.

[rustydust]

Well the ballast system all works great, but I do have one issue. When filling the sacs they are not venting like they should. Even though they are flat when I start pumping, they get air in them and balloon. What could be causing this and what keeps it from venting out? Anyone else experienced this?

[laserfish]

Could it be sucking in exhaust? FAE might cure that. Great job, need more pics of the finished product. Keep us posted on the vent problem.

[IDBoating]

Well the ballast system all works great, but I do have one issue. When filling the sacs they are not venting like they should. Even though they are flat when I start pumping, they get air in them and balloon. What could be causing this and what keeps it from venting out? Anyone else experienced this?

Impeller pumps pump air as well as water (that's why they can self-prime). If the water is aerated by exhaust (as mentioned by laserfish) or turbulence from the hull or prop in the area you chose to mount your intake, the pump will be delighted to drive that air right into your fat sacs.

Try removing your swim deck and looking over the transom while someone else drives. See what is going on back there. You need non-aerated water around your intake.

If the water looks good, you might have a leak in your intake system. Air molecules being smaller than water molecules, it might leak air and still not be dripping.

Report back!

[chpthril]

Well the ballast system all works great, but I do have one issue. When filling the sacs they are not venting like they should. Even though they are flat when I start pumping, they get air in them and balloon. What could be causing this and what keeps it from venting out? Anyone else experienced this?

Its your check-valves.