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Ballast passively filling

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    #1

    Ballast passively filling

    I know I read this somewhere on the forum, but when you search for ballast and fill, you get a lot of returns.

    I ordered my ballast system from chpthrll, custom port sac, 1000 lb starboard sac and a bow sac. The ballast pumps are the Rule 1000 and they are located in the Vdrive area on my 2008 Ve and they have the check valve located on each one. I notice as soon as I turned my check valve open, water started coming in. Which makes since since it is below water line etc. I filled up the port sac and half filled the bow sac. I left my valves open. I did not no fill any of the starboard side. About 20 min after surfing I noted that the wave was not nearly as crisp and the boat was not leaning as well. When I got in I notice that the starboard side was 3/4 filled.

    Is this normal to have that much passive fill.

    If so, do I just run the empty ballast ballast on to take care of this at all times. I would just fill the ballast to where I want it to be then shut off the valves, which seems to be a little of a pain, especially given location, but I notice that the with the ballast full that water would passively come out of the vent.

    Being new to this. What is the standard procedure for filling ballast. In factory installed options they just drive the boat, fill the ballast to desired level and turn it off. Also is it safe to run the empty ballast "dry", how vigilent do I need to be to shut it off as soon as the ballast is empty.
    The worst day of boating is still the better than the best day of work......, unless you bend your prop.
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    #2
    I have a 2009 RZ2 with factory ballast and also added additional sacs to the v drive locker from Chpthrl and some hardware from wakemakers as well. I had the same problem with passive filling and emptying of factory ballast when we first got the boat, before we installed any after market stuff. It was due to a siphon effect being caused in the tubing between the pump and ballast tank or sac. The local dealer tried to put a loop into the tubing and then mounted it high up in the engine compartment to negate the siphon effect. This worked sometimes and occasionally we would get an air lock. I finally bought an anti-siphon valve/loop and mounted on each inlet tube that went to each tank/sac. I mounted them as high as I could get them in the engine compartment. I did this for the aftermarket sacs as well. I ended up installing about 5 anti-siphon loops. It worked and solved all the problems. I would not run the empty switch constantly to compensate for passive filling because you could burn the pump up if you run it dry for too long. It is pretty easy to install them, just need some extra tubing, hose clamps, the anti-siphon loops and zip ties.

    anit siphon loop.gif

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      #3
      Shoot me an email and I will pull up your parts list and see what all you have. I may need a few pics of the manifold/fill pumps and hose routing.

      info(@)mikesliquidaudio(DOT)com
      Mikes Liquid Audio: Knowledge Experience Customer Service you can trust-KICKER WetSounds ACME props FlyHigh Custom Ballast Clarion LiquidLumens LEDs Roswell Wave Deflector And More

      Comment

        #4
        Ok SpecialK, lets see what we can figure out.

        Youve got 3 sac, 3 fill pumps and each is on its own thru-hull mushroom.

        Have you cruised enough without any ballast filled to determine if the Jumbo sac in the starboard side is the only one passively filling? How is the hose routed and to what port on top of the sac is it plugged into?

        It may be as simple as just routing the fill hose up as high as possible before going to the sac, this making an upside down drain trap. In most cases, this will create an air pocket which will prevent the passive filling. If not, then we need to get you an anti-siphon valve.

        For those large/tall sacs wanting to drain through the drain/vent while full, a trick is to relocate the drain/vent line to the drain thru-hull on the other side and run that sac's drain across the boat to the no vacant thru-hull.
        Mikes Liquid Audio: Knowledge Experience Customer Service you can trust-KICKER WetSounds ACME props FlyHigh Custom Ballast Clarion LiquidLumens LEDs Roswell Wave Deflector And More

        Comment

          #5
          Next time I am out I will check to see if it fills on the move or at rest.


          The fill tube was flush with the top of sac and drain tube, I never used it before, so I will pull it up and suspend it to see if that helps.

          I will take pics this sat, weahter pending, and post them as well.

          I greatly appreciate all of your insight.
          The worst day of boating is still the better than the best day of work......, unless you bend your prop.

          Comment

            #6
            Here the pics, the side with the oil filter removal wrench on it is the starboard, aka driver side. It seems to fill up the fastest passively.
            Attached Files
            Last edited by specialk; 04-17-2011, 01:53 AM.
            The worst day of boating is still the better than the best day of work......, unless you bend your prop.

            Comment

              #7
              More pics
              Attached Files
              The worst day of boating is still the better than the best day of work......, unless you bend your prop.

              Comment

                #8
                Here is the check valves in the vdrive
                Attached Files
                The worst day of boating is still the better than the best day of work......, unless you bend your prop.

                Comment

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