2008 22Ve Ballast Install Photos

[Lee Weber]

I finally found time to load and label photos of my recently completed ballast install. I did not have factory ballast so I used a W711 bow sac and the custom rear port sac from Mike Sims (chpthril). Mike pulled together the components of the system and provided detailed instructions and advice along the way. I wanted the sacs to drain above the water where I could see the flow and know when the sacs were empty. The extra work and plumbing to achieve this was worth it in my opinion. The job could have been done over a weekend, but I stretched it out over several half-days because it has been too hot here in Central Texas to do it otherwise.
Here is a link to Photobucket:

http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/...view=slideshow

[skippabcool]

Thanks for the pics and information. Looks good, nice work. Why did you decide on the the impeller pumps versus areator?

[Dan and Christy]

Great photos and descriptions! Good looking install.

[Lee Weber]

I got a great deal on the Johnsons, but I also didn't like the idea of mounting the plastic aerator pumps below the waterline where a crack or broken pump could cause a significant leak. Probably overly cautious, but I thought the difference in price for two impeller pumps versus four aerators was not significant enough to justify the exposure. I like the impeller pumps power and ability to fully empty the sacs, too without concerns for losing prime.

[jason@wakemakers.com]

Nice job on the install Lee, looks great!

Keep an eye on those plastic clamps, they're going to come off eventually, especially on the ribbed hose.

[Lee Weber]

Thanks, I used SS hose clamps in all "critical" locations and now I'm replacing the plastic ones a few at a time. They seem to work pretty well when they are used over barbed fittings, but smooth fittings just won't hold!

[chpthril]

Thanks, I used SS hose clamps in all "critical" locations and now I'm replacing the plastic ones a few at a time. They seem to work pretty well when they are used over barbed fittings, but smooth fittings just won't hold!

Not the clamps fault What do you have in your system thats not barbed Also, those ratchet clamps need to be compressed with slip-joint pliers.......finger pressure wont get it.

2 words of caution about SS worm-gear clamps; they will slice fingers and sacs, so be careful using them on the sac fittings. Dont over torque them. SS is soft and it easy to strip the slots in the band that the worm gear meshes with.

[laserfish]

I remember in Dogberts install he wrapped the SS clamps with electrical tape to keep them from slicing the sacs.

[Lee Weber]

Yep, that's what I'm doing too

[chpthril]

Yep, that's what I'm doing too

Got yur email, not ignoring you...just been on the road.

[Lee Weber]

I have enough good experience with you to know you aren't ignoring me!

[talltigeguy]

Not the clamps fault What do you have in your system thats not barbed

The fly high quick connects do not have any barbs on them. Not sure on the Johnson, but the jabsco pumps are not really barbed either. There might be a tiny lip, but I would not call that a barb.

[chpthril]

The fly high quick connects do not have any barbs on them. Not sure on the Johnson, but the jabsco pumps are not really barbed either. There might be a tiny lip, but I would not call that a barb.

The fly high fittings and the Jabsco pumps have a single rib around end, so they are not completely smooth as a non-hose-accepting fitting would be.

[skindog44]

I am super impressed! I have a 08 22VE and have a manual system and want to go automated this winter for next year. So you don't have any sac in the starboard right rear locker for wakeboarding?? Is there any way you can list the parts and supplies you used and where you got them?? I want to do the exact same set up as I have the jumbo sacs in the port rear locker and the horseshoe sac in the bow already. I just wonder how the system could be set up to add the right rear locker for wakeboarding?? Also, did you think of adding a sac infront of the gas tank under the floor?? is that an option, what is down there?? thanks, those pics are awesome, I really excited and nervious about doing this. What did you use to do the thru hulls drilling??

[Lee Weber]

Late response

Sorry for the late response, but I haven't been checking the forum very regularly! I got all of the parts, except the pumps, from Mike at chpthrl on this site. He designed the system to meet my request that emptying the sacs would be through a separate thru-hull that I could see. The simpler alternative with reversible pumps is to reverse flow and pump out through the same thru-hull used to fill, but you can't tell when the sacs are empty unless you watch them or try to hear the different noise the pumps make when running dry. Running dry is the death of impellers.
I didn't add a sac in the strbd hatch because we don't wakeboard much anymore, but I think it could be done in the same way as the port side. I vented the rear port sac on the starboard side to prevent siphoning, plus it is easier for me to see the water flow when emptying (the sacs empty thru the same thru hull that vents them when filling). There is room for another pump in the hold where I mounted mine, but it may also be easier to use a valve to switch sacs.
I don't know what is under the floor in front of the fuel tank since I don't know of any way to get there! I used the W711 bow sac which holds about 700#. It works great. It is vented and drained on the strbd side just in front of the windshield again so I can see when the flow stops.
I used a good quality hole saw in my Bosch cordless drill. I taped the area to be drilled with masking tape to avoid chipping the gel coat, but I think it is more important to start the hole with the drill running in reverse to begin the cut, then go slow and try to keep the hole saw flat to the surface and let it cut at its own pace. It is no big deal. I was worried about it, too, but it turned out to be much easier than I expected. You can get the feel of how the cuts will work by drilling the holes in the bulkheads and floor for hose routing before tackilng the holes in the hull. Be sure to cut away the carpet around the hull holes to allow the inside part of the thru-hull fittings to seat directly to the fiberglass. I used the inside fitting as a template and a razor knife to cut the carpet.
The biggest issue was placing the holes exactly where you want them from inside the hull to end up where you want them outside the hull! Especially the intake hole in the bilge. Measure carefully from places you can determine inside and outside the hull. Be sure you can reach the water intake valve through the hatch in the rear seat, and that once assembled with all fittings and hoses that you can operate the valve. Also pay attention to hose routing so there are no sharp bends or kinks; I looped the hoses from the intake to avoid kinks and to keep water in the hoses so the impellers wouldn't run dry. I mounted my intake thru-hull on the port side out of an abundance of caution to avoid excess turbulence forward of the speedometer paddle wheel which is on the strbd side of the hull.
One other challenge I faced was routing the drain hose from the rear port sac. The hose has to go through the rear bulkhead at the floor level to drain the sac completely. There is a battery behind that bulkhead, plus I have an engine compartment heater and battery maintainer all mounted right there! I bought an extra long pilot hole bit for my hole saw and used it to drill a hole at as much of an angle as I could so that the hose would be pretty closely aligned with the 90 degree elbow fitting on the sac to avoid kinks especially when the sac is full and pressing against that bulkhead. Worked great.
I think I've answered your questions, but let me know if there is anything else. it was a lot of work, but I think well worth the effort. Good luck.