Aerator vs. Reversible

[Blutooth]

I'm sure this has been covered lots of times on here, but I haven't been able to find a good thread on it. I am finally going to be putting some built in ballast in my 1996 Pre2200wt. I'm just doing a 2 bag system for now (bow and port surf sac). Pretty draconian on my boat - you either surf the port side or you go home

I've been using 1200 Tsumanis over the side for a few years now, and I have noticed they really weaken after 2 years of use. I know the cartridge is replaceable, but it is sort of annoying anyway.

So my question is should I go with an aerator system or a ballast puppy system?

Pros/cons of each?

Maintenance schedules of each?

Any personal preferences?

[chpthril]

With the lack of depth on the bilge of the older DD's, the self priming Impeller pumps are the most reliable. Because the aerators are not self-priming, they need to be mounted below the water line in order to prime and pump. This will be hard to do in your boat. By time you mount them to the pickup, the top of the pump may be above the floor. If space is enough, you may get a pair mounted side by side off a single thru-hull with a 90* elbow right off the top of the thru-hull. This would keep the pump low in the bilge.

Next is draining. With the aerators, you need room to mount the drain pump right off the sac, but without the weight of the sac resting on it. Again, space may be a factor. With the reversible impeller pumps, you can drain right back out the bottom of the boat, drawing from the same sac port you filled through.

Hope this helps a little. let me know if it leads to further questions that might be more specific to one pump style or the other.

[Blutooth]

Thanks for the response! I probably wouldn't have the problem with the intake aerator on my v-drive, but the exit will definitely be an issue I think. I have a custom sac that fills my compartment perfectly.

For the bow, I think the aerator system is out of the question, too much head pressure to pump the water up to the front from where I would have to mount the pump below the waterline.

I will probably start with thys system and go from there:

http://www.wakemakers.com/kiss-compl...kage-html.html

Thanks!

[NICKYPOO]

First off, chpthril can hook you up with all the right stuff. He hooked me up for my 22i.

Not sure why you would only surf one side. I have always found the starboard side just as good, if not better.

Check out my ballast thread.

[duffymahoney]

Aerators are harder to install but once installed correctly work better(in my humble opinion). I have installed 4 systems now and I will never go back to impeller. I hate the battery drain, noise, cost of the pumps and the impeller change. Aerators take more time to design and wire, but in my mind they are better. You can easily fill a bow sac from an aerator pump. I fill and drain my dual bow ballast with rule 1100 pumps. I normally mount aerators off the transom or near the v-drive.

[chpthril]

No worries about too much head pressure for an aerator. Ive done plenty of bow sac installs on 21-24 ft boats. it does get a little slow at the sac, but the pumps will deliver.

If you have room behind the v-drive locker wall, then that's the ideal location for an aerator drain pump.

Are you looking to do both sacs with a single pump, or give each sac its own dedicated plumbing setup? Those one-size-fits all "Kits" can some times leave you short on hose and making trips to the hardware store sourcing parts in order to make the install work in your boat. I custom piece my system together, making sure the boat owner has what they need....down to circuit protection.

[Blutooth]

Thanks again, now you guys have me thinking!

My fuel tank is located along the entire transom of the boat so I have no access to that area. I could maybe cut a notch in the back of the seat to place the aerator pump, but I would never be able to completely empty the rear tank due to the way the boat sits in the water - it would be uphill slightly.

I will probably add a bag on the startboard side eventually (I already have the bag), there just isn't too much reason for it yet - I rarely have a starboard surf request, and when I do it seems like it takes twice as much weight to make a good wave.

I have a few months to think about it still as it is pretty cold here in WI still.

[duffymahoney]

I have never seen a v-drive with the gas tank in the back. Very interesting.

[dom w. forte]

We have the pleasure of working on a lot of MC which use the jabsco pumps with impellers, we have far more problems with those pumps burning out motors, but not because its a bad pump but because of MC install which is mounting the pump housing on top of motor so when pump leaks it goes into the motor, if you use this style pump besure and mount them pump housing down.

[NICKYPOO]

Oh wow! That is a rare beast right there. Do you have anymore pics of it? I though you had a D-Drive. I would go aerators. You should have the space under the floor.

[skippabcool]

First off, chpthril can hook you up with all the right stuff.

Chpthril is the man. He can get you what you need, if you browse around you will see most of the ballast installs are all slightly different. Not only that but he is more than willing to walk you through every little detail. He makes the hard easy.