Check valve on Ballast systems?

[moore3]

First time Tigé owner. The boat is a ‘08 RZ4 with a 400hp engine. Boat runs great with no mechanical issues. I bought it as a fixer upper at a discounted price. Small issues around. One that I’m sure the dealer didn’t realize, at least didn’t disclose, is dealing with the ballast system.

The ballast system appears to fill and empty by way of the electrical switches on the dash that trigger the pumps to fill or exhaust the bags. My problem is that they seem to auto fill while underway. The switches are in the middle /off/ position but water is forced into the bags. Curious if there is a check valve or someway to keep this from happening? It doesn’t seem correct to have them fill while underway.


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[chpthril]

An 08 would not have bags or sac from the factory, so sounds like its an aftermarket system. A check valve will not be the fix for this. In order to stop passive fill flow, it would also stop the intended fill flow.

Need more details and likely pics of the system. Fill plumbing in the bilge, type of pickup thru-hull(s), fill plumbing to the sac, etc.

[freeheel4life]

^^I'm betting water pushing past soft impeller blades in a reversible. If you have reversible buy some impellers from Mike(chpthril)

[moore3]

An 08 would not have bags or sac from the factory, so sounds like its an aftermarket system. A check valve will not be the fix for this. In order to stop passive fill flow, it would also stop the intended fill flow.

Need more details and likely pics of the system. Fill plumbing in the bilge, type of pickup thru-hull(s), fill plumbing to the sac, etc.

Ok I’ll get some pics on Tuesday. I was swamped today with kid duties. Appreciate everyone’s input so far.



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[moore3]

An 08 would not have bags or sac from the factory, so sounds like its an aftermarket system. A check valve will not be the fix for this. In order to stop passive fill flow, it would also stop the intended fill flow.

Need more details and likely pics of the system. Fill plumbing in the bilge, type of pickup thru-hull(s), fill plumbing to the sac, etc.

Ok have some pics. They’re crappy at best. The fill pumps are buried down in the bilge in front of the v-drive trans. I got what I could.


Pic 1 is of the port aft bag and pump.
Pic 2 is of a valve in question. It claims to be an electric controlled waste valve. I believe someone used it for other than it’s designed use. It’s in line of plumbing from the lake pick up.
Pic 3 is of the 4 pumps (2 visible).

Like I said they’re buried in there. It’s hard to get a good picture unless I take part of the boat apart.




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[moore3]

Ok have some pics. They’re crappy at best. The fill pumps are buried down in the bilge in front of the v-drive trans. I got what I could.


Pic 1 is of the port aft bag and pump.
Pic 2 is of a valve in question. It claims to be an electric controlled waste valve. I believe someone used it for other than it’s designed use. It’s in line of plumbing from the lake pick up.
Pic 3 is of the 4 pumps (2 visible).

Like I said they’re buried in there. It’s hard to get a good picture unless I take part of the boat apart.




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Pic 2 and 3 descriptions are reversed.



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[chpthril]

Blast from the past, I bet thats an old Rival Ballast system. I bet they used a scoop pickup and the wast-gate has failed. This lets water flow right in underway. This is why the electric gate was used. It opens when a pump is turned and closes when the pump is turned off.

Best advice, GUT IT. Remove the scoop and gate and go with a mushroom.

[freeheel4life]

Dang, lost my own bet. Still though, stick with Mike. He will get you straightened out.

[NICKYPOO]

Blast from the past...

Best advice, GUT IT. Remove the scoop and gate and go with a mushroom.

That’s what I was thinking.

Mike is right. As usual.

[moore3]

Blast from the past, I bet thats an old Rival Ballast system. I bet they used a scoop pickup and the wast-gate has failed. This lets water flow right in underway. This is why the electric gate was used. It opens when a pump is turned and closes when the pump is turned off.

Best advice, GUT IT. Remove the scoop and gate and go with a mushroom.

There are the two type pickups under the boat. They both appear to be the ‘scoop’ style. One is obviously for the cooling system and the other must be for the ballast system. You say abandon one and go with the mushroom? I believe the one on the starboard side is the ballast pickup. I will verify before I start doing a swap.




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[chpthril]

Yep, port side is engine raw water. Yes, ditch the scoop and waste gate.

[moore3]

Blast from the past, I bet thats an old Rival Ballast system. I bet they used a scoop pickup and the wast-gate has failed. This lets water flow right in underway. This is why the electric gate was used. It opens when a pump is turned and closes when the pump is turned off.

Best advice, GUT IT. Remove the scoop and gate and go with a mushroom.

Give me the ideal options I should go with to retrofit this archaic setup. Like I said, I’m a newbie to the wakeboard boat world. I’ve had one boat or another over the past 20 years, just never a ballast set up.



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[chpthril]

We can design a fix and quote a price, based on the known, but its the expected that can get you. Those yellow Mayfare pump get brittle over time and if you start to work on the system, the outlet nipples are prone to snap off. That Shields Multi-flex is known to tear in between the coil ribs. This could turn into a complete overhaul rather then just a simple mod. You have to budget both the time and funds for this.

There is a slim chance that just the gate is stuck. There is typically a manual closure screw, I think it was an allen. Might be able to free it up for now. Could be a bad electrical connection and it might go back to working. In the end, those gates are problematic and its best to remove the gate and scoop and go with a traditional mushroom intake, as well as a couple other minor things.

[moore3]

We can design a fix and quote a price, based on the known, but its the expected that can get you. Those yellow Mayfare pump get brittle over time and if you start to work on the system, the outlet nipples are prone to snap off. That Shields Multi-flex is known to tear in between the coil ribs. This could turn into a complete overhaul rather then just a simple mod. You have to budget both the time and funds for this.

There is a slim chance that just the gate is stuck. There is typically a manual closure screw, I think it was an allen. Might be able to free it up for now. Could be a bad electrical connection and it might go back to working. In the end, those gates are problematic and its best to remove the gate and scoop and go with a traditional mushroom intake, as well as a couple other minor things.

Thanks chpthril ( mike, I believe) your input has been amazingly valuable! I will check the operation of the gate but plan on buying a ¿1” mushroom through hull.?


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[KoolAid]

I was thinking '08 was the first year for under the floor ballast in the RZ2. Guess it was '09.