Latest TigeTouch Firmware - Ballast Fill/Drain Times

[BrewKaiser]

Got the '17 RZX2 back from the shop on Saturday morning with new FAE installed. I had them update the Tige Touch firmware to the latest and after a quick check I really like the new layout. Much more intuitive and easier to navigate than previous.

Unfortunately, I forgot what I had my Ballast Fill and Drain times set to previously. I have Wakemaker 560 bags in the rears.

Any recommendations on what to set these to?

This will also be my first season with the 560 bags. For surfing what percentage fill in the rear is recommended? Currently no lead or other ballast. I always run fronts full. Before PNP bags I ran rears 100%.

The new preset option in Tige Touch are nice. For surf I am thinking of:

Taps 3
Surf 4
Cruise: 11.5

Ballast:
Rears: 90% (both)
Fronts: 100%

[BLucas86]

Spend the <15 minutes and set up timers accordingly.

Set a stop watch when you hit "fill all" and note when they start overflowing. I allow drain to go a little longer than fill to ensure they are emptied. (Ramp up timers higher than you expect first so that it doesn't pause during your stop watch session)

I like to offload a little offside rear ballast to shape the wave that much more. 10% or so.... otherwise looks like a good baseline.

[BrewKaiser]

@BLucas86 Thanks for the great advice. When we bought the boat the Tige rep was there for our maiden voyage. He set this up along with a few other settings.

[Germaine Marine]

12min 30 seconds to fill the rears with exact fits, and around 5 min for the fronts.

[Germaine Marine]

without lead, I think you are spot on around the 75-90% mark

[Paul Middlemore]

Brew,
Let me know what you come with. My RZX2 comes out of the shop in 30 days (about the time I get home) and strangely enough I am doing the same upgrade. FAE (which kinda ticked me off, took a year to get it) and I am going to upgrade to the new software as well. I have the same PNP bags as well.
Paul

[Zackdogg]

Hey Dudes! I have my ballasts all effed up, as far as times.. i’m going to try timing them out again, but i’m curious if anyone knows about-ish where they should be for a stock ballast on a ‘16 RZX?? We timed them twice, yesterday and got 2 different results, by close to 2 minutes.. I’m assuming we didn’t get them all the way empty the previous weekend, and that threw our first timer off. Hoping that’s the case, at least.. thanks for any help!!

[BrewKaiser]

Paul, below is where I netted out with fill times. Curiously Aft Starboard and Port did not fill at the same time. I might have a kink or some other issue with the port PNP fill line. My port sack really started to fill once the stock ballast was full and "overflowed" into the PNP sack.

Below are the approximate numbers. Elevated, as always, was close with the 12.30 min for the starboard aft, but as Blucas86 suggested it's worth the effort the time these out. I think each system is slightly "unique", so take below numbers with a grain of salt.

Bow Port Fill: 5 min
Bow Starboard Fill: 5 min
Aft Port Fill: 15 min (
Aft Starboard Fill: 13 min

Note: When timing out the fill times and setting the aft fills to 15 min, keep in mind that after you have adjusted the ballast fill times to your recorded times under settings you will have to completely drain, power down, restart and refill to get accurate percentages on your ballast screen.

Unfortunately, when we were wiping down after 5 hours of play yesterday I noticed that my FAE was loose and missing a screw and the silicone seal cracked. Fortunately we didn't take on a lot of water as a result. It's back to the shop for me today or tomorrow to get this sorted, but install of your FAE may require thru-hull machine screws rather than the button head wood screws (I'm assuming) they come with.

Paul I'll report back what we come up with so that you can hopefully avoid the same issue.

After a full day on the lake I can say that I love the new TigeTouch interface.

[bsreid]

Does anyone else notice when filling/draining with the engine off things are much slower?

[Paul Middlemore]

Brew,
Great report. For the most part last year I just ran the suckers until they were over flowing, did a run and then filled them again; so I was at max ballast for surfing. It will be nice to dial them in this year as I want to try listing it a bit this year.
I remember reading that some of the guys had a problem with the FAE screws a few months back, good reminder for me to tell my guy.
Its really difficult to sit here and know that I am not boating for another 26 days.
Thanks,

[BrewKaiser]

I hear ya, Paul. I’ve been eager to get out for months and yesterday was awesome.
Do you have a link to the FAE screw issue? FWIW, screw issue aside we were all digger the quieter ride and reduced exhaust at the back. Well worth the $1500

[Paul Middlemore]

Brew,
I would have to search around using FAE as the key word. I hear ya (nice play on words) about the FAE, I missed my FAE on my previous 24Ve last year when we ran without it. If I find the link, I will pass it along.

[UNSTUCK]

Does anyone else notice when filling/draining with the engine off things are much slower?

12.5ish volts with the engine off vs. 14ish volts with the engine running will do that.

[BrewKaiser]

Paul, here's a quick update on the FAE re-install. I may create a separate thread to make it easier for others in the future.

I spoke with Larry at FAE - GREAT GUY! - he recommends the following (this is how Tige does it at the factory):

Install with 4 #10 machine screws through hull. On back side washers, and lock nut
Use ONLY 3M 5200 marine adhesive: Installer should use entire 8-10 oz tube entirely filling in around exhaust manifold, screw holes, and back of flange

Allow 3M 5200 to cure for 2 hours then remove excess. Remove too soon and it will smear, wait too long it will set and won't come off. Total cure time is 72 hours before you can get your boat in the water. Larry feels the 3M 5200 alone should hold the exhaust in place.

I also discovered one other nuance with the latest Tige Touch upgrade: it shows my engine hours as 0 (even after 6 hours on the lake). I guess I'm in constant new boat mode. I think somewhere it is still being recorded in diagnostics but take a note of your hours and other settings before doing the update. It's important to keep track of engine hours for service requirements.

Good Luck. Hope you get back out on the water soon.

[UNSTUCK]

I noticed my engine hours reading 0 as well. That was with the Clear turned on, but the ignition turned off. Once I turned the ignition on, it showed the correct hours.