09 RZ2 Ballast Issue

[Guapo]

My stbd side stock rear ballast seems to be filling on it's own. The pump doesn't come on or anything electrical. It seems it does it when the boat is sitting still for any amount of time. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the ballasts are lower than the surface of the lake and the water is coming in via static pressure. I haven't had a chance to look at how the hoses are laying in there or what's different compared to the port side (as it's not doing this).It's rather annoying.

I first noticed it when I would get up to plane, I'd have to move a few people around in the boat to level it out as the the boat would list to the stbd side...and I'm not that big of a guy (205#). Turned out, I had a lot of water in the stbd ballast.

Any ideas? Things to check?

[da.bell]

Sounds like you might have a value stuck open. Not very familiar with the 09 ballast systems. You could follow the lines from the intake to the pump to the tanks and check to see if there is a value that isn't working correctly.

[chpthril]

If anyone knew how the system was laid out, we could help, but Tige wont answer the request for some spy-shots of this year old setup.

[Guapo]

I'll be in it cleaning it tonight. I'll see if I can figure it out...maybe get some pics. By they way. How do you guys post pics on here? Seems like a pain trying to downsize pics to fit the size restraints.

[da.bell]

I'll be in it cleaning it tonight. I'll see if I can figure it out...maybe get some pics. By they way. How do you guys post pics on here? Seems like a pain trying to downsize pics to fit the size restraints.

Pictures of the 2009 ballast??? woooohooo!!!!!!!

http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1043

[dingleberry]

Here's a thread about posting large pictures without having to resize:
http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5489

[chpthril]

I'll be in it cleaning it tonight. I'll see if I can figure it out...maybe get some pics. By they way. How do you guys post pics on here? Seems like a pain trying to downsize pics to fit the size restraints.

Host them on a site like www.photobucket.com and the copy/past the url. It's the easiest.

[Guapo]

Lets see if this works...practice run.

[Guapo]

I have a mobile me account with apple. Looks like it worked. If I can get some decent pics, I'll post them later tonight or sometime tomorrow.

[Duncan]

ooohhhh. Like the colors

My '09 RZ2 spontaneously fills the both rear ballast tanks too. My port side seems to fill first and faster on its own.

I think it is because they are below the water line and the check valves (if any) are not sufficient to hold back the in rush of water.

I agree it is irritating. When running, I usually swicth the rear pumps on periodically to keep the boat empty, balanced, and light. I will probably destroy the pump by running it dry.

I have started to discuss a check valve solution with my dealer but I have not pursued it that hard yet.

[Timmy!]

This is why Tige doesn't like ballast systems, they are problematic! Good luck getting yours fixed. The black/green combo is BAD AZZ!!!

[Guapo]

Duncan..sorry to hear yours is doing it too...however misery loves company, so I'm glad to hear it.

I was out investigating the ballast system and had to come in for a few minutes, so I will give a quick (incomplete) update on what I have found.

First the front ballast (which I don't think anyone cares about...but here goes anyway)...It is a "V" shaped (or "U" shaped) bag laying in the bow under the seats. It's a Fly High Fat Sac. It has five openings...2 inlets which are on the top rear of the bag on the two lobes (one each side), 2 outlets which are on the rear end/bottom of the lobes, and 1 vent opening which is on the apex of the "V" on the top.

Basic plumbing is as follows:

Inlet (supply) piping: brass mushroom through hull (rear of boat), pvc ball valve, supply pump (Johnson Pump model 4890 1000 gph twin port pump...all pumps are same), tubing up to the bag, check valve, then connection to the bag.

Outlet piping: bag connection, elbow, pump, tubing to vent on side of boat (no check valves).

Vent piping: bag connection, elbow, tubing to vent opening on side of boat (no check valves).

The only check valves in the bow are between the pump and the bag...makes sense. I currently have zero problems with this ballast. Just a note: I have no idea how to service these supply pumps as they are sandwiched between the hull and the floor of the boat. This is the case for all but one of the supply pumps.

Rear Ballasts...this info is incomplete...I will try and complete later tonight. All I have so far is the supply side and not the drain or the vent side.

Inlet (supply) piping for rear ballasts: brass mushroom through hull (rear of boat), pvc ball valve, supply pump, then tubing to the hard ballast tank. One thing I couldn't find is a check valve in the supply line. The connections to the tank are on the top for the vent and the supply...(not sure about the outlet yet). I can barely see the tanks as they are totally enclosed with flooring above and fiberglass all around. They truly are as low as possible in the boat. God forbid one cracking. I'll see if I can get more info later.

Let me know what pictures you would like for me to take.

[kerlee]

I had the same problem and the dealer called Tige about it.
The problem is that the fill hoses are not looped high enough in the engine compartment for the starboard ballast system and the ballast fills passively. The dealer added a few feet of hose and some zip ties to loop in higher and the problem resolved it self but still occurred one or two times when I was on the lake. When I went home, I undid the zip ties and moved the hose so the loop was even higher up and have not had any problems since.

kerlee

[Guapo]

OK. Summary of the rear stock ballasts:

Tanks are tucked well under the waterline and completely surrounded by fiberglass panels and the locker flooring. I could only see one corner of each tank.

The only thing between the tank and the inlet in the hull of the boat is a ball valve and the supply pump. It makes sense that they would want to fill themselves due to the tanks being below the water line. Putting a check valve in the line wouldn't help as the water needs to flow from the hull to the tank. The only thing a check valve would do add some additional resistance in the line, but it would be a crap shoot whether it was enough or not.

The pumps and valves are just under the opening in the seat (where you access the V-Drive). I guess you could keep the ball valves closed and then open them when you want to fill the ballast. Kind of a pain, but not the end of the world either.

Anybody have any ideas?

[Guapo]

I had the same problem and the dealer called Tige about it.
The problem is that the fill hoses are not looped high enough in the engine compartment for the starboard ballast system and the ballast fills passively. The dealer added a few feet of hose and some zip ties to loop in higher and the problem resolved it self but still occurred one or two times when I was on the lake. When I went home, I undid the zip ties and moved the hose so the loop was even higher up and have not had any problems since.

kerlee

Kerlee...sounds like the right thing to do. It's basically an upside down p-trap.