Ballast Won't Fill.

[brose]

I'm freak'n out!!

I have a 2005 24V and I can't get my ballast tanks to fill, front or back. I can hear and feel the pumps kick on when I hit the toggle switches to "fill", but no water in the tanks. I also CAN NOT hear the seacock open when I hit that toggle switch. I think that's what you call the intake valve on the bottom of the boat. I could hear it open and close last season when I put my ear to the floor.

A couple of things I've tried so far:

1. Opened the seacock and put both front and back ballast toggles on "fill" while running the boat. I thought it could be a pump priming issue stemming back to the winterization. No luck.

2. Pumped water into the over flows of each tank to see if that would help prime. No luck. But this did help me verify that that I was able to "empty" all tanks with the pumps.

3. Searched for kinks in the hoses that may prevent the pumps from getting good water flow.

Has anyone had this issue? Any advice? Is there a fuse for the seacock that I can check?

Just to check, I also posted another thread in electrical about the accessory toggle switch. I didn't have to use it last year, but I wasn't sure what it was for and if it was involved here.

Thanks!!

[loudelectronics]

Can you hear the pumps turn on? I have a manual ball valve on mine if I want to shut it off. Does yours have this, and is it in the open position? Not sure how you are wired but have you checked all the fuses and breakers?

[brose]

Yes, I can definately hear and feel the pumps turn on.

Not sure on the manual ball valve. Didn't see one, and I've been all over the boat. Where is yours located? Is there more than one?

I asked my mechanic (over the phone) if he maybe missed something when summerizing, like the ball valve you describe. He wasn't sure, so I'd need to take it in for him to review. Trying to save the trip and the $$$.

I have not checked the fuses and breakers yet, but that has to be done. I needed some guidance on where they may be located. There are some under the dash that are labeled and nothing says "ballast" or "pumps".

[brose]

While it's not well documented, I saw a picture in the Tige manual that shows a manual ball value above the seacock as described above by loudelectronics. The only way I can image getting to it would be by lifting the floor.

[Guapo]

Could your impellers be worn or burnt? I understand this is somewhat common.

[brose]

I'm wondering if the toggle is just bad. Is there a quick easy way to test it?

[brose]

Solved. Bad gate valve. Was stuck shut. Replaced the Rival Gate Valve with a Drain Master Gate Valve.

Also added a toggle switch to each the left and right rear fill pumps. Previously, both filled when you toggled the rear fill sitch on. I'm ready to surf now!!