Ballast systems

[cyclone]

I have decided to automate a front sack on my boat, I have been filling it the old fashioned way, tossing a pump over the side. I have had an automated back sack similar to the stock setup on an X22 since the second year I owned the boat, and have gone through many iterations, several different pump types, sprinkler valves, etc. I hooked up two relays to turn the fill and drain pump on and off, activated by two of the accessory switches on the dash. Since they still say ACCY, my kids can never figure out which switch is fill and which is drain. SO, since I needed another pair of switches for the other sack, I decided to add separate, dedicated switches that say Ballast on them. I purchased two switches from my local Mastercraft dealer, they are SPDT 20 amp switches with separate LEDs for fill and drain. I mounted them in the panel that houses the ignition interlock aft of the shifter. It had a tag on it that said that it was for a non-heater equipped boat, so I think that if you have a factory heater you might have switches here already for the heater.

Here's what it looks like.

[toyotafreak]

SUPER CLEAN!!! Since they're 20A and you're using rule's, you didn't need to run relays, did you?

[cyclone]

The back ones were running off relays anyway because the stock switches on the dash (DECC outputs) can't supply enough current to run any pump. For the front sack, I decided to use a Simer impeller pump because I had it lying around. I had to use FOUR relays to get it to switch polarity. I had those lying around too. I have tons of crap lying around, in case you hadn't guessed.
 
I have a feeling that I will be pulling the Simer out before too long and using aerator pumps, they don't prime well but they work better overall. The impeller pumps are nice because they prime so well and act like a shut off valve when they're not running.

I drilled a hole in my walk through for the hose to the sack. That hurt a bit, but it is the best way to do it since I need the weight up front every time I ride. I finished wiring everything but I haven't plumbed it yet.

[toyotafreak]

So you've got water available to a hose in the walkway...Have you checked out those new fittings on the Fly High sacks? Would be pretty cool to use a quick-disconnect fitting like that, huh? What did you have in mind for yours?

[cyclone]

I was hoping to find a nice bulkhead style quick disconnnect. I haven't managed to find one, so I just drilled a 1.125" hole, stuck the hose through. It looks pretty clean.

[mvermeer]

Cyclone

I just put a post up about the new switches I received with my two new pumps and it turns out that your switches look identical.  I was wondering what you thought of the switches?  Also wondering if you could give me some literature and photos of the whole process with how you hooked all the wiring together and how you placed the switches next to the driver's seat.  Please let me know anything you could.  Thanks

Matt

[cyclone]

My switches are different, they are SPDT switches from the MC dealer. I needed external relays to reverse polarity because you need DPDT for that. Here is a link to a post on Wakeboarder that shows how to wire your DPDT switch.

http://forums.wakeboarder.com/viewtopic.php?t=43884

I removed the side panel with the shifter on it, and laid it down. I didn't remove the shifter or the cables. I then removed the small nuts that secure the black  panel. It has four studs on the back that hold it in place.

I mounted one pump under the driver side front seat, on the aft bulkhead. It started out as a Simer, but it burned up the second time out. I replaced it with a Jabsco water puppy and it has been great ever since.

My pal left the fill pump on last week when he was pulling me, I heard a POP and the front sack was history. It was in the walkway and I don't have an overflow on it. I replaced it with one of the new Fly High sacks, the rectangular 750 lb one. It has the quick disconnects. They say you need a Tsunami pump, but all you need is 3/4" pipe thread fittings to use the QD fittings.

The wake is the best I've gotten out of the boat so far. It is near perfect, IMHO. It looks exactly like the pic of the red X22 with Darin, I'll find it.

[shawn]

i like that setup, looks super clean and a lot easier to see than those damn red light switches that are on our dash.

BTW, what weight setup are you using?

[cyclone]

I've got a Skylon locker sack in the trunk, I fill it until the trunk is about 2/3 full, it is a bit overfilled. I have a fly high fat sack in the walk through, the rectangular one that weighs 750. It planes out a lot better than it did with the 580lb sack in the front. The wake is perfect, I'm not changing anything.

The switches are cool but I keep hitting them with my elbow. I'm going to use a dash switch to "arm" them, I already blew up one sack. It was the easiest place to put the switches without having the little standalone panel next to the cupholder like some X22's have.

[toyotafreak]

So Pete, that's without the Fat Seat?

If so, you're loaded up about how I run mine and agree that it's a super fun wake.

[cyclone]

I'm not using the Fat Seat anymore, I got tired of trying to sit on the thing. I've got two of them I'll probably sell soon.

[TLegman]

Pete, You didn't waste any time replacing that front sack.
Sounds like you made improvements at the same time.

Good Luck

[toyotafreak]

Thanks for the update, Pete. Regarding the quick disconnects, are you saying that our Rules' pipe threads will work? Are they pretty cool as QD's? Do you think if they were hooked up to a Rule (a known quantity for me), they'd restrict less than regular waterbed stuff? How's the spilling issue?

Does Fly High offer the pump-side QD fittings separately?

Thanks dude!

[mvermeer]

Pete

Could you let me know how you wire that off/on switch for the two ballast pumps because I have the same problem with hitting the buttons with my elbow.  If you could do that, I would appreciate it.  Thanks

[toyotafreak]

Belay my last, Pete.

http://www.waterskiworld.com/wakeenhancers/Fly_High_Fatsac/fly_high_fatsac.html

http://www.buywake.com/catalog/detail.lasso?sku=FL_N9421

The former makes mention of Flow-Rite bulkhead connectors combined with the Fly High stuff to make a more automated type setup. I like it.

On a related note (and I should've posted this to the V-Drive ballast starting from scratch thread...) the Natique owners website went into great detail on how crappy the Flow-Rite valves are. These are mechanically actuated and promise good flow rate. The SAN guys say they leak like sivs. Their answer is to use a different mechanical valve with the Flow Rite actuator or a different electical valve (not a cool gate valve like Rival, etc.).