13 Malibu plug and play

[Fman]

How does the plug and play system work on the new wakesetter series,? Seperate pumps or forced filling from hardtanks (piggyback) overflow and gravity fed draining? And more importantly how well does it work?

[bamabonners]

the hardtanks have another fill tube in then that feeds the bags. I am guessing gravity drain - Not sure how well this works on Malibu.

[ryangb]

They need to make it a true plug and play, with dedicated pumps all plumbed in.

[bcoppess23]

I was looking in the back of the 24 MXZ at the dealership this past weekend when I was picking up my boat and notice that they have a Y connector in the back storage compartment and after the Y there is a shut-off valve. I did not play around with looking at this too much but I would assume that the shutoff valve is for the "plug-n-play" portion allowing you to shut-off your bags and fill the hard tanks. Giving you the ability to control how much is filled.

Like I said, this was a quick observation and did not trace the system completely.

[spencer]

From the info we received last fall about the first generation of 2013 boats the system works like this...

The fill hose goes into the top of the bag. The front bottom port on the bag drains into the hard tank. Once the hard tank is full the water will fill into the ballast bag. This is the same setup and concept as the Wakemakers piggy back but there is more to it for 2013.

Malibu decreased the drain time issue by remodeling the rear compartment. There is a hose at the rear of the compartment that connects to the drain port on the auxiliary ballast bag. The hard tank drain fitting now has a tee on it. The drain pump is connected to one side and the aux drain hose on the other. When draining water will be flowing into the hard tank through the front fitting and down to the drain pump through the rear fitting. This should help gravity feed that pump.

I was just down at Active Water Sports in Oregon City and talked to Gerry about the system. When I looked into the new MXZ 24 I did see something that looked a little different. This is typical Malibu as each Axis I have installed ballast in has been a little different. I am guessing that they are going to split the fill line with a wye fitting and have a valve on the plug n play end so that customers can only fill factory hard tanks when the bag is removed. Same drain setup with maybe a small vent modification. I will have more info when I take one apart and diagram it out to offer as an upgrade kit for older Bu's.

[Fman]

Has anyone here actually used the new plug and play yet? Someone with a 2013 must have used it by now... anyone? I have been reading on the Axis site they are having problems with it draining, not sure if this is true for the 2013 models.

[85 Barefoot]

Has anyone here actually used the new plug and play yet? Someone with a 2013 must have used it by now... anyone? I have been reading on the Axis site they are having problems with it draining, not sure if this is true for the 2013 models.

I have it but haven't hooked up bags. I also had a 2012 axis and the draining complaints you might see on axis site just has to do with the drain speed back into the hard tank but for 2013 on malibu and axis the drain lines are SUBSTANTIALLY larger. Even teh Axis drain time from years prior to 2013 weren't that bad andif you needed to speed up you just picked up one end of the bag. For about 3400#'s of factory plumbed ballast was certainly not bad.

[Fman]

Thats good to know they have improved it. What did they charge you for the plug and play upgrade on your 2013?

[85 Barefoot]

I don't really know. Prolly a $500 option I'd guess.

[spencer]

Thats good to know they have improved it. What did they charge you for the plug and play upgrade on your 2013?

So I have been in multiple 2013 boats and they are all a little different. There is a new MXZ 20 that looks to have the latest and hopefully last configuration of the Plug n' Play system. I will run down and check it out this weekend.

I don't really know. Prolly a $500 option I'd guess.

$500 seems pretty cheap to me for an OEM option. With that said it isn't really that much hardware over what comes with the non-pnp boats.

[edgeski1]

We have an awesome fix for the AXIS Drain problems, Piranha makes pumps with dual inlets (one male standard 3/4 thread, one 1/2" Female thread that we put a 1/2" - 3/4" barb adapter in). We simply install one of those on the drain side of the rear tanks, hook a bag to the barb adapter. That acts as the overfill for the bag into the tank below, and when the pump is activated, drains out both bag and tank.

So waterflow goes:

Fill pump-->into air loop--->top of bag-->fills into the tank below--Overfills out the tanks vent.

You do need to cap off one of the top holes in the tank

This system works like a champ

[spencer]

We have an awesome fix for the AXIS Drain problems, Piranha makes pumps with dual inlets (one male standard 3/4 thread, one 1/2" Female thread that we put a 1/2" - 3/4" barb adapter in). We simply install one of those on the drain side of the rear tanks, hook a bag to the barb adapter. That acts as the overfill for the bag into the tank below, and when the pump is activated, drains out both bag and tank.

So waterflow goes:

Fill pump-->into air loop--->top of bag-->fills into the tank below--Overfills out the tanks vent.

You do need to cap off one of the top holes in the tank

This system works like a champ

Yeah that would work great. Malibu just uses a Tee in the back of the hard tank on the 2013 boats which allows for the extra hose from the sac and no need to change the pump. Great work on a work around.

[Fman]

I am ordering a 2013 with PNP, I am going to be very bummed out if I cant drain the bags properly. If anyone can confirm how it works in the 2013 that would be appreciated. The last thing I want to do is pay for the PNP and then have to add more pumps to actually make it work properly.

[Cdoogles]

So, I've heard several times that we would need different sacks to work on the new system. From the sound of it, and what I see on the wakemakers website here: http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-2013-malibu-plug-play-sac-750.html. Nothing is different from the current fly high sacks. I polked around the bay of a few PNP setups at the boat show and it looks like standard Fly High sacks would work fine. Anyone know anything different?

Wakemakers also shows this one on the website: http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-2013-malibu-plug-play-sac-550.html, but it looks much different from the sketch.

[85 Barefoot]

I am ordering a 2013 with PNP, I am going to be very bummed out if I cant drain the bags properly. If anyone can confirm how it works in the 2013 that would be appreciated. The last thing I want to do is pay for the PNP and then have to add more pumps to actually make it work properly.

I think your happiness will depend on the definition of properly. you do not need to add more pumps, but it would speed it up. The PNP does rely on a gravity drain from the top sac. Even with the small hoses on 2011 and 2012 axises, its not THAT bad but I've "heard" the hi flo cuts the time in half.

[spencer]

I am ordering a 2013 with PNP, I am going to be very bummed out if I cant drain the bags properly. If anyone can confirm how it works in the 2013 that would be appreciated. The last thing I want to do is pay for the PNP and then have to add more pumps to actually make it work properly.

If you get a 2013 Malibu that was built after sometime in mid December it will have the newest PNP system. The system works like this....

The fill line from the pump runs up into a 1-1/8" hose barbed wye. One hose continues down into the hard tank and the other runs into the rear compartment. The PNP hose that runs into the compartment is connected to a plastic valve. This valve can be closed if you only want to fill the stock ballast system and not the auxiliary system. The fitting Malibu and Axis use in the end of the hose is lame. It is an 1-1/8" hose barb with a 3/4" male thread that is capped off. I would tell everyone to get rid of it for a W743 and W746 combination quick connect.

The bag does not have a vent. Sure it will overflow into the hard tank and that is vented but it is using pressure to overflow out the drain port that is located at the bottom at the rear side of the bag. Speaking of the drain port. A short section of hose runs from the bag to a "new port" (pictured below) on the topside of the hard tank in the rear of the compartment. This will help the bag drain better but the system will still rely on gravity which was always the complaint of the Malibu Piggy Back Upgrade.

In a nut shell the system is good (not great) and inexpensive which is hard to say for any Malibu product these days.

So, I've heard several times that we would need different sacks to work on the new system. From the sound of it, and what I see on the wakemakers website here: http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-2013-malibu-plug-play-sac-750.html. Nothing is different from the current fly high sacks. I polked around the bay of a few PNP setups at the boat show and it looks like standard Fly High sacks would work fine. Anyone know anything different?

Wakemakers also shows this one on the website: http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-2013-malibu-plug-play-sac-550.html, but it looks much different from the sketch.

Looks to me like any Straight Line bag will work on the latest generation of Malibu Plug and Play as long as you use an elbow quick connect fitting (Fly High W746) on the top. When the bag fills to capacity you don't want that hose to get kinked.

UPDATE: I have updated our ballast blog with newer information and pictures about the 2013 Malibu HI FLO Plug N Play Ballast System.

Edited March 8, 2013 by spencer

[old skool malibu]

Good to know..good thing I just sold my 750's! Looks like i am gonna pay through the nose for the new bags. I hear they are quite a bit more than the standard 750's?

[spencer]

Good to know..good thing I just sold my 750's! Looks like i am gonna pay through the nose for the new bags. I hear they are quite a bit more than the standard 750's?

Actually if you are going go with new bags check out the Straight Line Sumo Surf or Ronix Eight.3 Plug 'n Play CTN 800. Having the 1" port will help with flow quite a bit.

[Cory]

Since there is no vent attachment to the top of the bag (drain and fill are at the bottom), it seems to me air will get trapped in the sacs and prevent a complete fill up. Should we be adding a vent cap to the top of each sac? Do they make 1" air vent caps? What about a 1" male thread to 3/4" female thread adapter so we can use the standard 3/4 air vent cap W749?

[spencer]

Since there is no vent attachment to the top of the bag (drain and fill are at the bottom), it seems to me air will get trapped in the sacs and prevent a complete fill up. Should we be adding a vent cap to the top of each sac? Do they make 1" air vent caps? What about a 1" male thread to 3/4" female thread adapter so we can use the standard 3/4 air vent cap W749?

Yes that is an issue that I laughed about. I would just add a vent line and tie it into the factory vent line. Problem solved. If you want to sit back there and monitor a W749 fitting we could get you the fitting.

[daylorb]

I'm new to the Crew - have had a 2005 Enzo for years and after doing a surfgate demo trip I was sold. Was a great wave, so easy to deal with, imho much nicer finished-out boat.

I'm trying to figure out the ballast config - is there any reinforcement needed on the engine walls with the 750's? I had heard that somewhere, want to make sure I know what I am getting into.

thanks!

[Picklefork24]

Does anyone know what bags will work/fit best in the 24MXZ with the factory plug and play in the rear lockers by the engine? I've been reading about bag dimensions and the 750's really don't seem like they would fit that well. I guess here is what I am trying to figure out:

1.) Which bags will work properly with the new P&P system. As in, which ones have the "big" fittings or whatever that will help them drain as well as possible without the additional pumps etc? I see the Malibu 750's on wakemakers that look like their old 750's but cost more...guessing it has special fittings or something.

2.) My dealer mentioned that the bags on the 247's and MXZ's will "pop up" the rear bench. I figured I could remove the trays to help keep the bench down right?

3.) Does it hurt the bags to run "not full"...aka..could I run them 1/2 full sometimes and store a few jackets on top of them? Or, can you leave them in empty and put stuff on top of them from time to time or is that bad on the bag? Not like sharp anchors...like tubes / jackets / etc?

Thanks!

[spencer]

1.) Which bags will work properly with the new P&P system. As in, which ones have the "big" fittings or whatever that will help them drain as well as possible without the additional pumps etc? I see the Malibu 750's on wakemakers that look like their old 750's but cost more...guessing it has special fittings or something.

Any of the Straight Line Sumo sacs with the dual drain ports will work. The Fly High Malibu Bags are the same but have new port locations. All Fly High bags still have 3/4" inserts and not the 1" like Straight Line and Ronix. Here is a picture of the Straight Line 900 Sumo Sac in a MXZ rear locker.

2.) My dealer mentioned that the bags on the 247's and MXZ's will "pop up" the rear bench. I figured I could remove the trays to help keep the bench down right?

You do need to remove those trays if you are going to optimize the storage with a ballast bag.

3.) Does it hurt the bags to run "not full"...aka..could I run them 1/2 full sometimes and store a few jackets on top of them? Or, can you leave them in empty and put stuff on top of them from time to time or is that bad on the bag? Not like sharp anchors...like tubes / jackets / etc?

Not a problem. Fill them as needed to obtain a desired wake shape or size. Most people fill the bags to capacity for wakesurfing and half way for wakeboarding. You can store your gear on them without fear of damaging the bag. No spear guns or diving knives but vests are fine.

At the bottom of this post is a list of all compatible bags that are available right now (Malibu Plug and Play Compatible Ballast Bags). Ronix Plug N Play bags will work but are not available until April.

[Cory]

Spencer,

Your picture of the 550 lbs fly high fat sac (http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-2013-malibu-plug-play-sac-550.html) seems to illustrate that the stern facing end of the sac has a side facing drain port and the bow facing side of the sac has two drain ports. The bow end also appears to be angled for the seat back. Am I understanding the picture correctly?

[spencer]

Spencer,

Your picture of the 550 lbs fly high fat sac (http://www.wakemakers.com/fly-high-2013-malibu-plug-play-sac-550.html) seems to illustrate that the stern facing end of the sac has a side facing drain port and the bow facing side of the sac has two drain ports. The bow end also appears to be angled for the seat back. Am I understanding the picture correctly?

Cory,

You are correct about the port locations and the shape of the bag. That picture was based off of measurements Malibu sent last year sometime before they knew exactly how the system was going to be implemented. I will see if it has been updated since.