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Incomplete Ballast Drain


MK&P

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I hoping someone can help me out with a few odd things I am experiencing with our boat ballast. After riding we hit the "Go Home" preset on the Maliview which, in theory, should fully empty the ballast tanks. The pumps don't turn on right away and then the front ones come on maybe 5 seconds later and then the rear left comes on about 10 seconds later and then the rear right about 10 seconds after that. I spoke with a few people who said it was odd, so I am wondering if anyone has experienced this too? In addition to that the center and front tanks read 25% full once we start driving on the LCD screen. I stopped and tried to drain them manually, but they still read 25% full. I figured it could be a sensor that was off, but my wife claims the boat seemed to handle more sluggishly (like it was still weighted). Anyone else experiencing this also?

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Take a look at the tank next time, the center tank is right by the driver. Pull the panel and look for yourself.

And fluid level meters in a boat are generally untrustworthy at best, ballast or gas.

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I will take a look in the center ballast tank, I never thought about doing that.

Water was coming out the drain holes below the rub rails, it was just delayed before coming out. I only tried running the manual version after I noticed the were reading 25% full still. When I turned them on nothing additional came out of the tanks.

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This isn't an exact answer to your question but no matter what when I'm going up the launch ramp the center tank will drain some more, the front and rears usually drain just fine.

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As a standard practice I observe the Midship ballast tank while it's dranining to make sure it is as empty as I can get it.

Also you should remove the midship plug. "after loading the boat on your trailer" My dealer told me that Malibu will void your pump warantee if you do not remove that plug. Has anyone else been told that?

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As a standard practice I observe the Midship ballast tank while it's dranining to make sure it is as empty as I can get it.

Also you should remove the midship plug. "after loading the boat on your trailer" My dealer told me that Malibu will void your pump warantee if you do not remove that plug. Has anyone else been told that?

I dont know about the that but the midship plug is the only pulg we pull on our boat.

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As a standard practice I observe the Midship ballast tank while it's dranining to make sure it is as empty as I can get it.

Also you should remove the midship plug. "after loading the boat on your trailer" My dealer told me that Malibu will void your pump warantee if you do not remove that plug. Has anyone else been told that?

Nope, but the midship key won't even allow everything to drain because it's off to the side and has a small lip on it. The rear plug is the only one need to be removed. I'll remove it before I leave the incline of the launch ramp.

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As a standard practice I observe the Midship ballast tank while it's dranining to make sure it is as empty as I can get it.

Also you should remove the midship plug. "after loading the boat on your trailer" My dealer told me that Malibu will void your pump warantee if you do not remove that plug. Has anyone else been told that?

Nope, but the midship key won't even allow everything to drain because it's off to the side and has a small lip on it. The rear plug is the only one need to be removed. I'll remove it before I leave the incline of the launch ramp.

So for those of us that keep our boats on a lift:

We need to pull the plug after each use Crazy.gif

Scott

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it would be a good practice to remove it.... water needs to drain or you will get mold and mildew

Dang..

I am on my 4th boat over the last 15 years and I have never had any issues?

And I am extremely anal about my boats maintenence and appearance..

(This is my first V drive and my first boat with ballast)

Scott

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As a standard practice I observe the Midship ballast tank while it's dranining to make sure it is as empty as I can get it.

Also you should remove the midship plug. "after loading the boat on your trailer" My dealer told me that Malibu will void your pump warantee if you do not remove that plug. Has anyone else been told that?

Nope, but the midship key won't even allow everything to drain because it's off to the side and has a small lip on it. The rear plug is the only one need to be removed. I'll remove it before I leave the incline of the launch ramp.

So for those of us that keep our boats on a lift:

We need to pull the plug after each use Crazy.gif

Scott

Keep us posted on what happens if when you do :)

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  • 3 years later...

I'm experiencing a similar problem on my 2009 VLX except on the front tank. Maliview gauges show tank as having water but nothing comes out, manually or on "go home" setting. Can't figure out easy way to look @ front tank and which ballast drain hole is for the front ballast - there are 4 in a row and I know which one is for the center ballast?

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I seem to have a lot of problems with the center ballast losing prime. Sometimes it'll just be sitting there pumping and it'll be half full. What I typically do if it happens is stop, push the button to manually drain, then hit the throttle and take off for a second or two. In most cases this will push enough water back into the pump to prime it and it'll finish pumping out. (Think I found that trick somewhere on this board)

I've also found that I'll see level in the front tanks while moving and not planed, even if it has previously pumped out and shown as empty. If that happens I'll hit the MLS button for that one too. It's a much less common occurrence and it never loses prime.

I think I'm going to bring up the center pump when I go back for my winterization and get the cartridge replaced.

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Thanks for reply. Pumps are probably losing prime when the boat is in the hoist and hull out of water - effectively drains. We had a similar issue with our previous boat (we had to prime at every use by going fast with the pumps on) but thought (mistakenly) that the newer boat would be better.

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Aerator pumps will not self prime like impeller pumps. This is the reason the fill pumps are mounted on the lowest part of the hull below water line, forcing water into them. The drain pumps are mounted in the lowest point of hard tanks to allow the best possible drain, especially when the boat is plaining and bow elevated. My tanks are never 100% empty on the water when draining. As malibu dude does, I usually drain them on the ramp. Nice thing about Aerator pumps is you can run them dry without toasting an impeller, and they usually last longer than impellers....

I have noticed the maliview does not like you switching screens to display ballast levels. The computer will not recalibrate levels on gauges when I go from one display screen to another. Are you switching screens often? Otherwise it sounds like you might possibly have a faulty float/gauge/connection in one of your tanks...

Edited by Fman
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Thanks. I don't think i've been switching views, so I think the gauge/connection/float in the front tank may be faulty - works on an intermittent basis.

Is there an easy way to access the front tank and draining pump? First glance, looks like removing sub woofer and panel below driver dash.

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