Ballast pump problem

[Iron gator]

Had an interesting problem last weekend. I was on the lake, getting ready to go home, I drained all my ballast tanks, but my left rear tank showed full, couldnt hear the pump run. I pulled up the cover plate for the left rear drain pump and wacked it a few times and it started working. Is it normal for these pumps to jam up like that? whats the service life for them? I would hate to have to routinely dig up my pump and do this. The boat is a 2008 23LSV,by the way.

Thanks all,

[Bobby Light]

Had an interesting problem last weekend. I was on the lake, getting ready to go home, I drained all my ballast tanks, but my left rear tank showed full, couldnt hear the pump run. I pulled up the cover plate for the left rear drain pump and wacked it a few times and it started working. Is it normal for these pumps to jam up like that? whats the service life for them? I would hate to have to routinely dig up my pump and do this. The boat is a 2008 23LSV,by the way.

Thanks all,

It's not normal per say but it does happen. Sometimes the impellar gets stuck and it stops working. Pulling the motor off the top of the pump and twisting the impellar usually will do the trick. Just a quirk of these pirahna pumps.

[dalt1]

I just replaced the 2nd pump on my 06. Now at 655 hours so service life not to bad. Still has 6 of the original pumps going strong.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Happened to me on Saturday. Same thing but only had to do it once. I am just going to keep an eye on it and replace it only if it acts up some more.......also keep in mind that I have replaced the hard tanks with 750s so I also have the option to pump it out with the tsnami pump.

[birsling79]

It's not normal per say but it does happen. Sometimes the impellar gets stuck and it stops working. Pulling the motor off the top of the pump and twisting the impellar usually will do the trick. Just a quirk of these pirahna pumps.

06 is dead on, though I would even call it normal (with any pumps that sit for any length of time). Not uncommon for them to freeze up and need a little help. Should be no big deal