Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

2012 VLX integrated ballast install


Brett B

Recommended Posts

Personally, I would never run a bag without a vent using impeller pumps, they are way to powerful and could easily snap a fitting off or burst a bag.

Does anybody have evidence of this actually happening?

According to this chart the Johnson pump will produce a max head pressure of about 20-24 psi (exact model not shown). I am highly doubtful that the bag and fittings will be bursting at only 20 psi.

http://www.johnson-pump.com/jpmarine/products/refueling/refueling.html

Link to comment
martinarcher

Very nice install Brett. I never got the chance at the WOW to hop aboard and check it out. I'm glad you put up the thread. You did one heck of a clean install and the pics and parts list will certainly help others. :thumbup:

Link to comment

Impressive. I love what you have done in the MXZ. This install is very clean and similar to what I wanted to see from the factory for 2013.

I do think you will see some wear on impellers from sharing the intake. The pumps will pull against each other when filling. I would keep a spare impeller in the glove box like a Nautique or MasterCraft owner.

Does anybody have evidence of this actually happening?

According to this chart the Johnson pump will produce a max head pressure of about 20-24 psi (exact model not shown). I am highly doubtful that the bag and fittings will be bursting at only 20 psi.

I don't really think you will have an issue. He does have the W749 Air Release valve on the bag. MasterCraft does not even vent the bags in their factory Plug n' Play system.

Link to comment

Does anybody have evidence of this actually happening?

According to this chart the Johnson pump will produce a max head pressure of about 20-24 psi (exact model not shown). I am highly doubtful that the bag and fittings will be bursting at only 20 psi.

http://www.johnson-p.../refueling.html

Not only does it eliminate the possibility of this happening, but it will automatically "burp" the air out of the bag to give you maximum fill capacity. You will need to manually "burp" the bag when filling if you dont have it vented to get full capacity. To each is own, if you look at the extra cost to vent the bags it is pretty minimal in comparison to what the total project costs.

I was not trying ot hijack your thread, just giving some people some other options to take a look at :)

Link to comment

Actually, without a vent, you don't get air into the bags to require burping. They suck down flat with NO water left in them. When you fill, you do not introduce any air into the system.

Notice the one way check valve on the vent line, this causes them to pancake out when draining :) The system I installed is the exact replica of what Wakemakers will install on your boat if you bring it to them. Everything on this system was recommended and approved by them.

Edited by Fman
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone have experience chaining 2 bags together? i want to put a pair of bags in the bow under the seats. I'm thinking W703's.

Am I better off just using a Y off the pump? or just connect the bags end to end? Might require a custom port added to the end of one bag.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Great Installs Fellas!

My boats an old girl but im trying to mod her up this winter.

Im wondering if i can get away with just using 1 jabsco or johnson reversible pump to fill 2 540 v-locker bags? How slow would it actually be?

And you guys have no issues draining in reverse out the bottom thru-hull? I thought the pressure of the boat might cause an issue with draining

I would use a vent line with a check valve on my set-up, I like to just switch the ballast on and not have to worry, once its flowing overboard I'm ready to ride.

Link to comment
  • 5 months later...

I had three factory installed thru-hull fittings. One on the transom, one by the V-drive, and one in the center under the access panel. The one by the V-drive is the fill/drain for the two rear bags. The center one is the fill/drain for the bow sac. If I have any bilge water needing to be drained (rarely) I just take out the transom plug.

The system drains faster than it fills. The surface pressure of the water under the hull is nothing compared to the head pressure of 1000lbs of ballast elevated above the pump by a few feet.

Also the rear bags fill up just as fast as the bow triangle. There are no problems having the "Y" on the rear thru-hull. The bow triangle usually gets filled all the way, the rears usually to about 500lbs each, and the rears are done well before the bow is done.

Link to comment

Quick question as to not highjack this thread and not worthy of it's own. HAs anyone tried running two aerator pumps in/out of a Y that goes into the bag. I'm thinking this;

intake -> ball valve -> aerator pump -> check valve -> into Y fitting

Out of "bottom' (single) Y into bag

Out of other side of Y fitting (double side) -> check valve -> pump -> drain/vent outake

Would this work as an overflow/vent. If there is no air in the bag to begin with, the overflow should just wrap the extreme angle in the Y fitting and out the overflow. Or am I talking gibberish?

Link to comment

I'm not sure what you are trying to describe, but aerator pumps are not self priming. They need to be right at the base of the tank/bag for draining, or mounted right at the hull pass-thru for filling. If you have any length of hose in-between the pump and the water they won't work very well at all.

Link to comment

I'm not sure what you are trying to describe, but aerator pumps are not self priming. They need to be right at the base of the tank/bag for draining, or mounted right at the hull pass-thru for filling. If you have any length of hose in-between the pump and the water they won't work very well at all.

Even if they are below the water line? I would still mount them at the lowest possible point but yes I would have tubing both between the intake and pump as well as the bag and drain pump.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

Ok guys, I know a few people are putting a similar system together so here is the parts list. Warning, it's not cheap!

You will also need some additional power wiring and various electrical connectors (spade, butt, ring terminals, etc) for the switch wiring work, but these are the main parts. The 1" ballast hose is very stiff, so use some soapy water and a hot air gun to slide it over the barb connections.

(2) Stainless Steel Ballast Thru-Hull Shut off Valve 3/4 Male to 3/4 Female

(3) Johnson Ultra Ballast Reversible Pump

(2) Fly High Pro X Series Fat Sac

(1) Fly High Pro X Series Open Bow Sac

(30 ft) Ballast Hose - Black 1"

(2) 3/4" Thread x 1" Hose Barb Fitting

(1) Hose Barb Wye Fitting 1-1/8"

(2) Fly High 1" Hose / Sac Thread Adapter W733

(1) Fly High 1" Elbow Flow-Rite Quick Release Connector W746

(1) Fly High 1" Flow-Rite Quick Release Connect W743

(15) Stainless Steel Hose Clamp 1"

(1) 3M 4000 Marine Adhesive

(3) Ballast Rocker Switch

(1) Ballast Rocker Switch Mounting Panel - Middle

(2) Ballast Rocker Switch Mounting Panel - End

(40 ft) 12 Gauge 2 Conductor Marine Pump Wire

Hey Brett, we are planning on doing the same setup except for the front ballast. I was wondering if you could tell me what I DONT need to buy to accomplish this? I would appreciate it.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...

I know a few people have been working on this setup so just wanted to give it a bump for those that needed pictures and a parts list. I know Aaron just finished putting this setup in his 2007 VLX and it looks like it came out pretty well!

Edited by Brett B
Link to comment

Here are some pictures. Bow bag, not quite 100% full in this one:

8735127497_43758231c1_c.jpg

Rear 750's, probably about 95% full:

8736250700_242c1d1dfc_c.jpg

8736247746_132e454011_c.jpg

I never have a good photographer on board to get a good picture of the wake, but it's nuts!

Link to comment

Wow, you running with the wedge or without? Also, what do you have for a motor?

We had a couple of ~650's in the rear and about 650 up front (no front hard tank but did have the rears and mid ~900lbs) and couldn't get it on plane. Running the 1235 and a 350 Monsoon. Wedge down. Even with the wedge up we had difficulties getting it on top of the water. I'm guessing we didn't have enough bow weight?

also, you surfing with this or wakeboarding? I guess I should have asked that to begin with.

Link to comment

This is for wakeboarding. Wedge all the way down to start (using the autowedge feature), then 2-clicks up once up to speed seems to be pretty much perfect.

Monsoon 350 and currently running the 2315 prop. The 1235 was a great prop but I couldn't run quite as much weight with it, I would typically only fill the rears about half way. Having this much weight in the nose really makes the wake big and rampy, but you need a little bit of wedge to get the nice lip back.

Link to comment

Thanks for the feedback. So your bow weight is around ~1350#'s (350 internal and 1000 bag)? Rear would be about ~1900#'s (400 internals and 1500 bags)?

We may have to look into the 2315 prop.

Link to comment

I'm guessing the bow bag is usually about 900 lbs. Looking at the size I think it would have to be really plumped up and almost bursting to get to 1000lbs. The rear bags are probably around 700lbs each since they don't fit quite perfectly in the rear lockers. So I would say probably 1250#'s total in the nose (350 + 900 bag), 1800#'s in the rear (400 + 1400 bags), and of course 500lbs in the center hard tank.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Awesome install Brett! I am going to do the same in my 08 VLX except I was thinking I could run one of the johnsons in the back to also fill the front. I would run the ballast tube from the back all the way up to the front bag and use the Y valve show below to manually change the flow. I plan to leave the tube in the side compartment like you did and use the quick connect fittings when i need to fill and drain the front. Do you think this would work?

http://www.wakemakers.com/bosworth-y-valve.html

I was able to purchase a thru hull valve, 12awg 2 conductor landscape lighting wire, 3/4 to 1" barb, and hose clamps at my local hardware store

You did not mention the need for the pre wired adapter that wakemakers makes for the johnson pumps. Would you mind posting the correct connections to be made from the pump to the switch?

Edited by BlitzedVLX
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...