Flooding

[Bangon]

We just took delivery of our new 2015 LSV 23. Equipped with plug and play and dealer installed sacks. Threaded sections keep popping out of the sack causing the boat to flood the engine compartment. We have had to make a run for the dock twice since owning the boat. Secondly the auto bilge does not come on when engine compartment floods. Boat has been back to dealer twice already. My dream of owning a Malibu is turning into a nightmare. Any suggestions welcomed

[mikeo]

It's a bummer you're having problems, but it sounds like the fault is with the sacks and not the plug-n-play system. If the threads are popping out of the sack, but the fitting is staying in the boat plumbing I would question the threads on the sack. What sacks are you running and do they ever fill enough to cause the overflow vent to spill water back in the river/lake?

I modified my plug-n-play system to add sack specific vent lines with check valves to the existing vent. I'm also running Ronix/8.3 550 plug-n-play specific sacks and nothing has come loose or leaked in my setup.

The auto bilge in my boat is almost too aggressive, it comes on and I have to clear from the dash system too often but I'm chasing an intermittent hot water leak. (I have the heater and shower so there are a number of places I need to search!)

While water in the bilge is a concern, all modern boats are built to be positively buoyant; the is means that even completely filled with water over the gunnel, as long as the USCG placard weight isn't exceeded the boat will continue to "float" even at waterline. If you have water in the bilge, manually turn the pump(s) on and drain it; sometimes going "surf speed" to get the water in the back of the boat will help. Get the excess water out and keep enjoying the day unless the carpet is wet from water coming up from below.

[REW]

Sounds like the dealer needs to replace the sack.

[DocPhil]

Two things

1)Did your dealer troubleshoot the auto bilge? Will it come on when you turn it on manually?

2)It is either the wrong size fitting or the sac is defective. Is it both sides that are popping out? Kind of surprising that something of this nature couldn't be fixed in one visit let alone 2.

[Stevo]

I upgraded to the Sumo 900 when we purchased our boat. The issue we had was the fill hose was set up for the 550's. Because the shape of the 900s are different and fill size is large it would put pressure on the fittings when full and it would pop off. I adjusted the mounting angle of the hose valve, lengthened the fill line, and used the silicone adhesive on the threads. No issues since.

[bunji169]

^^second the silicone adhesive on threads. But you need new sacs. If they've already popped out multiple times, the threads in the sacs are toast. Even silicone won't hold for long if they're already stripped out. Have dealer replace them with brand new sacs and new threaded fittings and use silicone adhesive before using for first time. This will ensure and secure bond while threads are still new.

[Bangon]

Thanks for the advice.. Will insist on using silicone on the threads. I am also thinking that the threads on the bags are toast. Sounds like new bags may be the order of the day.