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Wakemakers Auto-vent option


pauley71

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I have a '16 LSV and installed the wakemakers auto-vent option for the rear PNP (wakemakers custom bags).  Install was super easy and fast.  The issue I am having is the bag fills and still has a lot of air at the top and seems like its going to pop .. exaggerating, but I can smack it with my hand and its really firm.  Nervous about damaging the bag or the pump, I burp it ... which is what I didn't want to have to do!  Question - Am I just being overly cautious and should I just let it push the air out?  I pulled one of the vent lines off and blew through it and I can feel the check valve release.  Once it is full, I get water out of both thru hulls so I believe its working.  

It does suck the bags empty when you empty them (which is nice) but b/c its off the hard tank, it fills with air again on the next fill.  I was going to send a note to Wakemakers but thought I would post here in case anyone else has a similar question/issue.  

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I'm having the same problem with mine. I thought maybe I hooked it up wrong but I don't think that's the case. If anyone has any insight , please chime in.

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I'm still not sure we need check valves on the vents for airator pumps? I think my 17 with the autovent is doing this. I may take the check valve out of one of the lines and test. 

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Was there a specific product to add this?  I have a '15 and am thinking of adding this if its worth it.  Also, does WM include instructions for installing?  Specifically what line to tap into.

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6 minutes ago, Archer41 said:

Was there a specific product to add this?  I have a '15 and am thinking of adding this if its worth it.  Also, does WM include instructions for installing?  Specifically what line to tap into.

I don't think mine came with any instructions.  Its simple, you just pull off the 3/4" vent line and put it in supplied "Y" and put the new vent line on the thru hulls.  Two clamps and then connect it to your bag.  You can build it with parts also but I went the easy route b/c I just wanted it done.  I had to message them and they put the item in my cart .. not sure if its on the website yet.

Worth it?  Lets see what the verdict is on this thread :)

Edited by pauley71
  • Like 1
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Mikeo and Granddaddy55 told me about kinetic vacuum relief valves found on Amazon and the web.  Get the 1 inch and connect them to the top of your PnP Bags.  These valves allow the air to escape but then when the bags fill up a stopper closes the vent hole.  Problem solved with these valves.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/Kinetic-Vent-Vacuum-Relief-Valve/dp/B00TB7FOB8

https://www.dripdepot.com/search?q=Kinetic vent

tighten the green top, use your o-ring from your sac plug on top vent hole not being used for fill and screw in real snug, if you keep running pump sometimes they dribble, 

  • Like 2
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I am having the same problem on my 2016 with the wakemakers vent kit.  Bags look like they are going to burst and when I took them off they had a lot of air in them.  The valve never seemed to let anything pass.  So far very disappointed given the cost.  

At the dock with them disconnected I blew on them as hard as I could and after several tries they released air.  Seems a little easier after breaking them loose the first time but I have not had a chance to see if they work any better.  

I was also hopeful that it would solve my passive draining issue. When full my bags are almost touching the underside of the sun pad.   I rerouted the drain lines up under the top of the gunnels since they where low and attached to the wiring harnesses down about 3-4 inches from the top of the gunnel from the factory. May have just buy some corks see about sending my wakemakers autovent kit back and burp the bags like before.

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I looked at this more this weekend and still have the problem.  Wakemakers said let it go and we will take care of you if there is an issue with the bag but I couldn't just let it run.  When mine is filling, I start to get water out of BOTH thru-hulls on each side.  The bag is full of air, so its not coming through the auto-vent hose.  The pressure from the trapped air appears to be pushing water out the drain pump thru-hull AND the vent line thru-hull.  I'm assuming water is being pushed back through the stock vent line and putting pressure on the valve which is making it not release/open.  

Now I'm thinking that these check valves might need to be tied up high (higher than the thru-hull) so that water can't be trapped there.  Anyone get installation instructions?  I did not, but thought it was pretty straight forward but wondering if I missed something.

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On 6/15/2017 at 0:50 AM, store934 said:

May have just buy some corks see about sending my wakemakers autovent kit back and burp the bags like before.

If we just add a vent line (no check valve) it would work for filling but would not help the draining.  I feel like the draining works much better with the check valve, but since there is a hard tank downstream, air gets back in the system when you fill it up the next time.

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I'm thinking the aerator pumps aren't strong enough to release the Wakemakers check valves  ....

Edited by pauley71
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10 minutes ago, teamerickson said:

Are the wakemakers check valves spring loaded in the kit? Do they need to be spring loaded? 

Are they these? https://www.wakemakers.com/marine-check-valve.html

I don't think those are spring loaded. 

 

I've got those in my vent lines and the Jabsco impeller pumps push water through them.  They have a flexible plastic flapper in them but no springs.

  Good to have when I forget to turn the pumps off when adjusting the wake and the surfer yells that there's water coming out the side of the boat...

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  • 3 weeks later...

I haven't had a lot of time to deal with this, but this weekend I moved the check valves up high ... sort of hung them on top of the thru hull closest to the back of the boat.  Doing this, one of them actually released b/c I could hear a sound that was similar to letting a fully inflated balloon go.  Didn't have any luck getting the other one to release.  I've said this before, I think water is backing up through the stock vent prior to the vent releasing and adding just enough back pressure to the check valve that the aerator pumps can't over come it.  Its also interesting that they still aren't available on their site which makes me think we aren't the only ones with the issue.  The Moomba vents use the non-spring loaded check valve which might have a quicker release.  

Now for the bad news ... I have now been getting a "auto bilge" warning on my screen.  I never get that.  I'm assuming all that pressure has created a leak somewhere, hopefully in the wakemakers bag and not anywhere else.  They told me they would stand behind the bags which is why I say that.  So word of advice .. don't just let it run .... :(

Edited by pauley71
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@pauley71  - You are not alone.    I have messed around with them as well.   I am getting draining out of my hard tank vents and drain pump before the auto-vent ever opens.   I purchased them and would not recommend them to others based on my experience.

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On 7/11/2017 at 4:29 PM, store934 said:

@pauley71  - You are not alone.    I have messed around with them as well.   I am getting draining out of my hard tank vents and drain pump before the auto-vent ever opens.   I purchased them and would not recommend them to others based on my experience.

Exactly what I have happening with my wakemaker vent lines on my Axis.  Thought I was just being anal about it, but I actually had to burp my bags this weekend, kind of defeats the purpose of vent lines...

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/11/2017 at 1:36 PM, pauley71 said:

I haven't had a lot of time to deal with this, but this weekend I moved the check valves up high ... sort of hung them on top of the thru hull closest to the back of the boat.  Doing this, one of them actually released b/c I could hear a sound that was similar to letting a fully inflated balloon go.  Didn't have any luck getting the other one to release.  I've said this before, I think water is backing up through the stock vent prior to the vent releasing and adding just enough back pressure to the check valve that the aerator pumps can't over come it.  Its also interesting that they still aren't available on their site which makes me think we aren't the only ones with the issue.  The Moomba vents use the non-spring loaded check valve which might have a quicker release.  

Now for the bad news ... I have now been getting a "auto bilge" warning on my screen.  I never get that.  I'm assuming all that pressure has created a leak somewhere, hopefully in the wakemakers bag and not anywhere else.  They told me they would stand behind the bags which is why I say that.  So word of advice .. don't just let it run .... :(

Ugh...I too have started getting the auto bilge warning....never thought about it being linked to the PNP bags

 

I wasn't able to get the autovents to work either.  When I called they said they have had very mixed results with them.  I'm lazy and just don't want to have to burp the bags anymore...wish they would work.  Now I am going to have to check out the bags this weekend for leaks.

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I never paid for mine (and unless something magical happens .. I won't).  I plan to remove them and the PNP bags tomorrow and see if I can find/resolve the leak.  Wakemakers told me "the auto-bilge could be anything" although I never saw that message for the first YEAR that I owned the boat. 

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I think I found my leak but it will be a couple of weeks before I can test it.  Had a loose fitting and the pressure was pushing water past the threads pretty good.  Check all your fittings!  I also got the autovent to release but its going to take mounting the valve up high and vertical.  I found if you hold it so that it releases down, it will break loose .. maybe gravity is all the help it needs.  More to come...

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On 6/13/2017 at 9:33 AM, Dfowkes said:

Mikeo and Granddaddy55 told me about kinetic vacuum relief valves found on Amazon and the web.  Get the 1 inch and connect them to the top of your PnP Bags.  These valves allow the air to escape but then when the bags fill up a stopper closes the vent hole.  Problem solved with these valves.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/Kinetic-Vent-Vacuum-Relief-Valve/dp/B00TB7FOB8

https://www.dripdepot.com/search?q=Kinetic vent

tighten the green top, use your o-ring from your sac plug on top vent hole not being used for fill and screw in real snug, if you keep running pump sometimes they dribble, 

I bought some wakemakers bags for my VLX and was planning on ordering these valves.  Was there anything else you needed to purchase to get these to fit on the bags? 

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8 hours ago, Dfowkes said:

Nothing needed just screw them in to the top of the bag and the valves self vent themselves.  Mine have been working great all summer.

Same here!

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