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Bow ballast pump not filling.


onewake09

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I put the boat in the water yesterday and started filling all the tanks. I noticed the center tank full but the bow wasn’t lifting the center cushion like it usually does. I checked it and not much had pimped in. I pressed the drain button and some started to come out. I kept trying the fill and nothing would happen. Pump in spinning as much as i can tell. That pump has always made a different noise when draining. After pulling boat from water i checked the through hull and it looks fine. I can see the bottom of the impeller, if thats what its called. My first real question is how do i access it? I cant get too it through the round access in the deck and i cant get the removable panel under the passenger helm out to see it. Any ideas? Boat is a 17’ a20. 

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You have 2 handles on the center and front fill pumps, make sure both are same direction which I think is up snd in line with pump, horizontal closed?

both can be reached by feel from access  hole serving the center plug

Edited by granddaddy55
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Yeah, both are open. Bow as has been filling and draining just fine 2 other times out this season. It started to fill right when i turned it on but somehow stopped filling although pump was running. 

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Did you try filling while underway?  Sometimes the pump can become air-locked and the motion of the water being forced up into the pump can get it started again.  Did the pump sound louder than normal when it was not filling?

  • Like 1
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If its all working....as in fuse not blown, etc. Maybe try a battery reset of system? Also possible impeller in the ballast pump is also not working right anymore...I replaced all 3 of mine this spring, tho you would think on a 2017 that would not be the issue

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My biggest problem is not being able to access it. The panel that looks removable under the passenger helm wont come out. It seems silly that these pumps aren’t  easily accessible. 

  • Like 1
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The best way, or only way, to get to the front bag fill pump is through the round cover in the center of the cockpit floor where the belly drain plug is.  The center tank fill pump, drain pump, and the front bag drain pump are in there too, so there is not a lot of room.  Removing the screws and round cover base on the deck may give you a little more working space.  There are usually several zip ties on the hoses with nice sharp snipped ends on them, so be careful.  If you remove the small Phillips screw and blue plastic piece on top of the fill pump, then unscrew the blue collar, you can remove the pump motor core to clean it, check the wiring connector and make sure the impeller spins.  Also, check the hose from the pump body to the bag for a kink or damage.  It runs under the helm deck to the bow.  There is also a one way inline valve on the full hose that could be clogged or not working right. 

If the pump, hose, inlet shutoff valve, inline one way valve and bag fitting are clear and flowing water, the bag should fill.  After that, check for leaks and make sure the vent hose is clear.  Ballast plumbing can be a real pain, hopefully you will find the problem in the first step or two.

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On more than one occasion on different boats the pump would run but would not pump.  As mentioned above take the top of the pump off, clean any debris and run it while in your hand to make sure it is spinning.  Put it back together and good chance you are good to go.  Close the valve to the pump unless you don't mind water pouring in when you take the top off of pump.

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there are not replaceable impellers in these ballast  pumps. your cartridge can be replaced. can you hear the pump come on? the fuses are under the dash behind the panels they are labeled. 

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So, yes, the pump runs. I can hear and feel it, and I can see it spinning when I look under the boat at the through hull. The through hull fitting has internal 3/4 pipe threads. I was able to hook a garden hose too it and water does flow all the way to the bag with no restrictions it seems. I did cycle the pump while running the hose and it did seem to change the flow slightly. Earliest I can put the boat back in the water is Wednesday. I'll report back then. 

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  • 1 year later...

Hello all.  New to the page and I am in a real head scratcher over here.  I have spent hours trying to figure this out.   2016 Axis A22.  161 hours.  I cannot,  for the life of me,  get the bow ballast to drain.  Fills up fine,  to the point it's dumping out the side through the hull,  as it should,  but it won't empty out.  Ive taken the drain pump out,  seems to be fine,  turned it on and watched it spin in my hand,  put it back together, still nothing.  Ive taken hose off at the check valve, ensured that valve could move freely,  and taken the check valve off and tried to see if water was even making it there, and it is not,  except on the fill function.   And I am referring to the check valve that is in the hose under the port side bow locker where it passes through the locker where the amps are and continues through the bow starting on thet port side,  wrapping around to the starboard side under the seats,  exiting out the hull.  The center ballast tank performs correctly on the fill and the drain functions.  Ive even tried switching the drain pumps to see if it would make a difference.  Nope.  What was the bow pump works when I put it in place for the center ballast to pump out. But what was the center ballast pump,  that pumped out three center ballast just fine,  will not pump out the bow ballast.  1st season with the boat, I've been wanting one for years,  and this is extremely discouraging.  I am not new to boating.  This is my 4th one over a 12 year period. I understand how boats can be.  But basic physics and plumbing and working pumps should do there job.  Ive tried calling Malibu dealerships. I guess coronavirus has them closed bc I can't get anybody on the phone. Any insight would be greatly appreciated

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2 hours ago, Jake070282 said:

Hello all.  New to the page and I am in a real head scratcher over here.  I have spent hours trying to figure this out.   2016 Axis A22.  161 hours.  I cannot,  for the life of me,  get the bow ballast to drain.  Fills up fine,  to the point it's dumping out the side through the hull,  as it should,  but it won't empty out.  Ive taken the drain pump out,  seems to be fine,  turned it on and watched it spin in my hand,  put it back together, still nothing.  Ive taken hose off at the check valve, ensured that valve could move freely,  and taken the check valve off and tried to see if water was even making it there, and it is not,  except on the fill function.   And I am referring to the check valve that is in the hose under the port side bow locker where it passes through the locker where the amps are and continues through the bow starting on thet port side,  wrapping around to the starboard side under the seats,  exiting out the hull.  The center ballast tank performs correctly on the fill and the drain functions.  Ive even tried switching the drain pumps to see if it would make a difference.  Nope.  What was the bow pump works when I put it in place for the center ballast to pump out. But what was the center ballast pump,  that pumped out three center ballast just fine,  will not pump out the bow ballast.  1st season with the boat, I've been wanting one for years,  and this is extremely discouraging.  I am not new to boating.  This is my 4th one over a 12 year period. I understand how boats can be.  But basic physics and plumbing and working pumps should do there job.  Ive tried calling Malibu dealerships. I guess coronavirus has them closed bc I can't get anybody on the phone. Any insight would be greatly appreciated

If you pull the drain pump out while the tank is full does water flow out from where the pump was? Really asking if the pump if getting primed with water (guess the answer is no because it should be able to drain if it is primed unless the line is blocked which seems highly unlikely.) Sounds like it is air locking but that is usually a "fill" problem, not a drain problem when gravity usually helps get water to the pump impeller.   Maybe check that the drain line if free and not clogged with something (but again, never seen that happen.)

Bow tank or bag?

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Thanks for the response.  They are all the factory ballast tanks.  And no,  when I pull three pump out, no water is coming through.  I thought about that as well and even tried relocating the factory set position by pushing it further down in the hull a little more. At this point it's sitting down just as far as the center bulge pump.  Still nothing

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ahopkins22LSV
1 hour ago, Jake070282 said:

Thanks for the response.  They are all the factory ballast tanks.  And no,  when I pull three pump out, no water is coming through.  I thought about that as well and even tried relocating the factory set position by pushing it further down in the hull a little more. At this point it's sitting down just as far as the center bulge pump.  Still nothing

Axis do not come with a factory bow tank. If you get the optional bow ballast, it is a bag. Are you 100% sure you have now ballast?

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I don't mean any insult but where are you getting your information?   I physically put my fingers on a hard tank in the bow by removing the subwoofer and housing, pulling back the vent hose that runs to the floor from the outside of the boat through the metal mesh screen,  and touched it.  It was def hard plastic.  But regardless of that, here is what I know for 100% fact,  when I am in the water, or have a garden hose hooked to the bottom of the boat to send water to the bow ballast,  when I hit the switch to fill,  it dumps out of the front hole on the starboard side where the tree of holes are for the center ballast and bilge pump.  When I flip the switch down to empty it,  nothing. 

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ahopkins22LSV
28 minutes ago, Jake070282 said:

I don't mean any insult but where are you getting your information?   I physically put my fingers on a hard tank in the bow by removing the subwoofer and housing, pulling back the vent hose that runs to the floor from the outside of the boat through the metal mesh screen,  and touched it.  It was def hard plastic.  But regardless of that, here is what I know for 100% fact,  when I am in the water, or have a garden hose hooked to the bottom of the boat to send water to the bow ballast,  when I hit the switch to fill,  it dumps out of the front hole on the starboard side where the tree of holes are for the center ballast and bilge pump.  When I flip the switch down to empty it,  nothing. 

Every Axis I’ve ever been on has a bow bag. I could be wrong but do us a favor and check under the bow seats to be sure. Because you wouldn’t get to the bow tank though the subwoofer location if you have a tank and it will make a difference on how you diagnose this.

I’d maybe try swapping the lines with the center tank drain pump as this will be quick and easy. Maybe the bow drain pump will run but isn’t running correctly or is wearing out and doesn’t have enough power to prime. 
 

Id also check the vent lines to the best of your ability because if air can’t get in, it won’t drain properly. 
 

Last, I’d ask @shawndoggy if he solved his problem on his bow tan... bag. 

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I will get you a pic today of what I see.  Whatever is in there,  is under the floor,  be it a bag or a tank.  I will try switching the drain lines as you suggested

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from another forum...

Quote

also, the only ballast "tank" in the front is the "center" tank on your switches. The "front" or "bow" (not sure the label on the new A24's) will be your sack that is optional. The center hard tank is standard and is more center-front... starts at the walk thru even with the drivers feet and continues far into the bow.

If that is the tank you are referring to, then it is possible that it filled on its own from driving, so it could be full all the time. When you go to "fill" it, it vents immediately because it is already full. How long did water come out when you hit "drain"? the big pumps and 1 1/8 hoses drain that 500 hard tank very quickly, about a minute or so. You can pull the access cover at the drivers feet and that will give you very limited access to the rear of the center hard tank, you should be able to light it up to see if the tank is full or not

 

I thought i was going crazy too when i picked up my T23.  WHY DOES IT IMMEDIATELY OVERFLOW?!?!  After interweb search and confirmed with WakeMaker (when i ordered my bow bag), Axis doesnt have a front factory tank/bag.  It does have piping for it.  But it just loops in and strait out.

Edited by Texan32
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I live on a very weedy lake, and over the years I've probably had to clean out pumps a half dozen times. It's a pain, and make sure the valve is off so you don't have a hole in the bottom of your boat, but my guess is a bunch of weeds or something in the pump.

Regarding the line out, I once had a ball of weeds lodged in hose from my rear tank to the drain. Took a while to figure it out, but a lot of blowing and some fish tape did the trick.

And no, I don't fill my ballast anywhere near the shore, it just happens from time to time.

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I had the same issue with the bow bag that I had to install after I bought my T23. @ahopkinsVTX is right the bow bag is under the front seat cover and it is a triangle shaped bag that DID not come pre-installed, the hoses (plug and play system) are there just no bag originally . I am assuming the center ballast is under the subwoofer?? I am not sure I am also very new to this and am dying to learn more so I appreciate all the responses to these issues that help me learn and enjoy. My issue again was that The Bow ballast would not drain and it was full of water, I messed with the lines and tried everything under the sun to no avail. Finally I gave up and was making my way back to the dock when I decided to give it one more shot and hit the emptying button as I am going at a good speed, and sure enough the bow ballast started spewing out like a champ. I watched some youtube videos and I guess my air line was clogged and the speed of the boat or somehow something cleared it and it started sucking air in to let the water out. I hope it doesn't happen again but I will update this chain if it does. 

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  • 2 months later...

I am willing to bet you are not getting water to the pump. There is an air pocket before the impeller in the pump. To fix, start with pump off and valve closed, pull the cap/top off of the pump, open valve long enough for a little bit of water to flow into the Hull of the boat, close the valve, put the cap/top back on the pump, open valve again. Your pump should now be primed with water and should work, assuming it is not clogged with weeds somewhere

Edited by taylorleevers
Clarifying
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