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Moving while filling ballast


weekender

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Potentially silly question:

Do you have to be in neutral/not moving to properly fill up ballast?

or could you be moving at virtually any speed?

I have done both but havent noticed a difference, id think if your moving you could possibly allow the pump through holes in the hull to take in air instead of water, therefore allowing air in the pump/lines, and ultimately the ballast , preventing fully filled ballast over time.

any thoughts?

 

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41 minutes ago, weekender said:

Potentially silly question:

Do you have to be in neutral/not moving to properly fill up ballast?

or could you be moving at virtually any speed?

I have done both but havent noticed a difference, id think if your moving you could possibly allow the pump through holes in the hull to take in air instead of water, therefore allowing air in the pump/lines, and ultimately the ballast , preventing fully filled ballast over time.

any thoughts?

 

Any air that enters the lines through the bottom of the boat will eventually be expelled through the side vent as the tank/bag fills with water.  It may take slightly longer to fill completely but I've never had any problems filling ballast tanks while under-way.

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Only issue I have experience is when we are partially filling the ballast while underway.   Shuts off early of set point.  Once I get to where I am going have to ensure the settings are correct due to boat angle fooling the level sensor.  Same thing when emptying returning to dock.   Does not always fully empty.  Can read 0% but actually less than 25% but not at 0%.  

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1 hour ago, weekender said:

Thanks! didnt realize air would get expelled through the side vents..

Not well if you have the older bottom vent pnp , then it may take burping, a kinetic valve , or a top vent line t’d into existing vent line/hole , but under way with nose higher it may do a better job venting from old system 

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2 hours ago, weekender said:

Thanks! didnt realize air would get expelled through the side vents..

On the newer boats, if you do not have the auto vent from the factory or Wakemakers, you will have to manually burp the pnp bags whether sitting still filling or moving, at least for the first time filling for the day. Usually on later fills during the day, there is not as much air in them.

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27 minutes ago, jwl019 said:

On the newer boats, if you do not have the auto vent from the factory or Wakemakers, you will have to manually burp the pnp bags whether sitting still filling or moving, at least for the first time filling for the day. Usually on later fills during the day, there is not as much air in them.

Newer as in when?  I had to burp the bags in my '17 VLX yesterday. 

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28 minutes ago, inlandlaker said:

Newer as in when?  I had to burp the bags in my '17 VLX yesterday. 

Starting whichever year that the auto vent became an option, possibly in '15 or '16?  I had to last year in my '18 since it did not have it, and bought the Wakemakers auto vent kit on Black Friday. Just installed it.  Really wasn't bad, but got a few cuts and bloody knuckles from the fiberglass under the lip installing it and running lines.  I even had to use a extra 3/4" vent hose I had to replace the factory plastic vent hose from the tank since a piece of fiberglass stuck thru it when I was pulling on the lines I guess.

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Related question. Do you HAVE to be moving when you're filling/emptying the ballasts? A friend with a Mastercraft says they have to be moving to fill/empty or the pump warranty will be voided. We haven't heard anything like that for the Malibu (2017 VTX) and typically swim while our ballasts empty. Are we doing it wrong? 

Thanks! 

Edited by jstorerj
clarity
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ahopkins22LSV
14 hours ago, jstorerj said:

Related question. Do you HAVE to be moving when you're filling/emptying the ballasts? A friend with a Mastercraft says they have to be moving to fill/empty or the pump warranty will be voided. We haven't heard anything like that for the Malibu (2017 VTX) and typically swim while our ballasts empty. Are we doing it wrong? 

Thanks! 

No, we sit all the time and fill. I think MC uses different pumps but I don’t understand why you’d have to be moving. The only one I know you have to be moving is centurion and their ram fill system. 

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2 hours ago, ahopkinsVTX said:

No, we sit all the time and fill. I think MC uses different pumps but I don’t understand why you’d have to be moving. The only one I know you have to be moving is centurion and their ram fill system. 

My buddies MC has the pumps mounted pretty high and about 4’ of hose running to them. I would think they want you moving forward to have a little pressure to help prime the pumps...

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Thanks folks! I haven't seen anything in Malibu manuals about needing to be moving when filling/emptying. Still a few months from being on my boat, but was just wondering. 

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