Ballast pumps intakes not working

[Slacefield 0]

My 2006 Avalanche elite ballast pumps intakes do not work. The out pumps do come on. The "in" switches to light. The intake pumps worked 3 weeks ago after the winter storage and repairs. This is the 3rd season with the intake pumps not working. The fuses are good. Although the PowerPC 1 fuse was blown but was replaced. Any thoughts?

[daz28iroc 73]

check that your valves are open?

sometimes the pump rotors stick when they are dry also as the pumps typically shut off when the pump runs dry, sometimes it required priming the pumps. (our some water down the hose from the outlet into the bag, inside the boat)

[Slacefield 0]

How do you check if the valves are open?

[rawinnin 73]

Curious because I am having same issue. I have even tried to replace the switches. At this point I'm thinking relay.

[stoked 1,039]

Curious because I am having same issue. I have even tried to replace the switches. At this point I'm thinking relay.

Silly question, but you checked the fuses, right? The intakes on my Avy were on a spot labeled "hatch" not the actual "ballast ones" those are for the drains.

 

If everything looks good, try direct lines from the battery. I keep two 12 gauge wires with alligator clips on either side for just this type of troubleshooting

[daz28iroc 73]

to check if valves are open. look thru the rear center seat where u can see transmission. thisbus where the thru hulls should be located. the valve handles will be parallel with the valve body.

[Rhale 80]

On my '06 Enzo there is a fuse panel way up high on the left side underneath the helm. It has the fuse labeled ballast, but what I failed to see was the ground wire plugs into the side of the panel. I kept checking the fuse and then switch and finally saw the wire hanging down. Plugged it in and never had an issue since. I have a sub panel that in directly below that I had removed to check on the amps and when twisting to pull it out it pulled the ground wire off.

[acpilot 1]

I am having some issues with my 06 Air Warrior ballast pumps as well. I was always under the assumption my intake pump "water puppy" fuse was in the "HATCH" slot. Both pumps were dead the other day and checked the "HATCH" first but it was fine. Then I pulled the "PORT BALLAST" 5 AMP and it was blown. Replaced it and the IN PUMP fired up, however still no go with the OUT PUMP. Curious if anyone knows how these pumps are powered because I am a bit confused? Which fuse for what etc. Also, the out pump is this cheap looking little yellow pump and wondering if I should just replace it with a better pump? Any suggestions?

 

Edited August 7, 2015 by acpilot

[DarksideR 1,679]

I am having some issues with my 06 Air Warrior ballast pumps as well. I was always under the assumption my intake pump "water puppy" fuse was in the "HATCH" slot. Both pumps were dead the other day and checked the "HATCH" first but it was fine. Then I pulled the "PORT BALLAST" 5 AMP and it was blown. Replaced it and the IN PUMP fired up, however still no go with the OUT PUMP. Curious if anyone knows how these pumps are powered because I am a bit confused? Which fuse for what etc. Also, the out pump is this cheap looking little yellow pump and wondering if I should just replace it with a better pump? Any suggestions?

 

That is strange. Wonder if someone's done some rewiring in your boat. My 06 EliteV had a 20amp fuse for the puppy in the hatch slot and 5amp fuses for locker drains in the ballast slots. I don't think you would need to replace your tank drain pump, but I think that any of the tsunami cartridge pumps will click right in.

[acpilot 1]

DarksideR

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I believe I am wired the same way because the puppy has blown the 20 amp Hatch fuse before (after long time no use and impeller stiff). I was just confused how a blown 5amp ballast fuse shut everything down. I replaced it and the puppy started working but drain pump still dead. Next time at the lake I am going to test to see if I have power to the drain pump. If it is dead I just got an email back from www.wakemakers.com and they suggested a $50 pump that will be a perfect replacement.

Heck, may even change out the ballast hoses as well. Get rid of that cheap factory plastic tubing!

[acpilot 1]

Having some ballast pump issues again. I replaced my drain pump with a new cartridge in the Mayfair pump and works great. At the dock I filled and drained the rear locker bag with no issues. Out on the lake I went to fill and my intake "water puppy" pump just stopped working. It has happened in the past and blown the 20amp HATCH fuse due to it being jammed but this time the fuse is good. Back at the dock I tried the volt meter and no power to the pump. I traced the large guage red and black wires and I believethey connect to a "Hella" 40 amp 12v relay under the dash. I noticed that the red from the fuse block to he relay looked loose and as I played with it it came right out of the spade on the relay. Interesting thing is that after I was playing with the relay and the red wire came loose my bilge pump stopped working. I tried jamming the wire back in but still nothing. I also attempted to slide the spade off the relay but it is on there tight! pulled the boat out of the water and will work on it tomorrow. 

Curious if anyone knows the purpose of the relay? Where a person can find a new relay? (I'm afrraid may damage it trying to get the spades off!) How is the bilge pump effected?

 

Thanks  

[acpilot 1]

After a day working at it problems solved! Bilge pump was due to the connector behind the switch came loose. Pulled out the switch panel and could see it had come loose, reattach and good to go.

The ballast water puppy pump not working was a result of the wires on the relay not connected well at all. Put all new ends on, crimped them and reattached. I honestly believe it was the ground wire from the relay back to the distribution block that was the issue,however, thought it was better to redo all the connectors. 

 

Back on the water tomorrow!

 

[beau t 8]

On August 2, 2015 at 3:02 PM, daz28iroc said:

to check if valves are open. look thru the rear center seat where u can see transmission. thisbus where the thru hulls should be located. the valve handles will be parallel with the valve body.

on my 07 elite there is also a on/off turnable switch on the guessing its called a sprinkler valve- after the pump it should go into a screen at the back of the boat then into the sprinkler valve (from inside the boat its in the right storage compartment at the very back, there is a black twistable piece if i remember it has "on" with a arrow and "off" with a arrow (i used my phone to take a pic to blow it up so i could see it). If the switch is turned to off it will deadhead the pump not letting any water flow. 

[Steve5 0]

2011 Centurion Enzo SV230+ - just bought the boat used last year and still trying to get the manuals for it but my ballast pumps are not working this year - no issues with them last year.  I could hear the pumps start up when I was getting the boat ready last week (out of water - just switched them on/off very quickly).  I put it in the water and it sat for a couple of days and then went to use it - batteries were low - low enough that were not even running the bilge.  Had taken on a bit of water - pumped out fine but now cannot hear my ballast pumps at all and blower is not working....also noticed my gps/perfect pass and even the dial speedo isn't working.... any ideas?  Seems electrical to me but not sure where to start.

[InfinitySurf 302]

Steve...Sounds like blown fuses to me with the list of stuff you said is not working. There are fuses under your helm...and my boat also has some fuses near the transom. Could also be one of your breakers which are usually near your batteries under observers seat. Also if you lay on your back under steering wheel, all the way at top (under gauges) there are 2 breakers up there in my boat. Just look the boat over real good....start with checking all breakers first cause they are easy and then move to fuses.

[RhuntIII 555]

On 7/9/2017 at 10:56 PM, acpilot said:

Curious if anyone knows the purpose of the relay? Where a person can find a new relay? (I'm afrraid may damage it trying to get the spades off!) How is the bilge pump effected?  

Relays are used when the control (fill and empty switch) has less of an amp rating than the motor. If you need to replace a relay keep that old one, they will have all the information printed on them. I would search for a new relay on the web.

[Nick213 583]

Steve, Did you use a battery charger and bring the battery's back up to a full charge? 

Low voltage will cause all those issues you mentioned. 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Nick213

[acpilot 1]

In the end the old relay was fine. It was just the wire connectors were very poorly put on and loosened over time. Once I re-did the connectors it all works fine. I did end up buying a new relay at NAPA ($15) and will keep it in case of a future failure. now that all the electrical gremlins are solved it's time to investigate into a portable ballast bag and bump to help with my direct drive's surf wake!

[Gollas108 9]

im haveing a simmiler issue with my 06 elite all the switches are working i can hear the pumps working and the 2 rear pumps are working but the center tank wont fill i can hear the pump working and my turn on valve is open it just wont suck in any water ive filled the tank using a hose and the out pump doesn't have any problems do i need to try priming the line or something???

[beau t 8]

On July 13, 2017 at 4:58 PM, Gollas108 said:

im haveing a simmiler issue with my 06 elite all the switches are working i can hear the pumps working and the 2 rear pumps are working but the center tank wont fill i can hear the pump working and my turn on valve is open it just wont suck in any water ive filled the tank using a hose and the out pump doesn't have any problems do i need to try priming the line or something???

on mine- the impeller stripped out and the pump was also running backwards. what i did was take the pump loose and removed the impeller cover (to check that it was still flexible and also spinning) so i could have my wife bump it on and off and see if the impeller was turning, it will jerk when turned on from the motor torquing so if you try this have a hand on it, i had it sitting on the mounting plate with my hand and a little pressure on it, also spayed a little WD40 in it since i was running it dry.