Help before I sink this boat (ballast pump issue)

[Specialblend07 3]

So I just got my boat back from the dealer who put Valtera valves in and had to wire in switches. 

 

Now the port side PNP bag won't fill! The pump motor goes on but won't fill. The other side works, we swapped impellers and the port side still didn't work but the other side still worked. I'm absolutely 100% perplexed and lost. We blew water through the line and could hear it come out from under the boat so it's not clogged I don't think. What the hell else could it be before I call the dealer and ream them. It worked before and I need to boat by Friday to work for surfing. 

[RhuntIII 555]

What do you mean "pump motor goes on but won't fill?" What does it sound like? Are there valves at the inlets that might be in the closed position?

[Specialblend07 3]

The motor is running but it's not pumping any water up the lines to the pump or into the bags. I mean the port pump literally sounds like it's running, it's louder than the other side but I'm assuming that's because it's not sucking any water. It sounds exactly like it's running. 

Its the strangest thing. Like I said we swapped everything (impeller, o-ring, and bottom plate) to the pumps and the right side still worked but the port still didn't. 

 

I dont know if the pump is bad and doesn't have enough pressure to spin water up the lines or what. I'm absolutely pissed. Second time I've brought friends out and it not worked

[h20king 794]

Did you look in the bilge where the pick up is and make sure the valve is open ?

[h20king 794]

Also try hitting empty and see if it fills. If the wires had to be disconnected they could have gotten hooked up in reverse 

[Specialblend07 3]

The valve handle by the bilge is straight up and down, I know it's open because I blew in the line and I could feel the air go out the bottom of the boat. We tried hitting empty and no dice

On the new quick fill switches they're different. They're a up only switch. You hit it up it opens, you hit it up again and it closes. I'm wondering if they some how tied into that and it's messing with the PNP pump? Either way I've almost had it with this dealer. 

Edited July 12, 2017 by Specialblend07

[RhuntIII 555]

Excellent suggestion on polarity H. Try filling the bag with water from an auxiliary source like a water hose in the driveway. Once the bag has water try to empty it.

You can also post up pictures so we can see what you see. 

Have you taken the cover plate off to see if the impeller spins?

 

[Specialblend07 3]

Ok, so hitting empty or fill does the same thing...nothing... 

The pump makes noise, pretty much the same noise the other pump makes but it's louder and again I think that's because it's not having water pass through it to quiet it.  

I can try and check the wires, but being it doesn't fill in the up or down position that wouldn't mean it's reversed, correct?

I can try and fill the bag with water tomorrow and. As I mentioned I took the bottom cover off on both starboard and port pump, starboard has no issue filling or emptying but the port does. I switch everything and starboard still works but the port still doesn't. The impellers are fine, so I don't understand what could be going on. Can the pump go bad and still make noise?

[RhuntIII 555]

Yes

[Specialblend07 3]

Well, I guess I can grab a new pump over lunch and start there. 

So dumb... thankfully we did tried tonight before I brought a group out on Saturday. 

[InfinitySurf 302]

Is it possible that impeller is "spun"? Like the motor is working and turning, but the core of the impeller spun out so its not turning the impeller. Honestly never had one apart, so don't know if that is feasible, but have heard of that happening to a boat impeller so thot I would mention it.

[RhuntIII 555]

Yes, That happened to one of my Johnson pumps and had to replace it.  Take the cover off the pump, leave the impeller installed and bump the motor. When bumping the motor have help at the switch, you keep an eye on the impeller, the help will quickly on and off the switch for you to see or not see the impeller spin. Do this for fill and empty and if you do not see the impeller spin and hear the motor run, replace the pump.

[DrNate 426]

Just a thought but could it be as simple as the pump has lost prime?  Try filling with the boat moving or a fake a lake stuck to the intake maybe?

[Specialblend07 3]

All good ideas and suggestions. As weird as this sounds I sucked on the tube that goes into the sac to prime it and it wouldn't draw water/prime but I could feel the pressure in the line from me trying to draw water up to the pump  

It's just so weird, the pump makes noise, the impeller is fine, but it won't pump. Even in the drain position it wouldn't suck the bag tight  

Im buying a new pump today (hopefully local) and I pray that's the issue. It has to be. 

 

[DrNate 426]

Hey, pumps are cheap.  Worth it to keep your sanity.  

[Specialblend07 3]

Yep. It's just weird because before I dropped it off at the dealer it worked. Now it doesn't. 

And before someone says to bring it back to the dealer... my trailer is 30 minutes away one direction in storage, then I have to go to the launch which takes 20 minutes, then wait a week plus because they have to bring it an hour away to the service location. They're also of NO help.

i called a different dealer and they told me to check every single fitting to ensure there isn't an air leak and then to prime the system  what's the best way to do this? Fill the bag with water from the hose then hit empty and see if it will suck water?

 

[chenige 84]

Do what Runtll said.  Sounds like the motor is spinning but the shaft to the impeller is fractured. If that is not it, swap pumps in your boat. 

[Specialblend07 3]

Ok, so after calling nearly every dealer, Centurion/Supreme direct, and speaking with the lead tech at the dealer I bought it from it was tracked down to bad wiring at the switch. I took off the switch panel and found two wire were reversed. Hooked them up correctly and now it works.

I honestly think I'm going to have to buy and use a wake shaper.. I had the 1100lb port PNP nearly full, center tank full, port quick fill full. Speed was 11.2 and trim tab was 15% and the wave was still pretty small. I do NOT want to buy lead bags either.

[xj1514 13]

I must have missed it. What boat do you have? 

My 238 contrary to all the settings on this site is all ballast full, quicksurf 60 to 70, trim 30ish, and 600 lbs of lead, 200 for each rear corner under 1100 bags, and 200 moved around the boat. A listed nose high setup did not work for me. My wave is waist high and pushes hard. 

[Specialblend07 3]

It's a 2015 s226.