Help me plan a new ballast system? Or not?

[Stretch 409]

Hey Hey we like our boat porn but DANG!! Tone it down a bit! NICE

Haha I gotta give you old folks something to look at.

 

so far I haven't seen another centurion on our lake, so I've gotta represent!

Edited May 15, 2015 by Stretch

[RVR-RAT 269]

Haha I gotta give you old folks something to look at.

 

 

 

LMAO

[Stretch 409]

Updated diagram of plans for this weekend

 

 

And future final plans for maybe a fall/winter project or something

 

[DarksideR 1,679]

VERY NICE!!

Once you've drilled your first thru hull, it's a piece of cake. Just plan it out carefully where you drill and mount the pumps. But especially where you drill. If you bought wiring harnesses for the switches, the wiring is very straight forward.

Thanks for the extra weight on the right side! LOL

[Stretch 409]

VERY NICE!!

Once you've drilled your first thru hull, it's a piece of cake. Just plan it out carefully where you drill and mount the pumps. But especially where you drill. If you bought wiring harnesses for the switches, the wiring is very straight forward.

Thanks for the extra weight on the right side! LOL

 

I didn't buy the harnesses.. I found the diagram on wakemakers and it doesn't seem that outrageous. So not super worried about that I guess. Just don't want to burn up a brand new pump.

 

.

Doesn't seem terrible. Although just to be clear this diagram says run wire connecting 7 to 5 and then run off 5 to the battery power? And same with the other like connections

[DarksideR 1,679]

http://www.wakemakers.com/pre-wired-ballast-pump-switch-connector.html

 

They use snap locks to splice the wires. Probably the quickest and easiest way to wire your switch blocks along with the female butt connectors. Should be an easy wire job with the right tools and direction.

[boatnut 230]

Just and FYI, whenever I do anything on my boat in relation to wiring, and I know the factory doesn't but I butt splice the wires and then shrink wrap the whole connection

[Stretch 409]

Okay, now on the wake makers guide it shows a fuse in the positive line very shortly after the battery.. would I not have to do this but instead just use the 3 fuses (port starboard center) that are in the distro block under my helm? Or do I need to run a whole new 4 gauge positive from the battery?

[DarksideR 1,679]

Just and FYI, whenever I do anything on my boat in relation to wiring, and I know the factory doesn't but I butt splice the wires and then shrink wrap the whole connection

 

I agree with you and do that anywhere in the bilge or engine compartment, but up under the dash... don think it's necessary and didn't bother myself. But if you can and feel it's better(obviously it is better), then why not!

 

Okay, now on the wake makers guide it shows a fuse in the positive line very shortly after the battery.. would I not have to do this but instead just use the 3 fuses (port starboard center) that are in the distro block under my helm? Or do I need to run a whole new 4 gauge positive from the battery?

 

My last boat, I did just that. Used existing wiring and disto block/fuse. The pump, in my opinion didn't get all the juice it should have. The wires were a smaller guage. It's really better to go new, right to the battery.

There's a common phrase used by many on this site. "Do it right the first time". "Right" is essentially the code word for "most costly and time consuming"! LOL

[DarksideR 1,679]

Oh, and the port, starboard, and centre are all likely 5amp fuses for little aerator drain pumps. Not Mack Daddy Ultra Johnson's! ALOT more draw there!

[boatnut 230]

My jabsco's draw 11.5 amp and they say 20 amp pre fuse, that's a fair amount of juice

 

Edited May 15, 2015 by boatnut

[Stretch 409]

Oh, and the port, starboard, and centre are all likely 5amp fuses for little aerator drain pumps. Not Mack Daddy Ultra Johnson's! ALOT more draw there!

 

Nope they are all 20 amp fuses

 

Edited May 15, 2015 by Stretch

[DarksideR 1,679]

Interesting... What pumps are currently in the boat?

[Stretch 409]

Jabsco and sprinkler valves for full aerators for drain

[DarksideR 1,679]

Those are the fuses for all your drains then and someone put the wrong fuses in them. They should only be 5amp. I believe... if I remember correctly, that the hatch fuse is for your current fill pump. Try pulling the hatch fuse and then fill your ballast.

[boatnut 230]

Tsunami 1200 need 5 amp fuse

[Stretch 409]

Those are the fuses for all your drains then and someone put the wrong fuses in them. They should only be 5amp. I believe... if I remember correctly, that the hatch fuse is for your current fill pump. Try pulling the hatch fuse and then fill your ballast.

 

My stock ballast doesn't work remember.

[Stretch 409]

Either way I'll just pick up an amp kit or a couple long wires and 2 distort blocks I guess and not worry about it. Or do I need a distributor ground? Couldn't I just run 3 12 awg back to the battery negative before putting them all together.

[Wylie_Tunes 146]

Either way I'll just pick up an amp kit or a couple long wires and 2 distort blocks I guess and not worry about it. Or do I need a distributor ground? Couldn't I just run 3 12 awg back to the battery negative before putting them all together.

For reversible pumps, you need a ground circuit thats of equal current capacity as the B+ side. In most scenarios like this, I use a fuse box/ground combo fed direct from the battery with 4ga. Thats amps for 4-5 reversible pumps and other accessories. Now, if the helm BUS is fed with substantial cabling, you can grab off of it and not run direct from the battery. Just note, you are adding about 20A per pump, to what ever circuit you are jumping onto. Most boats only have a 50A breaker feeding the helm.

[boatnut 230]

 

Either way I'll just pick up an amp kit or a couple long wires and 2 distort blocks I guess and not worry about it. Or do I need a distributor ground? Couldn't I just run 3 12 awg back to the battery negative before putting them all together.

 

 

For reversible pumps, you need a ground circuit thats of equal current capacity as the B+ side. In most scenarios like this, I use a fuse box/ground combo fed direct from the battery with 4ga. Thats amps for 4-5 reversible pumps and other accessories. Now, if the helm BUS is fed with substantial cabling, you can grab off of it and not run direct from the battery. Just note, you are adding about 20A per pump, to what ever circuit you are jumping onto. Most boats only have a 50A breaker feeding the helm.

Newer boats have 100 amps up front, older boats have 50 amps