1995 Super Sport Ballast install.

[wcherashore]

I actually have the air/sport nautique direct drive whose locker may be a bit smaller? I wish I had the super sport/air hull anc v-drive!

[ers906]

I am sure that this post may be dead (although it is wealth of great information), but I have a questions re: the check valves used in the vent lines. Did you use ones that fit over the Outer Diameter of the hose or ones that plug into the hose (like the Flyhigh fittings?)
Thanks

[wake_fun]

This thread will never die!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAAA

The check valves are inline with the vent line and go inside the 1" hose.

[EchoLodge]

Great info in this and other ballast threads here on PN. I called Wakemakers to pick their brains on an install for my 99 SS. He talked me out of the 1.5 thru hull and told me I should go with three 1 inch thru hulls. He said that you need to put check valves in and that all the pumps drawing from one hole can cause issues without the valves. I asked if it would be better to go with the ski locker bag or the under bow seat bag. He said it depends if I wake surf or not. I don't (hydrofoil only) and said I would be better off with the bow bag if I wished to keep my storage in my ski locker. What have been your experience with the 3 pumps hooked up to one hole?

[Chexi]

I do not understand what you are asking. Put check valves in where? If you mean in the vent lines, yes that is helpful, but I don't see how that would impact the 3 versus 1 intake question. If he means put check valves after the manifold, you can do this, but all it really does is allow you to empty out the side so you can see and hear the water emptying. It also prevents you from moving water from one bag to the other (e.g. if you wanted to change surf sides). With a manifold, you can move water from one bag to another. With 3 independent thru-hulls, if you wanted to empty your starboard rear and fill your port, you would have to empty to the lake and fill from the lake. With a manifold, you can empty from one to fill the other. It really should not make much difference in time either way. At any rate, I have not heard of anyone having a problem with a manifold as long as it is sized properly, and 1.5" is more than ample for 3 pumps that have 1/2" inside diameter connections.

Wake_Fun, can you put this to rest? Would you be so kind as to time the fill time of 1 of your sacs when filling alone, and then time the fill time of that same sac with all 3 sacs filling at the same time? I bet the times are within a few second of each other. Mine were when I had 2 sacs tied into a manifold on a 1" thru-hull on my 99 Air.

[wake_fun]

Well, I've had the system in my boat for 7 years and have only changed the bags out which was in my other thread. Everything works perfect. I can fill one, two, or three at the same time. I can empty one and fill another one at the same time. I can empty all of them at the same time. I don't see why you need to drill 3 holes in the bottom of your boat. My check valves are on my vent lines. I don't know when I will be out next time, but I can time it.

I wouldn't mind having stronger in-line check valves to plump up my bags a little more.

[EchoLodge]

Thanks for the update. This will be a winter install project for me and I am studying up. I too do not want to drill 3 holes if I do not have to. This install looks the cleanest. Your thoughts on a bow bag vs ski locker bag?

As for the check valves.... WM said that the pumps would compete for the water and put a strain on the impellers.... So the valves would be before the pumps and I would have to run a y off the pumps and I would be filling and draining from separate lines.

[wake_fun]

My 95 has a raised floor with a big seating pad in front (not a true walk through). You actually have to step up to go to the front. I didn't want to mess with sacs up there or under it. I couldn't tell you about which is better. I would do a sac like I have in the ski locker. It's hidden and out of the way.

[Chexi]

Thanks for the update. This will be a winter install project for me and I am studying up. I too do not want to drill 3 holes if I do not have to. This install looks the cleanest. Your thoughts on a bow bag vs ski locker bag?

As for the check valves.... WM said that the pumps would compete for the water and put a strain on the impellers.... So the valves would be before the pumps and I would have to run a y off the pumps and I would be filling and draining from separate lines.

WM is wrong on this topic. If you had a 3/4" thru-hull, then 3 pumps would be too much. But with a 1.5" thru-hull, you have more than enough water available to keep all pumps getting the maximum water they can draw. In fact, a 1" thru-hull can in theory handle exactly 4 pumps with half-inch intakes. At 1.5" inches, you actually have three times the water available that you need to run 3 ballast puppies. One need only do the math. Pi r squared.

[EchoLodge]

So 1.5 thru hull to 1 inch street elbow to 1 inch cross will be fine! Also looking at using the glove box drain for the forward bag vent.

[wake_fun]

How will you do that in your boat? Isn't the opening to the ski locker for fuel lines and all that on the driver's side under the dash? Do you plan on coming up from there and going around your front seating to somehow get to the glove box drain? I don't know how your year is setup that's why I'm asking

[Chexi]

Yes, but if you want to err on the side of caution, stick with 1.5" street elbow and 1.5" cross as well.

Also, I don't think you want to use the cooler vent. I believe that empties into the bilge. If you have the factory ballast system, you can tie into the existing vent used with the vent knobs. You go from the ski locker up through the opening behind the driver's kick plate and then to the thru-hull that is presently tied into the knobs for opening the vents of the factory ballast. This is what I did on my old 99 Air. Worked great. If you don't have a factory ballast setup (and hence no thru-hull there), I would still put it there, you would just have to drill the hole and install the thru-hull.

[wake_fun]

If you don't have a factory ballast setup (and hence no thru-hull there), I would still put it there, you would just have to drill the hole and install the thru-hull.

That's what I did, driver's side.

[EchoLodge]

How will you do that in your boat? Isn't the opening to the ski locker for fuel lines and all that on the driver's side under the dash? Do you plan on coming up from there and going around your front seating to somehow get to the glove box drain? I don't know how your year is setup that's why I'm asking

I have a 99 SS (no ballast). If I go with the u shaped bag under the bow seats I could run the vent line to the drain on the port side (used for the glove box cooler). I will also go with the 1.5 street elbow and cross!

[wake_fun]

I have a 99 SS (no ballast). If I go with the u shaped bag under the bow seats I could run the vent line to the drain on the port side (used for the glove box cooler). I will also go with the 1.5 street elbow and cross!

I was thinking about the locker sac, but I get it. Why not run the locker sac and bow sac