05 211 TE ballast problems

[wakeboardr116]

First i just wanna say hi and i'm a new user here. I've been searching around for the past hour or so but havent really found what i'm looking for. I have a 2005 211 TE. We picked it up a few years ago and its been overall a good boat but the last few summers we've been getting more and more problems. We have taken it to the dealer several times but the never seem to fix anything so we have given up on them. Especially since we keep the boat 3 hours away and its a PITA to take it back and forth.

Anyways.. the main problems we've be having that the dealer hasnt been able to fix are with the ballast system. 1st the port side pump is not working and sounds like it is shot. 2nd, the starboard knob to open the valve has broken several times and the dealer has tried to fix the issue and finally replaced the entire cable assembly. now it is easier to turn but i guess in the process they screwed something else up because now niether the port or starboard side shut all the way and they fill with water when we dont want them too. Now from searching around i've found some people are up grading the valves with ones from flow right or th marine. Would this help fix my problem? Also, i know it would take some work, but has anyone ever converted the valves over from a manual one you have to turn by cable to electric ones the open and close just by a switch?

Hope you guys can help, i'll keep searching too and see if i can come up with anything more.

[bmh2208]

RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Welcome to the forum! I have an '03 SAN that had the flow-wrong valves installed. All of my knobs broke off and was forced to opening and closing them at the ball valve just inside the thru hull opening. That might be an option for you until you get it switched out.

I would definitely look at replacing the valves with electric ones. You can go as cheap as sprinkler valves (Supra used to use those...they still might). I think the hard part of those is finding some that are 12V (I believe that most are 24V). Then you step up to real industrial valves. You will want to find some that are ignition protected. The ones that I used are from my buddy that sells valves, pumps and such for the oilfields. If you can acquire the right types of valves and fittings and you are slightly mechanically inclined and handy with a soldering iron, it should only take you a few days to complete. The hardest thing is getting all the correct fitting and such. It's easiest to take your valves and part of the piece that you are trying to adapt to down to a local plumbing place to get the right piece.

You can look at my thread here and see the install of my automatic valves in my boat. It's a SAN, so I'm not sure how a 211 is different. Hopefully someone with a 211 will chime in if they have fixed this problem.

http://planetnautique.com/index.php?...7&start=30

Here's a thread on WW about valves too:

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/m...83/694917.html

[WakeSlayer]

RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Or cut the system out and put in a bag system with Jabsco pumps.

[wakeboardr116]

Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Welcome to the forum! I have an '03 SAN that had the flow-wrong valves installed. All of my knobs broke off and was forced to opening and closing them at the ball valve just inside the thru hull opening. That might be an option for you until you get it switched out.

I would definitely look at replacing the valves with electric ones. You can go as cheap as sprinkler valves (Supra used to use those...they still might). I think the hard part of those is finding some that are 12V (I believe that most are 24V). Then you step up to real industrial valves. You will want to find some that are ignition protected. The ones that I used are from my buddy that sells valves, pumps and such for the oilfields. If you can acquire the right types of valves and fittings and you are slightly mechanically inclined and handy with a soldering iron, it should only take you a few days to complete. The hardest thing is getting all the correct fitting and such. It's easiest to take your valves and part of the piece that you are trying to adapt to down to a local plumbing place to get the right piece.

You can look at my thread here and see the install of my automatic valves in my boat. It's a SAN, so I'm not sure how a 211 is different. Hopefully someone with a 211 will chime in if they have fixed this problem.

http://planetnautique.com/index.php?...7&start=30

Here's a thread on WW about valves too:

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/m...83/694917.html

Hey, thanks for all the great info. I just read through the thread you posted on your boat and it looks great.. Those are almost the exact valves i was looking at on ebay last night. So do you have yours finished yet? if so how well are they workiing ? I think i can handle all the mechanical stuff, its just the electrical and wiring i might have some problems with.

[bmh2208]

RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

yeah they are finished. They work flawlessly. They're probably not the fastest filling valves on the planet because they were only 1/2" valves. However, it only takes about 6-7 minutes to fill and were not ready to go by then anyways.

You can figure the electrical stuff out pretty easily. You basically will just parallel the power wiring coming off each individual pump. When the pump gets power, the valve gets power and subsequently opens up. Then closes when the pump shuts off. If you're worried about soldering, just practice practice practice. I think the single most helpful tip that I was ever given about soldering is to: Let the heat built up in the wires and let that melt the solder, not the iron. Just get a little solder on the tip of the iron and touch it to the wires. Hold it there. You might have to add just a little bit more right to that spot. About 10-15 seconds later, the entire wire bundle will be hot enough to melt the solder. You can then touch your solder on the wire and it will be wicked through all of the wires. Make sure that, after you remove the iron, that you do not move the wires AT ALL until it is cool. If you move them any, you will get a "cold" solder joint and it could fail later on.

Best of luck and don't forget to post pics. Actually, post some pics of the current valves so we can see what your talking about.

[Mikeski]

RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

I replaced my fill pumps with impeller pumps (ballast puppies) and completely eliminated the valves. This also eliminates the priming issues. Works flawlessly since 2007 (about 150 hours).

[MNSuperAir]

Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Or cut the system out and put in a bag system with Jabsco pumps.

What he said

[wakeboardr116]

Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

yeah they are finished. They work flawlessly. They're probably not the fastest filling valves on the planet because they were only 1/2" valves. However, it only takes about 6-7 minutes to fill and were not ready to go by then anyways.

Best of luck and don't forget to post pics. Actually, post some pics of the current valves so we can see what your talking about.

Sorry it's been a while since the last posts. I've been busy with work and with figuring out these ballasts. I've made a lot of progress and am about done with the system. I read some of the links you posted on different valves and stuff and decided before going off and spending money on expensive ones i'd just try the sprinkler valves from the hardware store. I got those in and wired up to switches mounted where the turn knobs for the cables used to be. Everything worked great and I took it out to the lake for a test. The valves work fine but it was still having problems and taking a while to fill up. So next i went and got some attwood tsunami 800 pumps and replaced all threee. I fugure they could all use being replaced. I finally got all those done and took it back out this afternoon. This time 2 of the three tanks worked great. The port was still having problems filling. I think i have finally narrowed it down to the tubing inbetween the pump and tank. It seems like it has a clog in it some where. I'm gonna try to flush that out tomorrow and see if that works. Then hopefully i will be done with this.

I'll try to take some pictures of the old valves for you along with the new setup and what it all looks like now. I also picked up a 700lb fat sac off ebay today, so i cant wait to get that in and try it out for surfing. That seems to be all my friends and i like to do now.

Anyways thanks for all the help and i'll try to get some pics up for you soon.

[bmh2208]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Sounds great. Yeah, post up the pics and maybe a link to the valves you found.

[wakeboardr116]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Here are some pics of the old valves and one of the old pumps along with the new ones all installed. I have almost everything working now. The port side pump is still giving me problems though. I dont know what the deal is, i've changed the valve, the pump, flushed the lines and still it does not want to pump water and fill the tank. But if i open the valve and drive on plane it will fill up just fine. I'm starting to run out of ideas of what it could be. I guess the next thing i will check is double check the polarity on the pump to make sure it is spinning and pumping water the right way. After that i have no clue what the problem could be. anyways heres some pics.

old valves

new port and starboard valves

New belly valve and pump

[bmh2208]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

I just started to have the exact same problem on my port tank. I can hear the pump running, and feel a little water, but it seems like it's not priming. Once I got the boat up on plane and ran around for a few minutes, it got it full. My only idea is that the hose going from the pump to the tank take a pretty large run upwards about 1.5', then down a foot and back up to the pump. I'm gonna try shortening the hose and see if that helps. We are running the exact same pumps so maybe the amount of head pressure that these pumps put out is less than the old ones.

[WakeSlayer]

Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

I replaced my fill pumps with impeller pumps (ballast puppies) and completely eliminated the valves. This also eliminates the priming issues. Works flawlessly since 2007 (about 150 hours).

Barring my original suggestion, the above is a far superior solution to replacing the bilge pumps and valves in these old systems. Really guys, you are beating your heads against the wall for no reason.

[wakeboardr116]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

^That is true, but at $200+ a pump it's just not practical at the time. I'm gonna mess around with it some more this week and hopfully I will be able to get it all sorted out. On another note, my 700lb fat sac i got off of ebay should be getting in tomorrow. Should make for some much better surfing on the port side.

[MNSuperAir]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Wakeslayer is right, Best thing you can do for ballast. I did it this winter and it is great. The stock system is a first generation and had a lot to learn. Takea look, the supplier gave us a group buy a few months ago and would probably still offer it. I understand the $$$ thing though.

[wakeboardr116]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: 05 211 TE ballast problems

Well i think the problem with the port tank is FIXED. I looked at it again tonight and took the tubing off of the pump where it goes to the tank and tried to blow in it. When i did the tank would just pressurize and blow the air back out. So i figure its gotta be the tubing for the over flow. I took that tube of where it connects to the side of the hull and blew into it and what to you know, it resisted for a sec and then i heard some water and something else fall into the tank. Dont know what it was but altest the problem is fixed, at least i think it is. I'm gonna try to get back out to the lake tomorrow or weds and make sure. And now if it happens again atleast i'll know the problem and i guess ill just have to take the tank out and try to get out whatever it is thats in there.