2001 Factory Ballast Problem

[RJP56]

Hi,
I have a 2001 Air/Sport Nautique with the factory hard tanks installed. Is there a schematic out there of how the ballast system works? Been having a problem with them filling, The pump runs, but the tanks don't fill.The water just starts coming out of the full ports on both sides. Both gauges don't even move. Any ideas out there what could be going on?

[s_kelley2000]

I think you need to open or close the valves but check here for more info:

http://www.planetnautique.com/Correc...rSport2001.pdf

[RJP56]

I have both valves wide open, counterclockwise but they dont fill. I hear the pump running. Could there be a sensor in each tank saying there are full when there not?

[jjrowe]

I don't see how water would come out of the full ports if the tank is not full. Perhaps if the vent is plugged or not open. You could try to pull the vent hose off of one of the the tanks and blow through it to make sure nothing is blocking it. Open the hatch and right behind the rear seat is a grey hose coming off the top of the tank.

[charlesml3]

> Could there be a sensor in each tank saying there are full when there not?

Could be, but it's easy to know. When you have water coming out of the overflows, just open the trunk and rap on the side of the tank with your knuckles. If they're full, you'll certainly know it.

When you start the fill pump does it take a while before you're getting water out of the overflows or is it immediate?

-Charles

[RJP56]

Hi,
checked again tonight. turned on pump, open valves and water started coming out overflows again. closed them and water still came out both of them. tapped on tanks, they are definetly empty.pulled hose off top, of tank, seem to have a check valve on it. open when blowing out, but closed when blowing toward tank. cant blow into tank before valve. my lips aren't long enough! any ideas?

[RJP56]

Its immediate.

[hyparks]

No sensor in the tanks. If water is coming out of the overflow thru hulls when the tanks are empty it must be your vent lines are blocked. If the tank cannot vent air out then they will not take in water, it will force the water out of the overflow thru hulls. Disconnect the vent lines from each tank and blow through them. Where I store my boat at the lake I use we get a lot of spiders. I regularly have to blow the vent lines out as the spiders get inside and leave their egg sacs in there. I couldnt believe how easy they clog up.

Also disconnect the valves and check that when you operate them that they are actually opening and not just turning.

Hope this helps

[charlesml3]

Agreed. Sounds like a "mud wasp" built a nest in your vent tube opening. Happened to me once.

-Charles

[RJP56]

Still having trouble. Are the vent lines the over full lines which run out the back of the boat? Dont see any actual vent lines. The ones coming out of the tanks in the storage compartment have a check valve in them so you can only blow one way. I pulled the back storage compartment apart today. There are 3 more hoses that go into the tanks behind the seat . Is the one marked with red tape is the fill and the other two are the drain lines? Tried filling them with compartment apart. Tanks fill up, but only less than 1/4 of the way before it starts draining out through back of boat. they Seem to empty fine. Although there seems to be some water left in tank behind the back seat and the backboard between the storage compartment and the seat.

[hyparks]

On my 01 Super Air my ballast tank vents go from the tanks to the starboard side of the boat. They are grey hoses rather than black and are smaller in diameter. These grey hoses go to the rear of the ballast valves which then vent out the side of the boat right by the drivers seat.
If you look at the rear of your valves there should be 3 hoses connected to them. One to the thru hull and the other 2 to your tanks. Check these hoses. If you have no hoses here then something has been changed.

Hope this helps

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

[RJP56]

Thanks Gentlemen, you were right. Found Vent hole through the hull behind the valves was plugged. Cleaned it out and everything works fine now! Thanks PN!

[hyparks]

No worries, glad you found the problem, If only all problems were such a simple fix!

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