Launch Control System

[Pratt]

I have a 2001 SAN with the LCS. My questions is this, what exactly do the valves next to the driver accomplish. I beleive (with no technical basis) that these valves open the tanks to the outside air thereby letting air out of the tanks so that they can fill. Is this correct?

Also, one of my tanks fills significantly faster then the other (shorter piping and less resistance I suppose), and this same tank fills whether I have the valves open or closed. Also, one of the valves turns signigicantly easier then the other. Anyone else have any similar problems or experiences and is there anyway to fix this?

And I know that if I close the ball valve in the enging compartment that no water will enter the tanks, but what the **** is the purpose of the valves next to the driver? I know in 02 the valves went away, and then in 03 they showed up again under the dash (could be 04 not 100% sure).

Help if you can. Other then that this is the best boat around for wakeboarding and the cruising that we do. Love it and recommend it to all.

[baine157]

i also have a 01 SAN and we heart our boat. But were always confused at why one tank fills and empties alot faster then the other one.

[bkhallpass]

The healm control valves are really just vents as you suggest. The allow air to escape when filling the tanks, and also allow air in when emptying the tanks so as not to create a vacuum. On the 2001 model the water comes in and out through the same valve/hole
on the bottom and so a vent is required. BKH

[Laptom]

Our 2000 fills and empty the 2 tanks in about the same time. And with the valves closed I never noticed that any water was coming in. For me it was a problem free system and I'm aware of the problems some people has with their ballast system.
Check if the vents are working properly, take them off the ballast tank and blow through them. With the valves closed you shouldn't be able to blow through them and when the valves open the resistance should be the same.

[Hollywood]

With the valves closed you shouldn't be able to blow through them and when the valves open the resistance should be the same.

You mean the resistance should be the same from valve to valve, not from closed to open, correct?

[bkhallpass]

With the valves closed you shouldn't be able to blow through them and when the valves open the resistance should be the same.

You mean the resistance should be the same from valve to valve, not from closed to open, correct?

Yes, correct.

BKH

[MCKillaP]

I just recently bought a 00' SAN and the previous owner (my buddy) never used the LCS and doesn't know how it works and i have searched everywhere to try to find some step by step instructions on how to fill and empty the tanks. Can anyone provide me with this information? The owners manual instructions aren't very clear to me. TIA

[kend]

It is a little confusing since they fill slowly.
**to fill**
1. Open the valve below the engine-seacock (handle should be inline with pipe ...but I suppose your's could be different)
2. Open one or both air valves behind radio (lefty loosey)
3. Drive around, or turn on pump, or both (mine takes ~10min to fill)

you should notice the boat setting lower in the water and water will squirt out of the overflow holes on the side when its full if your pump is running.

**to empty**
close seacock
press 'empty' button on dash and water squirts out the side of boat

If you forget to empty ...like I did Saturday, you can open the seacock and airvalves while on the trailer and ~100gal/400lt will drain out through the vent on the bottom.

[glp86]

It is a little confusing since they fill slowly.
**to fill**
1. Open the valve below the engine-seacock (handle should be inline with pipe ...but I suppose your's could be different)
2. Open one or both air valves behind radio (lefty loosey)
3. Drive around, or turn on pump, or both (mine takes ~10min to fill)

you should notice the boat setting lower in the water and water will squirt out of the overflow holes on the side when its full if your pump is running.

**to empty**
close seacock
press 'empty' button on dash and water squirts out the side of boat

If you forget to empty ...like I did Saturday, you can open the seacock and airvalves while on the trailer and ~100gal/400lt will drain out through the vent on the bottom.

On my 2000 SAN the tanks do not empty out the sides of the boat. It empty's through the inlet/outlet on the bottom of the boat. The fill and drain pump are in series. The only time I see water squirting out the sides is when the tanks are completely full.

[kend]

The only time I see water squirting out the sides is when the tanks are completely full.

You are right; '01 is the same, it only goes out side when full.

[MCKillaP]

It is a little confusing since they fill slowly.
**to fill**
1. Open the valve below the engine-seacock (handle should be inline with pipe ...but I suppose your's could be different)
2. Open one or both air valves behind radio (lefty loosey)
3. Drive around, or turn on pump, or both (mine takes ~10min to fill)

you should notice the boat setting lower in the water and water will squirt out of the overflow holes on the side when its full if your pump is running.

**to empty**
close seacock
press 'empty' button on dash and water squirts out the side of boat

If you forget to empty ...like I did Saturday, you can open the seacock and airvalves while on the trailer and ~100gal/400lt will drain out through the vent on the bottom.

Awsome!! Thanks for your help. I'll give it a try.

[camprnik]

Quick question, I have a 01 AN and I noticed that I have hoses on top of the tanks that route out the back transom of the boat as well as the vent hole/s in the starboard side. Are those back "vents" just for overflow? If so, why do I get water out the side vent before the aft ones?

Thanks!!!

[peteSki]

Hi. Just bought a 2005 Air Nautique 216 and it has 2 rear ballast tanks with the launch control system. I read up on how to use the system and thought I had it figured out, but I found that the tanks filled up without the pumps while driving with both seacocks open regardless of whether the control knobs were set to open or closed. Upon checking the 2 control knobs that are to the left of the driver's knees, I found that the cables on both these knobs have been cut and apparently removed, so these knobs are doing nothing. From reading the post above, they control an air vent on each of the tanks. Can anyone tell me where I can find this valve on the tank? I have no idea why the cables were cut, and I'll take a closer look to see if they were cut and then just tucked behind the drivers foot wall, but if someone can point me to the location on the tank where these cables attach that would be a good starting point.

Other than that, it fills up fine and empties fine as well, but I have to open the engine hatch often to open and close the valves there. I am presuming the air vents must be permanently open.

Pete

[NautiqueJeff]

Pete, don't waste your time with fixing the stock Helm Control valves. They never worked right from the beginning.

Grab a drink, sit down, and read through this thread. It has all you could ever want to know about the helm control valves and the best ways to fix them.

http://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/fo...allast-Valves=

[peteSki]

Pete, don't waste your time with fixing the stock Helm Control valves. They never worked right from the beginning.

Grab a drink, sit down, and read through this thread. It has all you could ever want to know about the helm control valves and the best ways to fix them.

http://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/fo...allast-Valves=

Thanks Jeff, excellent thread. I will likely put up with the issue for the rest of this season and make it a winter project to install those Asco valves you used. Should be pretty straight forward in my boat. I'll then just remove the helm control knobs since they are doing nothing and not connected to anything.

Pete