Automatic ballast shutoff

[MTRBTR]

I searched this issue on the site and didn't come up with much. I purchased a 2006 SV 211 this past summer. The ballast system is all still stock with the hard tanks. This particular model has the reversible ballast pumps with the automatic shutoff when "empty". I was wondering if there is a way to override the auto shut off? I notice that I have to park the boat on a hill or crank the nose way up in the air on the trailer to get the tanks completely drained.

I know some will say get rid of the hard tanks and go with sacks. That may be in the future but even if you did that you would have to rewire around the auto shut off valves wouldn't you?

[NautiqueJeff]

The timing system is part of the keypad. It cannot be modified. If you add sacs, you just run the pumps for multiple cycles to fill/empty, or run additional separate pumps for the sacs.

[MTRBTR]

Did they all run on timing? Mine appear to run on a depth sensor in the tank. I could get the pumps to come back on by tipping the front of the boat up so more water ran to the back of the tank where the sensors are and never touching the key pad.

[MTRBTR]

Just read in owners manual for this model that they do run off a sensor in the tank. Anyone have experience with this?

[ScooterMcgavin]

There are sensors in tanks for the ballast gauges showing how much water is in the factory hard tanks but the pumps do run off timers and like stated cannot be adjusted.

[MTRBTR]

From owners manual, “The pump will stop pumping when the tank sensor senses the”noWater level” in the tank. The LED will continue to flash for approximately 10 minutes unless the button is pressed again”. I think the newer boats are as you describe but this particular year had the sensors telling the pump when to shut off. Am I interpreting that wrong? It seems consistent with me getting the pumps to come back on by tipping the boat up.

[NautiqueJeff]

Did they all run on timing? Mine appear to run on a depth sensor in the tank. I could get the pumps to come back on by tipping the front of the boat up so more water ran to the back of the tank where the sensors are and never touching the key pad.

Are you sure that's not the bilge pump running when you do that? I have never heard of ballast pumps that turn on automatically to empty the tanks when they sense water. Bilge pumps, yes.

I have never heard of ballast controls of that era running off of the level sensors. As far as I know, those sensors are just for the gauges. I could be wrong though.

[ScooterMcgavin]

For what it's worth, I had an 06 210 and the sensors in the tanks were for the gauges.

[MTRBTR]

I know it wasn’t the bilge pumps. I was in my driveway winterizing the boat when I could get the pumps to come on by cranking the jack up on the trailer, making more water run to the back of the tanks where the sensors are. It seemed consistent with what the owners manual read. Is there someone at nautique who would know?