PDM Replacement - Now one of the ballast pumps is reverse?

[TNRIDER]

Anyone have an idea on how to flip flop the fill and empty on a ballast pump? It works opposite of the Linc 2.0 button. I had a new PDM installed and a new ballast pump and the port one now works in reverse/opposite.

2015 G21.

Separate issue:
Also, this model year boat (2015) they just had the commercial duty ballast pumps, originally it was thought the belly pump was bad so they replaced it, all the dealer had in stock for a replacement was a newer Ballast King pump and now that pump trips the breakers any time I try to use it. I assume it draws more amps than the PDM allows but wondering if there is a setting I can change to use that pump without tripping the breakers.

Any ideas, guidance or pointers would be appreciated.

[scottb7]

First issue is easy. I had to deal with that when I got new pumps they way the are oriented in the boat. You have to switch the pins in the connector. Easy to do. Do some research on it. I don't know if I have notes on it.

Second issue. Someone smarter then me gonna have to help you...You gonna need the old style pump, a resistor to lower amp drawer, or re-wire a bit to run the original wiring to a relay, and the relay to the "king".

P.S. Short term solution to use the pump...disconnect and go directly to battery to drain and fill using the "king".

[scottb7]

I think it is this one....something like this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EixzYfBS50

[bturner]

Not sure which pumps your boat uses but if their like my 2016 they're the Jabsco Ballast Puppy reversible pumps. If so an easier way to change the direction without messing with your wiring would be to......

• Locate the pump in question.
• Remove the hoses from both sides.
• Remove all the screws from the pump housing on the front of the pump.
• Rotate the pump head 180 degrees (you don't even have to remove the pump housing to do this).
• Reinstall the screws and hoses.

Doing this you've basically reversed the direction of operation of the pump. The pump is designed to do this to enable flexibility in installation.

On the breaker..... The Ballast King is recommending a 30 amp breaker while the Ballast Puppy is recommending a 20 amp breaker. Both of these IMO should be going through a relay. If this is not the case I'm actually a bit surprised to hear that they're not. I know my previous boat which was a MC X2 had all the pumps running through relays. Your options would be.....

• Put the correct pump back in the boat (this is probably the best answer).
• Install a relay (now you're modifying your wiring and will have to figure out where to mount the relay) and if you're going to do one you should probably make them all the same which makes for an even bigger job.
• Up the breaker to 30 amps. While the wring and switch would probably handle the current I certainly wouldn't recommend this or do this on a boat of mine.

Unfortunately the smart move on this one would be to get the correct pump and put it back to stock. The dealer should have known this or researched this and knew better. Popping 20 amp breakers is not good and should never had been allowed out the door like this. Is this a Nautique dealer by chance? Honestly I'd take it back and have him fix it right if it were my boat. All these pumps are readily available at Wake Makers. If he won't buy the pump from them get a refund on the one he bought, buy one from Wake Makers yourself and install it yourself or have them install it.

[scottb7]

Great idea on reversing the pump head. I didn't even think about that option. (Although honestly, i think easier to switch the pins... but up to you.)

I don't believe there are individual breakers for the pumps as the PDM controls output: "Each of the 12 PDM outputs can switch or proportionally control up to 15 A loads in 2.5 A increments and feature over-current detection and shut-down capability."

See below...Which is why now you can error messages reported to Linc when something shorts out...

PDM Sales Bulletin.pdf

[bturner]

Wow, I just browsed through the last document. Talk about taking a simple system and making it complex. I get why they did this as it dovetails in nicely with a CAN BUS, display driven solution but boy talk about being locked into a technology. I also cringe when I see the words "cost effective solution" in the opening statement of a product. Based on this document you're not going to be rewiring or adding relays as this is what this device does and apparently it's not rated for the current draw of the new pump you bought. Looks like there's only one option and that's getting the correct pump and replacing it.

Oh and a replacement should you ever need one is only $495 on Amazon. That is if it's the right one. Boy those early SAN's are starting to look better and better every day......

[scottb7]

I spoke to someone a couple years ago, and he thought the relay would work as the pdm wouldn't know the difference. I thought about upgrading my 3 pumps to the "kings" but at the end of the day i thought ok, so instead of taking 15 minutes to fill it will take 9 minutes. So i lot of work and wiring to save 6 minutes...

The challenge is even if the pdm would allow for higher amps the wiring is not thick enough...

I like my friends Axis way better as you empty over the side of the boat and you can then tell when you empty, and it is a lot faster. Pumps go out once in a while but you also don't have to buy impellers.

[bturner]

To me it's a bunch of tech for nothing other than cost savings. If you read the document they're not really improving anything just saving cost on wiring and making a harness. What's worse is do you think as people demand bigger tanks and faster fill times the current draw is going to be less? This indirectly gets back to the point I've made several times about all the tech being pushed into these boats and the nightmare that could ensue as these boats age out. PDMs, computers and flat screens will one day fail and just like high priced foreign cars you may end up with a totaled boat due to a component failure. Go look on COPART and look at some of the not so damaged boats that have been totaled out and tell me why. Now when one of these new boats goes under in addition to engine/trans replacement you're also looking at thousands in electronics. Guess it's just the way of the future but it would also seem like an opportunity also.