Ballast Install 2008 RZ2

[steepz]

Thank you to many on this forum for giving me the courage to go for this. With help from Mike at Liquid Audio decided to go with two Pro-X Jumbo Surf Sacs for the back lockers and a Pro-X Integrated Bow Sac for the front. Running ballast puppies and will be discharging out the side of the boat. Was able to reposition batteries and hide rear pumps and plumbing behind false wall.

Of interest I discovered my sub box was broken. Very surprised I didnt hear a foreign noise. I am planning to have a local stereo shop build a new one and then ill seal it with waterproof paint.

Have everything done for the rear bags and will test and install front bags next weekend.

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[chpthril]

Looking good :ro:

Not surprising that an unsealed MDF box lasted only a couple of seasons. Just make one your self! Use a high-grade hardwood plywood (marine grade if you can find) then coated it (inside and out) with 2-part resin.

[Wakemaker]

Great looking install and really like the way you hid the pumps. Questions for you: Where did you relocate the battery to? and, can you tell what fittings you made the manifold out of? Thanks

[steepz]

Thank you. While the picture doesnt show there is another battery tray to the right of the one i mounted. The batteries have always been behind the false wall on the port side but they were mounted sideways. The manifold is brass at the bottom and PVC tubing above.

[Wakemaker]

My question on the manifold was more around which PVC connectors or fittings did you use to get from the brass ball valve to pvc piping and then from pvc piping down to a 1" hose barb. Whenever I'm in the plumbing aisle thinking about taking the plunge, I never seem to be able to match it all up. Thanks again

[steepz]

Mike with liquid audio actually sent all of those parts. I did add elbows though so that the lines didnt have to bend to much. May want to reach out to him to ask where he found the parts

[chpthril]

My question on the manifold was more around which PVC connectors or fittings did you use to get from the brass ball valve to pvc piping and then from pvc piping down to a 1" hose barb. Whenever I'm in the plumbing aisle thinking about taking the plunge, I never seem to be able to match it all up. Thanks again

It's a 1-1/4" male NST x 1-1/4" slip-fit schedule 40 PVC. Next is 1-1/4" PVC pipe to a 4-way "T". In the 3 outlets of the "T" is a 1-1/4" x 1" slip-fit bushing and then a 1" slip-fit x 1" hose barb fitting. You will most likely not find the threaded x slip-fit in the ball-valve or the 1" slip-fit x 1" barb at your local box store. I get them online from a couple plumbing supply places.

[steepz]

new sub box. Still need to finish bottom with resin but it already is night and day difference compared to standard MDF.

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[chpthril]

Looking good. If you cant reuse the carpet, or cant find marine-grade, spray-on bed-liner does a great job at finish it out and blends nice with the charcoal tige carpet.

[steepz]

Got a little creative for the breaker mount along with mounting the front pump. Wanted to have it tucked back in the corner so that when the bags aren't being used i can maintain as much storage space as possible.

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Did a test run and rear port bag works like a charm. Tried rear starboard and it started pulling a little water but then it seemed to loose suction. Checked the first valve and it is in the correct orientation so am a little confused. Started to get dark so didnt get a chance to look at the other valves but they shouldnt matter should they? Anything else i should look at?

[Moodysurf]

Thank you. While the picture doesnt show there is another battery tray to the right of the one i mounted. The batteries have always been behind the false wall on the port side but they were mounted sideways. The manifold is brass at the bottom and PVC tubing above.
Looks like the install is coming along. I am looking to start a similar install on my 07 22ve in a week or so. Was it pretty easy to pick the spot for your intake on the bottom of the boat?

[dogbert]

Nice work!

[steepz]

I mounted the intake on the port side just forward of the scoop for the engine. Was very straight forward. Simply pre-drilled a smaller hole from inside the boat and then used a 1 5/8" hole saw from under boat.

[Moodysurf]

I mounted the intake on the port side just forward of the scoop for the engine. Was very straight forward. Simply pre-drilled a smaller hole from inside the boat and then used a 1 5/8" hole saw from under boat.
Thanks for the comment on the location. I really like your beaker mount also. Did you get your lack of suction worked out on the starboard side?

[steepz]

havent had a chance yet. Planning to bring a bucket of water into the boat and look everything over this afternoon.

[chpthril]

Did you get your lack of suction worked out on the starboard side?

X2? Did you try flipping the switch to the drain position just to see if the wires need to be reversed at the switch?

[steepz]

Yes, tried flipping the switch and still wasnt pulling in water. It started to pull some water when the switch was on fill but then stopped.

[steepz]

pretty sure i figured out the problem. was using two different types of check valves and some of them dont seal sufficiently enough to create a vacuum. As such the pump was simply pulling air in through the vent line. If i plugged the through hull dump on the side of the boat and vent line on top of bag the pump almost immediately started pulling water in and filling bag. Need to order new valves and should be all set.

[chpthril]

pretty sure i figured out the problem. was using two different types of check valves and some of them dont seal sufficiently enough to create a vacuum. As such the pump was simply pulling air in through the vent line. If i plugged the through hull dump on the side of the boat and vent line on top of bag the pump almost immediately started pulling water in and filling bag. Need to order new valves and should be all set.

5 new ones on the way! USPS says about 3 days.