2007 Supra Ballast Fill/Empty Issues

[sailing01]

I just purchased a 2007 21V Launch Gravity Games Edition and am having a bit of difficulty with filling and draining the ballast. Filling: I do hear the pump running and checked the strainer just ahead of the manifold (which was full) but bags do not seem to fill. I have been reading through the various threads and will try filling while plaining my next time out. Draining: At this point, I have two of the three sacs that have drained but cannot get the rear Port bag to drain. It starts to drain with good flow and then quickly slows to a trickle. Is there any strainer associated with the drain side? As I am new to the Supra family I have NO experience with the ballast systems but have plent of boat and maintenance experience. Just looking for some basic direction before I dive in head over heels.

[Zim]

Sometime's the bags need a little more "help" to drain. Have you tried stepping on them to force water out and start the pump process again? These aerator pumps need to prime, and sometimes they get air pockets in there that prevents draining.

As for filling... it doesn't work? I thought you have full bags that won't drain? Anyway... check under the center rear seat, there will be some sprinkler valve looking things there with a black solenoid on top. There should be a little black switch on there. Try flipping that switch and seeing if that helps. The valves have a manual lockout, so it could just be in the locked out position.

[sailing01]

Sometime's the bags need a little more "help" to drain. Have you tried stepping on them to force water out and start the pump process again? These aerator pumps need to prime, and sometimes they get air pockets in there that prevents draining.

As for filling... it doesn't work? I thought you have full bags that won't drain? Anyway... check under the center rear seat, there will be some sprinkler valve looking things there with a black solenoid on top. There should be a little black switch on there. Try flipping that switch and seeing if that helps. The valves have a manual lockout, so it could just be in the locked out position.

I did try stepping on the one full bag and even tried lifting one end slightly but no luck. On this bag it did start to drain well (for about 1 minute) and the slowed to a trickle. In regards to the filling, I did try flipping the manual overrides on the valves and again it didn't seem to help but I have not tried filling on a plain yet as mentioned in other threads.

[Zim]

I did try stepping on the one full bag and even tried lifting one end slightly but no luck. On this bag it did start to drain well (for about 1 minute) and the slowed to a trickle. In regards to the filling, I did try flipping the manual overrides on the valves and again it didn't seem to help but I have not tried filling on a plain yet as mentioned in other threads.

So will it just not fill at all? Is the "master valve" open to the through hull? There's a large valve that can close off the water intake just before the RULE intake pump. That valve is open correct?

When emptying, could you still hear the pump even though it was only trickling out?

[sailing01]

So will it just not fill at all? Is the "master valve" open to the through hull? There's a large valve that can close off the water intake just before the RULE intake pump. That valve is open correct?

When emptying, could you still hear the pump even though it was only trickling out?

Emptying - I believe when the boat was pulled out after the test ride that the Port side ballast had not emptied. With the boat on the trailer I started trying to empty the Port ballast and that is when i saw it begin emptying as expected and then slow to a trickle with plenty of water still in the bag.

Filling - Correct, it will not fill the Center or Starboard bags. (I stiil have not been able to empty the Port bag.) I will double check the valve but I did look at it and the handle was in the straight open position as it appeard to be in during the test ride. This may be the priming issue I have seen in other comments. I am not at the lake now but will check the Main valve next trip up.

[Zim]

Emptying - I believe when the boat was pulled out after the test ride that the Port side ballast had not emptied. With the boat on the trailer I started trying to empty the Port ballast and that is when i saw it begin emptying as expected and then slow to a trickle with plenty of water still in the bag.

Filling - Correct, it will not fill the Center or Starboard bags. (I stiil have not been able to empty the Port bag.) I will double check the valve but I did look at it and the handle was in the straight open position as it appeard to be in during the test ride. This may be the priming issue I have seen in other comments. I am not at the lake now but will check the Main valve next trip up.

Ok, that makes more sense.

As for filling, if the main valve is open, and the pump is pumping, and you've tried priming system, but are still not having any water come to the center or starboard bags, it's most likely the solenoid/sprinkler valve being corroded or locked into the "closed" position regardless of what direction you flip that switch. If that's the case, replacement valve/solenoid is about 12 bucks each at home depot. They're Orbits sprinkler valves and Lowes/Home Depot should have direct replacements.

As for your emptying issue, if the fuses are good, the pump is running (you can hear them running with ease), and you've tried forcing the water into the pump to prime it, but it still doesn't empty, try replacing the pump with a tsunami 800gph pump. Amazon has them for about 35 bucks. I've replaced all of my drain pumps with those tsunami pumps and the ballast drains much faster now.

Those are the steps I'd take.

[sailing01]

Thanks a bunch for the suggestions! For that price, I'll just get the parts and take them up with me on my next trip. It sounds like these would be good to have on hand either way.