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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    4

    Default Air in ballast bags

    Hi all. First time boat owner and first post. Just got a 2004 Launch and so far so good! It’s got a ballast system and we use a wake shaper and it creates a fantastic wave. We have fat sacs with a fill line at the top and a drain line at the bottom but no vent lines. I’m currently getting a lot of air in the bags when I fill them. There Is no way to burp them without removing the fill line so it’s a pain. I’m wondering if adding check valves to the fill line would help to reduce the problem. Or are there any other ways to help? Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Lake Wylie NC Area
    Posts
    440

    Default

    In this scenario, we typically find that the air is a result of air trapped in the fill plumbing, when the boat is launched. IMO, check valves would likely not help. With aerator fill pumps, Some check valve designs and their location in the fill line, can actually cause the fill pump to air lock, by trapping air below it, not allowing the incoming water through the pump.

    Vent line is the best resolution. If these are actual Fly High brand Fatsacs(R) then they should have 2 fittings on the top.
    Michael
    Mikes Liquid Audio

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Wylietunes View Post
    In this scenario, we typically find that the air is a result of air trapped in the fill plumbing, when the boat is launched. IMO, check valves would likely not help. With aerator fill pumps, Some check valve designs and their location in the fill line, can actually cause the fill pump to air lock, by trapping air below it, not allowing the incoming water through the pump.

    Vent line is the best resolution. If these are actual Fly High brand Fatsacs(R) then they should have 2 fittings on the top.
    Thanks Michael...that’s a great explanation. I should have included these in my original post. There are not two fittings on the top. The only other fitting is on the bottom of the sack at the front. Not sure how old they are but the boat is an ‘04.

    Let me add a little more color as well. The rear starboard bag fills regardless of if I turn that pump on or not. It fills when I fill the center ballast. I’ve seen other people post about issues with passive filling or emptying. I don’t have any problems with emptying but I’m assuming that this issue with that bag Could be related to the passive filling? The port side rear bag takes on a little bit of air but it definitely functions on its own.
    63403C4A-743F-472A-9459-ADA54310CF87.jpg
    50FD3125-4E09-4B4F-A038-90D3CB1AAAF9.jpg
    Last edited by scott99; 04-28-2020 at 11:38 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Lake Wylie NC Area
    Posts
    440

    Default

    Hard to tell who the manufacturer is, but they are certainly old school with those blue waterbed fittings.

    Does your 04 have the single common fill pump and sprinkler vales? If so, sounds like the sprinkler valve is stuck open, allowing the common pump to fill the rear sac when you want to fill the center sac. or someone has mixed up some wiring.
    Michael
    Mikes Liquid Audio

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Wylietunes View Post
    Hard to tell who the manufacturer is, but they are certainly old school with those blue waterbed fittings.

    Does your 04 have the single common fill pump and sprinkler vales? If so, sounds like the sprinkler valve is stuck open, allowing the common pump to fill the rear sac when you want to fill the center sac. or someone has mixed up some wiring.
    There are three pumps and three switches. I'm a do it your selfer as long as I understand the problem and can easily access it. I can see the three pumps but they are not easily accessible. Of course it's easy to see the drain is working properly on each bag as I can see the discharge from each port. I will pull the fill lines off the bag and see if I can tell what's happening when I hit the fill switch. The front is working great...no issues with air or passive filling/draining. Seems like I might need to have a pro look at it.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    College Station, TX
    Posts
    74

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by scott99 View Post
    Hi all. First time boat owner and first post. Just got a 2004 Launch and so far so good! It’s got a ballast system and we use a wake shaper and it creates a fantastic wave. We have fat sacs with a fill line at the top and a drain line at the bottom but no vent lines. I’m currently getting a lot of air in the bags when I fill them. There Is no way to burp them without removing the fill line so it’s a pain. I’m wondering if adding check valves to the fill line would help to reduce the problem. Or are there any other ways to help? Thanks in advance!
    My bags had a third connection. I added vent lines. Attached a third hose to the third connection port and ran that to a one way valve then T that to the dump side of the hoses. Wake makers had everything I needed. Now I get 98% water and just a little air.

    Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk
    Last edited by rtpaxton2; 05-18-2020 at 09:32 AM.
    2007 Supra 24 SSV 340 CAT
    Lake Bryan, TX

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    200

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by scott99 View Post
    Thanks Michael...that’s a great explanation. I should have included these in my original post. There are not two fittings on the top. The only other fitting is on the bottom of the sack at the front. Not sure how old they are but the boat is an ‘04.

    Let me add a little more color as well. The rear starboard bag fills regardless of if I turn that pump on or not. It fills when I fill the center ballast. I’ve seen other people post about issues with passive filling or emptying. I don’t have any problems with emptying but I’m assuming that this issue with that bag Could be related to the passive filling? The port side rear bag takes on a little bit of air but it definitely functions on its own.
    63403C4A-743F-472A-9459-ADA54310CF87.jpg
    50FD3125-4E09-4B4F-A038-90D3CB1AAAF9.jpg
    My front fat sac is like yours. It only had three ports two on the bottom and one on top. I had the same issue with air so I flipped it upside down and use that bottom plug which is now on top to burp the bag.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Wow...sometimes the simple solution is the easiest (and least obvious). I may never have thought of that. the two rear pumps are blowing fuses now so I'm going to replace those and give this a try. Thanks!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Knoxville TN
    Posts
    1,415

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by scott99 View Post
    There are three pumps and three switches. I'm a do it your selfer as long as I understand the problem and can easily access it. I can see the three pumps but they are not easily accessible. Of course it's easy to see the drain is working properly on each bag as I can see the discharge from each port. I will pull the fill lines off the bag and see if I can tell what's happening when I hit the fill switch. The front is working great...no issues with air or passive filling/draining. Seems like I might need to have a pro look at it.
    Do you have a scupper on the bottom of the boat on that intake? If so, while you are driving, water is forced into the bag.

    When I installed reversible pumps on my 2007 Supra, I did not remove that scupper. It was the original hole from the sprinkler valve system. Thus, the two new intakes/bags worked fine, but the 1 intake/locker bag would be 1/2 full when I got back to the boat ramp. Once I cut off that brass scupper grate, problem solved.

    Looks like this:

    https://www.greatlakesskipper.com/bo...3-8-inch-brass
    2018 Supra SL400

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