Semi-Automatic Wakeboarding Ballast System
by G. Trace Trimble
Wiring
The last task is to figure out how you want to wire the pump(s). However you do it, make sure it is powered through an appropriately sized fuse(s). Make sure the switch(s) can handle the pump amperage as well. If your pump draws more current than your switches can take, you may have to run it on a relay.
The best switch option for a two-pump system is a three-position switch, an electrical switch that has a center "off" position and two independent "on" positions with separate connections for each (fill, drain and off). You can also use two single toggle switches, one for each pump.
The single-pump system requires just a single toggle switch (on and off). Changing from fill to drain is done with the diverting valves.
The reversing-pump system can be a little more complex to wire. Usually, a reversible pump requires switching the polarity to the pump motor. This can be done with a 6-pole three-position switch. Some reversing pumps have control wires separate from their power supply lines. Read the manual that comes with your pump for clarification.
Most boats have one or two extra accessory switches on the dashboard with a fuse or circuit breaker already in place, which make nice pump control switches.
Make sure you label which switch positions do what.
Operating Your System
As soon as you get your boat launched you can begin filling the ballast. The filling and draining procedures are a little bit different for each of the system designs, but all of them work while you're cruising to your favorite spot, putting boards on, during your runs, or any other time the boat is in the water. When you're ready to go home for the day, switch to drain and head for the dock. You will probably be completely empty by the time you're pulling onto the trailer. If not, these systems can continue to drain while the boat is on the trailer.
CAUTION: When the reservoirs are empty, turn the drain pump(s) off promptly because running it dry might damage it. Also, do not overfill the reservoirs. It would not be difficult to burst a reservoir with any of these systems.
Show others, especially your regular drivers, how to operate your system as well. Since the boat owner usually gets the first run, you may be in the water by the time the ballast is totally full and somebody else is going to have to know how it's operated. You can also have someone in the boat tweak the wake during your runs. This is where it becomes important to have all valves and switches labeled.
Make sure the drain manifold valves are closed. Open the shut-off valves on the fill manifold for the reservoirs you want to fill. Switch power on to the fill pump. When the reservoirs are full, shut the valves on the fill manifold and turn off the fill pump. If the valves are not all shut, the water can siphon out through the fill pump and back into the lake. To drain, open the drain manifold valves and turn on the drain pump.
Filling and draining this system is a little less straightforward. The valves in the manifold can usually be set up once and left open or partially open during normal use. To fill the reservoirs, set the diverting valves so you have open flow on the fill (green/purple) circuit and turn on the pump. When the reservoirs are full, turn off the pump and switch only one of the diverting valves to the opposite position. It does not matter which, just as long as the water in the reservoirs has no free path back to the lake. To drain, switch the diverting valves to open the drain (red/purple) circuit and turn the pump on.
This is the easiest system to operate. Filling and draining is a matter of flipping the pump switch to the fill or drain position. Reversing pumps are usually positive-displacement types, and will generally not allow water to flow through them unless the pump is running. This means that you do not have to mess with the valves to keep the water from siphoning out through the pump.
Ideas for Upgrades and Options
Depending on your level of knowledge and how much money you want to spend, you can make your system as robust and automated as you want. The following list may generate some ideas you can incorporate into your system.
- If you are using a two-pump system, you may want to put booster drain pumps on the reservoirs themselves to help increase flow and keep the system primed. Your drain time will decrease accordingly.
- Solenoid valves can replace some or all of the manual valves. You can control them separately or relay them with your pump(s) to open, close, and divert flow automatically by flipping a single switch.
- If you use hard plastic gas tanks, they often can be ordered with level transducers. These can be hooked up to level gages on your dashboard, used to automatically shut the system down when full or both.
WakeWorld is not affiliated with any of these companies and this is not, by any means, an exhaustive list of sources for the items you'll need to build your ballast system. We have merely provided these vendors as a starting point.
www.westmarine.com
www.jabsco.com
www.shipstore.com
www.boatus.com
www.mcmaster.com
www.ryanherco.com
www.grainger.com
www.defenderus.com
Wal-Mart
Lowe's
Home Depot
Radio Shack
|
