Ballast pumps wont reverse

(willamette12) · (willamette12) **Join Date: Mar 2008** 03-11-2008, 10:49 AM

Does anyone have experience with ballast pumps not reversing. They are from an 04 x2 and fill but wont make any sound when I try to empty.
Thanks

(phall925) · (phall925) **Join Date: Feb 2005** 03-11-2008, 11:16 AM

I think they are the same pumps that make a wake uses on their systems.

I had the same problem. Here are a few fixes. Get the yellow impellers. try losennig the screws on the pumps house by about 1/8th turn. They can almost get a sucktion that the pump can overcome. Another quick thing is run them on fill for about 30 sec then stop and try to empty. I found that the rubber got more flex when it "heated up"

Hope that helps

(sinkoumn) · (sinkoumn) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 03-11-2008, 11:50 AM

Likely a fuse, bad relay, or one of the wires wiggled loose from the boat vibration over the year(s) of riding.

(willamette12) · (willamette12) **Join Date: Mar 2008** 03-11-2008, 12:05 PM

Thanks guys Sinko r u thinking its a wire issue rather than bad pumps. i was afraid I was going to have to replace the two but I will try both of the suggestions if anyone has any others please post I appreciate the help

(denverd1)

running in one direction, should run in the other. unless: bad switch, wire, fuse or relay. check all connections. pump is fine.

(phat_in_cincy)

Adding to Preston:

A 'trick' is to flip the pump in the next anticipated direction. For example, if filling: When you are done, flip the switch to empty for a couple of seconds. This reverses the impeller vanes so there is a little less work to do from the start of the next cycle.

Also don't start them all at once (don't flip all 3 switches at the same time), but sequence them. Bump your RPMs up to about 1000 to make sure you're pushing good power to the system.

If you don't know how an impeller pump works, open up the end cap and check it out. You'll understand how things might get bound up in there. Plus you can see if all your vanes are intact.

(Message edited by Phat in cincy on March 11, 2008)

(sinkoumn) · (sinkoumn) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 03-11-2008, 1:14 PM

Mike get a voltmeter, turn the switch to empty, and work your way backwards from the pumps. But odds are it's either the relay or the plug connector came loose for the power or ground wire in between the relay and the pump.

falcon_v 03-11-2008, 1:17 PM

Where do you get the yellow impellers for the pumps.

(phall925) · (phall925) **Join Date: Feb 2005** 03-11-2008, 1:18 PM

MC Dealer or West Marine ( I Think )