MC Ballast is filling VERY slowly - HELP????

Hey everyone,

I have an '02 X30 with 3 Jabsco Ballast Puppy pumps. I removed the MC stock rear hard tanks and put in the Fly High Fat Sacs (750 lbs. ea.) on each side of the engine. I also removed the stock MC center ski locker sac and had Fly High make a custom center ski locker sac.

My problem is I can not fill all 3 sacs up at the same time. I can only fill one sac at a time and it is taking me slightly over 30 minutes to fill all 3 bags. When I turn on 2 or more of the pumps, it appears that the starboard pump (strongest pump in my system) takes all the water from the manifold. The other two pumps (port and center ski locker) pumps just run but don't appear to have any water to pump. I think the manifold on too small. I was thinking of adding 2 new thru hull fitting and directly input each to each pump and eliminate the manifold all together.

Has anyone done this? Can I buy a bigger manifold because eliminating the manifold would mean I would have to drain each sac thru the input thru hull, which is what I guess MC does now on their '08 boats.

Any advice, input would be greatly appreciated.

Have you checked the impellers in your pumps?

Impellers are shot.

Buy new ones. Quick instal

I put the new yellow impellers in each pump in June of this year. Do you think they are toast by now? I will look this morning. If they aren't, I am all out of ideas and areas to look for the problem other than the manifold.

Make sure you don't have trash plugging the intake somewhere and check your impellers as stated above.

The yellow impellers don't pump as quickly as the original black ones but they also don't bind up like the originals. I usually fill front first then fill the aft tanks together

You definatly have something wrong. I can fill 2 750s and the front (three pumps at once) in around 10 minutes on my x1. It has a manifold with 3 lines coming out of it. I also have yellow impellers that are almost 2 years old. Have you ever forgot to cut the pumps off when draining? The age isn't as important as if they were ran dry. I would definatly look around before cutting a hole in your boat.

it is NOT necessarily the impellars. i have been heaving the same problem too. However, i know for a fact that my impellars are good to go. i need to try and see if i have any trash plugging up the intake. besides that, not sure what to do.

I would start with the check valve. It will be the most likely place for something to hang up.

I agree with the JD. I installed yellow impellars and my tanks take longer to fill and drain for sure. Not 30 minutes though! I usually fill the center locker with takes maybe 5 minutes then the two rear together which take maybe 5-10 minutes.

Update on ballast problems: I took the all the hoses and manifold out of the boat yesterday to check for any type of blockage. Everything was clear. The main check valve after the main shut off is brand new - so that is not the problem. I also removed all 3 pumps to check the impellers. All 3 yellow impellers were is great shape. However, I agree with those who stated the yellow impellers don't pump as fast as the original black impellers. I changed back to the black impellers. Hopefully this will work. I will be taking the boat out tomorrow.

I will report back after I take it out.