Port side Ballast Issue

On my 2003 MB Sports 220V the ballast (hard tanks) on the port side fills up (automatically) without me turning on the pump. Also, it does not drain when I turn on the pump to empty it. I believe the pump is a Jabsco Junior Puppy (no check valves with this system), and yes I have switched the Impellars and this does not solve the problem. I plan on switching both pumps to the Jabsco Ballast Puppies, but before doing so, I want to make sure that the pump is the cause to my frustration. My questions, if the pump is bad can the impellar spin freely, allowing water to flow into the tank? Also, are there any other ways that the tank could be filling? Visually, I see no leaks and I can't imagine that water could be filling up through the stern where I can manually empty the tanks by removing a plug. Suggestions or answers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Moon

You should be able to tell if the pump is on by hearing it or putting your hand on it and feeling the vibration. I'm not familiar wtih the 'junior puppy' but I have a few ballast puppies and they're loud and vibrate quite a bit.

If the pump is running all the time in one direction, it's probably your switch. That would be a really easy swap out (compared to the pump)

Good luck!

Brent

Our Jabsco makes a hell of a lot of noise when it's priming, runs a bit quieter once it actually starts pumping. You should be able to hear it with the engine off.

Since they're reversible pumps all that happens when you switch it from fill to empty is the polarity of the 2 wires swap over and the motor runs the other way, so maybe you've got a short somewhere making it "stuck on fill", not sure how it would be getting power though... or if that can even happen. So take that advice with a grain of salt, I'm not an electrician.

I wouldn't have thought water would just flow into the tanks, are they below the water line?

Guys thanks for responding, and yes I know that the pump is loud when turned, but this is happening when the pump isn't on. Also, I do believe the tanks are below the water line, but the pump is above the water line in engine compartment. Anyone else have an idea?

Thanks,

Moon

I know water flows back out of our tank through the pump because we don't have check valves either, maybe it is getting in that way, but for just one to fill up is weird...

Here are a couple of pictures to give you an idea of what I'm working with. Ignore the crappy handwriting.
picture of the pump
and here is the tank down below.

Any experts on pumps?