242x ballast bags, need to fill more!!!!

[MidnightRider]

I've been through that screen multiple times. The port side bag just won't fill all the way.

Yep you can't get past that max time. Sucks.

 

[jethrof16]

We have a very similar calibration screen on our 2017 boats - just hold the Sys Ctrl hard button for 3 sec and its under one of the tabs. But as was pointed out earlier in this thread, the problem is that there is a max time and if max time isn't enough for you then your SOL anyway.

I will give the guys at Wake Masters another call. Maybe the max time limit is what they were talking about when they said I needed a code. The new software that was just released might also fix this. I’m getting it uploaded tomorrow

 

[jcyamaharider]

The only way to fix the problem is to have an intake per pump, which is exactly what i am going to do for the port bag.

 

[Christopher Wenaas]

I’m having a similar problem with my starboard ballast pump. The pump operates normally for about a minute, then just stops. Once this happens, it is unresponsive until I cut the ignition and restart the system. The other ballast pumps operate normally before, during, and after the starboard pump failure.

I can access the calibration screen and drain the ballast. When I try to fill it, it operates drawing fluctuating amperage between 6 and 10 amps. It will operate filling the bag from 20-60% full at which point it stops filling and won’t respond to further instruction without a system restart.

Anyone have any thoughts on the cause? Bad pump? Bad ballast controller?

 

[jcyamaharider]

I’m having a similar problem with my starboard ballast pump. The pump operates normally for about a minute, then just stops. Once this happens, it is unresponsive until I cut the ignition and restart the system. The other ballast pumps operate normally before, during, and after the starboard pump failure.

I can access the calibration screen and drain the ballast. When I try to fill it, it operates drawing fluctuating amperage between 6 and 10 amps. It will operate filling the bag from 20-60% full at which point it stops filling and won’t respond to further instruction without a system restart.

Anyone have any thoughts on the cause? Bad pump? Bad ballast controller?

I would pull the impeller cover and see if there is anything lodged in there. Also take a look at the impeller and see it is burnt or not. Running these pumps dry are bad so if it didn't pick up water it could have fried the impeller.

 

[Rod5]

I can access the calibration screen and drain the ballast. When I try to fill it, it operates drawing fluctuating amperage between 6 and 10 amps. It will operate filling the bag from 20-60% full at which point it stops filling and won’t respond to further instruction without a system restart.

Just to clarify this fluctuating is happening during the calibration sequence and you are not ever able to fill to the point where the timer maxes out in calibration mode? Assuming so, agree with @jcyamaharider as a place to start looking and maybe look for possible kinked ballast hose and check the connection plugs in the wiring harness. But neither seem very likely. Good luck and keep us posted, I'm sure curious to what cause this.

 

[jethrof16]

I’m having a similar problem with my starboard ballast pump. The pump operates normally for about a minute, then just stops. Once this happens, it is unresponsive until I cut the ignition and restart the system. The other ballast pumps operate normally before, during, and after the starboard pump failure.

I can access the calibration screen and drain the ballast. When I try to fill it, it operates drawing fluctuating amperage between 6 and 10 amps. It will operate filling the bag from 20-60% full at which point it stops filling and won’t respond to further instruction without a system restart.

Anyone have any thoughts on the cause? Bad pump? Bad ballast controller?

Have you done ballast pump calibration? I have to fill port bag first to get it all the way full

 

[Dafarris]

I had this issue with my 2016 242X. The dealer went crazy trying to figure out what was up. Finally found out that the 4 digit code on the calibration screen was for a 212. He set the new code for the 242 and everything works fine. The only problem is I didn’t get the code.

 

[Cambo]

This cable could help with ballast issues but I created it more for winterizing, flushing ,calibration and trouble shooting.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/ballast-pump-jumper-cable.19754/


If used to fill the bags while out for the day you need to make sure you don't select one of the settings and over fill, it could possibly rupture . I now have one setting with 0% ballast on all tanks so it will allow drive control to lock on to a set speed if you have a ballast issue it also knocks out the ability to engage drive control for a set speed that is very important for water sports. The bags can be manually filled and also the motor does not have to be running . I understand the reason to keep the motor running for more voltage and less battery drain but being very experienced and knowledgeable of what can happen you need to be careful. For the new owners that decide to change the bag settings be very cautious if you leave the rope in the water make sure the boat is down wind so the wind does not push you on top of the rope the idling impeller can suck that rope up and at the least create an issue of cutting the rope out or damaging the shaft seal. Worst case would be someone is in the water with the rope near them they get bound up as the boat idles at 1700 rpm sucks in the rope that reels in at 1,700 rpm and causes injury.






Some pictures and info the that all should be aware of if you leave the rope in the water this was posted in 2013 on the other site. This is not my boat but this is good to know


To make a long story short, we were wakeboarding and lost track of the rope. I had this happened before where it kills the engine right away..but in this case it didn't sucking 70ft of wakeboarbing line to the point where it bent the tower before it snapped-off. It happened so fast that by the time I turned the key it was too late..freaking seconds. I'm so glad no one got hurt because that could have been some serious injuries to those in the boat and also the wakeboarder..because I found the rope handle stuck in the intake grate.

I will take some pics next weekend and post them...it's nice to have a folding tower but I wonder if it was a solid tower(non-folding) do you think the tower would have been able to "hold up" to the force of the line better?

Alex

 

[BigAbe75]

The only way to fix the problem is to have an intake per pump, which is exactly what i am going to do for the port bag.

@jcyamaharider did you get this done, yet??

 

[jcyamaharider]

I have not. Just got my boat back Saturday and I was working on smoothing out my jet pumps.

 

[swatski]

I have not. Just got my boat back Saturday and I was working on smoothing out my jet pumps.

We put about 10 hours on the pumps since porting with Bondo , zero issues so far.
I plan on pulling them off later this week I’ll examine the sealant Bondo in detail and let you know But it seems to be working really well.

—

 

[jcyamahariders wife]

@jcyamaharider hard at work !

 

[Cambo]

Bondo ? Please more info on a new thread ? Are you guys trying to eliminate cavitation ? Geared up this season for wakesurfing and know that when loading with weight cavitation is more prevalent and anything out of sync creates it, sealant missing , dings on the impeller or wear rings out of spec.

 

[jcyamaharider]

@swatski did it first and I followed suit. My pumps had some bad misalignment and this took care off all of them. I have yet to put it in the water to see if it has helped. I am trying to fix a cavitation issue when we are loaded for surfing.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/pump-intake-grates-thinking-of-trying-something-taboo.15594/page-4

 

[Liftr]

OK, so here's the deal on calibrating the ballast for the 12.3" Connext. You have to press the "gear" icon also now as system settings and hold for more than 3 seconds. This brings up the diagnostic menu. From there you will select "pump controller". This will bring up a menu to fill and calibrate each bag. The problem I still see is that I think you have to do this 1 at a time which will be a different time than if you filled them all at the same time. I have attached pics.

This post helped me today. I did get the bags to fill, but not completely. Of course the pumps stopped when they thought the bags were 100%. If you tap and hold the individual arrows on the bar graph, the bags then filled to 110% and stopped there. The bags were still not completely full. I could not get the pumps to kick back on.
Also, I could never find a SAVE button to complete the calibration.
The only SAVE button was on a different Menu page to save an individual profile setup.

 

[Cambo]

It would be great if they offered an option for manual fill as the boats age and the warranty does not cover the pump control module. It’s not to complicated to wire in manual switches but the bags don’t have an over flow to know when they are full or to prevent over filling . For this season I know the cable jumper will allow me to fill the bags to the max if needed and not have to deal with the calibration that will never be accurate with out separate feeds to each bag and takes way to long.

 

[tenl]

I’m having a similar problem with my starboard ballast pump. The pump operates normally for about a minute, then just stops. Once this happens, it is unresponsive until I cut the ignition and restart the system. The other ballast pumps operate normally before, during, and after the starboard pump failure.

I can access the calibration screen and drain the ballast. When I try to fill it, it operates drawing fluctuating amperage between 6 and 10 amps. It will operate filling the bag from 20-60% full at which point it stops filling and won’t respond to further instruction without a system restart.

Anyone have any thoughts on the cause? Bad pump? Bad ballast controller?

i have this problem How did you solve it??

 

[Cambo]

This will help

https://jetboaters.net/threads/ballast-pump-jumper-cable.19754/

 

[Liftr]

I’ll throw in an update here. My boat is back in the shop. It’s 4th trip for the same problem.
It acts like the memory is dumping the calibration after each usage.
The dealer is now ordering a new Ballast Pump Controller.