My solution to ballast tank selection

[djsquid]

First off the factory connectors at each of the factory ballast tanks on the 212x are very low quality and need some serious reinforcement. So I took them and their plumbing out and re-worked them using hose clamps and some 3M 5200 at the tank connectors while leaving the pivot functional. It was the re-installation of the tanks that started me on my re-plumbing journey.

My goal was to make it so each side could be filled and drained separately or together. And I wanted to be able to close the water in there so when they were very full and tight the pressure wouldn't back-drain them down. And I wanted to be able to tap into the factory pump to fill and drain the ski locker, other ballast tanks, and to connect a hose for wash-down of the swim deck. And I wanted to figure out an easy way to reset the factory pump timer. And I wanted to make the ballast tanks modular so I could remove and re-install them and their plumbing connectors easily for maintenance, draining/drying, and winter storage. These are lofty goals, but here are my solutions:

After a lengthy web search I found this nifty three-way 3/4 inch individually selectable valve:
http://www.thepondoutlet.com/home/t...e_with_individual_flow_controls_-_male_x.html

Note this is a true three-way valve with three ball valves integrated into it so I can select or deselect any or all of them for filling and for draining.

After connecting the pump to the 3-way valve and locating it in a suitable place I connect the hose to the port ballast tank assembly to one connector, the hose to the starboard ballast tank assembly to another connector, and a hose that leads out under the swim deck back cushion with male garden hose connector on the end. From that garden hose connector I have a length of garden hose that I can do wash down or fill/drain the ski locker, etc.


here is zoomed out a bit to show the other plumbing and pump:

I put in a 3/4 inch coupler and hose clamps about 18 inches up the hose from each tank so I could just release a hose clamp, pull it off the coupler and pull out the ballast tank and connectors as an assembly. Naturally I used tapered couplers so I could pull it off easily:


And here is a simple hack to reset the factory ballast pump timer to a new cycle. You can see the power connector for the timer is just above the timer itself labeled "BLST2". Just push the little lock-clip and unplug it for 10 seconds and plug it back together and the timer starts all over again:

 

[jcyamaharider]

Looks good!

 

[Master-Spud]

Just a thought, instead of unhooking the timer power you could reprogram the original timer to a longer length. You'll just have to watch your bags so you don't overfill... Which I'd assume you'd be doing anyways.


Fill-Drain Time Set up
• Obtain correct tank size
• Pump fills at approx 10 GPM
• Disconnect all battery from main boat connection for at least 30 seconds. Disconnect plug between
pump and the Active Intelligence box until programming is complete. Reconnect power from battery
and immediately start toggling switch to enter program mode.
• Push toggle to the fill position and toggle between fill and drain 5 times stopping in the off position each
time (fill-off-drain-off-fill-off, Etc.) Do not rush. This should be done in a slow methodical 1 second at
each position pace. Unit will blink when you have entered program mode and the number of blinks will
indicate the current fill time in 30 second intervals.
• To increase fill time - toggle between off and the fill position, each toggle increases the fill time by 30
seconds.
• To decrease fill time - toggle between off and drain position, each toggle decreases by 30 seconds.
• Increments are 30 seconds (approx 3.5 gallons per toggle) with minimum fill time of 30 seconds and
maximum of 20 minutes.
• Reconnect power to pump and run pump in drain cycle until pump stops automatically. This must be
done to reset unit to zero after programming.


Normal Operation
• The pump switch is turned to the on position.
• The first thing AI does is check battery voltage. If the battery voltage is below 9.5 VDC the switch will
blink 4 times, signaling that the battery is too low to run the FIP pump. If the battery voltage is good the
pump is turned on.
• The AI then checks the pump for prime, if the pump doesn't prime then the AI shuts the unit off in 12
seconds and blink the corresponding code, if the pump primes the AI checks for line blockage, if there
is line blockage (High Amperage) then the unit will shut off blinking the corresponding code, if there is
no blockage the unit then checks for open current, if there is an open in the motor then the unit shuts off
blinking the corresponding code, if not then the unit runs normally.
• If during the operation the tank runs dry then the unit will, in seven seconds, shut off blinking 1 blink to
signify run dry.
• If the unit becomes clogged then the will, instantaneously, shut off blinking 2 blinks to signify high
current draw.
• If the unit experiences an open condition, winding breaks, power removed between AI and pump, the
unit will within 20 seconds, shut off blinking 3 times to signify the open condition.
• If power to unit is below 9.5 VDC the unit will not turn pump on, as there is not sufficient power to run
pump. The switch will blink 4 blinks. Unit will not power pump until power is restored to appropriate
level.
• As long as there are no anomalies to the system the unit will allow the pump to run as long as needed.
Once there is an anomaly the unit shuts down and alerts the user to the reason why.

 

[djsquid]

@Master-Spud good suggestion, thanks. With one tank selected it is very full and tight at the 7 minute mark. Which is pretty close to 600 lbs. So it might be well for me to reprogram the timer to shut off at 7 minutes so I don't run the risk of blowing off a connector at the tank if I get distracted. Before I reinforced the tank connectors it would blow off at about 450 lbs (very frustrating). Additionally with a shut-off at 7 minutes I could measure the weight in the ski locker in 600 lb increments.