242-x ballast questions

[mraz72]

I tried my ballast for the first time ever and it looks like I have a few issues.

1. My starboard bag doesn't seem to be filling. I physically looked at all bags and that was the only one empty. I'm going to winterize in a month or so so I'll ask the dealer if I haven't resolved it by then.
2. I am getting a message saying I should open a valve? I don't recall seeing any info on that, anyone know what this valve is?

 

[jcyamaharider]

If you have 2 bags filling then you have the valve open.

You may need to calibrate your starboard bag.

Press and hold control screen button, then I think it is the middle touch screen button for the calibration of the ballast bags.

 

[Osric]

The valve is somewhat hard to spot in the engine compartment at the left as you look toward the stern. As @jcyamaharider said, if any bag is filling your valve is open as it's one shutoff for the entire system.

Osric

 

[swatski]

Honestly, the more I hear about the X factory ballast, I feel I would probably just redo it all.

I'll post my ballast plans which are super simple but ROBUST. It is a bit of work, but many parts like pumps and bags could be reused reducing the cost. My 2,400lbs fill and empty in 5-6 min due to independent intakes/ w/ 4 pumps. I can also disconnect the system easily for longer trips etc. to prevent accidental deployment.

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[Julian]

Honestly, the more I hear about the X factory ballast, I feel I would probably just redo it all.

In the grand scheme of things there really hasn't been much noise about the ballast system....if someone has a problem, they hunt the web and come here with their issues....they don't hunt the web to come here and say "Mine works great"

 

[jcyamaharider]

Not really much you can do with the X ballast system. The room is all taken.

 

[Brad Dunn]

I would love to find a way to get ride of filling and tieing down bags. Don't think there is a 100 % way of doing this. I think if you relocated battery's you could get an extra couple hundred pounds and maybe the same in rear locker. Still not enough and a hassle to fill.
My biggest issue is moving around the lake with ballast bags full. It is hard if not impossible to get on plane so it is Fullthrottle 15mph or take 20 30 and drain.

 

[jcyamaharider]

That's a bee........errrr.... I mean soda break.

 

[swatski]

In the grand scheme of things there really hasn't been much noise about the ballast system....if someone has a problem, they hunt the web and come here with their issues....they don't hunt the web to come here and say "Mine works great"

Yes, you are right. I did not mean it in that way!

Just having centralized controls makes calibration a hassle, and with one intake for the whole system it is just not very robust.

There is not way to get a decent wake in a Yamaha JB without using at least some non-integrated ballast. But I would argue that having the largest displacement bags in the three compartments that are available plus a built-in aux pump for filling aux "surface" bags makes the system reasonably robust. The aftermarket timers are also imminently easier to "program" (with a screwdriver), and having independent intakes and independent controls is both convenience and safety.

S0 - I was more just bragging about my system, not dissing on Yamaha.

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[Brad Dunn]

haha ya, We have property on a small lake and we pick friends up from there place or boat launch and what should be a 2 min job is 30 min job Just to run and grab someone.
Not to mention the the extra gas. Its the price to pay for jet boats for now.

 

[Julian]

@swatski The 212X now has two intakes....I wonder if they changed the 242X this year? Their website says "tanks", but I'll bet that is marketing speak....

 

[swatski]

@swatski The 212X now has two intakes....I wonder if they changed the 242X this year? Their website says "tanks", but I'll bet that is marketing speak....

Yep, I saw that at a boat show, the center ballast is an independent circuit with its' own intake, very nice.

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[Williamsone46]

I tried my ballast for the first time ever and it looks like I have a few issues.

1. My starboard bag doesn't seem to be filling. I physically looked at all bags and that was the only one empty. I'm going to winterize in a month or so so I'll ask the dealer if I haven't resolved it by then.
2. I am getting a message saying I should open a valve? I don't recall seeing any info on that, anyone know what this valve is?

Hold down the system control button and scroll over and you can check the circuit on the Connext. I believe there is only the one valve for the system. The "Open valve before use" is a message because I believe in the owners manual it says to close the valve when not in use, so it's simply just reminding you the valve needs to be opened.

 

[Matt Phillips]

I too have struggles with finding out how to program the pump running times (or calibrate them). If someone who has done this can take some pics, that'd be great.

The way I understand the open/close valve warning is that when leaving the boat in the water for an extended period of time without use, then the valve should be closed. This is because this valve is below the water line and if something in the system leaks and no one is around, that's the issue. I just pulled mine out of Lake Tahoe last weekend after being int he lake for 10 weeks. I would generally open the valve and the beginninG of a weekend and close it at the end. I made this part of my remove/seat plugs routine and it worked well.

As a helpful reminder, I also have one of those red airplane "remove before flight" flags with a carabinier attached. When the boat is on the trailer, I attach it to the upper boarding handle and it serves as my reminder to put int he drain plug and install the man hold plugs. When the boat is on the lake, I use the same flag and attach it to the steering wheel and it serves as my reminder to install the man hold covers and open the pump lever.

 

[mraz72]

So I finally had time to mess around with the ballast today, I did as some of you said, held the sys cntl button on connext to open up a diagnostic screen. From there I saw the calibrate and clicked that. I can now fill all of my bags, thanks alot for that!

I then went about investigating the valve lever in the engine bay, mine was set to a 45 degree angle, so 1/2 open. I then opened the valve (what I think is opening the valve) which is pulling the lever towards me and making is perpendicular to the water. The two lever positions would be parallel to the water or perpendicular to the water (and anywhere inbetween which I assume is partially open/closed)

After that I still get the close value before using messages EVERYTIME I click ballast button, it's annoying.

I am going to mess around a bit more before the season ends.

 

[rogreu]

So I finally had time to mess around with the ballast today, I did as some of you said, held the sys cntl button on connext to open up a diagnostic screen. From there I saw the calibrate and clicked that. I can now fill all of my bags, thanks alot for that!

I then went about investigating the valve lever in the engine bay, mine was set to a 45 degree angle, so 1/2 open. I then opened the valve (what I think is opening the valve) which is pulling the lever towards me and making is perpendicular to the water. The two lever positions would be parallel to the water or perpendicular to the water (and anywhere inbetween which I assume is partially open/closed)

After that I still get the close value before using messages EVERYTIME I click ballast button, it's annoying.

I am going to mess around a bit more before the season ends.

Michael did you ever get the "close valve before using" message to go away? I just purchased a 2016 242x E-Series and I am getting the same message. I have not been able to fill my ballast tanks yet since I brought the boat home. Feel like I am missing something in my procedure. I am going to try the calibrate procedure next time in the boat.

 

[Matt Phillips]

That "check to make sure the valve is open" comes on all the time with mine. I think it's a standard warning as I don't believe the system is smart enough to know if that valve is open of closed.

My reoccurring problem is with the center ballast bag filling up if that valve is open. it seem like water still gets down there...even after the dealer looked at it last fall. I'll live with it this year as I'm not about to turn the boat into the dealer for 2-4 weeks while they investigate it and lose out on that much of the season. For now my work-around is open the sea valve when we are surfing and then close it when not

 

[rogreu]

That "check to make sure the valve is open" comes on all the time with mine. I think it's a standard warning as I don't believe the system is smart enough to know if that valve is open of closed.

My reoccurring problem is with the center ballast bag filling up if that valve is open. it seem like water still gets down there...even after the dealer looked at it last fall. I'll live with it this year as I'm not about to turn the boat into the dealer for 2-4 weeks while they investigate it and lose out on that much of the season. For now my work-around is open the sea valve when we are surfing and then close it when not

Thanks for the quick reply. Yeah I was hoping that the valve message was like you said, but I still cannot get the bags to fill up. I am going to try the calibrate thing next time. I haven't seen any other options other than someone saying they had a bad Control Unit BALLAST CONTROL.

 

[Matt Phillips]

Definitely make sure the valve is completely open and then calibrate the bags. Also note that the bag in the port side (behind batteries) only ever fills 1/2 way. I think it's programmed that way so as not to overly stress the divider between the bag and the batteries.

 

[jcyamaharider]

That "check to make sure the valve is open" comes on all the time with mine. I think it's a standard warning as I don't believe the system is smart enough to know if that valve is open of closed.

My reoccurring problem is with the center ballast bag filling up if that valve is open. it seem like water still gets down there...even after the dealer looked at it last fall. I'll live with it this year as I'm not about to turn the boat into the dealer for 2-4 weeks while they investigate it and lose out on that much of the season. For now my work-around is open the sea valve when we are surfing and then close it when not

Sounds like you have a bad pump impeller. I would pull the top off and inspect.