KXCam22 AR230 Computer Controlled Ballast Build

[dan144k]

Thanks Cam
Your PLC system with level controls looks great.

I was thinking the 1-1/4" intake was the route to go, and if I have room in my pump assembly may try and make room for a 4th for future while down in the boat. I may try and use a Banjo (Heavy Duty Polypropylene Full Flow Ball Valve) so I can bolt things together easier in the boat after pre-assembly of piping. I know bronze is recommended for thru-hull fittings.

I thought of putting a PLC in (I have access to and programming help available) I am gonna go cheap and simple with fill/drain switches.
Also considered bluetooth or wifi relay board and phone or tablet controls system.
I remember reading the aerator pumps don't burn up as quickly from running dry like the reversible pumps.

 

[KXCam22]

My PLC may be overkill but it was fun to build and not very expensive for me. What makes it great is how easy it is to expand on or make changes to. The shutoff on mine is difficult to find and use (making it possibly useless) and being that the intake is all metal the chance of any type of catastophic leak is almost nil. If I was to do it again I think I would rely on those tapered wooden external plugs to have around in case of an unlikely emergency. After all, our OEM 1" scupper doesn't have a shutoff, and its a crappy plastic fitting with some plastic line attached. If you have plastic fittings or plastic bodied pumps below waterline then the shutoff it maybe a good idea. Check out my heater hose idea. It worked great, very confidence inspiring. Cam.

 

[KXCam22]

Oh the changes. I have been using the system for the last 5 seasons or so. Still works great. Have done a few mods here and there to make things better. Cam.

1. The whole family surfs goofy so I increased the starboard bag size to 800lbs. If fills the whole compartment and under the starboard seat and tips the boat over a bit.
2. Got rid of the empty/full buzzer. Annoying as hell and not needed as the pumps stop automatically anyway.
3. My water intake it too high so I have to be stopped to fill. At speed the intake is out of the water. I should have routed it out the bottom of the boat.
4. My original diaphram valves (sprinkler type) didn't work right so I replaced them with chinese 1" electric ball valves. They work excellent and were cheap. I wired mine to an automotive relay so they open when energized and close with no power. There are ones that do this built in but I couldn't find them at the time. I have the system programmed to delay the pump start for 3 seconds to give them time to open.
5. I wired in a hardwired master power switch to the PLC controls to save the battery when the ballast is not in use. The PLC and screen retain their program without power.
6. My high level switches worked out excellent and stop the pumps when the bags are full with 100% reliability. The low level switches are not as reliable, maybe 75%. I think they air lock so I am still trying to figure out a better type of switch to design. I want the pumps to stop automatically when the bag is sucked dry and shriveled up. Possibly a capacitance switch might work.
7. For the whole system I drilled ONE hole in the boat hull. That's it. Water intake only. Bags drain out of the same hole. The locker bag overflows out of the OEM cooler drain fitting.
8. I wouldn't bother with the water intake shutoff valve. I doubt I could reach it in an emergency and a wooden plug would serve the same purpose.
9. You don't need anti-siphon fittings if you route your vents correctly.
10. The quick connects on the bags are worth putting in.
11. The 1" heater hose is the best ballast hose going. You can easily take it off and on. Zero leaks. Ballast hose I generally have to cut it off the fitting.
12. The Auxiliary fill hose is nice. We often use a 400lb bag in the bow and an additional 800 on the deck. The aux hose will reach these for fill and drain. I use a Sumo Launch fitting on each with the quick-fill attachment on the aux hose..

 

[swatski]

@KXCam22 Will you be updating the system with your new secret valves/vacuum switches?

Pardon a naive question, but... If one were to use one Johnson pump per bag, in the simplest of all install designs, no extra valves are required, correct? Is there any clear disadvantage to using a reversible pump as a "valve"?

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[KXCam22]

Swatski,
As soon as it warms up I will put the vacuum valves on. Not much snow left but -10c this morning. I have 2 pumps and 3 fixed bags + 1 aux bag that we move around, hence I need the valves to direct water. There is no disadvantage to using the pump as a valve. It simply fills the bag in one direction and then empties it in reverse - BUT you generally need a pump per bag. I started with no valves and used pump 1 to fill the 2 rear bags and pump 2 to fill the single front bag. Then I don't know what happened - I started thinking "how could I make it better" and the rest is history! At least the ballast stuff is cheap and easy. The johnson pumps are excellent. I am very happy with them. Cam.

 

[4x15mph]

Just seeing this and ranks up there with the top innovations for these boats. Engineering mastery!

 

[swatski]

Swatski,
As soon as it warms up I will put the vacuum valves on. Not much snow left but -10c this morning. I have 2 pumps and 3 fixed bags + 1 aux bag that we move around, hence I need the valves to direct water. There is no disadvantage to using the pump as a valve. It simply fills the bag in one direction and then empties it in reverse - BUT you generally need a pump per bag. I started with no valves and used pump 1 to fill the 2 rear bags and pump 2 to fill the single front bag. Then I don't know what happened - I started thinking "how could I make it better" and the rest is history! At least the ballast stuff is cheap and easy. The johnson pumps are excellent. I am very happy with them. Cam.

Very helpful information, really admire your work on this - along with @jcyamaharider and @dan144k -- you guys pretty much covered the spectrum of ballast builds. Even some exotics, LOL, @trace.

I'm leaning towards a simple reversible 3 pumps/3 bags + aux setup, probably a single intake. I like the point you make about the area of a 1.5" diameter pipe being larger than two 1" - I did not think of it that way, but it makes sense of course.

I would still install the shut off valve, as long as I could reach it through the little service hatch by cleanout plugs. I am completely convinced by what you are saying about it being pretty useless in a real emergency. However, I would use it to close the system off before any sea faring expeditions or even longer cruises. I think about one of the boats that got swamped during a Bimini crossings when OEM ballast system was accidentally deployed. An intake shutoff valve would take care of accidents of that nature.

For the longest time I was convinced I would tap into the jet pumps one way or another for water intakes for my ballast system, but that is not happening. I'm totally leaning towards the predictability of a dedicated electric system.

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[KXCam22]

When you do a ballast system have a look at how I did my vents. It was easy, effective and required no holes in the boat hull. Also, by the placement you don't require anti-siphon loops. I would place my intake lower and even possibly put it out the bottom. You can use a couple of manual valves for filling the aux bags. I started that way with a tee and 2 man valves. I have about a 15' umbilical hose to fill my 800lb aux bag, so we can put it anywhere. If you put in a shutoff valve, consider adding a long rod with a pivot to the tip of the handle. Mine is a royal pain to get to and a linkage on the handle could make it usable. You have to grab what everybody found worked the best for them and use it. Let me know if you need any electrical assistance. Cam.

 

[KXCam22]

Finally got around to installing the vacuum transducers to use for empty bag detection, in place of my not too reliable level switches. Only been out once but they work very well. They are factory set at 10" vacuum but I may reduce that to 5" vacuum as the bags get very shriveled up when empty. Cam.