Replacing drain master ballast gate

[Shawndoggy]

Is that just a JL grille over your wetsounds sub or did you switch subs? Oh no wait... carpet.  Whose boat is that?

[MidnightMax]

Muckers boat. JL sub

[Foo]

I used the existing wires. I cut the old drainmasters harness off and spliced on the Valterras harness.

Clovenburg, don't the drainmaster valves have 4 wires (two for light and two for motor) vs 3 wires on the Valterra?  How did you wire that exactly?

 

Thanks

[oldsmobiledriver]

I left the factory switch and wiring and just spliced the two for power together at the valve.  I have not attempted to correct for the light in the switch yet.  I got distracted gluing all my carpet back up on the walls.........  and then the squirrel.  Plus wiring is not as fun as drilling....so I moved on LOL

[clovenburg]

Valterra valves came with switches that matched my switches so I used them. They already were pre wired with lites in them. I just change out the switch covers from Valterra back to MB covers. Her is the wiring diagram for the valves. Hope that helps.

[Foo]

Thanks Clovenburg and oldsmobiledriver; that helps a lot.  I have the newer style round switches so being able to use the existing wiring will be a bonus. From what I can make out, it looks like the tricky part is the light.

 

However, I suppose the Valterra gates really use a two position switch, which is not the same as the factory ballast switch at all. This is because the Valterra system runs the motor till it stops (either open or closed). So if you put in the Valterra gates, you would actually be better off replacing the dash switches with two position switches (instead on the factory three position switch).

 

My understanding is that a common reason the drainmaster gates fail (stuck open or stuck closed) is because either the first or last tooth on the gate breaks off... If you try to open the gate, when it is already open, the motor pushes against that last tooth (and vice a versa). Eventually the tooth breaks off.  (when this happens they can't be operated manually either; it's not a motor problem.)   The gates last longer if you don't "make sure" they are open or closed (by flicking the switch a second time).

 

I suppose the drainmaster gates could be "fixed" by changing the switch so that it would only apply current in one direction for 2 seconds and then stop... this would fix the fuse issue as well. 

[clovenburg]

Good explanation on what you got to deal with. Here's a suggestion. Mount the Valterra switches some where else. I installed slappers on my boat and put the switches just above the drivers arm rest by the throttle, easy to get to. Then use your old switches for something else down the road.

[Racer808]

I'm having issues with my starboard side gate. It works, but it drains and fills slowly. I don't see any gaps in the rubber plastic, what else could I check or should I just order a new gate.

[oldsmobiledriver]

Don't forget mud dobbers or some other junk from the lake may have your vent line line clogged is the only reason I would think it would drain slow. Some guys on here use their ballast pump to blast water into the vent line to flush it out or you can use air.

 

 

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[Jake (((O)))]

Spider cocoons got me. I always put my hand over the vents now to confirm the tanks are full.

 

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[oldsmobiledriver]

The hand over the vent once you first open the gates is a good sign if you are getting the right amount of water rushing in, it will blow a good amount of air!

[Racer808]

Don't forget mud dobbers or some other junk from the lake may have your vent line line clogged is the only reason I would think it would drain slow. Some guys on here use their ballast pump to blast water into the vent line to flush it out or you can use air.

 

 

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That would make excellent sense, our lake is full of green crap floating everywhere.  I do have good air flow out of the vent, you can hear it, feel it, but it does drain & refill itself through the day, nothing major but it's been bugging me.

[Foo]

Good explanation on what you got to deal with. Here's a suggestion. Mount the Valterra switches some where else. I installed slappers on my boat and put the switches just above the drivers arm rest by the throttle, easy to get to. Then use your old switches for something else down the road.

 

You are probably right. It seems that a 2 position reverse polarity switch is VERY uncommon. It would have to be provided by Valterra or MB. Anyone know who manufactures (OEM) those new round dash switches? I think they are on the 2014 and newer boats?   

[Hondatech117]

You are probably right. It seems that a 2 position reverse polarity switch is VERY uncommon. It would have to be provided by Valterra or MB. Anyone know who manufactures (OEM) those new round dash switches? I think they are on the 2014 and newer boats?

http://www.carlingtech.com/toggle-switches-lt-series

[Foo]

http://www.carlingtech.com/toggle-switches-lt-series

 

Thanks Hondatech!  

 

So such a beast does exist... looks like it would be part number; LT-2541-601-012

[MidnightMax]

Any SPDT switch should work for the valterras

[Racer808]

Don't forget mud dobbers or some other junk from the lake may have your vent line line clogged is the only reason I would think it would drain slow. Some guys on here use their ballast pump to blast water into the vent line to flush it out or you can use air.

 

 

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Revisiting this, I think I was misunderstood.  It drains fine when I want it to drain.  It slowly drains off while we're surfing & I can't find where it's going.  The gate works, boat is perfectly dry & if we're floating around it will slowly fill itself, so it's gotta be the gate but it's opening & closing just fine?

[oldsmobiledriver]

If the rubber seals around the gate itself against the flange has moved and is keeping the gate from closing all the way then yes .

 

 

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[wamblue]

Wanted to give a shout out to this awesome forum. I recently changed out my ballast gate valves with the Valterra valves. Couldn't have done it without the information and help on this forum! 

FYI: I used the Valterra switches and wiring. Just ran new power wires to the switches and spliced into the Valterra wire that they supplied that is ridiculously too short.

 

Thanks again!!

[Racer808]

If the rubber seals around the gate itself against the flange has moved and is keeping the gate from closing all the way then yes .

 

 

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Looks like crap built up in the grooves where the gate sits when it's closed.  Got it cleaned out it seemed to hold water & not drain off slowly but half way through our outing shaft seal started leaking to so we switched to surfing listed, didn't get to test it out after that.

[22mini20]

This stuff really takes 7 days to cure??? I could not find any fast curing in the local area.... redoing my ballast gates and had to remove the panels from the hull.

[22mini20]

Honestly, after seeing the design, I think it's smarter to just pull the fitting from the transom right off the bat, then pull the pipe out, clean out the existing silicone and recoat it. That "seal" you are worrying about breaking is just a big globby bead of silicone to begin with. I had a slow leak in my boat for almost a whole season that was driving me nuts. Turned out to be leaking from that area.

 

Especially for someone who moors their boat, the design could sink you if the silicone bead fails.

 

also I don't know whether it's the "right" way to do it or not, but when reassembling I would pull transom fitting, pipe, and gate valve, then put the new valve in and loosely put the pipe in without forcing it onto the pump fitting. So the pipe would be "sticking out" of the transom a bit. Then glob around the outside of the stuck out pipe with silicone and screw in the transom fitting, so the fitting is "pushing" or "pressing" the pipe into the gate valve and allowing the silicone to fully seal on the transom fitting.

 

That probably reads as gibberish to someone who hasn't done this, but hopefully it makes sense to someone who has taken the system apart.

 

That transom pipe tube being held in by silicone alone always gave me the willies.

I don’t mean to bring up an old thread but I am currently doing this now and the 3M 5200, well gravity just keen taking down to the bottom that top left side I have re coated about 3 times now and just keeps dropping down. Any suggestions?? I put the plate on the first time then looked in from the access hole and that’s when I noticed it so I took the trim plates back off and have been watching it.

[snow1wake]

Store open and use Tuf Lube waterproof silicone spray after every trip to lake or at worst, before and after season. Just spray form outside when open then again after close.

[foxyss]

Hey there!  Sorry to dig up an old post lol, but my port side drainmaster just crapped out on my '15 B52 23WB.  Does anyone know which Valterra is the correct model number?  Or, can someone point me to a link showing the correct model?  Any help would be appreciated! 

[Dirty Sancho]

37 minutes ago, foxyss said:

Hey there!  Sorry to dig up an old post lol, but my port side drainmaster just crapped out on my '15 B52 23WB.  Does anyone know which Valterra is the correct model number?  Or, can someone point me to a link showing the correct model?  Any help would be appreciated! 

• Model number : E1003VP on Amazon. Change both Valves and install in the Valterra switches that come with it. They are way better. They valves install sideways. Don’t tug on it too hard;) 
   
• There is help here if you need it.