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Malibu HI FLO Plug N Play Ballast System Explained (UPDATED)

2013+ Malibu Plug N Play Ballast System Explained

If you purchase a US manufactured 2013-2017 Malibu or Axis that has a built date later than January 1st. 2013 it will have the most up to date Hi Flo PnP (Plug N' Play) system. This ballast system is very simple and the new Malibu/Axis hard tank design makes it a lot more efficient.

How it works:

The fill line from the pump runs up into a 1-1/8" hose barbed wye. One hose continues down into the hard tank and the other runs into the rear compartment. The PNP hose that runs into the compartment is connected to a plastic valve. This valve can be closed if you only want to fill the stock ballast system and not the auxiliary system. The fitting Malibu and Axis use in the end of the hose is lame. It is an 1-1/8" hose barb with a 3/4" male thread that is capped off. I would tell everyone to get rid of it for a W743 and W746 combination quick connect.

The bag does not have a vent on top so air can get trapped without anywhere to go which might decrease the overall capacity. Once the bag does reach it's capacity, water will overflow down into the hard tank. Speaking of the drain port... There are two new ports in the top of the hard tank for the bag to gravity drain into. One short section of hose runs from the front of the compartment to the bottom of the bag and another short section of hose runs from the rear of the compartment into a second port on the back side of the bag. (Bags used with the Hi Flo Malibu Plug and Play need drain ports on both sides). The bag will drain better but the system will still rely on gravity which has always been the complaint of the older generation WakeMakers Malibu Piggy Back Upgrade.

In a nut shell the system is good (not great) and inexpensive which is hard to say for any Malibu product these days. Looks to me like any of the new 2013 Straight Line Ballast bags will work on the latest generation of Malibu Plug and Play as long as you use an elbow quick connect fitting (Fly High W746) on the top. When the bag fills to capacity you don't want that hose to get kinked. Fly High also offers a line of 2013 Plug N Play bags with the required additional ports for draining.

Shop The Malibu Hi Flo Plug and Play PnP Ballast System Upgrade»

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