Jabsco Ballast Puppy Impeller Pump

At least a few times a week we have someone ask “what is the difference between more expensive ballast pumps like Jabsco’s Ballast Puppy and the cheaper bilge pump style options?”. Since choosing a pump is the main determinant for ballast system design, we thought it would be a good idea to put together a guide that helps make this process easier and less time consuming.

When it comes to installing a ballast system, the first decision to make is which type of ballast pump you plan on using.  This decision will impact the rest of the system design and layout, as well as the number of components required for proper functionality.  There are pros and cons to each type of pump, which we have summarized in the following table: