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Reply With QuoteDont think thought pump lets it out, think it acts as an areator, more to circulate the water that is in there. What kinda boat is it??
Slabmaster
Need help with live well
I have an older boat and the live well doesn't work. It's repair is on my winter list and its a little warmer today so I thought I'd tackle it. It appears the water comes in naturally through the drain hole and is ejected via a bilge pump. The bilge pump is no longer working and that's the problem. Should I simply put another pump inside the live well or is there a better solution? It's not a huge deal because I don't fish tournaments so I either release or put in a cooler for the grease.
Thanks for any suggestions.
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Dont think thought pump lets it out, think it acts as an areator, more to circulate the water that is in there. What kinda boat is it??
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Slabmaster
Not exactly sure of the year. Title says its a 1979 phantom with a 1980 150 hp black max. It's in good shape and runs great. Just needs a few small things such as black light strips and this live well issue. I fished out of it all season last year and got it running good.
Slabmaster
If the live well is full when I move to the next spot it will be empty if I don't put the drain plug in. It doesn't leak.
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I agree with Rees, looks like just a recirculating pump to ariate existing water. You could change it where it would pump in but then you would have to install an overflow which I assume it dosn't have at this time. If it worked before I would just replace pump and use as is. Also, on a boat that old if I could get to it I would replace hose that goes to that fill fitting.
Crappie.com 3K Star General
The first thing to check is the pump. if it set up for along time the impeller might be stuck, Mine, rotates and pops off to reach the impeller that should spin freely. You may also have a Bad Switch or fuse
Slabmaster
Thanks for all the replies. After reading the last sentence in crays response and realizing what could happen if the inlet hose has been compromised with age I think I will just plug it and keep using it as a cooler. The fuel cell is between the inlet and the tank and there is no way to replace that hose.
Slabmaster
Crappie.com 3K Star General
That is a gravity fill live well and is supposed to be plugged inside the tank after it fills. If you don't plug it the suction created when moving will pull the water out.
I think that pump is supposed to be dual purpose. Aerator and pump out. If it is set up that way it will have another shut off valve on the other end of the black pipe and a discharge hose hooked to the other side of that valve.
The black pipe has slits cut in it or holes drilled in the bottom side for the aeration.
Open both wide open to pump out.
Close valve at discharge side to aerate. The first valve is to regulate how much volume of water for aeration.
I converted several of them to a pump fill because they were a sob to get plugged in cold weather.
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I should have asked if your pump switch is marked in /off/out. If it is marked that way it has another pump down in the bottom of the boat that is hooked to the black pipe in the livewell. That one would be the IN pump. If this is the case the hole in the bottom of the live well should have a vertical overflow pipe installed. The original stand pipe may have been lost.
If you have this type you can use the IN pump to aerate by closing the valve shown in the picture you posted. Opening said valve will allow for faster tank fill.
As to the compromised hose, If it is leaking you will get water in the bilge area of the boat. If you have not had any water in the bilge area it should be ok.
Hope this does not confused you too much.
