Livewell working intermittently

I have a 96 BassTracker whos livewell is giving me trouble. At the
start of the day it works fine. I turn it off when motoring then turn
it back on and it wont pump any water into the livewell, it seems to
work after trying it several times and eventually will pump. The pump
always works and goes on everytime but isnt pumping water into the
livewell. I put a new pump in and the new pump does the same thing.
I checked all the connections and all seem fine, is there air getting
into the hose somehow? Any suggestions would be great.

thanks
Chip

Hi Chip - an airlock could very well be your problem. My guess is your pump
is mounted too close to the waterline. It should be mounted as low in your
bilge as possible. Hope that helps.

Warren

"Chip" wrote in message
...
I have a 96 BassTracker whos livewell is giving me trouble. At the
start of the day it works fine. I turn it off when motoring then turn
it back on and it wont pump any water into the livewell, it seems to
work after trying it several times and eventually will pump. The pump
always works and goes on everytime but isnt pumping water into the
livewell. I put a new pump in and the new pump does the same thing.
I checked all the connections and all seem fine, is there air getting
into the hose somehow? Any suggestions would be great.

thanks
Chip

I have the same problem with my livewell. Warren may be corect, but my
pickup is a half inche above the bottom of the transom so its not the
problem for me. I have an exposed livewell in that boat, so when it doesn't
pump I pull the hose off the livewell and blow out through the pump. It
then works again immediatley. No its not plugged either I have a good
pickup screen on the pickup. If you figure it out let me know.

--
Public Fishing & Boating Forums
Fishing & Boating Link Index
www.YumaBassMan.com


"Chip" wrote in message
...
I have a 96 BassTracker whos livewell is giving me trouble. At the
start of the day it works fine. I turn it off when motoring then turn
it back on and it wont pump any water into the livewell, it seems to
work after trying it several times and eventually will pump. The pump
always works and goes on everytime but isnt pumping water into the
livewell. I put a new pump in and the new pump does the same thing.
I checked all the connections and all seem fine, is there air getting
into the hose somehow? Any suggestions would be great.

thanks
Chip

Bob La Londe wrote:
I have the same problem with my livewell. Warren may be corect, but my
pickup is a half inche above the bottom of the transom so its not the
problem for me. I have an exposed livewell in that boat, so when it doesn't
pump I pull the hose off the livewell and blow out through the pump. It
then works again immediatley. No its not plugged either I have a good
pickup screen on the pickup. If you figure it out let me know.


Sounds like you may have a trap formed in the line between the pump and
the livewell, trapping water and keeping the pump from getting a prime.
Try securing the line in a way that doesn't allow any water to be trapped.

Thats a good possibility. The line does droop in two places. I plan to
redo the livewell using a large cooler. I'll be able to change the line
routing then.

--
Public Fishing & Boating Forums
Fishing & Boating Link Index
www.YumaBassMan.com


"Henry Hefner" wrote in message
...
Bob La Londe wrote:
I have the same problem with my livewell. Warren may be corect, but my
pickup is a half inche above the bottom of the transom so its not the
problem for me. I have an exposed livewell in that boat, so when it
doesn't
pump I pull the hose off the livewell and blow out through the pump. It
then works again immediatley. No its not plugged either I have a good
pickup screen on the pickup. If you figure it out let me know.


Sounds like you may have a trap formed in the line between the pump and
the livewell, trapping water and keeping the pump from getting a prime.
Try securing the line in a way that doesn't allow any water to be trapped.

I had a similar problem once and it drove me nuts trying to find it. It
turned out to be a fuse (glass type) that had rust on one end, it wasn't
blown, just rusted. I now use Dilectric sp? grease on "all"of my fuses.


"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
...
Thats a good possibility. The line does droop in two places. I plan to
redo the livewell using a large cooler. I'll be able to change the line
routing then.

--
Public Fishing & Boating Forums
Fishing & Boating Link Index
www.YumaBassMan.com


"Henry Hefner" wrote in message
...
Bob La Londe wrote:
I have the same problem with my livewell. Warren may be corect, but
my
pickup is a half inche above the bottom of the transom so its not the
problem for me. I have an exposed livewell in that boat, so when it
doesn't
pump I pull the hose off the livewell and blow out through the pump.
It
then works again immediatley. No its not plugged either I have a good
pickup screen on the pickup. If you figure it out let me know.


Sounds like you may have a trap formed in the line between the pump and
the livewell, trapping water and keeping the pump from getting a prime.
Try securing the line in a way that doesn't allow any water to be
trapped.

Are you standing at the rear of your boat when you first start it, then
standing on the bow when it fails? If so, you may be raising the pump too
high above the water line when it restarts (assuming the water is pumped in
at the transom). Also, check the pump for hairline cracks around the top.

I have experienced both problems over the past few years.

Good luck,

Rick


"Chip" wrote in message
...
I have a 96 BassTracker whos livewell is giving me trouble. At the
start of the day it works fine. I turn it off when motoring then turn
it back on and it wont pump any water into the livewell, it seems to
work after trying it several times and eventually will pump. The pump
always works and goes on everytime but isnt pumping water into the
livewell. I put a new pump in and the new pump does the same thing.
I checked all the connections and all seem fine, is there air getting
into the hose somehow? Any suggestions would be great.

thanks
Chip

thanks for all the responses. The livewell is set up stock from the
factory so it is at the lowest point possible. My partner and I would
be in same positions in the boat and we would turn the pump on. The
pump turns on but no water would go into the livewell. I would wait
up to 30 seconds and still nothing. I would turn it off, wait about a
minute, then back on and it would work. Sometimes it wouldnt work
until about the 5th or 6th time trying. Very frustrating.

Chip


"Richard Liebert" wrote in message ...
Are you standing at the rear of your boat when you first start it, then
standing on the bow when it fails? If so, you may be raising the pump too
high above the water line when it restarts (assuming the water is pumped in
at the transom). Also, check the pump for hairline cracks around the top.

I have experienced both problems over the past few years.

Good luck,

Rick


"Chip" wrote in message
...
I have a 96 BassTracker whos livewell is giving me trouble. At the
start of the day it works fine. I turn it off when motoring then turn
it back on and it wont pump any water into the livewell, it seems to
work after trying it several times and eventually will pump. The pump
always works and goes on everytime but isnt pumping water into the
livewell. I put a new pump in and the new pump does the same thing.
I checked all the connections and all seem fine, is there air getting
into the hose somehow? Any suggestions would be great.

thanks
Chip

Jerry Barton (NervisRek) wrote:

I had a similar problem once and it drove me nuts trying to find it.
snip
One of the shortest drives ever....

pat

Chip wrote:

thanks for all the responses. The livewell is set up stock from the
factory so it is at the lowest point possible. My partner and I would
be in same positions in the boat and we would turn the pump on. The
pump turns on but no water would go into the livewell. I would wait
up to 30 seconds and still nothing. I would turn it off, wait about a
minute, then back on and it would work. Sometimes it wouldnt work
until about the 5th or 6th time trying. Very frustrating.

Chip

I still say it sounds like a priming problem. A water pump won't pump
air. If you hear the pump running, but it isn't pumping, either the
impeller isn't actually turning (loose on shaft), or more likely, the
impeller is turning in air instead of water. If the water line from the
pump to the livewell has a kink in it, or the line makes a "U" bend that
can trap water, it can keep water from getting to the impeller. Kind of
like putting a straw into a drink with your finger on top. Move your
finger, and the straw fills up. I deal with large water pumps in my
work, and this is not uncommon. Try disconnecting the hose from the pump
when the boat is not in the water, and blow through it. If any water
goes in the live well, the line is trapping water, and it shouldn't be.