General disarray Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Wondering if anyone has the same issue. On live well one (center stern well) live well pump will only pump water when on plane. When I come off it stops - Live well two once it gets primed runs non stop regardless. Currently the through hull 90s in the bilge and the pump is directly inline after the valve on the same level. Outlet slopes up to the live well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Just thinking out loud, but some pumps will run backwards (reverse) if the wiring is switched. Have you looked to make sure the brown wire is hooked to positive and black with the neg.?When you are on plane, the water is forced through the system and overcomes any restrictions. Have you tried turning off live-well #2 and see if the main live-well #1 will pump water when you are sitting still? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 Sorry for the late response I have not tried either of those options. Ill take a look at the wiring tonight and then running one or the other next time I am out. I am pretty sure it didn't matter if one or both were running because I remember starting with 1 which is why I ran the second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Another thing to consider is the height of the pump in relation to the water line. My boat came with the plumbing and pumps in a vertical position. I added strainers and that made the pump about 4" higher. I was having trouble priming when the boat was still. I added a 90 degree elbow just after the shutoff, so that everything after the shutoff is lying horizontal instead of vertical. That lowered everything about 8", now no problem getting and keeping a prime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Hmm could be but from what I can tell these are OEM locations which 90 out. I would say this one is about level or maybe a little above the water line. I would think once its primed and doesnt shut off it would stay running but it doesnt. Basically goes like this Idle (no flow) on plane (flow) back on idle (no flow) switch on the entire time. Pump definitely runs but could this be a pump thing? Maybe I switch 1 and 2 pumps and see if it makes a difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 If the pump is definitely running....sounds like water flow issue. If you have a pump like a Rule 800 Tournament, you can exchange pump motor into pump 2 housing, etc, etc. just remember that the switch stays the same...so livewell 1 will become livewell 2 for experimental purposes. Try that and see if possibly now that " problem" livewell starts working..... that will eliminate a PUMP question. if that doesn't fix it, I would look at how the hoses are routed from pump housing to the livewell, make sure there are no big loops or turns in the hoses, the pump can only pump so much volume.....if it works while running, then its being gravity fed probably....shorter and straighter hoses are better. These are all guesses based on info being provided..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Awesome Ill try and snap a photo of the setup tonight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 6 hours ago, SCFD rtrd. said: Another thing to consider is the height of the pump in relation to the water line. My boat came with the plumbing and pumps in a vertical position. I added strainers and that made the pump about 4" higher. I was having trouble priming when the boat was still. I added a 90 degree elbow just after the shutoff, so that everything after the shutoff is lying horizontal instead of vertical. That lowered everything about 8", now no problem getting and keeping a prime. Something along this line I bet is the issue. Need to keep the pump low, they don't do well lifting water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Ill snap a pic, honestly I dont see how it could be any lower is the problem. Ill snap a pic and post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 OK here is what we have going on. This pic is looking from the battery compartment toward live well 1 and 2. The white flex pipe is running up to the Livewell 1 fill. This picture is looking down from the battery hatch to the seachest and inlet. the upper strainer is for live well 1 I did check all wiring last night and it is correct. One thing I did notice is if I turn them on the pumps sound different. Both still have the pump whirring sound but live well 2 has a much deeper sound where 1 has a more high pitched sound. Pumps are tsunamis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsnookyrd Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 sounds to me like the impeller on pump 1 may be spinning on the shaft, also I would see if the strainers can be pointed down or to the side to aid in suction by holding water in the intake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 24 minutes ago, imsnookyrd said: sounds to me like the impeller on pump 1 may be spinning on the shaft, also I would see if the strainers can be pointed down or to the side to aid in suction by holding water in the intake. Thats what I was thinking from the sound. Ill switch them on the next trip and see what happens. I thought the strainers had to be vertical. If not ill definitely rotate them. If its the pump any recommendations on pump brands/flow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Just noticed one is actually a rule (live well 2) and one is tsunami (well 1) which could explain the sound difference....maybe. I will still switch and test on the next go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 The strainers might be the issue. In the vertical position, air is trapped in the top. When on plane the water is forced through the system, but at idle the pump will cavitate if there is any air in the system (trapped in the top of the strainer bowl). Everything I read says to install the strainers pointed slightly down hill. This allows the water to fill the strainer and push the air out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 27, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 14 minutes ago, SCFD rtrd. said: The strainers might be the issue. In the vertical position, air is trapped in the top. When on plane the water is forced through the system, but at idle the pump will cavitate if there is any air in the system (trapped in the top of the strainer bowl). Everything I read says to install the strainers pointed slightly down hill. This allows the water to fill the strainer and push the air out. Thanks for the input. Ill rotate them as we'll. I could see how that would be an issue Edited to add: looks like most are pointed up. I even watched their live well video with the newer system and the photo they show has it pointed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang190 Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 Your sea cocks are closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted October 28, 2017 Report Share Posted October 28, 2017 We use to have a member who's screen name was Hobo. He was a live-well guru and gave us lots of good information. I'm almost sure he's the one who suggested that the strainers point slightly down hill and gave the reasoning behind the angle. Mine are sloped about 45 degrees down hill and you can actually see the water fill the strainer and push the air up and out. Mustang190 has the Eagle eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert3 Posted October 29, 2017 Report Share Posted October 29, 2017 23 hours ago, mustang190 said: Your sea cocks are closed. This is what I was thinking: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2017 I leave them closed when I am not using them. They were open. Also tried shifting them back and forth. Water definitely went in when underway, just stopped it wasn't. Ill try the strainer move. Also noticed live well 1 pump made a sort of chunking sound when it starts up. Its a cartridge style pump so I am going to pull that and check it as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted October 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Pulled the cartridge and everything looks ok. I ran it outside of the housing and the impeller spins so I guess its ok. Looking at it a bit closer, it seems like it is probably right at water level or maybe just a hair above but with the seacocks I dont see how it could be any lower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Some pumps are just better at displacing air and overcoming lift or height. If lowering the strainers doesn't work, try switching pumps. I'm still using the Sureflow 800 gph pumps that came with the boat. The motors are replaceable and they last about 18 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilemaker Posted October 31, 2017 Report Share Posted October 31, 2017 Easy to check water level. With boat still in the water take the strainer cap off and water should start to come in the boat. The faster the better. Close ball valve and replace strainer. I disagree with putting strainer down at an angle. If straight up water comes in and rises enough to prime the pump with air going to top of strainer. If the strainer is down than the hole thing must fill to get a prime to the pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang190 Posted November 2, 2017 Report Share Posted November 2, 2017 On 10/31/2017 at 3:59 PM, smilemaker said: Easy to check water level. With boat still in the water take the strainer cap off and water should start to come in the boat. The faster the better. Close ball valve and replace strainer. I disagree with putting strainer down at an angle. If straight up water comes in and riss enough to prime the pump with air going to top of strainer. If the strainer is down than the hole thing must fill to get a prime to the pump. X2! Even on big boats the strainer is vertical. All 3 strainers on my boat are straight up and I have no problems with them priming. Sometimes when I launch the boat there will be a air pocket in the sea chest and the port live well will cavitate until the boat starts moving and the air is purged out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General disarray Posted November 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 On 10/31/2017 at 2:46 PM, SCFD rtrd. said: Some pumps are just better at displacing air and overcoming lift or height. If lowering the strainers doesn't work, try switching pumps. I'm still using the Sureflow 800 gph pumps that came with the boat. The motors are replaceable and they last about 18 months. I am thinking this is probably going to be the plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted November 3, 2017 Report Share Posted November 3, 2017 I'm using two Rule 800's Tournament models and they work great when running or sitting.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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