Live Well Problem

[Bayfisher34]

My livewell is always on (I can hear it when the switch is on), but for some reason it stops recirculating for a little bit. Also it usually never starts pouring in water when I first turn it on at the dock but eventually when I start moving I'll look and it will be circulating and full.

This usually only happens like 5-10% of the time maybe less, but it was off for a period of 5 minutes or so the other day and killed about 2-3 dozen pilchards. I was pretty upset but the rest of the day no others died luckily although this rarely kept occurring for small periods of time.

Is this the pump? What can I do?

 

[Drummer]

Sounds like it's time for a new pump!

[Capt. Troy]

Sounds to me that something is causing an air lock.

[Bayfisher34]

Could this be a timer?????

[hurricane]

I would say Air like Troy said. I would be sure the pump is mounted as low as possible. 

[SCFD rtrd.]

It's possible the live-well is equipped with a timer that would account for periods of no water entering the well, however the pump should come on when the switch is first turned on, then start cycling at a predetermined cycle. More than likely you have an air lock that accounts for the fact that the pump will not pump water when you first put the boat in the water. Some pumps are better than others at overcoming air-lock. The easiest route is to reconfigure the plumbing and pumps so they are at or below water level.

If your pumps are oriented in the vertical position, it's possible they are too high above the water level to achieve a draft and start pumping water. You might need to add a 90 degree elbow to the intake pipe, below the pumps. This would orient the pumps in the horizontal position and probably at or below water level.

I had to do this to my boat for the same reasons. Never had a problem after I lowered the pumps.

[Bayfisher34]

2 hours ago, SCFD rtrd. said:

It's possible the live-well is equipped with a timer that would account for periods of no water entering the well, however the pump should come on when the switch is first turned on, then start cycling at a predetermined cycle. More than likely you have an air lock that accounts for the fact that the pump will not pump water when you first put the boat in the water. Some pumps are better than others at overcoming air-lock. The easiest route is to reconfigure the plumbing and pumps so they are at or below water level.

If your pumps are oriented in the vertical position, it's possible they are too high above the water level to achieve a draft and start pumping water. You might need to add a 90 degree elbow to the intake pipe, below the pumps. This would orient the pumps in the horizontal position and probably at or below water level.

I had to do this to my boat for the same reasons. Never had a problem after I lowered the pumps.

I have a tournament Saturday. Is this quick and easy to do? Also without risk of making my livewell lose total functionality for the tournament.